Tartans Close Out Non-Conference Tilt with 77-73 Win Over Baldwin Wallace

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - Freshman Lisa Murphy (McLean, Va./McLean) and senior Jacquie Shaw (Portland, Ore./Grant) led the Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team to a 77-73 victory over Baldwin Wallace University on Wednesday afternoon in Skibo Gymnasium. The Tartans improve to 9-2 on the year while the Yellow Jackets drop their third game and are now 9-3.

The Tartans started the game with an 11-2 spurt behind two baskets apiece from Murphy and Shaw and one by sophomore Liza Otto (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury). The Yellow Jackets responded with a 10-2 run to get back within one point with 13:07 to play in the first half.

A consistent first half by the Tartans gave them their largest lead of 11 points after a layup and free throw by Murphy with 3:02 to play but the Yellow Jackets cut the halftime deficit to seven on a fast break jumper in the paint by Audrey Smolik as time expired.

The Yellow Jackets shot 51.6% in the first half to the Tartans' 48.6% but offensive rebounds and second chance points gave the Tartans the advantage they needed heading into the break. The Tartans outrebounded the Yellow Jackets 23-14 for the half and hauled in 12 offensive boards for 12 second chance points while also turning 12 Yellow Jacket turnovers into 13 points.

Baldwin Wallace clawed their way back in the game with a few timely baskets, taking their first lead, 60-58, with nine minutes to play in the game. Five different players scored during a Yellow Jacket 12-2 run which gave the visitors their first lead and largest lead at three points, 61-58 with 7:36 showing on the clock.

The teams traded hoops until the Tartans took the lead back for good on a pair of free throws by Murphy with 3:20 to go.

With time ticking off the clock, Carnegie Mellon continued to pound the ball inside as Murphy and Shaw each scored on baskets inside the paint and the team made 3-of-4 from the line to hold on for the win.

Murphy led the Tartans with 28 points and eight rebounds while Shaw had a season-high 19 points and Otto collected a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Sophomore Lindsay Poss (Poolesville, Md./Poolesville) pulled down nine rebounds and tied a career-high with two blocks as Otto, Murphy and junior Chandler Caufield (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) each had four steals. Shaw led the team with six assists.

The Tartans will begin University Athletic Association play on Saturday, January 11 when they travel to Cleveland, Ohio to take on Case Western Reserve University at 3:00 p.m.