Fourth-Quarter Shooting by Eagles Tops Tartans

Written by: Stan Becton

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team hosted Emory University on Friday in University Athletic Association (UAA) play, falling to the Eagles, 66-53. Carnegie Mellon is now 10-13 overall and 3-9 in UAA play. Emory moves to 17-6 and 8-4.

Coming off a conference loss to Washington University in St. Louis last Sunday, the Tartans entered the day looking to bounce back as they began the final home stretch of the season.

The first quarter saw a back and forth between both teams. The Tartans' off-ball movement on offense and pressure on defense kept the score within one possession at the close of the first 10 minutes with the Eagles having a slim 16-14 lead.

In the second quarter, senior Makayla Filiere (Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton) reached the double-figure scoring mark for the 17th time this season finishing the half with 11 points. Emory was powered by their 15 points off the bench, a theme of the night, and led the game 27-26 at halftime.

The lead grew in the third quarter for the Eagles who had nine offensive rebounds to support their offense which outscored the Tartans, 14-8, for the frame. For Carnegie Mellon, the scoring in the period was balanced as four players added to their scoring totals.

Despite a strong effort from the Tartans who shot 60.0% in the final quarter with nine made baskets, the home squad could not overcome a hot shooting streak by the Eagles who made 6-of-7 three-point attempts in the final 10 minutes of the game.

Filiere finished the game as the Tartans' leading scorer with 13 points to go along with five steals to reach a new career-high of 76 in a season. Sophomore Caitlyn Clendenin (Bethesda, Md./Bethesda Chevy Chase) and sophomore Leah Weslock (Howell, Mich. / Howell) both added eight points to the scoring effort.

Eagles' starters Molly Weiss and Blair Ripley scored 14 and 11 points, respectively. Mariane Auza and Tori Huggins both came off the bench to score in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The Tartans will next host the University of Rochester on Sunday, February 23 at 2:00 p.m. Carnegie Mellon defeated the Yellow Jackets, 77-74 in overtime, on the road in late-January.