Tartans Top Host Ohio Wesleyan to Close Hoops for Hope Tournament

(DELAWARE, Ohio) – The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team faced Ohio Wesleyan University in the consolation game of the Hoops for Hope tournament hosted by Ohio Wesleyan on Friday, December 30. The Tartans rallied from a one-point halftime deficit to win 66-61 and move to 9-2 for the season.

How it Happened

• The Tartans led 8-2 less than three minutes into the game and held the lead until a three-pointer by Ohio Wesleyan with 3:09 on the clock gave the home team its first advantage of the game at 15-13.
• A back-and-forth second quarter kept the Battling Bishops up by one, as the Tartans shot 54.5% in the first half and trailed by one, 31-30. The Battling Bishops shot 36.3% but made four three-pointers to zero for the Tartans.
• Sophomore Catherine Or led the Tartans in the first half with nine points while freshman Ava Black had seven points and five rebounds.
• The Tartans started the second half hitting 5-of-7 from the floor and holding the Battling Bishops scoreless for the first five minutes to take a 40-31 lead.
• Carnegie Mellon hit its first three-pointer of the game with 3:32 to play in the third quarter when junior Megan Matsko pulled up for the shot and gave the Tartans a 45-33 lead.
• After starting the third period missing 11 of 12 shots, the Battling Bishops connected on 5-of-6, including a triple by Mia Guscoff with 49 seconds to go to cut the deficit to three points, 47-44.
• The Battling Bishops scored the first four points of the last frame to take a 48-47 lead but the Tartans answered on two straight possessions with layups assisted by junior Anisha Chintala to lead 51-48 with 7:36 to go.
• Chintala then scored four of her seven-quarter points to give the Tartans a 55-51 lead.
• After Ohio Wesleyan retook the lead with five straight points, Or drained a three-pointer off an assist from freshman Savannah Gibbs and the Tartans would hold on to the lead for the final two minutes for the victory hitting 6-of-8 free throws down the stretch.

For the Tartans

• Or recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Tartans.
• Matsko finished with 12 points while freshman Ellen Angwin dropped in 10 points.
• Black and Chintala each scored nine points.

For the Battling Bishops

• Kasey Schipfer led the team with 20 points and 12 rebounds with five steals.
• Lauren Denison tallied 14 points and Guscoff finished with 13 points.

Notes

• Or was named to the All-Tournament team with Schipfer.
• The Tartans attempted a season-low seven three-pointers while the Battling Bishops attempted a season-high 30 from behind the arc.

Up Next

The Tartans will open University Athletic Association play on Saturday, January 7 at Case Western Reserve University at 1:00 p.m.