During a weekend on the road, the WashU women's basketball team fell to Brandeis University 68-57 and No. 1 New York University 77-58 on Feb. 7 and 9. The Bears are now 4-5 in conference play and 13-7 overall.
Coming off a dominant 24-point victory over Brandeis just one week prior, the Bears traveled to Waltham, Massachusetts on Friday night to take on Brandeis at their home court. After both teams battled turnovers in the early minutes, the Judges hit a 3-pointer in the final 24 seconds of the first quarter to take a 15-12 lead over WashU. Heading into halftime, the game remained close with the Bears down 30-28.
With a total of 16 lead changes throughout the game, the teams continued to battle in the second half, leaving WashU down 59-47 with a little over two minutes remaining in the final quarter. However, graduate student guard Jessica Brooks, who had contributed an impressive 13 points, fouled out of the game with over a minute remaining in the fourth. Without Brooks on the court, the Judges dominated, scoring the final seven points of the game.
Sophomore center Lexy Harris said that she believes that the Bears' energy was the biggest challenge for Brandeis during the game.
"Our energy is contagious and when we are all willing to play with it, then a lot of other things fall into place, such as our effort and attitude," she said.
WashU was outrebounded by Brandeis 40-32, which has continued to remain an area of emphasis for the team all season.
Harris led the Bears with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks, marking her seventh double-double of the season. Sophomore guards Alyssa Hughes and Sidney Rogers each put up 11 and seven points respectively.
Harris highlighted Brooks for her consistent effort throughout the game.
"She is a leader that we all look up to and I admire her for that," she said. "Although we did not win, she still ran hard, was physical, and [was] disciplined with her defense, which is needed for success."
On Sunday, the women's basketball team looked for redemption as they faced NYU, hoping to become the team to ruin the Violets' perfect record. Unfortunately, the Bears couldn't surpass the highly-skilled team.
NYU got off to a hot start, taking a 10-3 lead in the first quarter. While the Violets may have lacked shot consistency at the 3-point line, having a 0-5 drought in 3-pointers, they utilized the Bears' turnovers, a weakness, to their advantage. With six turnovers alone in the first quarter for the Bears, the Violets had taken a significant lead of 22-12 after the first quarter.
Brooks said that the team remains committed to improving their errors. According to Brooks, the team can improve on supporting ball handlers during the press and preventing themselves from getting stuck in crucial plays.
"Turnovers are something we go back and forth with. A lot of turnovers are controllable things like making sure we have good passes and footwork," Brooks said. "NYU is a really talented team, and their pressure definitely made us commit turnovers we don't usually do."
By halftime, the Bears continued to fight, picking up a total of five steals, decreasing the Violets' first-quarter field goal percentages from 58.82% to 25% by the end of the second.
The team made strategic adjustments to its defensive communication and scoring opportunities during halftime.
"Coach Stone came into the locker room at half time and was saying we had NYU right where we wanted them. She told us we needed to limit our turnovers and continue matching up with shooters," Brooks said.
The team continued to rack up points throughout the game, helped by Brooks, who played 40 minutes and earned herself 16 points and nine rebounds. Harris hit several clutch threes to keep the Bears within range of securing a possible comeback. Sophomore Sidney Rogers returned to the lineup after suffering an ankle injury on Jan. 17 and added 12 points to the score sheet.
While, ultimately, the game was another tough loss for the Bears, with a final score of 58-77, it should be noted that they outrebounded the Violets by 15 points, demonstrating how WashU's players contributed to both the offensive and defensive sides of the game.
Head coach Lisa Stone remains optimistic about her team's ability to secure wins later on in the season. Players stay motivated and seek growth when they face their upcoming competitors.
"Heading into the next game [Case Western], the team is excited to work on their offensive execution and defensive strategies," she said. "They aim to build on their strengths while implementing the adjustments discussed, ensuring they come together as a cohesive unit."
Looking ahead, WashU will hit the road again to take on Case Western Reserve University on Friday, Feb. 14, and Carnegie Mellon University on Saturday, Feb. 16. These next few practices will be crucial in ensuring the team is prepared, according to Harris.