CWRU Bests Bethany 53-47 to Improve to 5-1
Junior forward Maura Schorr and senior guard/forward Emily Plachta each had a double-double for the second time in the last three games, leading the Case Western Reserve University women's basketball team to a 53-47 win over Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia, on Tuesday night.
The win continued a hot start to the season for the Spartans, who improved to 5-1 overall, while the Bison fell to 2-4 following the loss.
Stats and Standouts
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Schorr led all Spartans with 17 points in the game and added 11 rebounds, two steals, and a block. It was her second double-double of the year and the fifth of her career.
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Plachta finished the contest with 10 points and a career-high 15 rebounds with an assist, two steals, and two blocks. It was her second double-double of the season and of her career.
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Junior forward Biz Watson registered a career-best 10 rebounds in the game and scored five points with two assists, a career-best four steals, and one block.
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Junior guard Mya Hartjes added 11 points, three rebounds, and a team-best four assists.
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The Spartans outrebounded Bethany 54-30 in the game and held a 16-4 edge in second-chance points.
First Period
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Schorr scored the first four points of the game, giving the Spartans a 4-0 lead with 7:14 left in the opening frame.
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Schorr later converted a traditional three-point play and then made a layup on the team's next possession to give the Spartans an 11-5 lead with 4:57 on the clock.
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CWRU led by six, 15-9, with 2:51 left in the period, but the Bison scored the final four points of the stanza to pull within two, 15-13, by the end of the first.
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Schorr scored nine points during the opening period to lead all players.
Second Period
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Bethany made the first basket of the second period to knot the score at 15-15.
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The Spartans regained the lead on a free throw by Plachta with 8:59 on the clock and remained ahead for the rest of the period. A three by Hartjes extended CWRU's lead to five, 22-17, with 4:38 to go in the half.
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CWRU went into halftime with a 24-21 lead over Bethany.
Third Period
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Bethany scored the first four points of the half to take their first lead of the game by the 8:38 mark.
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Plachta responded with back-to-back baskets to put the Spartans back ahead by three, 28-25, with 7:24 remaining in the third.
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The Bison answered with six-straight points of their own, going in front 31-28 with 5:07 on the clock.
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Sophomore guard Taylor Angielski hit her second three of the quarter with under a minute remaining in the period to put CWRU back in front by two, and a late free throw by Schorr gave CWRU a 39-36 advantage heading into the final quarter.
Fourth Period
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Bethany would tie the game at 41-41 with 8:02 remaining in the game, and led by three, 46-43, with 5:39 on the clock.
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CWRU answered with a 7-0 run to take the lead for good in the contest. Watson, who scored five points and collected five rebounds in the fourth, put CWRU back in front, 47-46, with a layup with 3:40 on the clock, and Plachta converted an and-one to increase the CWRU lead to four with 2:25 left.
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The Bison hit a free throw to make it a one-possession game again, but Watson followed with a putback basket to put the Spartans in front by five with under a minute to play, and CWRU held Bethany scoreless the rest of the way to secure the victory.
Spartan Notes
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The Spartans improved to 4-5 all-time against Bethany. This was the first meeting between the two teams since the 2006-07 season.
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Plachta broke her career-high in rebounds for the second time in the last three games. The 15 rebounds were tied for the 13th-most in a single game in program history. She surpassed 300 rebounds for her career with the effort.
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CWRU improved to 3-1 in games away from Horsburgh Gymnasium this season.
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This is the first time since 2022-23 and the eighth time overall in program history that the team has won five of its first six games.