Both Bears basketball teams played their final regular season game this weekend. While the women’s team went out on a high note, capturing a share of the conference crown, the men lost their last regular season game. The no. 23 ranked men’s basketball team lost its final regular season game 79-64 to the University of Chicago Maroons on Saturday night at the Gerald Ratner Athletics Center.

The Bears (19-6, 11-3 UAA) started the game off strong against the Maroons, beginning the game on a 10-two run in the first 2:15 of play. Senior Barry Bryant, playing in his last regular season game of his career, contributed eight of the Bears’ first ten points, as he made his first four shots. Bryant capped off his Bears career with a career-high 30 points. The Maroons (12-6, 8-6 UAA) quickly answered back as they went on a 12-zero run without letting the Bears score a basket for the next 6:29.

The Maroons were too much for the Bears, as they continued to dominate the boards throughout the first half. By the end of the half, the Maroons were able to secure their largest lead of the first frame when Maroons player Brian Cuttica nailed a 30-footer at the buzzer. At halftime, the Bears were trailing 37-27. In the first half, with the exception of Bryant who went 6-of-11 for 14 points, the Bears went five of 21 as they shot just .344 (11-32) from the field.

There was no turning back for the Maroons. They started out the second half on a 13-3 run, extending their lead to the largest of the night with 15:25 left in the game, 50-30. With the help of freshmen Brandon York coming off the bench, the Bears were able to answer back with a 13-2 run as they closed the gap to 52-43 with 11:01 remaining. York was the only other player on the Bears squad besides Bryant to score in double digits; he scored 12 points coming off the bench, nine of which came in the second half where he played 14 minutes.

This was the shortest gap that the Bears would have for the rest of the night as the Maroons went on a 7-0 run late in the game. At the end of regulation, seniors Barry Bryant and Ryan DeBoer lost their last regular season game of their career, 79-64. With the Bears’ loss, they finished second in the UAA conference behind the University of Rochester.

The Washington University women’s basketball team, on the other hand, was able to capture a win at the University of Chicago. With the Bears’ (21-4, 11-3 UAA) 73-47 win against the Maroons (10-15, 5-9 UAA) this Saturday and a loss by the New York University (NYU) Violets to Brandeis University, the Bears were able to earn their seventh-straight UAA championship, the 14th under head coach Nancy Fahey.

The game began close as the Bears took a tight lead 19-15 in the first several minutes of regulation. The Bears then went on an 11-point run as they took a commanding 30-15 lead with 6:18 remaining in the first half. Leading the Bears with eight points in the first half, senior Lesley Hawley was able to take her team into the half with a 38-21 lead. The Bears shut the Maroons down, not only offensively, but also defensively as the Bears kept the Maroons to .375 shooting from the field and out rebounding the Maroons 25-9 in the first half.

The Bears did not let up going into the second half, as they increased their lead to more than 20 early in the second half. The Maroons could not stage a comeback as Hawley, who finished with a game-high 17 points, and senior Suzy Digby and sophomore Terri Lakowski each contributed eight rebounds to the Bears effort. Hawley finished the night also with five steals and five assists, all game-highs.

With the win, the Bears clinched a share of the UAA championship. Because they lost their head to head match-up with NYU in the conference, the NYU team will receive an automatic bid in to the NCAA tournament and the Bears must hope for an at-large bid.

Washington University Men vs. University of Chicago
Saturday, February 28 at Chicago, IL
—————–at the half——final
Washington University——27———64
University of Chicago——37———79

Washington University Women vs. University of Chicago
Saturday, Feb. 28 at Chicago, IL
—————–at the half——final
University of Chicago——21——–47
Washington University——38——–73

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