“I think we’re developing our personality…I wasn’t as happy with our performance in our tip off weekend, but I felt like this weekend, we had a grasp [of] what kind of team we’re going to be and how we’re going to play better on the court,” Head Coach Nancy Fahey said.

The Red and Green opened the tournament on Saturday against Whittier College and never trailed in the 96-73 win after being down 2-0. Senior guard Halsey Ward led a revamped starting lineup with a game-high 14 points on 5-7 shooting: 4-4 from behind the three-point line. Sophomores Kathryn Berger and Alex Hoover scored 11 and 10 points respectively, as three of five starters scored in double figures. Berger also exhibited some range by making her first three-pointer of the season.

Off the bench, senior forward Jaimie McFarlin added 13 points and four rebounds to lead the second unit. Nineteen Bears played in the game, with no player logging more than 19 minutes in the blowout victory.

Sunday proved to be much of the same against Carthage College, as Wash. U. won 83-54. Senior Jill Brandt led the team with a career-high 29 points off the bench on 10-14 shooting and 4-7 from three point range. Brandt’s three with 14:12 remaining in the first half put the Red and Green ahead for the remainder of the game, making the score 10-7. Six players scored at least five points, and 18 players saw action in the rout.

Berger was the only other player in double figures with 10 points, but McFarlin and senior Shanna-Lei Dacanay added 10 rebounds and assists respectively off of the bench. The Red and Green also doubled Carthage’s rebound total, as the Bears grabbed 52 rebounds for the second straight game.

“I think that we have had some really good games and some really not good games, but I think that our defense is really starting to come together, and we’re starting to just click more on the offensive end,” Ward said.

The Red and Green shot the ball impressively over the weekend, shooting more than 47 percent from the field in both games and more than 61 percent from three-point range against Whittier. In victories this year, the team has played an up-tempo offense, which Fahey acknowledges has its benefits but also hurts team defense.

“I think the kids enjoy playing it. It’s fun to watch. I think that we have to be a little bit more stingy defensively. I think that’s been our challenge and knowing how to play a solid 40 minutes of basketball,” Fahey said.

After losing to Illinois-Wesleyan on Nov. 22, Fahey altered the starting lineup by starting Ward and Berger and benching McFalin and Brandt. “I think right now that this team understands, and coming from their mouths, that ‘we’ll do whatever it takes for us to be successful.’ They see the big picture…they see the team aspect of this,” Fahey said.

“There are people that will come off the bench who are equally as good as those who started, and it’s just kind of accepting your roles and ultimately knowing that being 10 or so deep is going to be better for our success in the end,” Ward said.

The team will hit the road for the first time this season this weekend at the NBC Camps Whit Classic, hosted by Whitworth University in Spokane, Wash. The Bears open against Whitworth Friday night at 6 p.m. PST and will then face Whitman College on Saturday at 4 p.m. PST.

“There’s always a different atmosphere going into road games. You have to bring that much more focus and intensity. I’m really excited to see how we play on the road and to see how we match up against teams in the West,” Ward said.