Sophomore Guard Sidney Rogers drives past a defender. (Bri Nitsberg | Managing Photo Editor)

The No. 18 WashU women’s basketball team got off to a strong start in head coach Lisa Stone’s first games at the helm, winning the four-team Hyatt Place Tournament. The Bears defeated Edgewood College 78-58 on Nov. 15 and dominated Saint Mary’s College (Ind.) 99-40 on Nov. 16 in the tournament hosted by Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill.

Stone was pleased to see the team’s improvement from their opening scrimmage, especially on the defensive end. 

“I thought we opened up with really great energy,” she said. “The team was ready to play.”

In a weekend where the Bears did not trail for a single second of gameplay, WashU dominated throughout. The team got off to an early 12-4 lead on Friday night versus Edgewood. The Bears went into halftime up 11 and pulled away in the fourth quarter to secure the 20-point victory.

The Bears were led by sophomore duo Lexy Harris and Sidney Rogers. Harris, the reigning Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Rookie of the Year, dominated in the post, with 27 points (on 13 of 18 shooting), eight rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. Rogers, who handled the Bears’ point guard duties, added 18 points of her own, shooting 3-of-6 from behind the arc, and added four assists and two steals. 

Graduate student Jessica Brooks noted Harris’ increased confidence from last season, crediting her work over the offseason. 

“She’s a beast,” Brooks said. “Teams have to find some sort of game plan to stop her, and they just can’t.”

After Friday’s victory, the team didn’t miss an opportunity to celebrate Stone, spraying her with water the second she entered the locker room. However, Stone knows the team still has lots to accomplish this season and is focused on continuing to build the fundamentals and lean on their deep roster. 

“It’s not about me,” Stone said. “It’s about the players, and I’m looking forward to what we can do.”

According to Harris, Stone’s coaching philosophy is defense-oriented. 

“[Stone] says that if you can defend, the offense will come. We’ve been nailing down the defensive fundamentals,” Harris said. “I think that we were able to get stops on defense, and the offense really just flowed [from] that”.

The Bear’s defense was stifling all weekend, holding opponents to 33% shooting.

Tournament MVP Lexy Harris drives towards the basket. (Jialing Sun | Student Life)

WashU was even more dominant on Saturday, outpacing Saint Mary’s in all facets of the game. The Bears recorded 64 points in the paint (compared to the Belles’ 12) and scored 34 points off of St. Mary’s 21 turnovers.

Brooks excelled on Saturday, recording 14 points, including her 1,000th career point. Brooks, who led the Bears in scoring last season, is on pace to finish among the highest-scoring women in WashU basketball history. 

The team celebrated Brooks’ milestone at halftime, with her family cheering from the stands, but Stone is confident it won’t be her last milestone of the season. 

“When that happens in the first few games of your season, that milestone is over, and now you’re chasing the next one,” Stone said.

Harris had another strong performance, recording 20 points and tying a career-high 17 rebounds in just 16 minutes of action. After Saturday’s win, Harris was named the Tournament MVP. 

“It’s really special to get that [recognition], but also, I don’t let it get to my head,” Harris said. “You have to continue working hard. …. It’s about the team also.”

The strong play by the Bears’ other underclassmen was a big factor in Saturday’s win. Rogers added 12 points, six assists, and a career-high five steals, earning her a spot on the All-Tournament team. Sophomore guard Alyssa Hughes added 11 points off the bench, while first-years Ava Blagojevich (nine points, four assists) and Hope Drake (11 points) demonstrated their potential to contribute meaningful minutes for the squad.

Stone complimented the freshman class for their preparedness to play in the Bears’ opening games, highlighting the key role they will continue to play this winter. 

“They’re very talented, and they’ve fit in great,” Stone said. “Everybody got on the court, and this was a good way to get the nerves out of those first few games and now continue to get better every day.” 

The Bears’ next game will be their home opener next Friday, Nov. 22 against Lyon College at 7 p.m., as part of the 2024 McWilliams Classic. No. 17 Transylvania University, the defending DIII national runners-up, and Wisconsin Lutheran College will also compete in the tournament.

“We have a very, very strong competitive tournament, and we need four days of practice to prepare,” Stone said. “We need to build off of last weekend, not be comfortable, and be willing to get better every day.”