Dan DaranciangDespite the injuries suffered by several key members of the women’s basketball team and the loss last weekend to University Athletic Association (UAA) rival NYU, the No. 3-ranked squad was able to defeat UAA opponents University of Rochester and Carnegie Mellon University this past weekend.
“In my opinion, the Brandeis game was pivotal. The loss to NYU hurt, but we rebounded well,” said head coach Nancy Fahey.
The Bears not only rebounded well, they made a statement, defeating No. 24 Rochester, 73-49. With an injury to junior Rebecca Parker in last Sunday’s game against Brandeis, freshman Jaimie McFarlin got the start.
“Opponents don’t care what year you are. The freshmen have stepped up; they have to help the others,” said Fahey.
The seniors were not to be outdone, however. Seniors Danielle Beehler, Kelly Manning, and Katie Benson all scored in double-digits. Beehler led the way with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Manning and Benson each added another 15 points. Junior Sarah Schell also had a big night with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
Shooting over 45 percent from the field, the Bears held the Yellow Jackets to 23 percent from the floor while collecting 12 steals.
“With the absence of Parker, we had a combination of people step up. We never try to replace people. We let everyone be who they are. We gathered the troops, and being successful only makes us stronger,” said Fahey.
The Bears started out falling behind in the early minutes of the game before scoring 21 unanswered points. They never looked back, taking a 35-21 halftime lead and the eventual victory.
Unfortunately for the Tartans of Carnegie Mellon, the Bears continued to show off their abilities by doubling the Tartans’ point total on Sunday, 74-36.
“Teams key in on Beehler and Manning and they can’t stop them both in the same night,” explained Fahey. “We are a committee, not individuals. The experience is showing.”
The experience showed, indeed, with all three seniors once again scoring in double-digits. Beehler led all scorers with 20 points, while Manning and Benson each added 11. The defense was tough for the second game in a row, holding the Tartans to 21 percent from the field with 15 steals. Nevertheless, the difference in the game was on the glass; the Bears out-rebounded the Tartans by the wide margin of 51-38.
The Bears now sit atop the UAA conference at 6-1 (16-2 overall). No. 12 NYU, who defeated the Bears the previous weekend, was defeated by Emory University this weekend, dropping them seven spots in the national rankings. With seven games remaining in conference play, the Bears are in a position to win the conference for the ninth consecutive season and move on to the NCAA tournament.
“This conference is tough, everyone knows it. They are confident and ready to take care of business. They have resolve and control,” said Fahey.
Beehler was named the UAA Player of the Week for the second straight week for her performances over the weekend. She averaged 20.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, while shooting .609 from the field. She tallied her seventh double-double of the season (20 points, 11 rebounds) in a 73-49 win against then-No. 23 Rochester. On Sunday, Beehler netted 20 more points, her sixth 20-plus point game of the season. For the season, she is averaging 16.6 points, good for third in UAA standings, and 7.9 rebounds per game, while shooting a UAA-best .600 (120-of-200) from the floor.
The No. 3-ranked Bears will go on the road this weekend to face Carnegie Mellon and Rochester once again before returning for their two remaining regular season home games.