First-year Sidney Rogers drives to the basket against Rochester. (Bri Nitsberg|Student Life)

In the University Athletic Association (UAA), wins and losses are determined by the smallest of margins. Each team in the “egghead eight”  (formerly the “nerdy nine”) regularly plows their way through non-conference play before slugging it out against division opponents, and this year is no different. Out of the 47 DIII women’s basketball conferences, the UAA has the second-best record in non-conference play.

Entering the weekend hot off of a strong performance in their league opener at the University of Chicago and looking to extend their five-game winning streak, the No. 25 Bears faced off against No. 6 Emory and Rochester on Jan. 12 and 14. Unfortunately, the ball did not bounce the right way for the Bears.

Friday’s matchup saw the Bears battle against the Emory Eagles’ high-powered offensive attack. WashU fell into a hole early, trailing by nine in the first quarter, and struggled to shoot over the course of the half. The Eagles, led by Morgan Lauden’s 22 points, and 2023 All-UAA guard Daniella Aronsky’s 10 assists, ended the half up eight over the Bears.

The Bears continued to miss shots in the third quarter, falling behind by as many as 16. But entering the fourth, the Bears began to attack the basket, scoring four quick buckets at the rim to cut the game to a five-point deficit with seven minutes remaining. 

After shooting just 36% in the first three quarters, the Bears hit nine of seventeen shots in the back-and-forth fourth. WashU would cut its deficit to one after two free throws by senior Jessica Brooks free throws, but could not find the lead. Despite three chances to take the lead or tie in the final thirty seconds, the Bears ultimately fell 76-73.

Junior Brenna Loftus led the Bears with six big points in the fourth and finished the game with 15 points on efficient 6-for-7 shooting. Brooks added 18 points and 9 rebounds, and first-year Catherine Goodwin recorded season highs in points (14), rebounds (7) and minutes (35). Ultimately, it was not enough for a win, especially as first-year leading scorer Lexy Harris only recorded 19 minutes before fouling out.

The Bears looked to bounce back two days later, facing off against a scrappy Rochester Yellow Jackets squad. Led by five different players in double figures, the Yellow Jackets led by as many as 20 in the first half against the Bears. 

But a three-point barrage early in the third quarter highlighted a dramatic turnaround, as the Bears clawed their way back to take the lead. Freshman Sydney Rogers led the Bears in the third, hitting three big shots from downtown.

The fourth quarter was Harris’ time to shine, where she recorded 7 of her 20 total points. Despite a fast break layup from Goodwin that cut the Yellow Jackets’ lead to just two with a little under two minutes left, the Bears were unable to close the gap, ultimately coming up short in what would have been a season-defining comeback win. 

On Sunday, Brooks recorded her second double-double of the season, finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Rogers added 21 points, 4 assists, and 4 steals, while Harris added a season-high 4 blocks. However, it was turnovers (20) and free throw shooting (a paltry 5-of-14 from the line) that killed the Bears chances of a win.

Despite the losses, this weekend’s games highlighted the continued emergence of a talented WashU first-year class. This year, four of the team’s five leading scorers (Harris, Rogers, Goodwin, and Alyssa Hughes) are first-years. Continued growth from the class gives the team much to be excited about going forward.

After the two tough losses, WashU fell out of the top 25 this week. However, the Bears will have the opportunity to regain their spot among the nation’s best, as they look to prove themselves in the Big Apple on Friday, Jan. 19  against No. 1 New York University, and on Sunday against Brandeis University.