The No. 24 men’s basketball team scored the last 11 points of the game and clinched the 2012 University Athletic Association (UAA) championship with a 74-68 victory at New York University Feb. 19.
With the win, WUSTL became the first team to secure an NCAA Division III tournament bid this season by winning its 11th UAA title in school history. The Bears will make their 19th overall NCAA tournament appearance and 16th in Division III.
Senior Dylan Richter led WUSTL with 17 points and four assists in the win over NYU, moving him into 19th on the all-time scoring list with 1,066 points. His three-pointer with 19:02 left in the second half vaulted him into ninth on the all-time career list with 142 three-pointers. Sophomore Chris Klimek and freshman Brayden Teuscher each finished with 12 points, while junior Robert Burnett added 11 points off the bench.
The Bears had their three-game winning streak snapped with a 79-69 loss at Brandeis University Feb. 17. Klimek had a career-high 22 points and seven rebounds to lead all scorers, while Burnett added a career-best 18 points and a game-high nine rebounds, including eight offensive boards.
The Bears (18-6, 10-3 UAA) conclude their regular-season schedule at the University of Chicago Saturday, Feb. 25.
Women’s basketball wins pair of road games
The No. 12 women’s basketball team earned two key road victories last weekend to clinch second place in the University Athletic Association (UAA). It marks the 24th time in 25 seasons of UAA play that the Bears will finish in the top two.
WUSTL held Brandeis University to 27 percent shooting and forced 19 turnovers in a 57-33 win over the Judges Feb. 17. Senior Dani Hoover was the lone player in double-figures in the game, finishing with 12 points. On Feb. 19, senior Brianne Monahan had her first-career double-double with career-highs of 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Bears to a 76-59 win at New York University.
WUSTL had four other players score in double figures in the game. Sophomore Jordan Rettig and senior Claire Schaeperkoetter finished with 12 points each, while Hoover and freshman Maddy Scheppers added 11 points, including three three-pointers each. Hoover also had eight rebounds, three assists and three steals, while Rettig pulled down six rebounds. Schaeperkoetter equaled her career-high with six assists.
WUSTL (20-4, 10-3 UAA) travels to No. 2 University of Chicago at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, to finish the regular season.
Swimming and diving strong at UAA championships
Both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams had three UAA champions and set three school records at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships last week at Case Western Reserve University.
The men finished fourth in the team standings, while the women placed fifth. Freshman Luke Dobben won the men’s 500 freestyle, and finished second in the 1,650 freestyle and third in the 200 butterfly at the meet. His time in the 1,650 freestyle also broke the school record in the 1,000 freestyle. Dobben also swam on WUSTL’s runner-up 800 freestyle relay team to help him earn UAA Male Rookie of the Year honors.
Freshmen Zane Turpin and Sara Taege also set school records. Turpin won UAA title in the men’s 1,650 freestyle with a pool- and school-record time, while Taege broke the school record with a fourth-place finish in the 200 butterfly.
Sophomore Brendan Morin was WUSTL’s third UAA champion of the meet, winning the 100 butterfly. Overall, the Bears had 13 individuals and relays earn All-UAA honors by finishing in the top three.
Both teams travel to Chicago Friday and Saturday, Feb. 24 and 25, to compete in the Midwest Invitational.
Women’s track sets school record
The men’s and women’s indoor track & field teams combined to win 11 events and sweep the team titles at the Illinois College Alumni Classic Feb. 17.
The women’s distance medley relay team of sophomore Shannon Howell, seniors Erica Jackey and Elizabeth Phillips, and freshman Lucy Cheadle clocked a time of 11:46.38 to win the event and break the previous school record of 11:48.98 set in 2011. The time also ranks second in NCAA Division III this season.
Other WUSTL event winners were: sophomores Nkele Davis (women’s 400 meters), Anna Etherington (women’s pole vault) and Katie Sandson (women’s 60), women’s 1,600 relay; seniors Tyler Jackson (men’s 60 hurdles) and Justin Pieper (men’s high jump); freshman Lukas Rees (men’s mile); and junior Ryan Doll (men’s 200), and men’s 1,600 relay.
Both teams teams travel to New York Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 25 and 26, for the University Athletic Association (UAA) Indoor Championships at New York University.
Women’s tennis wins season opener at Rhodes
The No. 14 women’s tennis team opened the 2012 season with a 8-1 victory at Rhodes College Feb. 18. It was the season opener for both teams.
WUSTL swept doubles play by losing just one game, and won five of the six singles matches in straight sets. In addition, junior Kate Klein picked up career win number 50 against Rhodes.
The Bears (1-0) return to action against No. 6 Denison University Friday, March 2, in the first round of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in Greencastle, Ind.