The No. 10 men’s basketball team captured the 29th annual Lopata Classic with a 67-57 win over No. 7 Illinois Wesleyan University Saturday at the Field House.
Junior guard Alan Aboona earned the Robert L. Burnes Most Valuable Player Award after scoring 15 points on 3-of-7 shooting from three-point range and 4-of-5 from the foul line in the win over Illinois Wesleyan. Aboona averaged 20.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in the tournament and broke the record for free throws made with 18.
Washington University junior Chris Klimek, Illinois Wesleyan’s Michael Mayberger and Kevin Reed, Tufts’ Scott Anderson and Wilmington’s Brandon Candella were also named to the All-Tournament Team. Klimek averaged 13.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for WUSTL and shot 73.3 percent (11-15) from the field.
Washington University picked up its 13th-straight and 22nd overall Lopata Classic Championship, and improved its all-time classic record to 52-6. The Bears have won 28-straight games in the Lopata Classic, and have not lost since an 81-75 defeat to Illinois Wesleyan in 1998.
WUSTL posted a 73-62 win over Wilmington College Friday in the opening round. Aboona scored a career-high 26 points and connected on a tournament-record 14-of-14 free throws. Aboona tied his career-high with 10 rebounds and added five assists in the win, recording the second double-double of his career.
Washington University (7-0) begins a two-game road trip at Webster University Wednesday, Dec. 5. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. The Gorloks have a 4-2 overall record and have won three-straight games.
Women’s basketball pulls away for win at Elmhurst
The No. 8 women’s basketball team scored 42 second-half points to pull away for a 70-54 win at Elmhurst College Saturday afternoon.
After playing to a 28-28 tie in the first half, Elmhurst took a 40-35 lead with 15:36 left in the game. The Bears answered with a 10-0 run over the next three minutes to turn the deficit into a five-point lead, which they did not relinquish the remainder of the game. Elmhurst cut the lead to one but WUSTL held the Bluejays to just one field goal over the final 8:48 of the game to earn the 16-point win.
Rebounding was a key to the win for the Bears, who finished with a 46-35 advantage on the glass. WUSTL used 24 offensive rebounds to outscore the Bluejays 25-9 in second-chance points.
Four players scored in double figures for Washington University, led by sophomore forward Melissa Gilkey’s 20 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Alyssa Johanson scored 11 of her career-high 16 points in the second half. Sophomore guard Maddy Scheppers added 14 points, while sophomore center Steph Vukotic came off the bench to score a career-high 10 points. Freshman guard Jordan Thompson dished out a career-high 11 assists, which was just two shy of the WUSTL single-game record.
Washington University (4-1) hosts Millikin University at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5, at the Field House. The Bears then return to the road to face Augustana College at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, in Rock Island, Ill.
Swimming teams set five school records and post 25 B cuts at Wheaton Invitational
The men’s and women’s swimming teams had a big weekend at the Wheaton Invitational, setting five school records and posting 25 NCAA Division III B cuts while sweeping both team titles at the meet.
Freshman Kristalyn McAfee was part of six B-cut performances on the weekend for the Bears, including a school records in the 200 freestyle (1:51.46). She also swam on two record-setting relays – the 200-freestyle relay (1:36.02) with freshman Katie Anderson, and juniors Jennifer Tartavull and Allison Siegel; and the 400-freestyle relay (3:29.10) with Anderson, Tartavull and freshman Grace Counts.
Freshman Amanda Stadermann set a school record in winning the women’s 200 butterfly (2:05.05), while senior Brendan Morin broke his own school record in winning the men’s 100 butterfly (49.50).
Overall, WUSTL won 14 events at the two-day meet. The Washington University men’s swimming team returns to action by hosting Wabash College in a dual at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9. Both the men’s and women’s teams will be in action when the Bears host the WU Invitational Friday-Saturday, Jan. 11-12, at the Millstone Pool.
Track and field opens indoor season at IWU First Chance Meet
The men’s and women’s track & field teams combined to win five events in the first indoor meet of the season Saturday at the Illinois Wesleyan University First Chance Meet in Bloomington, Ill.
Senior Ryan Doll (men’s 200 meters), junior Arthur Townsend (men’s 300m), freshman Maisie Mahoney (women’s high jump), and junior Anna Etherington (women’s pole vault) each won individual titles for Washington University. Townsend and sophomores Jake Bruemmer, David Gorsche and Tim Elliott also teamed up to win the men’s 1,600 relay at the meet.
The Washington University track and field teams return to action Saturday, Jan. 12, at the Rose-Hulman Double Dual in Terre Haute, Ind.