Carnegie Mellon Women’s Basketball Comes Up Short Versus #22 Chicago

Feb. 18 – (PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon women’s basketball team squared off against the visiting 22nd-ranked University of Chicago Maroons on Sunday, February 18 and came up just short, falling 65-56 in Skibo Gymnasium on senior day. The loss drops the Tartans to 8-16 overall and 2-11 in the University Athletic Association (UAA) while the Maroons improve to 18-6 overall and 7-6 in the UAA.

In the first half, senior guard Ashley Mazziotta (New Tripoli, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) got the Tartans on the board with a lay-up and sophomore guard Stacie Aleski (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) added a three-pointer to increase their lead to 5-1. The two teams played even basketball until the Tartans went cold from the field. Two Aleski free throws put Carnegie Mellon up 28–24 with 7:39 remaining but the Maroons proceeded to go on a 12–1 run to go into halftime leading 36–29. Aleski led the Tartans with 10 points in the half.

The Tartans hung with the Maroons for most of the second half, despite being out-rebounded, but they were never able to get over the hump and pull into the lead. A lay-up by junior forward Leah Feola (Pittsburgh, Pa./Canevin Catholic) at the 14:26 mark cut the deficit to three points at 42-39. Chicago answered with a pair of baskets and went on to increase their lead to ten. Carnegie Mellon trailed by only six at the 7:58 mark after a three-pointer by freshman Paige Williamson (Washington, Pa./Trinity High), but Chicago answered with a four-point play by senior Korry Schwanz. The two teams played even basketball after that point, with the Maroons winning by nine.

Aleski led the Tartans with 14 points and four assists. Mazziotta added a season-high 12 points and Feola contributed 10 points and a team-high six rebounds. The Maroons were led by Schwanz’s 17 points and freshman Molly Hackney’s 11 points. Junior Nicaya Rapier collected a game-high 12 rebounds in the win.

The Maroons out-rebounded the Tartans 55-27 and shot 42% for the game, while the Tartans finished the game shooting 33%.

The Carnegie Mellon women’s basketball team will finish up their season on Saturday, February 18 when they travel to play the University of Rochester. The game is scheduled to begin at 2:00 pm.