NEW CONCORD, Ohio – The No. 20 nationally-ranked Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball team continued its hot start to the season with a convincing 89-49 Ohio Athletic Conference victory against Muskingum University in the Anne C. Steele Center.
With the win, BW (6-0, 2-0 OAC) improved its all-time matchups record against Muskingum (2-3, 0-1 OAC) to 55-23. The Yellow Jackets also extended their win streak to six games to start off the year, which marks their longest streak since achieving eight consecutive wins to kick off the 2018-19 campaign.
Four Yellow Jackets reached double-figures in scoring. Sophomore guard Sydney Snyder (Kirtland) came off the bench and scored a career and team-high 16 points, while adding another career-best three assists, three rebounds and two steals. Senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference and Academic All-OAC guard Riley Schill (Sheffield Village/Elyria Catholic) poured in 12 points, and grabbed three rebounds and two assists. Junior guard Gabby Garrett (Columbus/Bishop Watterson) also provided a spark off the bench, contributing with 11 points, two assists and a game-high three steals.
The Fighting Muskies were led by junior guard Sam Filiaggi, who scored a game-high 17 points, along with four boards and two steals in the losing effort.
The Yellow Jackets got off to a tremendous start in the first quarter, scoring seven unanswered points in the first 2:49 of game play. BW's performance out of the gate set the tone for the remainder of the game. The Yellow Jackets' initial run jumped to 19-4 roughly 8:45 into the game, as their efforts were highlighted by solid defensive play, limiting Muskingum to just 15.8% shooting. History repeated itself in the second quarter as BW once again jumped to an 8-0 run to begin the second quarter. The Yellow Jackets breezed through the rest of the frame ending the first half with a colossal 21-2 run, and an outright 31-7 score in the second period. Even distribution of offense was a key component of BW's dominant first half, as 11 different Yellow Jackets scored at least one point, with none having reached double-figures.
The third quarter was the Fighting Muskies' strongest effort of the game. Despite confronting a 38-point deficit at halftime, Muskingum was able to outscore BW 21-16 in the third frame. The Fighting Muskies' Filiaggi spearheaded their offense, who recorded 11 points in the frame. The end of the third and beginning of the fourth featured a 7-0 run for the Fighting Muskies but that was the biggest dent they could make in the score for the remainder of the game. The Yellow Jackets ended up using a 21-7 run in the fourth quarter to attain its peak lead of 45 points, and eventually secured its sixth consecutive win.
BW returns to the hardwood on Saturday, December 14 when it travels to Marietta to take on Marietta College for an OAC matchup in Ban Johnson Arena at 3:00 p.m.
