By: Athletic Communications Student Assistant Paige Phillips '23
BEREA, Ohio – The No. 14 nationally-ranked and second-seeded Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball team hosted sixth-seeded University of Mount Union in the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament Semifinals. The Yellow Jackets defeated the Purple Raiders by a final score of 63-51 in the Ursprung Gymnasium inside the Lou Higgins Center.
BW (20-4, 15-2 OAC) was led by senior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC forward Lilly Edwards (Dublin/Coffman) as she posted 27 points and three rebounds. Also scoring in double digits was sophomore guard Emily Irwin (Pickerington/Watkins Memorial) as she posted 10 points. Senior Academic All-OAC forward Megan Scheibelhut (Avon Lake/Elyria Catholic) neared a double-double, recording 10 rebounds and eight points.
Mount Union (10-14, 6-10 OAC) was led by junior guard Emma Cannon who posted 14 points and two rebounds.
1st Half
- Edwards scored the first points of the game with a pair of jump shots.
- The Purple Raiders tied up the score with a three-pointer before taking the lead with 3:25 left in the first quarter.
- A three from Irwin reclaimed the lead for the Yellow Jackets.
- Scheibelhut put up a pair of three pointers to begin the second quarter.
- BW went on a 7-0 run to end the second quarter and entered halftime leading 36-25.
2nd Half
- The Purple Raiders battled back in the third quarter, cutting BW's lead down to three after a 10-2 run.
- A 9-1 run from the Yellow Jackets put them back in a double-digit lead.
- The third quarter ended with a jump shot from sophomore guard Carolyn Wochele (Mentor), BW leading 49-38.
- A pair of free throws from senior Academic All-OAC guard Megan Hensel (Upper Sandusky) put the Yellow Jackets up by 13 with 6:51 left in the fourth quarter.
- Another pair of free throws from Hensel closed the game with a 63-51 victory for BW, sending the Yellow Jackets to the OAC Tournament Championship.
BW shot 24-50 (48%) as a team from the floor tonight while holding the Purple Raiders to 19-64 (29.7%) shooting as team. While the teams were comparable in many stat categories, BW grabbed six blocks to Mount Union's two and the Yellow Jackets shot better from the free throw line. The Purple Raiders grabbed more offensive boards (15-6) which allowed them more second-chance points (21-10) and forced BW to 12 turnovers while only tallying six.
The Yellow Jackets are back in action on Saturday, February 26 as they travel crosstown to University Heights to face No. 12 nationally-ranked and first-seeded John Carroll University in the OAC Tournament Championship. Tip-off will be at 3:00 p.m. on Mike Moran Court inside the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center.
