BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball team opened the 2024 portion of its schedule as it defeated the University of Mount Union in an Ohio Athletic Conference game by a final score of 67-56 in the Ursprung Gymnasium inside the Lou Higgins Center.

BW (9-3, 5-0) improved to 60-43 in the all-times series and has won the last 13 meetings against Mount Union (5-7, 2-3). 

The Yellow Jackets had three players score in double figures led by junior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC guard Emily Irwin (Pickerington/Pataskala Watkins Memorial) as she scored a game-high and season-best 17 points.  Sophomore guard Leah Riley (Cincinnati/Sycamore) contributed a career-high 14 points. Senior guard Carolyn Wochele (Mentor) chipped in a season-best 13 points.

The Purple Raiders had two players score in double digits led by sophomore guard Addison Mucci as she scored 14 points. Freshman forward Elizabeth Mason tallied 13 points. 

1st Quarter (MTU, 7-6)

• Each team knocked down a three-pointer in the first five minutes with the last coming from Wochele at the five minute mark
• Mount Union pushed the lead to 7-3 on a pair of free throws by freshman guard Tess Conroy at 2:20
• BW cut the lead down to one on a three from Irwin with 42 seconds remaining

2nd Quarter (BW, 25-14)

• The Yellow Jackets pushed its lead to 16-7 on a pair of free throws by freshman guard Maddie Ebbert (Lake Orion, Mich.) at the 5:52 mark.
• The Purple Raiders scored their first points on a two from the charity strip by Mason to cut the lead down to 16-9 at 4:51
• Mount Union continued with a 4-1 run to cut the lead down to 17-13 on freshman forward Grace Wolfe layup at 3:15
• BW answered with an 8-0 run to extend the lead to 25-13 when Riley split a pair from the free throw line with 26 seconds remaining

3rd Quarter (BW, 45-36)

• The Yellow Jackets opened the second half as sophomore guard Kacie Badylak (Cincinnati/Archbishop McNicholas) knocked down back-to-back three pointers to push the lead to 31-14 at the 9:18 mark
• The Purple Raiders responded with a 17-8 run to cut the lead down to 39-31 on a Mason triple at 2:40
• BW outscored Mount Union by a 6-5 margin down the stretch with an Irwin three at the buzzer

4th Quarter (BW, 67-56)

• The Yellow Jackets opened the final quarter on an 10-2 run to extend the lead to 55-38 when Wochele converted both from the foul line at the 7:02 mark
• The Purple Raiders responded with a 5-2 run to cut the lead down to 57-43 on a triple from Ali Hudak at 6:10
• BW answered with a 5-2 run to push its lead to 62-45 on a three-pointer by Riley at the 3:42 mark
• Mount Union fought right back with an 8-2 run to cut the lead down to 62-53 when Mucci knocked down a three at 2:14
• The Yellow Jackets ended the game on a 5-3 run

BW is back in action on January 6 when it travels to Marietta for an OAC clash against Marietta College in Ban Johnson Arena at 2 p.m.