BY:  Athletic Communications Student Assistant AJ Schultz '27

BEREA, Ohio – The No. 24 Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball team defeated Muskingum University in an Ohio Athletic Conference, Dr. Alan Kolp Appreciation and Morgan's Message game by a final score of 61-38 in the Ursprung Gymnasium inside the Lou Higgins Center.

Prior to the game, the team honored retired religion professor and faculty athletics representative Dr. Kolp for his leadership and support of student-athletes. At halftime, the team dedicated the game to Morgan's Message, which strives to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community and equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in athletics.

BW (14-3, 10-0 OAC), who has won the last 29 meetings and won 11 of its last 12 games, had three players score in double figures led by senior guard Carolyn Wochele (Mentor) as she scored a game-high 11 points. The guard tandem of sophomore  Kaycie Badylak (Cincinnati/Archbishop McNicholas) and All-OAC and Academic All-OAC junior Emily Irwin (Pickerington/Pataskala Watkins Memorial) each chipped in with 10 points.

Muskingum (8-9, 3-7 OAC), whose last victory against the Yellow Jackets came on February 14, 2009, were led by senior guard Taylor DeMassimo and junior guard Claudia Harrington as they each scored 7 points.   

1st Quarter (Tied, 15-15)

• The Muskies jumped out to an 8-2 lead on a layup by senior guard Taylor DeMassimo at the 7:14 mark

• The Yellow Jackets tie up the ball game 10-10 on a triple by Wochele at 4:58

• BW takes a 15-13 lead with 0:42 left on the clock on a layup by sophomore guard Alyssa Miller (New Philadelphia), but the lead is short-lived as Muskingum makes a layup of their own as the time winds down in the quarter

2nd Quarter (BW, 27-20)

• BW starts off on a 3-0 run capped by a free throw from freshman guard Maddie Ebbert (Lake Orion, Mich.) to bring the lead to 18-15

• Senior Guard Taylor DeMassimo scores a layup at the 5:37 mark for Muskingum University's first points of the quarter

• The Yellow Jackets start to catch fire, as they go on a 7-0 run until the 2:29, highlighted by another huge three-point basket from Wochele

• Free Throws by Badylak  built the Yellow Jacket lead to 27-20 going into the half

3rd Quarter (BW, 40-28)

• Each team scored four points apiece through the first three minutes of the quarter, before junior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC guard/forward Caely Ressler (Napoleon) rains one down from behind the arc to make the score 34-24

• The Yellow Jackets grow their lead to 13, before sophomore guard Claudia Harrington cut the lead to 37-26 with a layup at the 2:17 mark

• The final score of the quarter comes from the home team on a layup by Irwin

4th Quarter (BW, 61-38)

• A triple from junior All-OAC forward Bella Vaillant (Perrysburg) kicks off the scoring for BW in the period at the 9:12 mark

• BW extends their lead, as they erupt in the opening minutes of the quarter with a 10-0 run

• The Yellow Jackets biggest lead of the game was at the 2:57 mark, when freshman guard Ava Wilkerson (Marysville) made a jump shot to make the score 59-35

   

BW is back in action on Wednesday, January 24 when it travels to Alliance for an OAC game against the University of Mount Union in Timken Gymnasium inside the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex at 7 p.m.