Jackets Fall Just Short at Home vs. Chicago

In a game that saw 11 ties and 17 lead changes, University of Rochester women’s basketball dropped a heartbreaker to the University of Chicago Maroons, 74-70, on Friday evening inside the Louis Alexander Palestra.

The Yellowjackets and Maroons would trade buckets in the early going, with neither team able to build much of a lead. Rylee Drahos scored UR’s first seven points, including a three-pointer from Abby Gress to break the seal and open the scoring before Raquel Williams scored three straight buckets midway through the first.

With the score knotted at 14-all, Sophia North knocked down a three-pointer and Ellie Gross went 1-for-2 at the free line to give the Maroons a four-point advantage, but Drahos hit a runner at the buzzer to make it an 18-16 Maroons’ lead after one.

Gress would quickly tie the score at 18 to start the second, as both sides struggled to score to open the frame. After the two sides combined for 34 points in the opening period, UR and Chicago scored just seven in the first five minutes of the second, with Ellie Gross’ free throw giving the visitors a 21-20 lead with 5:16 until the halftime break.

Gross’ free throw though, would jumpstart the Maroons offense, and Chicago opened up their largest lead of the first half, 29-22, behind a pair of North buckets just past the four-minute mark.

North’s three-pointer made it 26-20 before the senior knocked down a step-jumper following Bridget Miller’s answer to give the Maroons a seven-point advantage. But after Haley Dumiak and Bri Simpson hit back-to-back threes, the Yellowjackets got on a run of their own, pulling back within two on Callie McCulley’s fastbreak layup that capped off an 8-3 run.

Gross then made it a 37-33 lead just before the halftime break, sending Chicago into the locker room up four.

However, Rochester quickly surged ahead to start the third, holding the Maroons without a point for nearly the first four minutes of the third. The ‘Jackets held Chicago without a field goal for six-plus minutes into the quarter, as they used a 9-2 run to take their largest lead of the night, 42-39, on Tia Poulakidas’ layup with 4:12 left in the third.

But with Gross in foul trouble, Marissa Powe stepped up for the Maroons, scoring the next five points to pull the visitors back in front, and just under a minute later after Hannah Lindemuth helped UR retake the lead, North sank her third triple of the night to take the lead right back.

Chicago led by as many as five in the third, but Hailey Bruneau made it a two-point game headed to the fourth with a strong take to the hoop, drawing the foul and connecting on a free throw to cut Chicago’s lead to just two, 50-48.

The fourth quarter would again prove to be back and forth, as the Maroons stretched their lead out to six on Gross’ triple before UR answered with a run. Gress scored five-straight points, hitting a jumper before knocking down a three from Franki Gomez on the fastbreak, pulling the ‘jackets within one with 5:04 to play, while Williams went 2-for-2 at the line a possession later to give UR its first lead of the fourth.

Chicago and UR traded buckets down the stretch, first Kate Gross and Williams and then Ellie Gross and Lindemuth, before the Maroons went back up by four.

Down 67-63 with 1:28 to play, McCulley drew a foul and went 2-for-2 at the line to make it a one-possession game, and after the ‘Jackets got a stop, Gress also drew a foul and hit both free throws to level the score at 67-all.

Ellie Gross would score the next two buckets for the Maroons while McCulley twice went to the line. The first time the graduate student would hit them both, but the second she went just 1-for-2, giving Chicago a one-point lead with just 17 seconds left.

Forced to foul, UR sent Sophia North to the line, where she hit them both, and after a missed three-pointer by Lindemuth, Gross iced the game for Maroons going 1-for-2 at the line, and UR turned it over before they could get one last shot off.

Chicago moves to 15-6 (8-2 UAA) with the win, while Rochester falls to 10-11 (5-5 UAA) with the loss.

Drahos led UR with a career-high 17 points, adding eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. Three other Yellowjackets scored in double figures, led by McCulley’s 11, while Gress and Williams each tallied 10 points apiece.

Gress also notched a team-high 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the year, as well as a team-high four assists.

As a team, Rochester shot 38.0 percent from the field and 17.6 percent (3-for-17) from three, while Chicago shot 42.6 percent and knocked down 10 triples, shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc.

The Yellowjackets will look to bounce back when they host WashU for their Senior Day matchup on Sunday, Feb. 11 at 2:00 p.m.