Men’s basketball on nine-game winning streak
The No. 3 men’s basketball team clinched a share of the University Athletic Association (UAA) league title with a pair of victories at No. 21 Brandeis University (92-82) and New York University (71-63) last weekend.
Graduate student Sean Wallis led the Bears with a career-high 29 points and seven assists, while backcourt mate senior Aaron Thompson added 25 points in the win at Brandeis Feb. 12. The duo combined for 54 points on 17-of-25 shooting from the field, including 10-of-15 from three-point range.
In the victory at New York Feb. 14, Thompson scored a game-high 25 points on six three-pointers, and moved past Gene Nolan (1992-96) and Chris Alexander (1997-01) into fifth on the all-time scoring list with 1,505 points. Junior Spencer Gay added 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field, while Wallis had 13 points and seven assists.
WUSTL (20-2, 10-1 UAA) returns home for a two-game set beginning 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19, against Case Western Reserve University. Prior to the game, WUSTL will honor its four seniors — Ross Kelley, Zach Kelly, Cameron Smith and Aaron Thompson — who will be playing their final two regular season games at the WU Field House.
Women’s basketball in first place
The No. 6 women’s basketball team swept a road trip against Brandeis University and New York University to improve to 10-1 in UAA competition and remain one-game ahead of the University of Chicago in the conference standings.
Senior Zoe Unruh recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds as WUSTL topped Brandeis, 50-37, Feb. 12. Three players scored in double figures as the Bears topped New York, 58-50, Feb. 14. Junior Kathryn Berger led the way with 15 points, while senior Janice Evans and sophomore Claire Schaeperkoetter each chipped in 14.
The Bears return home on Friday, Feb. 19, when it hosts Case Western Reserve at the WU Field House. Prior to the game, the team will honor its three members of the Class of 2010 — Unruh, Evans and Stacey Niese, who will be playing their final two regular season games at Field House.
Men’s tennis sweeps in Windy City
The No. 3 men’s tennis team posted a two-match sweep over Case Western Reserve University (8-1) and No. 16 ranked University of Chicago (5-4) last weekend in Chicago.
Senior John Watts notched his 200th career victory in the win over Chicago. Watts teamed with freshman Kareem Farah for an 8-4 victory at No. 2 doubles to pick up the milestone victory. He also defeated Will Zhang at No. 1 singles, 6-4, 6-3, to improve to 15-1 this season. Watts, the career leader in overall victories at Washington University, is 113-17 in singles and 88-17 in doubles for an overall record of 201-34 (.855).
The team (2-1) returns to action this weekend at the National Indoor Championships in St. Peter, Minn. The first round match is at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19, against No. 8 Johns Hopkins University.
School track records fall at Monmouth Invitational
Sophomore Dan Davis and graduate student Pierre Hoppenot each broke a men’s indoor track and field school record at the Monmouth Fighting Scot Invitational Feb. 13 in Monmouth, Ill.
Davis won the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 7.53, and in doing so automatically qualified to compete in the 2010 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships and broke the old school record of 7.59, which he set earlier this season. Hoppenot won the 200-meter dash with a school-record breaking time of 22.50, clipping the old mark of 22.54.
On the women’s side, sophomore Liz Phillips nearly met provisional qualifying standards in the mile. She placed second overall in the race with a time of 5:06.40, falling 1.40 shy of the provisional mark.
Both teams have one final warm-up — the North Central College meet in Naperville, Ill., Saturday, Feb. 20 — before the 2010 UAA Indoor Championships March 5 and 6.
Women’s tennis splits dual matches
The No. 15 women’s tennis team opened its 2010 spring campaign by splitting a pair of dual matches against conference foes.
The Bears topped Case Western Reserve University, 7-2, Feb. 13, in Griffith, Ind., but fell at No. 4 University of Chicago, 8-1, Feb. 14.
WUSTL led Case, 3-0, following doubles action and saw freshman Kate Klein, sophomore Natalie Tingir, senior Allison Dender and junior Elise Sambol also pick up wins in singles.
Against Chicago, the Bears lost all three doubles contests by a score of 8-6, but junior Kalee Cassady earned a 6-3, 6-4, win in No. 6 singles.
The women’s tennis team (1-1) returns to action at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, when it hosts No. 11 DePauw University at the Kings Point Racquet Club in Belleville, Ill.