The Judges played strong as they rolled over Carnegie Mellon Tartans 59 to 44 in women’s basketball on Feb. 13. Guard Frankie Pinto ’17 brought the show on as she knocked down four three-pointers and team-high 12 points along with eight rebounds in total. Captain Hannah Cain ’15 had a large presence with 12 points. This victory helped to improve the Judges’ overall record, bringing it to 12-9 overall and 4-6 in the UAA conference.
The Judges started strong and successfully took control over the game later on. A 5-0 start and an 11-0 run helped boost the team’s energy. The team’s impenetrable defense was truly impressive as the Judges held off the opponent, allowing four points to the Tartans in the first 11 and a half minutes. When asked about their amazing defense, guard Paris Hodges ’17 gave credit to the team’s “constant high energy level and communication.” Throughout the entire game, the Judges limited the Tartans’ overall shooting percentage to a mere 24.6 percent.
The Judges overcame the Tartans’ height advantage, taking a lead in rebounds and exceeding the guest team at points in paint.
“We practice rebounding every day. My coaches have incorporated numerous rebounding drills into practice in order to stress the importance of rebounding because it usually is the difference between a win and a loss … During halftime our coaches typically let us know how many offensive rebounds our opponent has secured. After that the team sets a goal in order to limit the opponents offensive rebounds,” said Hodges. Such determination paid off as the Judges allowed only 11 offensive rebounds.
The Judges only committed 10 turnovers through the whole game, way below the 18.6 average for the season so far. Hodges again shared his thoughts on the team’s progress, stating, “During practice we keep track of our total turnovers. For each drill there is a specific amount of turnovers that we can have. If we go over the amount there are consequences.” According to the statistics, the Judges have been gradually decreasing their number of mistakes on offense after the UAA Conference began. 18.2 turnovers were recorded per conference game while 18.6 is the average for the whole season.
The Judges showed consistency throughout the game. Whenever the Tartans decreased the Judges’ lead, players such as Pinto and Cain would step up and score at the right moment to keep the momentum going. Hopefully such consistency can be maintained throughout the rest of the season. “When facing stronger opponents we have encountered some difficulties adjusting to the opponents’ adjustments after halftime … When teams adjust to our offense sometimes we tend to move away from what worked in the first half,” said Hodges. “Staying composed and executing the game plan is what it comes down to.”
After their victory on Feb. 13, the Judges defeated Case Western University 77-68 at home on Feb. 16, achieving a three-game winning streak. The Judges end the regular season with a game against New York University this Saturday at NYU.
