To conclude their 2020-2023 season and University Athletic Association (UAA) conference games, the women’s basketball team played three away games. First they faced the University of Rochester Yellowjackets on Friday, Feb. 17, then they played the Emory University Eagles on Sunday, Feb. 19, and for the final game of their season, they played against the New York University (NYU) Violets on Friday, Feb. 24.
Beginning with their game against the Rochester Yellowjackets, the women’s basketball team was looking to capture their second win against Rochester this season. The Judges started off strong, but could not hold off the powerful offensive showing by their opponents. The Judges made seven of their first eight shots of the game, holding off Rochester for the first five minutes of the period. Though the Yellowjackets had a successful run to conclude the first period, the Judges held them off 20-14. The Judges continued leading through the second quarter as they concluded the first half leading 41-40 against the hosts. The third quarter began with the Yellowjackets capturing the lead for the first time in the matchup and did not allow the Judges lead again. The third quarter ended with the Judges trailing 60-51. Though the score remained relatively close, the Judges were not able to rebound from giving up the lead as the game ended with the Yellowjackets winning 81-70. Caitlin Gresko ’25 scored a team-high of 19 points, making this game her 12th double-digit game of the season. Gresko also led the Judges in rebounds with seven. Following Gresko was Emma Reavis ’23 who earned the Judges 12 points, had six rebounds, four assists, and had a team-high of seven assists. Shannon Smally (GRAD), Francesca Marchese ’23, and Tathiana Pierre ’23 each scored eight points as well.
Two days later, the Judges faced the Emory Eagles in Atlanta. The Eagles started off strong, immediately capturing the lead and never looked back. The Judges never possessed the lead in this matchup. Despite their unsuccessful team showing, the Judges had strong individual showings. Leading in point scoring for the Judges was Gresko with 12 points as well as six rebounds. Reavis also had a successful showing with 11 points, three assists, and three steals. Smally followed with 10 points scored and two blocked shots. Pierre also had a strong showing, capturing six rebounds and three assists.
In their final game of the season, the Judges played against #6 ranked team in DIII, NYU. Despite having three Judges scoring points in the double-digits, they still could not keep up with the strong showing by the NYU Violets. The first quarter was high in point scoring as it concluded with NYU leading 33-23 over the Judges. Early on in the matchup, the Judges were within six points of the Violets’ lead off of a 3-pointer from Gresko. To conclude the first half, the Violets earned 11 more points while the Judges missed their last 16 shots. The half ended with the Judges trailing 51-33. In the third quarter, the Violets continued extending their lead, scoring 21 points against the Judges’ 14. In the fourth quarter, the Violets’ lead reached a high of 29 points before the game concluded with them winning 85-62 over the Judges. Gresko led in point scoring with 19 points. Smally scored 12 points in her final game as a Judge, and Reavis followed close behind having scored 11 points and earning a game-high of six assists. Pierre also had a game-high and career-high of nine rebounds. Reavis’ successful 83 assists made this season ranks her sixth in Judges’ history for total career assists. Marchese is also ranked sixth in total career 3-pointers, having made 44 this season and 131 for her career as a Judge in just the three seasons she played.
The women’s basketball team concluded their season with a record of 6-19 and a 1-13 record for their UAA season. They will graduate three seniors, Emma Reavis, Francesca Marchese, and Tathiana Pierre along with graduate student Shannon Smally.
Editor’s Note: Staff writer Francesca Marchese is a captain of the women’s basketball team and did not contribute to the writing or editing of this article.
