The Saint Louis University woman’s basketball team spent their Christmas break traveling around the nation and successfully clinched 4 out of 7 games, since its 58-68 loss to Indiana State, at home, on Dec. 14. The Billikens started their winter break schedule off in the Lady Griz Holiday Classic in Missoula, Mont., playing Austin Peay and Utah Valley.
SLU found themselves down by a manageable 7 points against Austin Peay with a halftime score of 32-39, but Austin Peay came out on fire in the second with a 10-3 run. The Billikens would gain their own momentum after sophomore forward Erin Nelson sank a 3-pointer that sparked some life into the offense. Both teams battled for the lead with more than five lead changes in the final few minutes of the game, but it was Austin Peay’s impeccable free throw shouting that would secure the win for the Lady Govs.
The Billikens would then knock off Utah Valley in their second game of the tournament thanks to the efforts of sophomore center Sadie Stipanovich, who scored a career-high 28 points. SLU had secured a hard fought 3-point lead heading into the half that was soon cut to a single point when Utah Valley’s Spooner-Knight hit a jumper. Utah Valley went down 10 points early in the second but refused to go down without a fight, pulling within 2 with 30 seconds left in regulation. The Wolverines had the opportunity to send the game into overtime, but the ball refused to drop after spinning around the rim, giving SLU the win.
The Billikens then traveled to Eastern Illinois, where they dominated the Panthers with suffocating defense and a stunning performance from junior forward Denisha Womack, who had 11 points and 8 rebounds for SLU. The team would easily clinch a 63-49 win and would return to Chaifetz Arena to play in a thriller against Ball State. Stipanovich showed up to play and recorded her third career double-double. It looked as if Ball State would seal the victory after a SLU miss gave them the opportunity to expand on their 3-point lead, but the Billiken defense came through, allowing sophomore forward Olivia Jakubicek to sink her fourth 3-pointer of the season, tying the game at 61 with 28 seconds left. Saint Louis then went on a 9-0 run in overtime, from which Ball State quickly recovered. It came down to freshman forward Maddison Gits hitting her free throw shots in order for the Billikens to avoid the loss and improve their record to 7-6.
The women’s team would hit the road again, traveling to Fairfax, Va., to kick off their A-10 schedule. Stipanovich had a second-straight double-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, 4 offensive rebounds and 2 blocks. Unfortunately, her stellar performance would not be enough to hold off George Mason, after multiple lead tradeoffs would end with the Patriots hitting 9-of-10 free throws in the final minute and a half of the game. The Billikens stayed on the road traveling to Amherst, Mass., to play UMass in a game that exemplified teamwork as Stipanovich, junior guard Jamesia Price and freshman guard Jackie Kemph combined for 49 points. Kemph had her own personal victory with a career-high of 16 points, making up for the Billikens’ 45 percent shooting from the perimeter. SLU had a scare early in the second half when the Minutewomen scored on 9-of-12 possessions, taking a 43-42 lead with 12:22 left in the game, but the momentum quickly shifted in favor of the Billikens, who went on a 14-4 scoring spree. SLU gained a lead and never looked back, winning 75-67 and giving the team its first A-10 victory of the season.
In their most recent game, the women’s team went up against VCU, who had won six of their past seven games at home. The Billikens found themselves down at halftime, 30-24, and this deficit increased to 9 early in the second, but the Billikens clawed their way back into the game to bring score within one, with 6:31 left in regulation. SLU kept the game close, but the Rams took advantage of a layup and free throw opportunity to put them up 57-52. The woman’s team was unable to recover and fell 59-54. The now 8-8 Billikens will continue their A-10 schedule in Pittsburgh, on Thursday, Jan. 15, to play Duquesne that has a current record of 9-7.
