LEXINGTON, Va. – The #8 Washington and Lee University Women's Basketball Team (9-15) picked up a 69-48 win over ninth-seeded Emory & Henry College (7-18) Monday evening in the first round of the 2013 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament. The Wasps finish the season with more wins than in the previous two years combined, but as losers of their last 11 contests.
The Generals got out to a 22-4 lead at the 10:29 mark of the first half. Katy Wilson scored 10 of the first 20 points for W&L. Emory & Henry trimmed the lead to 11 (26-15) after seven-straight points by sophomore guard Michelle Williams (Stokesdale, N.C.) with 6:02 on the clock. Washington and Lee would lead by as much as 22 (42-20) before the break but Williams hit a three-pointer just before the buzzer for the 42-23 halftime score.
In the second half, the two squads traded baskets early but the Generals pushed the margin to 54-31 with 11:47 on the clock. Emory & Henry was able to cut the deficit to 15 with four and a half minutes to play, but would get no closer as W&L went on to win 69-48.
With the victory, the Generals advance to the quarterfinals of the ODAC Tournament where they will take on the top-seeded Royals of Eastern Mennonite University Thursday evening at 8:00 p.m.
Wilson finished the night with 18 points, four rebounds, seven assists and a career-high six blocks. Paige Corvino had 16 points and five boards while Rachel Warrick and Megan Marks notched 12 and 10 points, respectively.
The Generals shot a blistering 75.0 percent (18-for-24) from the floor in the first half and hit 15-of-17 (88.2%) of their free throw attempts for the game.
Emory & Henry was paced by Williams as she scored 16 points on five three-point baskets and had three rebounds and two assists. Junior forward JoBeth Wright (Mooresville, N.C.) and sophomore center Carlyta Hamm (Wytheville, Va.) had eight points. Sophomore guard Jalan McPherson (Jonesville, Va.) dished out five assists to lead the Wasps.
As a team, E&H shot just 32.8 percent (20-for-61) from the floor. The Wasps forced 18 turnovers by the Generals and scored 22 points in the paint.
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