Tartans Win First Game of the Season 73-47

(MEADVILLE, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team competed against Allegheny College in the first game of the season on Friday, November 8 in the first game of the Allegheny Tip Off Classic. The Tartans won 73-47 after a strong fourth-quarter performance to earn head coach Kathy McConnell-Miller's first win at the helm of the program.

How it Happened

• The Gators took an early lead in the first quarter, taking a 9-0 lead four minutes and 40 seconds into the game.
• Junior Nicole Timko scored the first points for the Tartans on a jumper
• After two free throws by the Gators, the Tartans scored six points in a row to trail 11-8 at the end of the first quarter. 
• The Gators held their lead until the 6:20 mark of the second quarter when senior Catherine Or made a jump shot to give the Tartans a 14-13 lead. 
• Junior Savannah Gibbs led the Tartans by scoring eight points, including a three-pointer on the team's last possession, to keep them neck and neck with the Gators for the rest of the second quarter, as the Gators led 24-22 at the break.
• Junior Ava Arias tied things up 24-24 in the first minute of the third quarter with a layup that fueled an 11-2 run over five minutes and 12 seconds.
• Allegheny answered with seven straight to tie the game before the Tartans held a two-point lead, 37-35, going into the final frame.
• A 22-6 run over the first five minutes of the fourth quarter broke the game open and the Tartans went on to win by 26 points.
• The 22 points by the Tartans in the first five minutes of the final quarter was more than each total of the first three quarters for the Tartans.

Tartan Stats

• The Tartans ended the game shooting 41.3% (31-75) from the floor and converted 2-of-18 from behind the arc (11.1%). They shot 71.4% from the floor in the fourth quarter.
• The Tartans had a total of 48 rebounds, including 17 offensive boards. 
• Or led the team with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
• Freshman Payton Baney finished with 12 points while Gibbs and senior Anisha Chintala each scored 10 points.
• Gibbs had nine rebounds while Or led with four assists. Three players recorded three steals: Chintala, Or, and junior Ava Arias.

Gator Stats

• The Gators ended the game shooting 34.5% (19-55) from the floor and converted 4-of-15 from behind the arc (26.7%).
• The Gators had 33 rebounds.
• Sarah Santicola and Sofia Genareo each finished with 15 points.

Up Next

The Tartans will compete in the second game of the Allegheny Tip Off Classic against Penn State-Behrend on Saturday, November 9 at 2:00 p.m.