Melissa Gilkey’s Double-Double Leads No. 5 Washington U. to Win Over Millikin
BOX SCORE
St. Louis, Mo., Dec. 5, 2012 - The No. 5-ranked Washington University in St. Louis women’s basketball team picked up its fifth win of the season with a 71-42 victory over Millikin University Wednesday night at the WU Field House.
Sophomore forward Melissa Gilkey recorded her first double-double of the season to lead the Bears in the win. Gilkey had team-highs of 17 points, 12 rebounds and three steals, while also dishing out a season-high three assists. Freshman guard Jordan Thompson scored a career-high 14 points, including 4-of-6 from three-point range, and recorded a team-high four assists, while sophomore guard Maddy Scheppers added 12 points and seven rebounds for the Bears.
After a basket by Millikin tied the score at 6-6 with 16:41 to play in the first half, the Washington U. defense shut down the Big Blue, forcing five turnovers and holding them without a field goal for nearly eight minutes. The Bears went on a 14-0 run, including five points each by Scheppers and Thompson, during that time to open up a 20-6 lead with 9:14 left in the half. Washington U. stretched the lead to as many as 17 points in the remainder of the half, before heading to halftime with a 33-17 lead.
Millikin cut the lead to 15 early in the second half, but could get no closer than that as the Bears continued to pull away. After a free throw by the Big Blue made the score 58-36, Washington U. scored the next eight points, including four by senior guard Nishi Tavernier to grab its largest lead of the game (66-36) with 4:47 remaining.
Washington U. shot 46.8 percent (29-62) from the field, including 46.7 percent (7-15) from beyond the arc, in the game. Millikin, meanwhile, shot just 26.7 percent (16-60) from the field and was 3-of-15 (20 percent) from three-point range. The Bears doubled up the Big Blue rebounding, finishing with a 54-27 advantage, including 21 offensive boards for Washington U.
Washington University (5-1) returns to action Saturday, Dec. 8, when the Bears travel to Rock Island, Ill., to take on Augustana College. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Bear Notebook: Washington U. now leads the all-time series against Millikin, 10-9… Gilkey and Scheppers have both scored in double figures in each of the Bears’ first six games … The Bears improved their record to 337-32 all-time record in 29 seasons at the WU Field House, including 3-0 this season … Washington U. has outshot its opponent in all six games this season, and is shooting 46.7 percent from the field on the season.