Box Score The Case Western Reserve University gave 21st-ranked Baldwin Wallace University all it could handle through the first three quarters in the season-opener for the two teams on Tuesday night, but a run in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference maker for the Yellow Jackets in a 72-59 win over the Spartans at Horsburgh Gymnasium in Cleveland, Ohio.
CWRU senior Abbey Lawrence did not skip a beat from where she left off in 2019-20, leading all scorers with 23 points on a seven-of-16 shooting effort, including two-of-four from the three-point line and seven-of-eight from the free throw line. Junior Isabella Mills added 12 points, six rebounds, two assists, three steals and three blocks, while sophomore Kayla Characklis finished the contest with eight points, six rebounds and a team-high four assists.
The Spartans and the Yellow Jackets played a close first quarter, with CWRU leading by as many as three, 12-9, following a free throw by Lawrence with 2:48 to play in the period. However, Baldwin Wallace eventually regained the lead, and carried a 19-15 advantage into the first break.
Baldwin Wallace maintained its lead until the 6:17 mark of the second quarter, when a three pointer by first-year Lucy Vanderbeck put the Spartans back in front 21-20. CWRU stayed in the lead for the remainder of the half, going ahead by as many as eight points following a three-pointer by sophomore Margaret Terry, and a steal of the inbound by Terry that turned into a Vanderbeck layup to put the Spartans in front 33-25. The Yellow Jackets trimmed the CWRU lead down to four by the end of the period, and the Spartans took a 36-32 edge into halftime.
Lawrence and Mills each had nine points in the first half, while Vanderbeck added on eight.
Baldwin Wallace came out fast in the second half, scoring the first six points of the period to regain the lead 38-36 with 8:21 to play in the period. However, the lead was short-lived, as Lawrence answered with a layup of her own, and the Spartans would eventually lead by eight again, taking a 50- 42 lead on a jumper by Characklis with 1:49 remaining in the third. The Yellow Jackets answered though, knocking down back-to-back threes to end the quarter and pull back within two points, starting a 15-0 run that would give Baldwin Wallace a 57-50 lead with 8:27 left in the game. The Yellow Jackets would outscore the Spartans 24-9 in the final stanza to secure the victory.
CWRU finished the game shooting 36.4% (20-of-55) overall, including 33.3% (seven-of-21) from behind the three point line, and 66.7% (12-of-18) from the free throw line. Baldwin Wallace shot 38.1% overall (24-of-63), including 25.0% (six-of-24) from long range, and 75.0% (18-of-24) from the free throw line.
The Spartans will face another tough opponent on Friday, when they open play at the John Carroll Tip-Off Tournament against host and eighth-ranked John Carroll University at 8:00 p.m.
