The Emory University women’s basketball team’s 2023-24 season came to a close on March 1 when the team lost 64-54 to the Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) Battling Bishops in the first round of the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championship. The Eagles finished the season with a 19-7 overall record and a 9-5 conference record.
Senior guard Izzy Munson opened the game with a jump shot, but the Eagles got off to a slow start, trailing 15-8 with 2:54 left on the clock. After a timeout, Emory regrouped and went on a 10-0 run: Graduate guard Claire Brock converted a three-point shot to tie the game, and three additional points from junior guard Daniella Aronsky gave the Eagles an 18-15 lead at the end of the first period.
The Bishops responded in thesecond quarter, taking a 23-18 lead. Despite three-point shots from Brock and Aronsky keeping the game tight, the Bishops found scoring form again in the last minutes of the second quarter, taking a 33-24 lead into halftime.
Both teams failed to score in the first two-and-a-half minutes of the third quarter. Brock scored eight points and freshman guard Alexandra Loucopoulos scored four points, but the Bishops maintained a 49-40 lead heading into the final quarter of the game.
The Bishops and the Eagles went back and forth in the final quarter. Emory managed to cut the Bishops’ lead to six when Aronsky converted another three-pointer, but the Bishops scored four unanswered points to end the game 64-54.
Women’s Basketball Head Coach Misha Jackson said the Eagles suffered with rebounding during their game against the Bishops.
“It’s tough to give a really good team like that so many extra possessions,” Jackson said. “When you give them 15 to 16 extra chances, that’s gonna be tough to win.”
Sophomore forward Katherine Martini said the team has learned to fight through adversity in games, and looking ahead to next season, the team will work on rebounding and defensive intensity.
“I think what we’re gonna focus on next season is making sure that we have all those aspects, the offensive aspect and defensive aspects, together at one time, because once we can do that, our team will be virtually unstoppable in my opinion,” Martini said.
The game marked the team’s sixth national tournament appearance in program history, as well as the team’s first consecutive appearance. Jackson noted that returning to the postseason is “huge” for the team.
“We try to make sure we’re consistently always going [to the tournament],” Jackson said. “It’s very rare that you see teams here that don’t make the tournament, so our program has needed to catch up, and it’s good to see we’re taking steps in the right direction.”
Martini noted that the back-to-back appearances have helped the program establish a standard of making the tournament every year.
“This season, our team has made great strides in building a reputation for Emory women’s basketball,” Martini said.
Junior forward Erin Martin said the team’s first-round loss was “bittersweet,” but players gained good experience for future seasons.
“I wish, and I bet my teammates wish, that we were still playing and going through March,” Martin said. “But reflecting on the season, it was a great season for us, especially being able to go back to the tournament and at least accomplish one of the goals we set out to this season.”
The three graduating players on the team, Brock, Munson and senior forward Paige Gross, have had a “tremendous” impact on the program, Jackson added.
“Their loyalty to our program and Emory has been huge,” Jackson said. “The pride they have for Emory and women’s basketball has been tremendous and they’re gonna be really hard to replace. It’s gonna be big, big shoes to fill for underclassmen.”
Martin echoed Jackson’s sentiments, calling the three graduating players the “heart and soul” of the team. She added that the seniors have led by example during their Emory basketball careers.
This season, the team achieved its highest-ever national ranking at No. 6, beat several ranked teams and went on a 12-gamewin streak from Nov. 12, 2023 to Jan. 14. Brock, Aronsky and junior forward Morgan Laudick also earned All-UAA accolades.
“Overall, I think it was a really good season for our program,” Jackson said. “It’s probably one of our better seasons, or one of our best seasons, in our program’s history.”
