With one game remaining in the regular season, the Case Western Reserve University women’s basketball team will conclude the 2024-25 season with a 2-11 record in conference play and a 7-17 overall mark.
The Spartans had a balanced start to their season, finishing non-conference play at 5-6. However, they faced challenges once the UAA competition began. This continues a trend from last season when the team went 4-10 in conference play. The UAA remains one of the toughest conferences in Division III athletics, with New York University currently ranked as the top team in all of DIII women’s basketball.
On Friday, Feb. 21, the Spartans faced off against Brandeis University but fell short in a 58-43 defeat.
CWRU showed resilience in the third quarter, igniting a 12-0 run to take a 30-29 lead after a layup by fourth-year forward and co-captain Evie Miller with 6:01 remaining in the period. However, Brandeis quickly responded with 5 straight points to reclaim the lead. A buzzer-beating 3-pointer extended the Judges’ advantage to 37-32 heading into the final quarter.
Brandeis carried that momentum into the fourth, opening the period with a 10-0 run to stretch their lead to 47-32 with 6:49 left to play. The Spartans were unable to close the gap, as the Judges maintained a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game to secure the victory.
Fourth-year guard and co-captain Nyah Moore led CWRU with 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting, including 2 3-pointers. Second-year guard Mya Hartjes contributed 10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, while Miller added 9 points, 4 rebounds and 3 blocks.
On Sunday, Feb. 23, the Spartans fell 86-62 to top-ranked NYU in their second-to-last game of the season.
CWRU kept pace early, using a 6-0 run to pull within 1 point at 13-12 late in the first quarter. However, NYU took control in the third, scoring 30 points in the period. A tip-in by Miller early in the second half cut the deficit to 10, but the Spartans couldn’t close the gap further.
Miller had a career-best performance, scoring 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting while adding 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Second-year forward Maura Schorr contributed 13 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, while third-year guard and forward Emily Plachta added 11 points and a career-high-tying 4 steals. Hartjes matched a career-high with 7 assists while scoring 9 points and grabbing 6 rebounds.
Despite the challenges of the season, the Spartans had several standout moments. In December, they broke the 100-point mark in a dominant 108-52 win over the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. They also notched a signature victory in January, defeating No. 13-ranked Washington University in St. Louis.
On March 1, CWRU will be saying goodbye to seniors and team captains Miller and Moore in their final game. Both have been key contributors and will leave a lasting impact on the program.
Moore played in her 98th career game this past weekend against NYU, tying for the 17th-most appearances in program history. Over four seasons, she logged 1,322 minutes and scored 233 points. Miller, in her 71st game for the Spartans, has totaled 1,186 minutes and 289 points for the Spartans.
The Spartans will play in their final game of the season against Carnegie Mellon University on March 1 at CMU at 3 p.m.