CHICAGO -- Sparked by a career-high 24 points from senior Morgan Herrick (Cedarburg, Wis./ Cedarburg) (pictured), the second-ranked University of Chicago women's basketball team capped an undefeated regular season with a 76-67 win over ninth-ranked University Athletic Association rival Washington University before a near capacity crowd at the Ratner Athletics Center.

Game Summary

• Washington (20-5 overall, 11-3 UAA) held the lead for most of the game's first six minutes. A Dani Hoover jumper with 15:44 left in the first half gave the Bears their largest lead of the day, 10-4.
  
  
• Chicago (25-0, 14-0) turned a 20-19 deficit into a 25-20 lead on back-to-back 3-pointers from senior Joann Torres (Richgrove, Calif./ Cesar Chavez) at the 7:27 mark.
  
  
• A 10-2 run late in the period increased the Maroons' edge to 39-24 with 1:33 to go in the half. Chicago led 41-28 at the break.
  
  
• Washington outscored the Maroons 10-1 during the first six minutes of the second stanza to trim the deficit to 42-38.
  
  
• The Bears got to within four points again midway through the second half, but Herrick capped an 8-2 Chicago run to push the Maroons' advantage back to double digits, 61-51, with 6:31 to go.
  
  
• Chicago led by at least seven points for the final 1:26.

Statistical Highlights

• Herrick was perfect on 10 free throw attempts en route to her career-high 24 point performance. Her previous career high came in the last regular season Maroons' loss at Illinois Wesleyan on Dec. 4, 2010.
  
  
• Freshman Hannah Ballard (Oak Park, Ill./ Fenwick) came off the bench to contribute 13 points in 16 minutes.
  
  
• Torres and senior Taylor Simpson (Lee's Summit, Mo./ Lee's Summit) each tallied 10 points. Simpson led the club with eight boards and five assists.
  
  
• Melissa Gilkey paced the Bears with 15 points, while Hoover (14), Claire Schaeperkoetter (12), and Alyssa Johanson (10) all finished in double figures.
  
  
• Chicago connected on 31 of 37 free throw attempts.

Notes

• Chicago posted the first undefeated regular season in the program's 41-year history.
  
  
• Senior Meghan Herrick (Cedarburg, Wis./ Cedarburg) played in her school record 105th career game.
  
  
• Chicago swept the season series over Washington for the second straight year.
  
  
• Chicago extended its regular season winning streak to 43 games -- the longest active streak in the NCAA Division III.
  
  
• The Maroons won their 28th consecutive UAA game and their 25th in a row at home.

Up Next

• The NCAA will announce the bracket for the 2012 Division III tournament via NCAA.com Monday at 1:30 p.m. The UAA champion Maroons have earned an automatic berth in the 64-team field.