CHICAGO – Taylor Lake led the way with a game-high 19 points to help the No. 17 University of Chicago women's basketball team control all 40 minutes of the Maroons' 63-44 league victory over visiting University of Rochester Friday night. 

The Maroons (10-3, 1-1- University Athletic Association) led 14-7 after one quarter and used a 17-6 third-quarter surge to lead by as many as 21 with 5:28 to play in the fourth.

Lake finished 7-of-15 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line, adding five rebounds, two steals, and two assists in 27 minutes played. She scored 10 of 19 in the first quarter alone, beating Rochester's defense down the lane for four field goals, mainly layups inside.

Senior teammate Jamie Kockenmeister added 15 points and seven rebounds, making 3-of-4 from behind the arc, and rookie Klaire Steffens chipped in eight points and five boards off the bench for UChicago, who snapped a two-game losing streak in the process.

UChicago led 30-21 at the half over the Yellowjackets (6-7, 0-2), who opened the year 0-4 after graduating a host of players from last year's NCAA Sweet 16 team. The third quarter proved to be all Maroons, who opened the frame on an Olariche Obi layup 50 seconds in. After Rochester answered with a bucket, UChicago rattled off 11 unanswered points, including a three-point play by Lake and five points – including a 3 – from Kockenmeister.

Back-to-back layups by Mia Farrell with under a minute to play in the third gave UChicago a 47-27 advantage heading into the final frame.

The Maroons shot 38.1 percent (24-of-63) from the field compared to 31.3 percent (20-of-64) for the Yellowjackets, and the Maroons made 3-of-10 (30 percent) from behind the arc compared to 1-of-9 (11.1 percent) for Rochester.

UChicago edged Rochester on the boards, 46-45, and forced the Yellowjackets into 17 turnovers, while committing 12. Points in the paint proved to be in favor of the Maroons by a 10-point margin, 40-30.

Obi finished with five points, nine rebounds and four steals for the Maroons.

Lena Ethington was the lone Rochester in double-figures with 12 points in the loss.

NEXT GAME:

• Sunday, Jan. 13: #17 UChicago vs. Emory, 2 p.m. CT