ST. LOUIS – The UW-Superior women's basketball team opened the 20th-annual McWilliams Classic with a 66-55 loss to tournament-host Washington University at the Field House on Friday.
 
WashU never trailed, jumping out a 9-0 lead in the first three minutes, and shot over 50 percent in both the first and fourth quarters to grab its second win of the season.  Junior Kaelyn Christian (St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville Senior) and senior Brianna O'Donnell (Richfield, Minn./Richfield) each landed in double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively to lead the Yellowjackets' offensive effort. UWS (1-6) shot 39 percent for the game, but broke out for 70 percent in the fourth quarter to outscore the Bears, 21-17, in the period.
 
Junior Kaija Davies (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin) added nine points and a team-high six boards for Superior, which was outrebounded, 36-21, on the night, including by a 15-3 margin on the offensive glass.
 
WashU led 22-11 after the first quarter and 37-25 at halftime, despite the Yellowjackets slicing what was a 13-point deficit with less than eight minutes remaining before the break to just five. Christian tallied six points in the spurt on a 3-pointer and an old-fashioned three-point play, cutting the lead to 30-25 with 4:06 remaining in the half. 
 
The Bears closed the half on a 7-0 run to stem the tide.
 
WashU pushed its lead to 48-30 with less than three minutes left in the third and the lead never dipped below double digits the rest of the night.
 
Maya Arnott and Samantha Weaver each scored 13 points to pace the Bears. Arnott added game highs of eight rebounds and four assists.
 
The Yellowjackets face Berea to close the tournament on Sunday at 11 a.m.