With junior Hannah Lilly scoring a game-high 17 points, the No. 14-ranked Emory women's basketball team came away with a victory over Whitworth University Friday evening  in the first round of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament.  The game was played at the Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus.   The Eagles won their fifth straight contest and raised their overall record to 23-3 following a 72-65 decision over the Pirates who closed out their campaign with a slate of 21-7.

Lilly was one of three double-figure scorers for Emory with seniors Misha Jackson and Danielle Landry each contributing 12 points in the win.   Jackson also led all players with nine boards.  Emory ended the night hitting 44.1 percent from the floor (26-of-59) including a keen 50 percent (9-of-18) from three-point range, the first time it had reached that mark since Dec. 31 (vs. Huntingdon College).  Lilly was the primary marksman from distance for Emory, knocking down a season-high tying  five from downtown in 10 attempts.

Holding a four-point lead, 40-36, early in the second half, Emory took control of the game with a 10-0 burst over a two-minute stretch that extended its advantage to 50-36.  Lilly started the onslaught with a trey that was followed by a triple from junior Savannah Morgan.  After a bucket by Lilly, Landry closed out the run with a layup.  After Whitworth drew to within 10 points, the Eagles used a 9-4 run, started by a three pointer by freshman Khadijah Sayyid and capped by a bucket from classmate Ilene Tsao,  to push out to a 15-point bulge, 59-44, with 10:45 remaining.  Emory kept its lead in double digits for most of the remainder of the game until there were just 13 seconds left when Whitworth's Katara Belton-Sharp knocked down a three pointer that drew the visitors to within seven points.    Landry scored six of her 12 points over the final 3:36 of the contest in helping keep the Pirates at bay. 

Following a 7-0 Whitworth blitz, Emory fell behind by a seven-point margin, 31-24, with 6:50 left in the first half.   The Eagles then regrouped and held the Pirates scoreless for over four minutes while scoring 11 straight points, six coming from Jackson, in taking a 35-31 edge.   Jackson and Lilly scored 10 and nine points, respectively, in helping Emory to a 37-35 lead at the intermission.

The win over the Pirates sends Emory into Saturday's (Mar. 2) second round where it will meet Huntingdon College at 6:30 pm.  The Hawks advanced to Saturday's action following their 84-67 win over Ferrum College.