Your Daily Bulletin on Women’s College Basketball
Women’s Basketball is played daily in arenas across the country, and sometimes we can’t watch every matchup — so here are highlights from games you may have missed today.
There are a lot of awesome teams outside of the AP Top 25, and with the expansion of the NCAA Tournament this year, we should start learning the names of talented players from across the country — because just one list doesn’t capture them all.
Stony Brook @ Iona: 77 - 63
Ariel Little put up a career high of 23 points for Stony Brook, cementing a double digit lead against the Iona Gaels at home. Jada Cook also contributed in the offensive with 4 assists and 10 points. For Iona, Today’s game is the second time this season the team has 3 or more players score 10 or more points in the game (Adrianna Gonzalez, Chloe Vasquez, and Anyla Herbert) and will definitely be a force to reckon with this season. Both teams at times were similar in regards to energy at times, and the lead for Stony Brook was as narrow as two points at one point.
Stony Brook won the matchup, upsetting Iona at home.
Hawai’i @ San Francisco: 77 - 85 (OT)
Game of the Day
San Francisco opened up their 50th year of Women’s basketball with great depth, including 7 of the 9 players that played for the Dons in the first quarter contributed to a 20 point lead in the first quarter. The Dons then suffered a near 5 minute drought in the second quarter with 10 missed shots in a row, allowing Hawai’i to take the lead at the end of the first half. While it took a quarter for Hawai’i to warm up, Bailey Flavell, Ritorya Tamilo, and Teyahna Bond worked to close the gap in the second quarter. Sophomore Teyahna is joined by her younger sister Freshman Taryn Bond, where they reunite with each other after playing on the Cairns Dolphins in Australia's semi-pro league together.
Candy Edokpaigbe and Maria Burliga kept San Francisco in arms reach of the lead, with Burliga recording a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. However, Hawai’i found a breakway in the fourth quarter, with Ritorya Tamilo recording a career high double-double of 27 points, 19 rebounds, and 6 blocks in this match. While the Dons only shot 19% from the perimeter, Savi Mi and Aina Cargol helped out with a heroic late game campaign, sending the match into overtime.
San Francisco wins their season opener in a gritty late game show against the confident Hawai’i squad. Both teams look like they will play solid seasons this year.
St. Thomas Aquinas @ Fordham: 62 - 70
St. Thomas Aquinas is possibly the only Division II team playing on ESPN today with great showing at Fordham. St. Thomas Aquinas Coach Bill Cleary is in his fifth year of building a winning women’s program on the court, clinching a NCAA Tournament berth in 2023. Toni Schuetze and Bailey Chapman’s dominant performances helped the St. Thomas Spartans pull ahead of the Rams in the first half of the match.
However, Ugne Sirtautaite of Fordham kept the team moving with a double-double of 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 steals, while Anastasija Veljovic made contributions on the defensive end. Lakresha Edwards then dropped 17 points to seal the a win for the Fordham Rams to set their record as 2-0.
Lamar @ UT-Arlington: 64 - 79
UT-Arlington (UTA) is coming off of their first loss at home to Sacramento State and kept a steady pace above Lamar in the first half. UTA’s Ava Raymond and Jalyn Brown were productive on the court with the help of Journee Hampton during the first half.
Lamar’s Shaila Forman, and Solenne Olenga kept the squad close in competition with the mustangs, both recording double-doubles in today’s game. However, UTA began to pull away once Morane Dossou went off in the fourth quarter.
UT-Arlington won in an offense inclined matchup against Lamar, securing their first win of the season.
Long Beach State @ California: 46 - 100
Katter’s Choice
Bay Area Native and former Oregon Basketball player Minyon Moore is debuting in her first season as head coach against her former boss at Haas Pavilion today. On the other hand, longtime Cal head coach (and Minyon’s former boss) Charmin Smith just went viral campaigning to get the Golden State Valkyries fans up to Berkeley to watch — so today is a good day in the bay.
I’ve been watching California since Charmin’s first season, and the bears look fantastic this year. The squad put up 44 points in the first 20 minutes, with floor general Lulu Twidale commanding an elite squad in well-rounded players like Taylor Barnes, Ruby Perkins, Gisella Maul, Jovana Jevtovic, and Shannon Dowell who nearly scored a triple-double in today’s match - the best game of her career.
The Golden Bears sadly had Senior Anastasia Drosouni return to the locker room due to a knee injury shortly after subbing into the game in the fourth quarter, and I’m hoping she’s okay.
For CSU Long Beach, Rosie Akot, Kailyn Berry, and Noemi Arvai were trying to take action - however the Sharks have not seen a win against the Golden Bears since 1985, and today was no exception.
Go Bears!
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