The Guru NCAAW Rdup: Rider and Delaware Suffer Setbacks

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

It was two up and two down for locals for the second straight day, Rider (2-8) kicking off its Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play (MAAC) with a 70-62 loss at Quinnipiac (9-1) in Hamden, Conn., while Delaware (3-7) lost 79-69 to Navy (8-3) in Annapolis, Md.

In the the Rider game, the Broncs got off to a 12-3 start going a perfect 5-5 from the field, including two from deep, only to see the Bobcats strike back 15-0 and finish the first quarter 21-12 and continuing the streak to 19-0 the next period.

The visitors stayed in the fight to move within four in the last period, but Quinnipiac cut the rally to preserve the win.

Quinnipiac now leads the series 23-4.

Winner Bartholomew scored 15 for the Broncs, while La Salle transfer Gabby Turco scored 12 and reserve Emily Tahata scored 10.

Bobcats freshman Gal Raviv continues to impress, scoring 18 points with nine assists, while Karson Martin scored 16, Jackie Grisdale scored 14m and Ella O’Donnell scored 10.

Rider is off until hosting preseason favorite Fairfield Jan. 2 at Alumni Gym in Lawrenceville, N.J.

Delaware got 11 points and four steals from Ande’a Cherisier, while Tara Cousins scored 16 with four assists, Ella Wanzer scored 14, and Jiya Perry scored 10.

The Midshipmen snapped the Blue Hens’ four-game win streak in the series.

Delaware visits Old Dominion Sunday at 2 p.m. in Norfolk, Va.

Friday’s local action has the Hawk Classic, a true tournament format, at Hagan Arena, the host Saint Joseph’s squad meeting Howard at 11 a.m., followed by Northwestern playing Charleston at 1 p.m.

Penn at the Palestra hosts Delaware State at 11:30 a.m., while La Salle out West plays Northern Kentucky in San Diego at 5 p.m.

The big national attraction is in San Francisco where No. 11 Ohio State plays Stanford at 8:30 p.m. followed by No. 1 UCLA playing Creighton at 11 p.m., both on FS1.

 

 

The Guru NCAAW Report: Fourth Quarter Collapse Dooms Drexel at Norfolk State While Lafayette Falls at Home to Dartmouth; Georgia Tech and Tennessee Still Unbeaten

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

Both locals who played Wednesday night suffered defeats with Drexel losing on the road 68-56 in Virginia while Lafayette fell 60-47 to Dartmouth at home in the Kirby Sports Center in Easton, Pa.

In the Drexel game, the Dragons (3-6) took a 50-41 lead into the fourth quarter that grew to 12 suffering a collapse as the Spartans (11-3) of the MEAC rallied 27-6 over the final 10 minutes.

Amaris Baker shot 7-16 from the field, including 4-7 from deep and scored 19 points for Drexel besides dealing four assists, while Chloe Hodges scored 13 points with six boards and six assists.

Wasted in the loss were season bests 24 attempts from beyond the arc making 11.

The Dragons were still in contention even though reduced to a 53-53 tie with 6:31 left in regulation.

Norfolk State then went in front with 4:25 left and went on to outscore the Dragons 11-3 the rest of the way.

Drexel now goes on its holiday break and finishes non-conference play hosting D-3 Lebanon Valley on Dec. 29 at 2 p.m. (FloSports) in the Daskalakis Atheletic Center before beginning Coastal Athletic Association competition the rest of the way.

In the Lafayette game the Leopards (3-7) were unable to shake the rust off from the long layoff after finals in playing the Big Green (5-6) of the Ivy League, who dominated the boards 41-29.

Tasha Chudy had 14 points and seven rebounds shooting 7-9 from the field while Abby Antognoli scored 11 points.

Dartmouth’s Victoria Page scored 15 points with five rebounds, Clare Meyer had a double-double 11 points and 14 boards, and Alex Eldredge scored 10.

Lafayette goes to Rutgers Saturday at noon (B1G+) in Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, N.J. in the final non-conference match for both ahead of the Leopards’ slate in the Patriot League and the Scarlet Knights off to the rest of its Big Ten action.

The National Scene

Ranked teams all dominated at the finish in their five contests paced by two of the nine unbeaten teams that remain with No. 17 Georgia Tech (12-0) extending its best start in program history winning 88-57 at home in Atlanta over Rice (7-5) while No. 18 Tennessee (9-0) extending its best start under a new coach (Kim Caldwell) won 90-75 at Memphis (2-8).

In the victory by Georgia Tech, Rusne Augustinaite scored 23 points fueled by a career-high seven from deep, one off the Yellow Jackets’ record, while Kara Dunn scored 17 points.

Next up is a visit Saturday from No. 21 Nebraska.

Over in the Volunteer State, Jewel Spear and Zee Spearman each scored 18 points for the Lady Vols, two of six visitors scoring in double figures. Talaysi Cooper scored 12 with six assists and four steals while joining Spearman with 11 rebounds apiece.

Samara Spencer and Tess Darby also scored 12 while Ruby Whitehorn collected 10 points.

Tilly Boler scored 23 for the host Tigers (2-8), a rival of Temple in the American Athletic Conference, while Deede Hagemann scored 19 in her debut following a transfer from Michigan State.

Memphis threatened an upset being within single digits until midway in the fourth quarter.

Tennessee stays on the road heading to the West Palm Beach Classic in Florida for a pair of games playing Atlantic 10 champion Richmond on Friday and Tulsa, another AAC team, Saturday.

No. 19 North Carolina (11-2) completed the second and final night of the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte, N.C., beating Florida 77-57 as the Tar Heels used a balanced attack with Maria Gakdeng scoring 14 points while Lanie Grant scored 13 against the Gators (7-5).

The two teams had their first meeting since 1997 as UNC improved to 4-1 in the series, all played at neutral venues.

The Tar Heels will host Norfolk State on Saturday.

No. 9 Duke (10-2) handled Wofford 93-58 at home at Cameron Indoor Arena in Durham, N.C., as freshman Toby Fournier scored 23, of which 16 came in the first half, and Oluchi Okananwa scored 20 against the visitors (6-3), the preseason favorites in the Southern Conference.

Wofford will be at Lehigh Saturday while Duke the same day visits AAC-favorite South Florida.

 No. 13 Kansas State (12-1) easily topped New Mexico State 83-39 as Aoki Lee scored 34 points with 11 rebounds, three double-doubles short of second among members of the Big 12 conference.

The Jayhawks host D-II Eastern New Mexico Friday and start conference play Sunday by hosting Cincinnati.

Northwestern (6-4) in a single game hosted UNLV (7-4) in Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill., and beat the Rebels 79-76 in overtime.

Melanie Daley made a jumper with four seconds left in the extra period to take the lead and then the Wildcats got UNLV to commit a turnover and added two free throws from Casey Harter to complete the scoring on the day.

Daley, off the bench, scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed seven boards, leadung four other teammates scoring in double figures.

Amarachi Kimpson scored 28 for UNLV.

Northwestern heads to Philadelphia to play in Saint Joseph’s true tournament format Hawk Classic Friday and Saturday.

In the one true tournament format among MTE events Wednesday in the Cherokee Invitational in Asheville, N.C., Toledo beat Troy 70-62 to move into Thursday’s championship playing Liberty, which beat Arkansas 75-61.

Looking Ahead

Locally, on Thursday, Rider begins MAAC play visiting Quinnipiac at 11 a.m. (ESPN+) in Hamden, Conn., while Delaware visits Navy at 6 p.m. (ESPN+) in Annapolis, Md.

No. Michigan State opens play in the West Palm Beach Classic playing Montana at noon (BallerTV) in the only Thursday game at the Florida event.

Elsewhere among ranked teams, No. 8 Maryland hosts William & Mary at 11 a.m. (B1G+) at the XFINITY Center in College Park; No. 2 South Carolina hosts Charleston Southern at noon (SECN+) at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia; No. 21 NC State hosts James Madison at 7 p.m. (ACCNX) in Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh; and No. 5 LSU visits UIC at 8 p.m. (ESPN+) giving Aneesah Morrow a homecoming visit to Chicago.

And that’s your report.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Guru NCAAW Report: La Salle Crushed at No. 6 Texas; No. 4 Connecticut and No. 5 LSU Win Easily in MTE Event at Mohegan

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

In the only game Tuesday night involving a local, La Salle went the way expected, plundered by No. 6 Texas 111-49 in the Longhorns’ Moody Center in Austin.

None of the starters on the home front played more than 17 minutes but even with that attempt to be kind considering the talent differential, none of the Explorers (6-6) were able to reach double figures.

Aryss Macktoon scored seven points as did reserve Ivy Fox, while Mackenzie Daleba collected six points.

La Salle was able to fight to a 19-12 deficit through the first quarter before Vic Schaefer’s defensive pressure crushed the visitors going 38-9 the rest of the half.

As for Texas (11-1), whose only loss has been at now-No. 3 Notre Dame, reserve center Kyla Oldacre had 18 points and nine rebounds, the best of five other teammates who were also scoring in double figures. Starting center Taylor Jones had 13 points and 11 boards, seven on the offensive glass, with three blocks in only 14 minutes. Justice Carlton, a freshman, scored 17.

La Salle was the second straight non-conference foe from the Atlantic 10 for the Longhorns, who beat defending champion Richmond 65-54 Sunday at the Spiders’ Robins Center in Virginia.

The Explorers were limited to 26 percent from the field, 4-of-22 on attempts beyond the arc and hounded into 26 turnovers, 19 by steals, resulting in a 24-0 differential in transition.

The height differential was more brutal, enabling Texas to own the paint 70-14, of which 28 points were obtained in the second quarter.

Despite the landslide against them, it’s possible La Salle might yield happier outcomes the rest of the road trip in La Jolla, Calif., where the Explorers in a two-day tourney of predetermined opponents will play Northern Kentucky Friday and the hosts UC San Diego on Saturday to complete non-conference play.

Texas on Sunday will host Summit League favorite South Dakota State.

The National Scene

In the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase at the Mohegan Sun Arena, home of the WNBA Connecticut franchise in Uncasville, No. 5 LSU beat Seton Hall 91-64 in the front end of a twin bill in which No. 4 UConn also won big in the nightcap 101-68 over Iowa State, which was in the Top 10 last month, but fell out of the rankings on Monday.

In the first game, Aneesah Morrow, who earlier in her career played at the arena with DePaul in the Big East tournament, scored 24 points with 18 rebounds for the nationally ranked Tigers (13-0), one of nine remaining unbeaten teams.

Mikaylah Williams added 22 points against the Pirates (8-3), who are missing six players, two being starters, due to injuries.

Faith Masonius, a former Maryland player whose mother Ellen (nee) Clark played for Saint Joseph’s, scored a career-high 29 points for Seton Hall, and Jada Eads scored 20.

The Pirates, who play Villanova here New Year’s Night, open Big East play Saturday hosting Providence, while LSU will play at Illinois Chicago Thursday making it a homecoming trip for Morrow, who was national freshman of the year at DePaul.

In the second game, freshman Sarah Strong had a personal best 29 points, sophomore Ashlynn Shade had a career-high 27, and in between Paige Bueckers scored 28 for the hot-shooting Huskies (10-1) in their win over the Cyclones (9-4).

Shade made all seven shots and scored 20 in the first quarter and UConn went on to set a school record with 20 makes from deep, making the first nine before missing one.

Audi Crooks had 22 points for Iowa State, which opens Big 12 play Saturday at Oklahoma State, while UConn has another huge one Saturday night hosting No. 7 Southern Cal and JuJu Watkins in Hartford in a rematch of last season’s Elite Eight game won by the Huskies.

Earlier in the day, No. 11 Ohio State (11-0) at home in Columbus beat Grand Valley State 82-57 as Chance Gray scored 23 points and Cotie McMahon scored 21 for the Buckeyes who Friday will play Stanford in the Bay Area Women’s Classic in San Francisco.

In the first of the two-night Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte, N.C., No. 10 Oklahoma beat No. 20 Michigan 72-62 after the teams were tied at the half.

Payton Verhulst and Skylar Vann each scored 12 points for the Sooners (10-1), while Lexy Keys scored 11, Sahara Williams scored 10, and Oregon State transfer Raegan Beers grabbed 10 rebounds.

Oklahoma mined 20 points off 20 turnovers by Michigan (9-2), which got 20 points from Mila Holloway.

The Wolverines host Akron Friday while the Sooners host Omaha on Sunday.

No. 12 TCU (11-1) at home in Fort Worth, Texas, routed Samford 103-64 as Madison Conner scored 33 fueled by eight 3-pointers.

The Horned Frogs start Big 12 play Saturday visiting UCF in Orlando.

In another of the ongoing C-USA/WAC Challenge series, Middle Tennessee won 74-54 at Cal Baptist as Jalynn Gregory scored 20 for the Blue Raiders (8-4) in the game played in Riverside, Calif.

Grace Schmidt had 21 with seven boards for the host Lancers (2-11).

Catching up from Monday night since we didn’t post with one game on the books, top-ranked UCLA (11-0) easily won 69-37 over Cal Poly (4-6) at home in Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles as Janiah Barker had 12 points and 13 rebounds while Londynn Jones and Angela Dugalic also scored 12 points.

It was the Bruins’ first home appearance since rising to No. 1 on Nov. 25 after upsetting defending NCAA champion South Carolina.

On Friday, UCLA will play Creighton in the other game of the Bay Area Women’s Basketball Classic that includes the previously mentioned Ohio State-Stanford matchup in the Chase Center home of the NBA Warriors.

Looking Ahead

Locally, on Wednesday, Lafayette is hosting Dartmouth at 6 p.m. (ESPN+) at the Kirby Sports Center in Easton, Pa., while Drexel is at Norfolk State in Virginia at 7 p.m.

National games of note, first among the Top 25, the second night of the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte has No. 19 North Carolina playing Florida at 6:30 p.m. (ESPNU).

No. 17 Georgia Tech hosts Rice at 2 p.m. (ACCNX); No. 9 Duke hosts Wofford at 7 p.m. (ACCN); No. 13 Kansas State hosts New Mexico State at 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+); and No. 18 Tennessee is at Memphis at 8:30 p.m. (ESPNEWS).

Elsewhere, Northwestern at noon (B1G+) hosts UNLV before heading to Philadelphia to play in Saint Joseph’s Hawk Classic, Friday and Saturday. The trip becomes a homecoming for Wildcats coach Joe McKeown, who grew up in the Northeast attending Father Judge.

On Thursday, locally, Rider opens MAAC play at Quinnipiac in Hamden, Conn., at 11 a.m. (ESPN+), while Delaware is at Navy at 6 p.m. (ESPN+) in Annapolis, Md.

No. 15 Michigan State meets Montana at the start of the West Palm Beach Classic at noon (Baller TV); Buffalo (9-0), one of nine remaining unbeaten teams, hosts Vermont at 1 p.m. (ESPN+); and James Madison is at No. 21 NC State at 7 p.m. (ESPN+).

That’s it for the moment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Guru NCAAW Report: Temple, Villanova, Drexel and Penn State Suffer Setbacks; Georgia Tech and Michigan State Set Program Record Starts

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

PHILADELPHIA – The one tenet people talk about involving area D-I teams is the diversity of their makeup.

On Sunday afternoon, of the five games played, four locals lost in distinctly different ways while the one that won, considering the record, it is difficult yet to get a handle on its true prospects.

Here at Temple’s Liacouras Center the Owls fell to No. 15 West Virginia 68-46, besides being a moderate underdog, reverting from their recent Big 5 champion win over Villanova to be unable to make shots while also running into turnover problems.

Down South Drexel lost 101-51 at Florida State because of the visiting Dragons’ disparity between being a quality mid-major but some steps below the Power Four operation of the Seminoles.

Penn State fell 68-65 at Kansas in a case of two Power Fours that could be considered closer together with the host Jayhawks finding a way to win.

In the case of Villanova, the comparison is similar to the one above except its two mid-majors and in this instance with visiting James Madison winning 71-67 at Finneran Pavilion, one can easily say while the Sunbelt favorites found a way to prevail, the Wildcats found yet another way to lose.

Rutgers at home in Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, N.J., dominated nearby Wagner 86-48 but the outcome is tempered with the Scarlet Knights being a Power Four out of the Big Ten and Wagner a low mid-major from the Northeast Conference.

Then there was the x-factor of this time of year with teams either emerging or still in the middle of finals in which some focus to game plans gets shifted more to life in the classroom.

For the details we begin at the one we eye witnessed here on North Broad Street at Temple where Diane Richardson went straight to the chase.

“It was a tough game against a very tough team,” she said. “We did some things well according to the scout. We didn’t shoot the ball very well today. That was our Achilles heel. Against a tough team, it’s hard to respond.”

The visiting Mountaineers (10-1) saw the game as a shakedown cruise heading into Big 12 competition where they will be one of a few at the top tier of the conference.

“We needed to go for a true road game against a quality opponent, a top 100, that type,” said West Virginia coach Mark Kellogg. “We started slow, we hadn’t played in nine days, and they changed defenses in what they traditionally play.”

Kyah Watson had a game-high 15 points with 10 rebounds while JJ Quinerly had 11 points and seven boards. Reserve Celia Riviere had a personal best 12 points with eight boards.

Jordan Harrison scored 11 and Sydney Shaw was a fifth Mountaineer in double figures wwith 10 points.

West Virginia shot 41.7 percent from the floor, but Temple (5-4) was reduced to 24.2 percent.

Despite the Owls’ struggles they still had a shot until the Mountaineers jumped to a 40-24 lead in the third quarter.

Tiarra East, responsible for leading the attack that landed the Big 5 crown, was the sole Temple player in double figures, scoring 15 points.

Richardson scheduled a strong non-conference slate knowing her team will be a bigger target from American Athletic Conference foes after being regular season tri-champions.

They finish out of league this Saturday and Sunday opening in California’s Raising the B.A.R. Tourney in Berkeley against Xavier, a former rival when both were in the Atlantic 10.

On Sunday, they’ll face either Fordham or the host Golden Bears, who set a program record with 18 three-pointers Friday night in ending a 12-game losing streak against Bay Area-rival Stanford, both now having moved from the dismantled PAC-12 to the Big Ten.

By design in the tourney’s theme, from Cal coach Charmin Smith, all four coaches are Black.

In Penn State’s game, the Lady Lions (9-3) completing the 11-game non-conference slate were overcome by the Jayhawks (10-1) in the closing minutes in the contest in Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence.

The visitors’ Tamara Johnson reached her 1000th career point, while Gracie Merkle had 22 points and 12 boards and Moriah Murray made four three-pointers finishing with 16 points. Alli Campbell was also in double figures with a personal best 15 points.

Kansas got 26 points from S’Mya Nichols.

Penn State is off until Dec. 28, opening the remaining 17-game Big Ten slate at Minnesota.

Drexel (3-5), which will be more competitive in the Coastal Athletic Association, where they are the defending conference tourney champions, collected 22 points from Amaris Baker, whileCara McCormack scored 11.

Florida State (10-2), a member of the ACC, collected 16 points from Ta’Niya Latson, shooting 6-7 from the field.

Drexel on Wednesday will be at Norfolk State in Virginia at 7 p.m.

Villanova (6-6), which heads to Big East play the rest of the way beginning Saturday hosting St. John’s, got 16 points from Maddie Webber against the Dukes (8-3), while Maddie Burke scored 15, Jasmine Bascoe and Bronagh Power-Cassidy each scored 11 and Ryanne Allen grabbed eight boards.

But the Wildcats were without Danae Carter, who was hurt in Wednesday’s win at Delaware and lost Lara Edmanson during the second half.

Villanova coach Denise Dillon is hopeful of getting Carter back by the next game.

The home team led by nine in the third quarter but in the closing minute having rallied to a tie, James Madison’s Jamia Hazell snapped the deadlock with a layup with 3.6 seconds left.

 On the ensuing possesion after a timeout Bascoe turned the ball over on an out-of-bounds play, JMU got fouled and sank two from the line for the final points.

Leading four visitors in double figures, Peyton McDaniel scored 13 and Hazell scored 12 points.

Rutgers (7-4) got 24 points and 10 boards in the win over Wagner (2-7), while Destiny Adams had 17 points and 13 boards, JoJo Lacey scored 11, and Mya Petticord scored 10.

The Scarlet Knights are 8-0 in the series with Wagner.

On Saturday Rutgers will host Lafayette at noon and then return Sunday, Dec. 29, to launch the rest of the Big Ten slate hosting No. 11 Ohio State.

The National Scene

While a slew of Top 25 teams produced lopsided victories, there were two head-to-head outcomes of note involving separate conference confrontations in the ACC and Big Ten.

In the ACC, No. 25 Georgia Tech went on the road after ending a long rankings drought and upset No. 14 North Carolina 82-76 in a mutual conference opener in Chapel Hill as the Yellow Jackets set a record season start to 11-0.

Tonie Morgan scored 23, shooting 8-11 from the field for the visitors and freshman reserve Dani Carnegie scored 22. Kara Dunn added 13 as Georgia Tech got its first road win at UNC (10-2) since 2012,

The Tar Heels, who’s previous only loss was in Greensboro to No. 2 UConn, got 21 points from Maria Gakdeng, shooting 9-11 from the field, while Indya Nivar scored 16, and Reniya Kelly and Lexi Donarski each scored 15.

The Yellow Jackets trailed 7-0 at the outset then grabbed control the rest of the way accelerating to a 50-34 lead.

On Wednesday Georgia Tech hosts Rice while North Carolina plays Florida in the Jumpman invitational in Charlotte, both non-conference affairs.

In a second ACC opener also serving as the Jimmy V Classic No. 22 NC State (8-3) erupted over host Louisville 72-42 as freshman Zamareya Jones had 18 points against the Cardinals (6-5).

In the Big Ten, No. 17 Michigan State (10-0) at home in East Lansing rallied in the fourth quarter from an 11-point deficit to beat No. 21 Iowa 68-66 in a mutual conference opener that extended MSU’s best-ever season opening streak.

Julia Ayrault scored 19 for the Spartans, while Nyla Hampton had 13 in the final quarter that saw them go on a 14-0 run.

In that stretch, Iowa (9-2) was 0-7 going seven minutes without sinking a field goal.

Villanova transfer Lucy Olsen missed a shot for Iowa with three seconds left.

Hannah Stuelke had 18 for the Hawkeyes, Olsen scored !3, and Kylie Fenerbach scored 12.

Iowa hosts Northern Iowa Friday at 7:30 p.m., and Michigan State goes to the West Palm Beach Classic in Florida playing Montana on Thursday and Alabama on Friday.

Meanwhile, in its first game since the loss at No. 8 Notre Dame, in a mutual Big East opener at the XL Center in Hartford, No. 2 Connecticut (9-1) slammed visiting Georgetown 79-44 as Paige Bueckers scored 24 for the Huskies and freshman Saraħ Strong had 17 points, 14 boards and five assists against the Hoyas (6-5), whose last series win was in 1993.

UConn meets No. 18 Iowa State Tuesday at the Mohegan Arena in Uncasville.

Notre Dame (9-2) at home blasted Eastern Michigan 118-49 as Merchantsville’s Hannah Hidalgo scored 27 against the opposition (1-6). The Fighting Irish host Loyola, Md. on Sunday.

No. 3 South Carolina (10-1) got 15 points from Joyce Edwards and Ashlyn Watkins had 10 points, eight boards, and four blocks leading to a 78-62 win over American Athletic Conference South Florida (5-6) for the Gamecocks’ 63rd straight home win in Columbia.

No. 6 Texas (10-1) won 65-54 at Atlantic 10 champion Richmond (9-2) in Virginia as Madison Booker had 25 points and 11 boards for the visiting Longhorns.

Rachel Ullstrom had 20 points for the Spiders, who also got 12 from Addie Budnik, and 10 from Maggie Doogan. Texas forced 24 turnovers and next hosts La Salle Tuesday.

No. 5 Southern Cal (10-1) in the Galen Center in Los Angeles got 26 points, five boards, and five assists from JuJu Watkins in an 88-30 win over Elon (4-5). The Trojans are off until visiting Connecticut Saturday at 8 p.m. (FOX) in Hartford.

Haley van Lith had 23 points to lead No. 12 TCU (10-1) over Louisiana Tech 92-41 at home in Fort Worth, Texas.

Elsewhere, Quinnipiac (8-1) won 68-63 at Vermont (5-7) in Burlington as Israeli freshman Gal Raviv scored 24 points.

St. John’s (10-1) at home in Queens beat MAAC champion Fairfield 77-68 as Ber’Nyah Mayo scored 18 points leading five teammates in double figures. Kaety L’Amoreaux scored 30 for the Stags (6-3) who were missing MAAC preseason player of the year Janelle Brown, injured last week in the win over Villanova.