The Guru Report: NCAA Opening Night Sees Near Sweep for Guru Locals, Top Ranked SouthCarolina Gets Revenge and a Near Shocker, Nationally

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

PHILADELPHIA — The return of the collegiate basketball season on the women’s saw eight Guru local teams in action go. 6-2 with two narrow losses Tuesday night while nationally top-ranked South Carolina avenged an early loss a year ago, winning at No. 5 NC State, 66-57, but the stunner was after No. 11 Michigan at home lose the Wolverines’ starting point guard on the first play, Horizon preseason pick IUPUI forced overtime on the road in overtime before falling short 67-62.

Fans were back beyond the limited amount of family and friends in arenas last year caused by the coronavirus pandemic and in the Guru’s two stops at Drexel, where the defending Colonial Athletic Association champions and preseason favorite with Delaware suffered a narrow 52-50 loss to Metro Atlantic Association Conference  heavyweight Marist, and at Temple, where the Owls ran away at the end to thump Northeast Conference contender Saint Francis (Pa.) 73-53, the former halls of silence were energized once more.

A bunch of coaches gained first wins either at their new programs having moved in the offseason, or in career debuts as the top person working the sidelines.

One of the most newsworthy actions occurred up in Central New Jersey where a decision made just before the opening tip saw Rutgers acting head coach Timothy Eaton earn his 45th win overall and first since 2002 at Illinois-Chicago as the Scarlet Knights in their newly renamed Jersey Mike’s Arena overwhelmed state rival Saint Peter’s 59-38.

Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer recently announced she would extend her program absence that began last April in caution of Covid-19 for the entire season and the school, having the option, decided that Eaton would be accredited with all wins and losses in the months ahead and whatever success NCAA or WNIT tournament participation is achieved and conversely failure, should it occur.

Stringer, thus is on pause with 1,055 wins, fifth most overall in NCAA history and fourth in the organization’s Division I records.

As for Eaton, he was just joyous off a rapid start with a squad loaded with newcomers, though very talented ones to fight the Big Ten wars not too far in the future.

“It’s a great time to be a Scarlet Knight alongside our Big Ten Champion field hockey and women’s soccer team,” Eaton exclaimed. “We’re looking forward to the challenge of living up to that standard of success.

“We were proud of playing with great effort and passion, although we didn’t make a lot of shots, those things are going to come in time.”

Liz Martino led all scorers with 11 points, including six courtesy of a pair of three-balls, dealt six assists in a balanced attack, while going the other way gained four steals.

Sakima Walker was next in the scoring lineup with nine points and graduate transfer Osh Brown scored eight. She also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.

Rutgers’ defense forced 34 turnovers, 21 coming by way of steals.

The Knights stay home for their next encounter hosting South Alabama Friday night at 7 with the game on the conference subscription B1G+ package.

Balance was also the name of the game at Temple, where unlike the stop and starts heading into last season led to an opening rout setback to Villanova, the Owls kept getting better to veteran coach Tonya Cardoza’s liking and turned on the blasters in the fourth quarter for their 73-53 win over Saint Francis.

Graduate transfer Jiselle Thomas, the former Florida International leading scorer and all. Conference-USA star poured in 20 points, while grad veteran Mia Davs, again the American Athletic Conference preseason player of the year, fired down 18 points.

Defensively, Temple grabbed 14 steals.

While the crowd was energized by the Owls’ play, the Guru, arriving at the half from the Drexel opening stop of the night, was surprised to see the arena host for fan activities was none other than his executive director and producer, Temple senior broadcaster major Lindsey Moppert.

The Owls get a tougher challenge in their next action, visiting ASun conference powerhouse Florida Gulf Coast in Fort Meyers Friday night at 6 p.m.in a game that will air on ESPN+.

As it turns out, Temple will appear next door in the men’s program home of the Liacouras Center after all with the return of Education Day as the Owls on February 9th will host American Conference defending champion and preseason pick South Florida at noon.

Then it’s back in McGonigle Hall for a three-game slate hosting Big East contender St. John’s next Wednesday,  Patriot contender Bucknell,  and Ivy favorite Prineton before hopping to the suburbs for the Owls’ first Big Five game, playing host Villanova.

Another place Tuesday night where points where plenty was over on Hawk Hill where Saint Joseph’s  wiped out Maryland Eastern Shore 84-49 in Hagan Arena, the most lopsided win scoring points by veteran coach Cindy Griffin’s charges four seasons. It’s the widest margin of victory since a New Year’s Eve rout of VCU 79-41.

The points match a previous high of 84 four seasons ago against UMass in an 84-79 victory.

Katie Jekot had 16 points, shooting 5-of-8, while rookie Talya Brugler scored 14 points, shooting five of nine.

The Hawks next head into West Philadelphia Friday night to play Drexel at 8 after the men’s opening game at the Daskalakis Athletic Center.

Freshman Mackenzie Smith also aided the Hawks attack with 12 points, making all three of her attempts beyond the arc.

Drexel will be coming out of a tough loss to Marist.

“We put ourselves in position to win,” said second-year coach Amy Mallon.

Graduate star Hannah Nihill had a tough shooting night but ended up with 14 points, six assists, and three steals, while newcomer Tessa Brugler double doubled her way to 12 points and 14 rebounds

Keishana Washington had. 11 points for Drexel, while Mariah Leonard scored nine.

“I have to say if you look at the stat line we did everything possible to put us in a position to win the game today, but unfortunately it was just one of those games where the shots were not falling,” Mallon said.

Both men’s and women’s teams will raise their CAA championship banners Friday night.

Meanwhile, Drexel’s longtime CAA rival Delaware, the conference regular season co-champions and tourney runners up, had an easy time in their opener at home in the Bob Carpenter Center. In Newark, beating Chestnut Hill, a local developing Philly D2 program, 87-48, in a game that counted on the season for the host Blue Hens but will go down as an exhibition for the vsitors.

Delaware won all 11 home games last season before falling just short to a Drexel rally in the CAA championship.

Among the places saluting fan bases, Delaware coach Natasha Adair said, “We have been chomping at the bit for this game for how long and over a year without our fans. I am so happy to be able to play all our players and for them to be able to get all that excitement, nervousness and anxiousness feeling off their backs.

“I want to celebrate with our team a win, our first win of the season together. Today, I am proud of how they competed and our effort.”

Jasmine Dickey, the reigning and preseason player of the year poured down 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Tara Cousins had 15 points for the Blue Hens.

Leah Miller scored 12 for the visitors, while Bri Hewlett scored 11.

The Blue Hens stay home Friday night to host Ivy favorite Princeton, which will end its season-span of idleness Wednesday night visiting Villaova at 7 p.m. as both teams open their seasons.

The visiting Tigers arrive re-activating what is now the longest win streak at 22,  which is where Princeton was in a one-loss march to the fourth annual Ivy tourney which in 2020 became the first conference affair to be shuttered along with became the entire following season for the winter.

Up at Penn State, the Lady Lions were the sixth locally followed squad with a victory, beating Long Island 85-66 in the Bryce Jordan Center. In University Park as Ali Brigham scored 20 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked three shots.

Makenna Marisa scored 19 and dealt six assists.

Erykah scored 15 for Long Island.

Penn State is back home quickly Thursday night to help another local team launch its season when Rider visits Happy Valley before coming here Saturday at noon to visit La Salle in the Tom Gola Arena at Trumark Center.

The Explorers suffered a tough loss Tuesday night at home, falling just short to Coppin State 73-70, wasting a double double of 16 points and 17 rebounds by Kayla Spruill.

Jaia Alexander collected 30 points for Coppin State.

Nationally, Amy Dilk, Michigan’s point guard was felled on the first possession leading te attack for Michigan, which then had to play the rest of the way into overtime before emerging with the win over IUPUI.

In top-rank South Carolina’s win on N.C. State’s court Zia Cooke had 17 points for the Gamecocks,  who stopped Elissa Cunane from going off on them.

Aliyah Boston had eight points, six rebounds, and fivw blocks for the visitors, while Raina. Perez and. Jakia Brown each scored 18 for the Wolfpack.

And that is the first of many reports for the season.