The Guru Report: Princeton Continues to Shine While No. 13 Iowa State Outlasts UMass in Gulf Coast Showcase Championship

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

On what was not a great Sunday for the Guru locals Princeton stayed in the winner’s column locking down America East contender Maine 82-43 at home in Jadwin Gym.

The visiting Bears took an early 4-2 lead on the Ivy favorites (5-1) and then were held scoreless the rest of the period.

By halftime the Tigers were up 39-17 and the lead over Maine (2-5) grew another 17 points by the end of the third where it stayed after a 15-15 final period.

Abby Meyers shot 9-of-14 from the floor for a game-high 21 points while three more Princeton players reached double digits, Julia Cunningham scoring 14, and Maggie Connolly and Grace Stone each scored 11.

The Tigers picked up 22 points off 24 turnovers.

Princeton hits the road Wednesday in a game that could be a challenge in a visit to No. 25 Florida Gulf Coast in Fort Meyers with a 7 p.m. tipoff.

Lehigh Swamped in Own Tourney While Rider Edged for Third

The Mountain Hawks were handled in the championship of their own Christmas City Classic 88-67 by Missouri at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem while in the third place game Rider came close to the Broncs’ first win of the season but got clipped 63-60 by Columbia. 

The undoing for Lehigh (5-2) came in a 36-15 second quarter by Missouri (7-0) of the Southeastern Conference following the home team’s 19-14 advantage after the first ten minutes.

“I thought the first quarter was the best quarter of basketball we have played on both ends of the floor this season,” Lehigh coach Sue Troyan said. “I thought our kids played with a toughness particularly inside against them and really forced them in into making tough shots.

“We got some stops, rebounded well and that allowed our transition game to open up as well. Our defense definitely created our offense in the first half,” she said.

“In the second half, Mizzou got hot from the 3 and l was a little disappointed to how we responded to that. They made a big run and it was a good opportunity fot us to learn from that situation and how we need to combat and get better and play a lot tougher going forward.”

Mackenzie Kramer scored 16 points for the defending Patriot League champions, while Frannie Hottinger scored 13, Megan Walker scored 12, and Emma Grothaus had 11 points and nine rebounds.

Lehigh visits Villanova Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Meanwhile in the third place game Columbia of the Ivy League edged Rider, beating the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference representatives 63-60 dropping the Broncs to 0-5.

The loss wasted a career-tying performance from Makayla Firebaugh, who scored 26, and another personal best from Jessika Schiffer, who scored 15 points.

“We played a really good team that ended up with three more points than we.did,” said veteran Rider coach Lynn Milligan. “When yo have a quick turnaround like this, you have to rely on yourself  and what you do. I thought we did that today really, really well.”

Columbia (6-2) out rebounded the Broncs 49-22.

Rider next hosts NJIT at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in Alumni Gym in Lawrenceville, N.J.

Kitty Henderson hit go-ahead from deep for the Lions with 38.8 left and Kaitlyn Davis stopped a Broncs potential game winner the other way.

“This team has shown we can battle with anybody,” said Columbia coach Megan Griffith. “I think Rider gave us their best punch today. I really respect their coach and how they run their program. For us it was another learning experience.”

Abbey Hsu and Davis each scored 12 points. 

Columbia next hosts Delaware from Schiller Court at Levien Gymnasium in New York on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Saint Joseph’s Woes Continue With Narrow Loss: The Hawks got improvement on their third and final day in the Van Chancellor Invitational in the Houston suburb of Katy, Texas, but just short enough to lose their fifth straight since winning the season opener, this time the predetermined opponent in the event was Ball State, who emerged with a 73-67 victory.

The offense picked up against the opposition eith four players reaching double figures - Katie Jekot scored 14, Alayna Gribble scored 12, Mackenzie Smith scored 17, and Olivia Mullins scored 10, and dealt a career best five assists.

The Cardinals (3-2) got 13 points from Thelma Dis Agustsdottir, and 12 each from Anna Clephane and Annie Rauch.

The Hawks are off all week until Saturday when they host Yale at 2 p.m. in Hagan Arena.

Penn State Finishes Fourth in Gulf Coast Showcase: Following their setback in Saturday’s semifinals, the Lady Lions fell to Kent State, 81-74, a Mid-American Conference team that noise earlier upsetting N. 19 UCLA.

That made it two Power 5 victims in taking down the Big Ten representatives following the Bruins of the PAC-12.

The Lady Lions (4-3) got another impressive performance from Mackenna Marisa, who scored 23 points and five assists, while Shay Hagans scored 15, Niya Beverly scored 14, and Anna Camden scored 10.  

Kent State (5-1) went one better with five in double figures , led by Katie Shumate, who scored 17 points. 

The Lady Lions next participate in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge Thursday heading to suburban Beantown to play Boston College in Chestnut Hill’s Conti Arena at 6 p.m. on the ACC Network.

The national story for Sunday was at the same event in Estero, Fla., where Atlantic 10 rising power UMass in the championship took its first loss but nearly upset No. 13 of the Big 12, losing to the unbeaten Cyclones 76-71.

The Minuteomen (7-1) nearly closed all of a 21-point deficit in the third period.

Sam Breen scored 21 points for UMass.

The Cyclones (7-0) in Hertz Arena got 23 points each from Lexi Donarski and Ashley Joens, who also got 12 rebounds. Her sister Aubrey scored 15, and Morgan Kane scored 11.

And that’s your unified Sunday Guru report.