The Guru Report: Temple Tops Memphis to Take AAC Opener; No. 10 UCLA Wins PAC-12 Visit Over No. 17 Oregon

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

PHILADELPHIA — As 2022 was dwindling down to its final 48 hours before departing from activity duty on the planet, Temple celebrated the phasing of a turn of the schedule, competition, month, and year Friday afternoon by rallying from a struggling start at home in the Liacouras Center to down Memphis 80-69 and grab its league opener in the American Athletic Conference.

Down by as many as ten points to the Tigers (8-6, 0-1 AAC) early, a 30-11 second period sent the Owls (6-7, 1-0) on their way, never trailing again and building as much as a 21-point lead midway in the third period.

Most of the Guru’s D-1 locals who played Friday also enjoyed victories as Penn got the rust off a long layoff dating to prior to the break and finals to down D-3 Gwynedd Mercy 95-38 at The Palestra to get ready for the Ivy League wars, while Penn State downed longtime rival Rutgers 90-72 in a Big Ten game at home in the Bryce Jordan Center.

 Delaware launched its Colonial Athletic Association slate 77-65 Friday night at home in the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark, while Lehigh at home in the Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pa., whipped Army 90-68 to take its Patriot League opener but in the same conference Lafayette fell short on the road to American U. 75-65 at Bender Arena in the nation’s capital.

On Saturday several hours before New Year’s Eve ends at the stroke of midnight, Saint Joseph’s will visit La Salle at 2 p.m. at Tom Gola Arena on ESPN+ as both launch play in the Atlantic 10 while at this game, the first of two meetings, the squads will complete the annual Big Five round robin to determine the final standings behind repeat champion Villanova.

Rider will be at in-state rival St. Peter’s in Jersey City at noon on ESPN+ to snap the Broncs’ 0-3 start in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) while Princeton at 2 p.m. will launch its Ivy schedule and defense of another league crown visiting Harvard in Lavietes Pavilion in Boston on ESPN+.

Several hours after 2003 reports for its 365-day duty on Sunday afternoon, New Year’s Day does not equate to time off for some teams as preseason favorite Drexel launches its home slate in the CAA at 2 p.m. hosting Towson in the Daskalakis Athletic Center on the Flohoops streaming network; Villanova finishes its weekend road trip in the Big East visiting Xavier at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati on Flohoops, and Delaware completes its opening weekend home slate in the CAA hosting new member Monmouth at 2 p.m. on Flohoops.

Back here at Temple, the Owls ultimately countered Memphis long-range shooting, completing 9-of-20 from deep while the Tigers were 7-of-18.

Herself off to a slow start, Temple’s Aleah Nelson, who followed first-year Owls coach Diane Richardson from Towson, scored 20, including 6-of-12 from beyond the arc, while grabbing eight rebounds, one off her career mark, and dealing six assists.

Jasha Clinton was a sizzling 7-for-11 from the field and scored 17, while Tarriyonna Gary, who also came from Towson, was 4-of-8, scoring 12 points as did reserve Tiarra East.

Memphis got a hot hand from Madison Griggs, who was 7-of-14 from the field, including 4-of-8 from beyond the perimeter for 20 points, reserve Destiny Thomas scored 10, and Tanyuel Welch grabbed 11 rebounds.

“Much better mood today, ready for me?” smiled Richardson, whose squad had its ups and downs through a challenging non-conference schedule.

“It was a great way to open the conference,” she said. “We played team defense. We played well together. Memphis is a very athletic team. They pushed the ball but we did a great job, defensively.”

As for the cause of Memphis opening burst, Richardson revealed that all has yet to be where programs were before the pandemic struck. 

“We were actually coming off of Covid, so we were trying to patch … minutes,” she said in terms of the fatigue level affecting her squad. “I think we pulled it out. We did a great job, first conference and they stepped up.”

Richardson said the pre-league schedule was by design to see all kinds of tests as opposed to playing lesser opponents that could leave her squad more vulnerable going through The American.

 A 13-0 run in the second period put the Owls in control the rest of the game.

Now Temple goes to the deep end of the conference pool, visiting preseason favorite South Florida at 5 p.m. on Tuesday on ESPNU, and then continues away a week from Saturday at 2 p.m. visiting Cincinnati on ESPN+ before returning here for a noon game on January 11 on ESPN+.

Penn Routes Gwynedd Mercy: The long 19-day layoff called for a sparring partner on Friday afternoon ahead of the Quakers’ Ivy opener Monday afternoon when Brown visits The Palestra at 2 p.m.

Since coming to Penn (7-5) from where he had made D-2 Holy Family in the city’s Northeast a national power Penn coach Mike McLaughlin has done a two-fold act this time of year after extended down time, give the opposition the thrill of playing in the fabled arena and seeing that his squad is ready to look like the favorite it is in this types of matchups.

The 95-38 final made the statement needed as Penn starts the campaign to returned to the Ivy tourney, which the Quakers missed for the first time last season for multiple reasons.

“I thought they reacted well,” he said of his group. “I think one of the goals was to see we can come out and not struggle through that, and I thought we did a pretty good job.”

With a dominating inside presence, the home team advantage in points in the paint was 58-8 while the defense forced 22 turnovers to just three on itself.

The Griffins were 7-of-26 from deep.

Speaking to what was alluded here above, the Penn coach said, “We’ve done this, playing Division III at this time because it’s easier for us to control the schedule of the game, but it also gives these young ladies who are passionate about their game to come to this place and play, their parents and families here.”

Jordan Obi had 12 points and seven rebounds for Penn, while Stina Almqvist scored 11, and Sydnei Caldwell scored 10 as did Iyanna Rogers.

McLaughlin noted the other ulterior motive.

“The other things was to see how we can build depth and who could get on the floor,” he said. “The bench kids got a chance to play, and I thought they handled themselves well.”

Ava Casale had seven points for Gwnedd Mercy (7-6) which hosts Immaculata on Wednesday to start league play.

As for the start of Ivy play, McLaughlin said, “I think we will be ready for Brown. This team is ready for league play, and this team is getting better and better.”

Helpful is the front-loading at home the league in terms of the schedule did with Penn currently on a ten-game home stand whose previous game was also in the area at La Salle.

Penn State Trounces Rutgers: The long-running rivalry between the host Lady Lions and Scarlet Knights dates way back to the days both teams, loaded with Philadelphia-area players, battled in the Atlantic 10 and were simultaneously getting ranked in the Associated Press women’s poll, often in the Top 10.

Both teams have not done well in recent seasons in the Big Ten but Penn State appears to finally getting traction under Carolyn Kieger. 

Ironically Friday night, the visiting coach was Kieger’s predecessor Coquese Washington, whom Rutgers hired from her assistants job back at Notre Dame, her alma mater, in the wake of longtime Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian’s Stringer retirement, making Friday having a homecoming accent.

But most of the home in the game belonged to the host team (10-4, 1-2 Big Ten), as Makenna Marisa had a game-high 32 points, just two off her personal best, reaching the 1,500 career milestone for points. 

This one was over quick with the Lady Lions jumping to a 16-2 lead.

Notable was Marisa tying assistant coach and former great Maggie Lucas of Narberth in terms of now having seven 30-plus points career games.

Leilani Kapinus had six steals to earn her 100th, while scoring 14 points, and dealt five assists, while Taniyah Thompson had 11 points.

Ball handling was one-sided with PSU forcing 38 to commiting nine.

Rutgers (6-9, 0-3) got 18 points from Kaylene Smikle, while Chyna Cornwell and Kassondra Brown each scored 13 points, and Erica Lafayette scored 10.

Penn State owned the boards 41-29.

It doesn’t get easier for Rutgers with nationally ranked Maryland visiting Jersey Mike’s Arena Monday at 2 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.

Penn State is at No. 14 Michigan in Ann Arbor Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Delaware Tops Hofstra: The Blue Hens opened defense of their CAA championship won in the conference tourney by defeating Hofstra 77-65. 

The visiting Pride (6-6, 0-1 CAA) was ahead 42-36 with 5:33 left in the third before Delaware (8-4, 1-0) erupted on a 12-0 run to take the lead.

The game stayed tight early in the final period but following a Blue Hens 59-58 advantage with 5:08 left, the Blue Hens exploded on a 16-0 lead to put the game out of reach.

Klarke Sconiers had 21 points propelled by 9-of-13 shooting for the home squad, while Kharis Idom had 16 points, Jewel Smalls and Makayla Pippin each scored 13, and Mays-Prince Nakiyah had 11 rebounds.

Hofstra’s Sorelle Ineza had 21 points, while Brandy Thomas scored 13.

Lehigh Shoots Past Army: Following having played a challenging non-conference schedule, the Mountain Hawks opened play in the Patriot League, beating visiting Army 90-68.

The conference win was the first for new coach Addie Micir, the former Princeton star moved up in the offseason.

“We started preparing what they were going to do to us both offensively and defensively a couple days ago,” Frannie Hottinger said. “I think we really executed on that, and it got them out of rhythm really early on in the game.”

Hottinger had a game-high 22 points and 13 rebounds while Mackenzie Kramer scored 18 points, Kaylee Van Eps scored scored 13, and Jamie Behar scored with 11 points.

Anna Harvey dealt six assists fsor Lehigh, 5-7, 1-0 Patriot).

Kamryn Hall scored 13 points and grabbed 13 for Army (2-9, 0-1)

Sabrina Hunter, who was averaging 13.8 points and 12.3 rebounds was held to five points and five rebounds.

“It played really well to our game plan,” Micir said. “I was really proud of the level of focus that we had coming into it. I couldn’t more proud of our girls.”

Lehigh next is at Colgate Monday afternoon in Hamilton, N.Y., with the tip time changed from 6 p.m. to 4 p.m. on ESPN+.

Lafayette Falls at American: Makayla Andrews tied a career-high with 23 points bur the Leopards were overcome by American 75-65 dropping their opener in the Patriot League.

Kylie Favors scored 12 and Kylie Favors had 11 for Lafayette (3-8, 0-1 Patriot).

American (2-10, 1-0) had a balanced attack with Emily Johns and Lauren Stack each scoring 14 points, Ivy Bales had 13, while Riley DeRubbo and Kayla Henning scored 12 points each.

The Leopards will be at Army in West Point, N.Y., at 2 p.m. on ESPN+.

Nationally noted: Just three games involving ranked teams, two in the PAC -12, were played on Friday, No. 16 Maryland at home in the Big 10 in College Park trounced Minnesota 107-85.

Diamond Miller had 22 points, Shyanne Sellers scored 19, Abby Meyers scored 17, and reserve Lavender Briggs scored 14 for the Terrapins (11-3, 2-1 Big Ten), who go to Rutgers Monday afternoon.

Minnesota (8-6, 1-2) got 22 points from Alanna Micheaux, reserve Maggie Czinano scored 16 with eight rebounds, while Mara Braun and Katie Borowicz each scored 10 points.

In the PAC-12 No. 10 UCLA won 82-74 at No. 17 Oregon in Eugene, while No. 11 Utah gained a 71-66 win at Washington State in Pullman.

An Oregon (10-3, 1-1 PAC-12) rally fell short late in the game with the Bruins (13-1, 2-0).

“They deserved that win, they played really, really hard,” Ducks coach Kelly Graves said of the opposition. “They were the aggressors most of the game. What I’m going to take away was the fight we had at the finish.”

Reigning USBWA national freshman of the week Grace VanSlooten had all 17 of her points in the second half for Oregon, while Te-Hina Paopao had 15 of her 17 also in the final two quarters.

Endiya Rogers had 18 for the Ducks.

Freshman Kiki Rice had 21 points for UCLA, while Charisma Osborne had 17, and Gina Conti had 11.

In the other game, Washington State (10-3, 0-2 PAC-12) played short-handed in its loss to Utah (13-0, 2-0) one of a dwindling number of teams yet to lose as the 2023 portion of the season schedule is about to arrive.

Kennady McQueen had 20 points for the Utes and Southern Cal transfer Alissa Pili scored 18.

Washington State’s Bella Murekatete, had 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Astera tuhina scored 12, and Ula Motuga scored 11.

 In another game of note, Southern Cal won at Oregon State 69-58 as Rayah Marshall had a career-high 33 points for the Trojans.

Looking Ahead: The local action on New Year’s Eve was all mentioned but elsewhere in games of note, No. 3 Ohio State hosts No. 14 Michigan at 1 p.m. on the Big Ten Network, while Columbia launches Ivy play at Yale at 1 p.m. in New Haven on ESPN+.

No. 8 UConn hosts Marquette in the Big East at 2 p.m. on campus at Gampel Pavilion on Flohoops and SNY.

Former CAA rivals James Madison host Old Dominion at 2 p.m. on ESPN+ in a Sun Belt game while Texas in Big 12 action hosts Kansas State at 3 p.m. on the Longhorn Network.

No. 21 Creighton is at DePaul in Big East action in Chicago at 4 p.m., while No. 2 Stanford hosts Arizona State at 9 p;.m. and California hosts No. 18 Arizona at 10 p.m. on the PAC-12 Network.

And that’s the report.