The Guru Report: UConn Bounces Back; No. 3 Colorado and No. 23 Washington State Suffer First Losses; Penn, Rutgers, Delaware, and Princeton All Lose

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

 

For the locals, Saturday began with Delaware losing its consolation semifinals game to Purdue-Fort Wayne 88-74 in the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla., and thus at 11 a.m. on Sunday for 7^th place will meet Vermont, a 62-50 loser to Western Kentucky.

 

The Showcase on the busiest event day of the season until March Madness arrives is one of the few over the Thanksgiving weekend that is played in a true tournament format.

 

The middle saw Princeton after upsetting No. 22 Oklahoma unable to pull another ambush in the Fort Myers Tip-Off Island Division on No. 21 Indiana, losing 72-63 to the Hoosiers.

 

No question its certainly still respectable for the Tigers (4-2), who have a four-point loss a week ago at No. 2 then No. 4 UCLA, but in a crowd of ranking aspirants for the new Associated Press Poll on Monday it may not be respectable enough.

 

However, the non-conference slate ahead of Ivy competition offers Seton Hall, Rhode Island, Villanova, and Rutgers to give Princeton decent material to build its case.

 

As for the other two locals, Penn in the late afternoon in the first of a two-stop (City of) San Diego Classic couldn’t keep up with San Diego State, falling 74-49 to the Aztecs (4-2). 

 

On Sunday the Quakers (3-2) will play at the University of San Diego at 5 p.m. (ESPN+) wrapping up the three-game Southern California road trip that began with a win at Chapman.

 

Finally playing the very last game on the busy national slate in the very last second Rutgers’ Kaylene Smikle was unable to get an attempted game-tying three-pointer to drop thus losing 68-65 to Boise State and both games in the South Point Classic in Las Vegas.

 

The National Scene: No. 6 UConn in the Cayman Islands Classic in George Town bounced back from its UCLA beatdown on Friday by topping Big 12 Conference third place pick Kansas 71-63 Saturday night as Paige Bueckers scored 22 points while Aubrey Griffin scored 20 and grabbed eight rebounds for the Huskies.

 

Nike Muhl dealt six assists. 

 

The Jayhawks (2-3), who came within a point of No. 9 Virginia Tech on Friday, only trailed by four late in the game before UConn reeled off a 13-4 run to its largest lead at 60-47 with 7:02 left in regulation.

 

Kansas then rallied to within five but Bueckers put up the gates with a layup to end the threat.

 

The Jayhawks had four players score in double figures led by Taiyanna Jackson with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

 

“I think they pretty much gutted this one out, it wasn't pretty, either, Huskies Hall of Fame coach Geno Auriemma said. “But when you're struggling like we're struggling right now, it's just as easy to lose a game like this as it is to win it.

 

“So, I'm really happy with the way we hung in there and some of the plays we made down the stretch.” 

Bueckers only had two points at the half before heating up for 20 the rest of the way.

 

“She plays aggressively and when she's playing the way she played in the second-half, obviously we're a completely different team,” Auriemma said. “It’s Going to be really nice to see when we get some more contributions to help her, and she won't have to work so hard and carry most of the load.

 

“I thought Aubrey tonight was fantastic. That's the Aubrey that we are going to need every single night because we don't have anybody else like her who can do what she does.”

 

Auriemma now has 1,184 victories, eight behind Stanford Hall of Famer Tara VanDerveer.

 

The good news for UConn is the Huskies now have a week off. The tough news is at the end of it, they go to No. 12 Texas in Austin next Sunday in the Jimmy V Women’s Classic.

 

The unbeaten Longhorns (7-0) on Saturday night completed a three-game sweep in the Paradise Jam – Reef Division whipping American Conference favorite South Florida 76-44 as Taylor Jones and Rori Harmon each scored 15 points in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

 

USF (5-3) got 10 each from Vittoria Blasigh, a freshman, and Romi Levy off the bench.

 

Texas rolled through Arizona State, 84-42, and High Point, 101-39, in its previous two games.

 

Elsewhere in the Cayman Islands Classic, No. 9 Virgina Tech beat Tulane, 76-70, as Georgia Amoore scored 24 for the Hokies (5-1) and UCLA had no letdown off its UConn win, beating Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference favorite Niagara 97-46 to drop the Purple Eagles to 2-4 as Gabriela Jaquez scored 23 and grabbed six rebounds for the Bruins (6-0) off the bench.

 

But No. 7 LSU (7-1), the NCAA champs still without Angel Reese for unspecified reasons in four straight games and on this trip Kateri Poole, barely avoided an upset in edging Virginia 76-73.

 

DePaul transfer Aneesah Morrow scored 37 points and grabbed 16 rebounds.

 

Tigers coach Kim Mulkey said in the previous game the Poole situation would be addressed when LSU returns to Baton Rouge.

 

Flau’jae Johnson had 15 rebounds against the Cavaliers (4-2).

 

Virginia’s Paris Clark had 19 points, seven rebounds and three steals while Sam Brunelle had 15 off five three-pointers.

 

Meanwhile after Green Bay recently knocked Creighton out of the rankings, the Phoenix (4-2) in the Cancun Challenge in Mexico put No. 23 Washington on the endangered list with a 59-48 win over the Cougars (7-1), their first loss as Bailey Butler had 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals.

 

It had been Washington State’s best start since 10-0 in 1978-79. 

 

Maddy Schreiber had 12 points for Green Bay, whose longtime coach Kevin Borseth is three short of 800 wins.

 

Charlisse Leger-Walker had 17 points for the Cougars and Tara Wallack scored 16.

 

Washington State wasn’t the only team with its first loss after having helped the PAC-12 look invincible in its likely final season as a conference before next summer’s 10-member football-driven realignment in which only the Cougars and Oregon State are in limbo on their future.

 

In a top 10 battle, No. 3 Colorado, which shocked the nation opening day upsetting then-No. 1 LSU, the Buffs fell to No. 10 NC State 78-60 in the Paradise Jam, the second Top 3 victim of the Wolfpack (7-0) this month after stunning then No. 2 UConn in Raleigh.

 

River Baldwin had a career-high 26 points.

 

“Our coaches and staff prepare us so well,” she said. “We knew what we had to do, and everybody can see that the chemistry on this team is just unmatched.

 

NC State was picked eighth in the ACC preseason poll.

 

Colorado (6-1) got 20 points from Jaylyn Sherrod while Frida Formann scored 14.

 

In a game of might have been poll survival in a battle of lower ranked teams in the Fort Myers Tipoff – Island Division No. 19 Tennessee avoided a two-game sweep completing likewise to No. 23 Oklahoma 76-73 as reserve Jasmine Powell scored 13 of her 19 points in the fourth quarter for the Lady Vols (4-2). 

 

Oklahoma (5-2) got 16 points and eight rebounds from Sahara Williams while Lexy Keys and Aubrey Joens each scored 12.

 

Early in the third quarter Oklahoma built a 10-point lead before Tennessee erupted with a 13-3 run.

 

Back in the semifinals of the Gulf Coast Showcase, the outcome has set up for the championship a quick Sunday night rematch from the first time that saw Kansas State then unranked win at then-No. 2 Iowa.

 

The No. 16 Wildcats (6-0) earned the right to be the fourth team and first outside the Big Ten to go 3-0 on Iowa with Caitlin Clark in the lineup in the first three meetings by edging No. 18 North Carolina 63-56 as reserve Gisela Sanchez had 15 points. 

 

Deja Kelly had 14 points for UNC (5-1).

 

The now No. 5 Hawkeyes had little difficulty with Florida Gulf Coast, winning 100-62 and setting a program record with 20 three-balls while coach Lisa Bluder picked up her 500^th win at Iowa (6-1).

 

Clark scored 21 points and Taylor McCabe had a career-high 18 points shooting the long ball 6-for-7, while Gabbie Marshall was 4-for-5, and Sydney Affolter 3-for-3.

 

“They’re obviously a national championship contender,” said FGCU coach Karl Smesko of the Hawkeyes. “But tonight was as good as I've ever seen them.”

 

Maca Retamales scored 16 for the Eagles (4-2), and Dolly Cairns scored 13.

 

Gonzaga could be in position to join the poll the first time this season after beating Alabama 68-58 in the Betty Chancellor Classic in Katy, Texas if the Zags (6-1) beat No. 20 Louisville Sunday.

 

In tournaments that had true championships Saturday off advancement Marquette beat Arkansas 74-55 to win the Fort Myers Shell Division Tip-off, UNLV beat San Diego 93-56 to win the Dana on Mission Beach Thanksgiving Classic, Texas A&M beat host Cal 65-51 to take the Raising the B.A.R. Invitational in Berkeley. 

 

In a single game back from its tough loss to Florida, Columbia at home romped over Northeastern 88-45 as Abbey Hsu had 26 points for the Lions (3-4) who next host Providence Wednesday 11 a.m., the annual Education Day event.

 

The Local Scene: In Delaware’s Saturday loss to Purdue-Fort Wayne the Blue Hens (1-3) got 17 points from Klarke Sconiers while Tara Cousins scored 16 points and reserve Ande’A Cherisier had 13 off the bench.

 

In Penn’s loss at San Diego State, Stina Almqvist continued her hot hand for the Quakers scoring 24 points, while Jordan Obi had five points and eight rebounds, and Mataya Gayle scored eight.

 

In the Princeton game with Indiana, which was coming off a win over Tennessee, the Tigers gave up a 25-13 second quarter.

 

Sara Scalia scored 28 for the Hoosiers (5-1), whose sole loss was at Stanford. Mackenzie Holmes, who had 20 points and eight rebounds, became the second Indiana player to collect 2000 career points behind the 2,364 from Tyra Buss (2014-18).

 

Princeton twice moved within six points in the fourth quarter before getting repulsed.

 

Reigning Ivy player of Year Kaitlyn Chen scored 16, while Madison St. Rose and Ellie Mitchell each scored 11 for the Tigers, with Mitchell grabbing 16 rebounds, three blocks, and three steals.

 

Princeton next hosts Seton Hall Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Jadwin Gym (ESPN+). 

 

Rutgers’ Kaylene Smikle had 25 points while Chyna Cornwell scored 12 with eight rebounds, and Lisa Thompson scored 10 against the Broncos (5-1).

 

The Scarlet Knights head home to play Delaware State in an Education Day matinee at 11 a.m.

 

On Sunday several teams are involved in just straight non- Multi Team Events.

 

Villanova is at Wake Forest at noon on ACCNX. Rider visits Fairleigh Dickinson at 2 p.m., on the NEC Front Row while Penn State hosts Providence at 1 p.m. trying to bounce back from its tough narrow loss to No. 8 Southern Cal down in the tropics. Lafayette visits St. Francis (Pa.) at 2 p.m.

 

And that’s the Report.

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

 Ggg