The Guru Report: Big Ten Trio of Michigan, No. 13 Ohio State and No. 16 Indiana Win Easy at home while SWAC Contender Southern U Takes Upset at Oklahoma

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

 

‘Twas three days before Christmas and through NCAA Women’s Division I, a handful of games were still to be played until the annual Holiday shutdown in which there are none.

 

The locals had already finished their games before heading back home but Friday’s schedule was not quite that bare to the bone.

 

Newly ranked TCU at No. 25 made quick work of Mount St. Mary’s winning 87-34 continuing to jive.

 

Finishing non-conference (13-0) extended a program first for the Horned Frogs as Oregon transfer Sedonna Prince stayed hot with 22 points, six assists, and three blocks, while Madison Conner scored 21.

 

Agnes Emma-Nnopu had 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Aaliyah Roberson had 10 points and eight boards.

 

Mount St. Mary’s (3-8) got 12 points from Jessica Tomasetti.

 

TCU is now off eight days until Dec. 30 when the Horned Frogs host new member BYU formerly with the WCC to open Big 12 action.

 

Three Big Ten teams, two ranked, were all home with lopsided victories.

 

Michigan (10-3), last ranked in March, got 19 points from Lauren Hansen while Elissa Brett scored 15 over Florida A &M (1-9) in a 77-35 win in Ann Arbor.

 

No. 13 Ohio State (10-2) was back in the win column after Monday’s loss to No. 2 UCLA, still home in Columbus, beating Belmont 84-55 as Jacy Sheldon stayed in the 30s, this time scoring 31 fueled by five three-pointers against the opposition (7-4).

 

The Buckeyes go to Michigan next Saturday at noon.

 

No. 16 Indiana (10-1) in Bloomington handed Bowling Green (6-4) of the Mid-American Conference an 84-35 setback, the second this week to a ranked team, following Monday’s thumping from No. South Carolina back in Ohio.

 

Second-year Minnesota transfer Sara Scalia connected on eight from deep on the way to 32 points. Mackenzie Holmes scored 10.

 

The 35 points were the fewest scored this season by the Falcons and fewest allowed by the Hoosiers.

 

Indiana hosts Illinois next Sunday at noon.

 

In an intra-city game in Beantown, Boston U. took the short trip to Northeastern, the Patriot League contenders (8-3) winning 83-80 in overtime over the host Huskies (4-6) of the CAA as Caitlin Weimar had 26 points and 12 rebounds.

 

Anastaslia Semenova nailed the game-winner for the Terriers from beyond the arc with one second left in the extra period.

 

In an upset SWAC contender Southern U. won at Oklahoma 79-70, the 2-9 Jaguars getting 22 points from Aleighyah Fontenot in dropping the Sooners to 6-5.

 

Reserve Aubrey Joens scored 18 for Oklahoma, which hosts new member UCF, formerly of the AAC, in a Big 12 opener next Saturday at noon.

 

In the second and final day of the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic, Eastern Washington beat Wyoming, 62-43, while Wright State beat Presbyterian 66-61.

 

No. 20 Gonzaga at home beat New Mexico 67-56 as Yvonne Ejim scored 22 points. The Zags (13-2) of the West Coast Conference have won 26 straight at home in Spokane, Wash.

 

They open league play Jan. 4 at Portland.

 

Noteworthy: It’s now official, Washington State and Oregon State, the only two members of the imploding PAC-12 not heading to either the Big 12, Big Ten or ACC next season, will play the next two as affiliated members of the WCC.

 

And that’s the report.