The Guru NCAAW Report: LA Salle Launches New Digs by Topping Delaware; Princeton and Lafayette Also Winners; Milestone 700th for FDU’s Gaitley

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

PHILADELPHIA – Early last month at the men’s and women’s Atlantic 10 media day in Washington, addressing the massive rebuild to his roster, La Salle coach Mountain MacGillivray said, “we just want to get better every day.”

Saturday afternoon showed a positive trend in that direction off the opening day loss at Maine to a 68-54 win here over region rival Delaware at the Explorer’s home slate launch in their new John E. Glaser Arena upgrade from the previous Tom Gola Arena.

With Ivy pick and defending champion Princeton bouncing back from its narrow season opening loss at Duquesne to a 79-58 over DePaul in Chicago, and Lafayette doing likewise beating Saint Francis (Pa.) 53-45, the outcomes made for a technical 3-0 sweep in that someone had to lose from the local list in the ongoing series here between the Hens and the Explorers.

Paired with the men’s game that followed, the afternoon was billed as homecoming on the season promotion list, both teams eager to show off their improved digs.

Ashleigh Connor, a red-shirt sophomore from Pittsburgh and transfer from A-10 rival Saint Louis, where she had been used sparingly, the 5-11 guard proved to be a booster shot to La Salle’s long-range shooting woes hitting one from deep at the outset and going on to a career-high 21 points.

It was also a career day for Anna Przyszlak as the native of Gdańsk in Poland by way of Crowley County Community Coll, scoring 11 points, while Mackenzie Daleba, a graduate forward off Fairfield’s perfect run in the MAAC last season, added to the personal bests with 10 points.

Aryss Macktoon, one of the few Explorers back from last season, had 10 points and nine boards, a number of carooms equaled by teammate Jolene Armendariz, a graduate guard transfer from San Francisco State helping La Salle win the rebounding battle 44-36 over the Hens (0-2).

Delaware’s Rebecca Demeke had 16 points, while Chloe Wilson had nine points and 12 boards.

“We outrebounded them, when’s the last time you saw a La Salle team do that,” MacGillivray noted a roster often undersized to the opposition.

Taking advantage of Delaware’s injury situation, the Explorers mined 23 turnovers into 24 points, while the defense also swiped 11 steals.

“It just wasn’t what we wanted on our first day out,” MacGillivray referenced the two-game swing on the week. “We were a little tight, anxious, and I was so proud of them today coming out here and just playing free.

“And then when they made their run, we didn’t fold.”

La Salle had used a 10-0 run to hit the break with a 38-22 lead at the break.

Delaware, however, came into the third quarter scoring the first ten and moved within four when the 14-2 advantage was completed.

But then Joan Quinn popped one from deep for the home team setting off a 16-4 command across the third and fourth quarters to go onto victory.

Connor got her total shooting 6-10 overall and 4-5 from deep.

“It feels good, teammates found me in good spots, just feeling good, and I let it fly,” she said. “My teammates have my back like I always have theirs, it felt good.”

La Salle, which had been 0-3 in recent games with the Hens, next travels to West Philadelphia to play Drexel at 6 p.m. in the Daskalakis Athletic Center (FloHoops TV) and while this has been an annual rivalry, the host Dragons joining their men from last season, make their debut in the Big 5 competition.

Delaware, looking for its first win, stays in the local mix, Tuesday, launching its home slate in the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark, hosting Temple at 6:30 p.m., the Owls having been idle since their narrow opening day loss to Richmond on Monday in the Liacouras Center.

Tigers Top Demons

Down 19-14 with one quarter in the books in Wintrust Arena, Princeton finally got untracked going on to a 79-58 win over DePaul, still without longtime coach Doug Bruno who has been dealing with a medical issue.

Madison St. Rose shot 10-17 from the field for 24 points for the winners along with six boards and two steals, while Ashley Chea scored 11 with five assists and three steals and reserve Tabitha Amanze had nine points, five rebounds and blocked four shots in just 18 minutes of play.

Joanie Allen, a graduate forward, had 19 points for DePaul.

Princeton returns home to Jadwin Gym, resuming its annual region rivalry hosting Villanova Wednesday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

Lafayette Takes Home Opener

Abby Antognoli was 8-17 from the field for a game-high 19 points, while Kay Donahue had 12 points and nine boards as the Leopards topped the Red Flashes 53-45 to even up to 1-1 in the early season.

Natalie Johnson with 10 points, the sole person in double figures for the opposition, who feel to 0-2.

Lafayette next travels to Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Wednesday at 7 p.m. to play Maris of the MAAC (ESPN+).

The National Scene: Milestone for Gaitley

Fairleigh Duckinson’s most recently 62-59 win over American U. Friday night was also the 700th for former Villanova star Stephanie Gaitley, now in her 39th season, spanning stops at Richmond, Saint Joseph’s, Long Island, Monmouth, Fordham, and FDU.

She’s the first to do so at six different schools, and second along with retired Montana coach Robin Selvig to do so without doing so at any power five institution.

Gaitley is the 17th women’s coach in Division I and is sixth active in all divisions in victories.

Radar Watch

For the player, not necessarily the team, No. 3 Southern Cal easily beat Cal Poly 90-35 in Los Angeles to finish the first week 2-0 following the narrow escape of No. 20 Ole Miss in Paris as sophomore JuJu Watkins, last season’s national freshman, and freshman Kayleigh Heckel each scored 16 points while senior Rayah Marshall collected her 1000th career point with the Trojans.

Northern Iowa, a Missouri Valley power won 71-56 at Green Bay, a power in the Horizon League.

In the ongoing WAC/Conference-USA Challenge, Liberty of C-USA at home cruised 72-44 over Cal Baptist.

George Mason of the A-10 topped CAA power Towson 76-65 at home in Fairfax, Va., while BYU of the Big 12 at home beat the Mountain West’s Wyoming 76-63.

Two other games involving ranked teams saw No. 16 West Virginia home in Morgantown thump Niagara of the AAC 110-41 while No. 23 Nebraska in Lincoln won 78-68 over visiting SE Louisiana.

Looking Ahead

It’s going to be a busy Sunday on both the local and national fronts.

Things get started 11:30 a.m. with Penn at Maine (ESPN+); a 1 p.m. tip has Duquesne off its upset of Princeton making the trip from Pittsburgh to Penn State (B1G+);  tips at 2 p.m. have Villanova, the last of the locals, start the Wildcats’ season where we’ll be by hosting the ACC’s Wake Forest; Saint Joseph’s is at Syracuse (ACCNX); and Rutgers hosts NJIT (B1G+).

Lehigh at 3 p.m. finishes its Midwest swing with a stop at Northwestern (B1G+).

Nationally, the Ally Tipoff twin bill in Charlotte, N.C., has No. 1 South Carolina and No. 9 N.C. State at 3 p.m. (ESPN) reuniting the two from the game won by Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks in the national semifinals on the way to the NCAA title. It’s followed at 5:30 p.m., Iowa and your chance to see former Villanova star Lucy Olsen meeting Virginia Tech (ESPN2).

No. 2 Connecticut at 4:30 p.m. in Storrs (SNY) hosts AAC favorite South Florida, the chance for Geno Auriemma to move within one tying retired Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer for the most wins in Division I by either a men’s or women’s coach. He has already past the men’s mark of retired Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.

VanDerveer will be honored with the Maples Pavilion court named in her honor at 3 p.m. when Stanford, now in the ACC, hosts WCC favorite Gonzaga (ESPN2).

Meeting at 1 p.m. (FS1) for the first time in over a decade, No. 11 Duke visits No. 18 Maryland, the new home of former Villanova center Christina Dalce.

Harvard at 2 p.m. follows its upset of No. 25 Indiana traveling to Quinnipiac (ESPN+).

That’s your roundup.