The Guru NCAAW Report: UConn Coach Geno Auriemma Poised for History; Delaware Wins First While Temple and Rutgers Streaks Ended

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

Delaware got it’s first win of the season Tuesday afternoon beating Colgate 88-82 at home in the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark, while Temple and Rutgers suffered road losses later at night at Georgetown and Virginia Tech, respectfully, on a light local schedule.

The Blue Hens (1-3) featured a balanced attack in front of an Education Day sellout crowd of 4,631, shooting a prolific 58.33 percent from the field paced by Ande’A Cherisier with 17 points off 8-11 from the field, while Tara Cousins was 7-9 reaching 16 points.

Adding to the parade of Blue Hens in double figures against the Raiders (3-2), reserve Jiya Perry was 6-8 and 2-2 from deep to collect a personal best 14 points and match a career-high with seven boards, while Ella Wanzer gained all 12 of her points shooting 4-7 from beyond the arc.

 Rounding out the attack Michelle Ojo had 11 points, and five rebounds and Rebecca Demeke scored 10 points.

The Hens were in danger of dropping this one, also, until late in the game when they rallied with a 12-1 run.

Delaware now hits an 18-day road swing, beginning at Providence Sunday at 2 p,m, (FloHoops) in the Friars’ Alumni Hall in Rhode Island.

Temple, meanwhile, took a two-game win streak achieved on the road but the Owls (2-2) couldn’t finish off the last stop, shooting a mediocre 28 percent in a 65-51 loss at Georgetown (2-1) in the nation’s capital at McDonough Arena.

Coach Diane Richardson’s squad was beset by missing the target at the outset forcing to play catch-up all night.

Anissa Rivera had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the visitors, while Savannah Curry off the bench scored 12.

The Hoyas’ top player Kelsey Ransom scored 28 points with five assists and five steals while Victoria Rivera scored 19 points, and Ariel Jenkins off the bench double doubled her way with 11 points and 11 boards.

Temple plays its first Big 5 pod game Saturday at 2 p.m. (ESPN+) in the Liacouras Center, hosting Drexel, which already picked up a win beating La Salle at home in their debut appearance as an official member.

Rutgers (4-1) took its perfect record on its first road trip and challenged Virginia Tech through three quarters playing the Atlantic Coast Conference member in Blacksburg, but the Hokies (4-1) prevailed in the fourth quarter going on to a 91-80 victory.

The Scarlet Knights had three players in double figures led by Kiyomi McMiller with 24 points, Destiny Adams collected 18, and Chyna Cornwell scored 12.

Rutgers returns home to play its first of two in the three-team New Jersey rivalry when defending Ivy tourney champion Princeton makes the short trip north to Jersey Mike’s Arena Sunday at 2 p.m. (B1G+) in Piscataway, N.J.

The Tigers first visit Seton Hall in the annual series Thursday at the Pirates’ Walsh Gym.

Looking ahead to Wednesday on the local card, Saint Joseph’s is at Southern Utah (8:30 p.m., ESPN+), the Hawks running into national news on their two-game swing with the announcement that Lynne Roberts resigned as coach at Utah, their next stop Friday, to become head of the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks.

Penn travels to Villanova at 7 p.m. (FloHoops) attempting to even its Big 5 record in its pod, having lost Friday to Saint Joseph’s, while the Wildcats play their first ahead of the annual showdown with the Hawks, which will be at Hagan Arena, Dec. 1.

Drexel hosts Big West tourney champ U.C. Irvine at 6 p.m. (FloHoops) in the Daskalakis AthleticCenter, then the visiting Anteaters will head down 33rd Street Thursday to The Palestra to play Penn, resulting in a back-to-back for both teams.

The arena was unavailable Friday needing to be held for a volleyball match.

Rider Wednesday will be at La Salle at 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+) in the John E. Glaser Arena in which the visiting Broncs will be bringing Gabby Turco, who transferred from the Explorers after last season.

The National Scene: Uconn’s Geno Auriemma Poised for the Mountain Top

A match of two coaches, each in their 40th year, both with Philly local ties, will occur Wednesday at 7 p.m. when Northeast Conference favorite Fairleigh Dickinson visits No. 2 UConn (3-0) at 7 p.m. at the Huskies’ Gampel Arena on the campus in Storrs.

Geno Auriemma, who grew up in Norristown, and his associate head coach Chris Dailey, who played at Rutgers under Immaculata star Theresa Grentz, are being honored in a pre-game ceremony for their 40th year in building the Huskies to a national powerhouse with a record 11 national NCAA championships.

 The game is on SNY but available on the FOX app. The ceremony will be streamed on the school’s Facebook page, information is available on the program’s website.

On hand will be 63 confirmed alumnae including some of the all-time greats of the sport, many such as Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, and Maya Moore who went on to win WNBA titles and Olympic Gold Medals.

FDU (4-1), which lost at Syracuse Sunday, is coached by former Villanova star Stephanie Gaitley, who recently won her 700th career game with stops at Richmond, Saint Joseph’s, Long Island, Monmouth, Fordham, and her current school.

With the visitors a prohibitive underdog, the bigger moment of the night will likely be at the final buzzer.

A win for Auriemma will break a tie for the past five days held with retired Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer (last April) following a road victory over nationally ranked North Carolina for the most Division I men’s or women’s triumphs at 1,216, long past the men’s mark held by retired Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski (2022).