The Guru’s NCAAW Local/National Weekend Roundup - I: Penn and Temple Win Big While Saint Joseph’s, Drexel, Penn State, and La Salle Also Win

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

PHILADELPHIA — Having not written off Friday we’re making it a two-part weekend roundup, especially since we can take advantage in that the Saturday schedule was relatively light followed by a big Sunday to wrap up the seven-day opening of the collegiate basketball season.

Local teams continued to do well Friday and Saturday, five wins and two losses, both setbacks in which the duo were heavy underdogs.

We were in two places Friday, Penn, which opened its season at The Palestra in the afternoon with a decidedly lopsided 105-31 win by the Quakers over King’s and then shot over to Temple where the Owls in the Liacouras Center followed up Monday’s opening overtime win on George Mason by cruising after a tight first quarter to an easy 86-50 victory over George Washington, a past annual rival when Temple was also in the Atlantic 10.

Drexel remained on the road and made it 2-0 winning 71-61 at Marist in Pougkeepsie, N.Y., while Penn State at home in Rec Hall in a much tighter game to be 2-0 nipped Cincinnati 82-77 while Saint Joseph’s at America East contender Maine also went to 2-0 but won as close as possible 63-62 though it was a four-point lead as the final seconds ticked off and  the hosts nailed a 3-pointer as time expired.

Delaware fell to 1-1 on Friday dropping its home opener at the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark to Patriot League favorite Navy 68-61, a Blue Hens rally falling short.

On Saturday, just two games involving locals and none by teams ranked in the Associated Press preseason women’s poll and there was a split as considered likely, La Salle winning its home opener at the John E. Glaser Center over Saint Francis, Pa. of the Northeast Conference 84-73, while Lehigh fell to 1-1, losing 88-60 at two-time MAAC champion Fairfield, which was coming off a season-opening win Wednesday night at Villanova.

Four locals play, Sunday, Ivy favorite Princeton becomes the last of the 13 in the group to get under way visiting Georgia Tech in Atlanta at 2 p.m. on the subscription ACCNX; Villanova (1-1) is serving as the vehicle for sophomore Jasmine Bascoe to make a homecoming in Toronto as the Wildcats face VCU; Rutgers goes for 3-0 at Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, N.J., hosting Stony Brook at 2 p.m. on B1G+, and Lafayette, looking  for its first win in  three tries, makes its home opener appearance at the Kirby Center in Easton, Pa., hosting  Moyne of the Northeast Conference.

On Monday Penn visits Delaware State at 6 p.m. in Dover, there are no known streaming affiliate as of this post.

The national game of note Friday among the four involving ranked teams, No. 4 Texas beat No. 24 Richmond, the Atlantic 10 favorite, 85-56 in Austin.

Penn Wins Easily with a Different Kind of No King’s Demonstration

In crushing Division III King’s, the Quakers, picked fourth in the Ivy race to come after the non-conference schedule, four players scored in double figures as Penn moves on after the graduation of all-league players Stina Almqvist and Lizzy Groetsch.

Thirteen players scored in this one for the home team, led by reigning Ivy rookie of the year Katie Collins with 18 points, followed by Sarah Miller with 13, Tina Njike with 12, and freshman Ruke Ogbevire with 11 points.

The differential of 74 was just one point off last year’s record of 75 set against Division III Immaculata.

Njike has had injuries impact her career at Penn.

“She’s gifted, rebounds the ball, can shoot the ball,” veteran Penn coach Mike McLaughlin said, excited over Njike fully healthy again.

“Her freshman year, I was salivating to have her on our team and then she tore her ACL. She put in the work and then got hurt again.”

After Delaware State, Penn gets a big local test Wednesday, reviving a neighbor rivalry from a few blocks away when the Quakers launch the first of two pod games leading to the Big 5 Classic when they take the short trip up 33 to play Drexel.

Temple Cruises Over George Washington

Though Temple beat Villanova on the Main Line last year to take the first Big Five Classic crown and compile a second straight 20-win season under Diane Richardson, the first two games at home indicate perhaps the Owls will be capable of more with a first American Conference title to get back to the NCAA tournament.

She acknowledged in her four seasons here, though only two games are under Temple’s belt on the 2025-26 schedule, in terms of check marks filled from handling the improvements needed from last season going into the brand new minted one.

The home team shot 63 percent from 3-point range against the Revolutionaries, once known as the Colonials until 2023.

For one period it was a tight four-point game and then Temple erupted with 16 points in the first five minutes of the next period, and the second half was utter desolation dealt by the Owls soaring to a 40-point lead with the percentage from deep a phenomenal 87.5 percent.

It’s the first time in six seasons and first in Richardson’s four that Temple zipped to a 2-0 lead.

The opposition fell to 1-1.

“We knew coming in that they are a well coached team,” she said.

“They made 15 threes on Monday, so we knew we had to be able to defend the three-point line. I think we did that pretty well today. They shot 17 percent.

“Our goal is to play inside-out. We get inside, and if it’s not there, we can kick it out to he shooters. Having the balanced attack gives us more looks.”

Jaleesa Molina scored 15 points, Kaylah Turner collected 14, Drew Alexander offered 13, and Tristen Taylor collected 11 as Temple had four players in double figures.

The differential was the largest since 2023.

Of Molina, who chose to stay after two seasons of Temple not reaching the postseason beyond the conference tournament, Richardson said, “It’s a big improvement because she now understands that she can play basketball.

“She came over here and  I kind of called her the ballerina early, she didn’t like that too much. She understands that’s she’s unstoppable in some ways.

A native of the Netherlands who plays on the Dutch international team, Molina said, “I just gotta do the same thing every time, keep runing, keep talking. Trying to score, pressure the defense I just had a lot of energy today, so that’s why I showed.”

Molina and Tristen Taylor are the only two members from last year’s squad who have played at least 20 minutes.

Transfer Saniyah Craig from Jacksonville and Molina have combined for 44 rebounds.

“We wanted to fill those holes with rebounds, and we did that and you see Molina and Craig doing really well,” the Temple coach said. And just showing that they are determined that we’ve got to win some of these battles and rebounding was one of the deficits we had.

Richardson spoke of why Temple has managed to have team stability in the wake of most places undergoing mass roster changes in the portal era.

“That’s been really important for us, and I know coaches are struggling with the transfer portal and we try so much here to show them that we really care about them as individuals on and off the court,” Richardson said. “The academic piece of it, the resources we have that it's not just about basketball when you play for Temple and we've been blessed that they love that and they stay.”

Alexander has been a key part of Temple’s improvement in her growth in her third year.

“I feel really good, considering today I was off in the first half but I didn’t let that bother me,” Alexander said of her play that has helped check the need for greater depth. “I cameback in the second half, shot the lights out and (grabbed) seven rebounds.”

Temple is at West Virginia of the Big 12 Tuesday, giving the Owls a chance to show they can compete with a Power Four opponent, perhaps even with an upset.

They return here Friday, playing at 11 a.m. on the same day that the athletic program later that night, with a reception followed by introduction at halftime of the Saturday (2 p.m.) men’s game with Boston College, will honor the 1969 NIT champions from a time the New York tournament was equal to the then 16-team NCAA field in prestige.

Drexel Wins at Marist

Amaris Baker scored 27 points, including her 1,000th, shooting 10-for-20 while connecting on three makes from deep to lead the Dragons while Deja Evans made 2-2 in double digit games with 12 points and 10 boards.

Dana Evans had 12 points and 10 rebounds for two straight games with double doubles while Laine McGurk followed her 30 plus game in the season opener with 15 points and Mariah Watkins scored 10 with eight boards.

Dexel next opens the home slate with the first Big Five game for the women in the area hosting Penn Wednesday meeting for the first time since December 20, 2019.

Saint Joseph’s Holds Off Maine on the Road While Penn State Edges Cincy at Home

Up 12 with four minutes left against Maine in Orono at Memorial Gym, the advantage began to shrivel but the winners stayed enough ahead to withstand a closing three from the opposition in the final second to go up to 2-0 early in the season.

Gabby Casey scored 19, shooting 8-14 for the Hawks, while Faith Stinson helped Saint Joseph’s pull away scoring 11 of her 16 points in the third period, shooting 7-12 for the game from the field.

Rhian Stokes scored 11 with four assists, while Jill Jekot scored 11 with six boards. Aleah Snead dealt a personal best seven assists. Veteran coach Cindy Griffin’s daughter Kaylie had four boards, her best on Hawk Hill, and four assists, and Cecilia Kay blocked three shots in a 10-minute spurt of action.

Saint Joseph’s, 32-5 in non-conference play four seasons are 19-1 in November.

The Hawks next host Cincinnati at home Tuesday and Penn State next Sunday, the two who met each other Friday, the host Nittany Lions winning by a narrow score at Rec Hall to go 2-0.

Following an easy win over Bucknell in the opener Penn State was pushed in this one by a Bearcat team that was an upset victim in their opener at home to Lehigh.

Five Lady Lions scored in double figures in the first meeting against the opponents from the Big 12, who are former Big East members.

Rutgers transfer Kiyomi McMiller scored 20 with seven helpers, five rebounds and five steals, while Gracie Merkle had 14 points on 70 percent from the field shooting with 12 rebounds. Moriah Murray was .500 from the field, shooting 5-10 and collecting 18 points, freshman Tea Cleante scored 14 in her first game, while freshman Viktoria Ranisavljevic  also shot 50 percent scoring 10 points.

Penn State’s next game is Wednesday hosting Coppin State at 11:30 a.m.

Delaware Sunk by Navy

The Blue Hens were reduced to 1-1 at home and early in the season by the Midshipmen, who made their season opener.

The visitors got 16 points each from Zoe Mesuch and Zanai Barnett-gay, who double doubled with 10 boards and was perfect with 8-8 on the line. Juliana Almedia added 11 points.

Delaware’s Lay Fantroy also double doubled in the game with 15 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 11-15 from the line.

Safi Kolliegbo was 6-9 from the field collecting 12 points, while reserve Kailah Correa had a game-high 19 points, shooting 7-13 from the field.

The Blue Hens next visit Old Dominion on Wednesday.

La Salle Wins Home Opener While Lehigh Falls at Fairfield

On Saturday, the Explorers topped Saint Francis of Pennsylvania celebrating a homecoming event as had Delaware but more successful.

Ashleigh Connor had 22 points, while Joan Quinn had 19 points, five rebounds, and five steald. Aryss Macktoon had 12 points and seven boards.

The Explorers were on their game inside the paint 48-24 and defensively picking up 26 points on turnovers.

It’s the first time in two seasons La Salle has scored 70 or more points in consecutive games.

The Red Flash made a brief thrust in the third quarter, but the home team answered back.

“I thought Saint Francis made a lot of tough shots,” said La Salle coach Mountain MacGillivray.

The visitors got 15 points from Shelby Ricks while Aleah James and Sonia Sato each scored 14.

La Salle next travels to Lehigh Wednesday where the host Mountain Hawks will be coming in having lost Saturday’s other game involving local teams, falling at Fairfield in a meeting later at night in Connecticut.

Lehigh, who won the Patriot League, got 18 points and seven rebounds from Jessie Ozzauto, the sole Mountain Hawk in double figures.

The host Stags’ Meghan Andersen followed up her 35 in the win at Villanova to score 30 in the opener in Connecticut. Kaety L’amoreaux scored 16 points and Cyanne Coe scored 10 with reserve Christina Pham adding 11 points.

The National Scene

It’s going to be heavy in attractions Sunday, but the pickings were slim Friday and Saturday with no games involving ranked teams the second day and four on Friday highlighted by No. 4 Texas beating No. 24 Richmond 85-56 as all-American Madison Booker paced the Longhorns with 22 points and 12 boards as the home team went to 2-0.

Rori Harmon dealt six assists and scored five but freshmen Jordan Lee and Aaliyah Crump scored 16 and 14 points, respectively.

The Spiders were forced into 22 turnovers yielding 26 points.

The sole Richmond player in double figures was Cardinal O’Hara grad Maggie Doogan with 22 points.

Ivy regular season champion Columbia was forced into overtime Friday before winning on the road in Indianapolis 74-69 over Butler of the Big East in Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Riley Weiss scored 27 in the win for the Lions.

In games involving three other ranked teams, all out of the Southeastern Conference, No. 8 Tennessee bounced off its opening loss to No. 9 N.C. State though second-year coach Kim Caldwell was not pleased with the effort in the 97-47 home-opening win in Knoxville.

Zoe Spearman scored 24 points, propelled by six from deep for the Lady Vols, while Talaysia Cooper scored scored 18 and Janiah Baker and Mia Pauldo scored 15 and 12 points, respectively.

No. 2 South Carolina at home went to 2-0 on the season winning 114-47 over Bowling Green in Columbia as Joyce Edwards scored 24 points and Mississippi State transfer Medina Okot had 13 points and 11 rebounds.

No. 12 Ole Miss on the road toppled SWAC contender Alabama A&M 84-45 as Ohio State transfer Cotie McMahon scored 20, including her 1,500th combined with her previous Buckeyes affilation.

Other Friday games of note, UMass, turning the program around in what will be the Minutewomen’s first year in the Mid-American having left the Atlantic 10, beat Siena 84-73.

Temple’s rivals in the American Conference have turned the place into a farm, laying eggs all over the place and while preseason favorite South Florida at home in Tampa did not lose, they were challenged most of the night unti rallying to beat visiting Long Island 79-72.

Belmont of the Missouri Valey at home beat Ivy League Brown 83-61 at home, South Dakota State, the preseason Summitt favorite, at home beat Rice of the American 79-65, and Ivy Madness champion Harvard at home beat St. John’s of the Big East 61-56.

On Saturday, former Saint Joseph’s star and associate head coach Katie Kuester is now 2-0 as Army made its first road trip successful, beat St. Thomas (MN) 67-61 as the second pick behind Navy in the Patriot League got 20 points and 11 boards from Kya Smith, leading two other Black Knights visitors in double figures.

Marquette in overtime in a region meeting with Wisconsin of the Big Ten beat the Badgers 65-62 in overtime at home in Milwaukee as as Skylar Forbes scored 19 points.

Oregon at home beat Montana 90-47, while Kansas State had a narrowing 46-44 at SMU, where former Arizona coach Ada Barnes is the new coach of the host Mustangs.

Davidson of the Atlantic 10 topped host Florida Gulf Coast 77-51.

Looking Ahead

On Sunday, No. 18 Southern Cal and No. 9 N.C. State meet in the Ally Tipoff at 3 p.m. on ESPN in Charlotte.

No. 1 UConn follows its season opener triumph over No. 20 Louisville in Annapolis, Md. at the Naval Academy, the defending NCAA champs hosting Florida State 4:30 p.m. on FS1.

In all, 16 games involve ranked teams, No. 13 Michigan hosts Harvard at noon on B1G+, while Tennessee visits Tenn.-Martin at 3 p.m. on ESPN+ in the Pat Summitt Heritage Classic honoring the Hall of Fame late legendary Lady Vols coach.

No. 7 Duke, coming off its opening loss in Greensboro to nationally ranked Baylor, hosts Holy Cross, which opened upsetting Boston College.

Gonzaga at 1-0 is at Toledo 0-1 at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+.

And now we are caught up with part two of the weekend recaps being posted by sunrise.