The Guru’s Local/National NCAAW Roundup: Drexel Nipped at End of Second OT; South Carolina Rout of Tennessee Makes History on Both Sides; UCLA Edges Michigan; TCU and Alabama Suffer Upsets

 By Mel Greenberg @ womhoopsgurux

PHILADELPHIA – Just two teams locally played on NFL Super Bowl Sunday afternoon, a tough at the finish of final double overtime 62-60 loss here by Drexel (14-8, 7-4) at the Dragons’ Daskalakis Athletic Center in a Coastal Athletic Association game to Monmouth, ending a six-game win streak and giving the visiting Hawks (15-7, 8-3) a two-game sweep of the season series.

Up the road in the Big Ten, Rutgers (9-15, 1-12) lost 63-52 to Minnesota (18-6, 9-4) at the Scarlet Knights’ Jersey Mike’s Arena and fell back into a last place tie with Penn State but ahead of the Lady Lions off the four-point win earlier this season at State College.

One local squad had the best day, though idle, and that was Villanova (19-5, 12-3), which gained a half-game to a two-game lead in second in the Big East over Marquette (16-8m 12-5), which succumbed to a rally and overtime win 80-74 by host Creighton in Omaha, Nebraska.

Drexel had recently beaten Monmouth 56-53 in Central Jersey, only to have the Hawks here win the battle of the boards 46-40 including Divine Dibula’s offensive putback for the game-winner with four seconds left in the second overtime.

The Dragons had enough time to get down the court to try for a miracle finish, but Amaris Baker’s 3-point attempt was off the mark.

“It was a battle, we knew it was going to be, against a good team, it was going to come down to possessions, and it did today,” said Drexel coach Amy Mallon.

“Our team battled today, they fought, they showed what they showed what Drexel teams were made of. I’m proud of the effort.”

Dibula was a destructive force scoring 24 points with 15 rebounds for Monmouth besides drawing 10 fouls enabling her to be nearly perfect at the line shooting 10-for-12.

Gigi Campbell was also in double figures for the visitors, scoring 11 points.

Drexel did have some miracle work, ultimately negated, by Laine McGurk, who had a game-high 25 points, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer in regulation to force the first extra period, while becoming her 12th point of the fourth quarter.

That came on a play starting with Spaniard Julia Garcia Roig taking a long shot that missed but Grace O’Neill grabbed the offensive board and fed McGurk, who connected to get the game extended the first time.

Baker was Drexel’s other scorer in double digits, collecting 22 points, including 3-for-5 from deep.

Dana Evans in foul trouble was costly in the rebounding battle.

“She was out in the overtimes, and we needed her on the floor,” Mallon said, “But I give my team credit, they put us in position to go into overtime and did some things we needed to do. For us, in the future, that’s really going to help us.”

Drexel will still be home for the Dragons’ next game, this Friday at 6 p.m. (FlowCollege) when Elon (11-12, 6-5), a game-behind in the standings following Sunday’s 75-52 home win over William & Mary, visits the DAC.

Rutgers in its game against the Golden Gophers was competitive in the first half, leading 25-22 at the break, but was never able the rest of the way to overtake Minnesota, which erupted for a 23-12 advantage in the third quarter.

The visitors’ Sophie Hart had 17 points and 10 boards, while Tori McKinney scored 16 points, and Mara Braun scored 12.

The Scarlet Knights’ Nene Ndiaye was explosive, shooting 10-for-21 from the field, including 5-for-9 on 3-point attempts, while Zachara Perkins, shooting 7-for-11 from the field, was the other Rutgers player in double figures with 18 points.

Rutgers next after being off all week travels Saturday to Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind., playing the Boilermakers at noon on B1G+.

The local schedule is dark Monday and there’s just one game Tuesday, Temple at UTSA in an American Conference game in San Antonio, Texas, at 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+).

The National Scene: South Carolina and UCLA Highlight Ranked Wins

Never on Sunday may be the new theme for No. 19 Tennessee, which a week after a 30-point non-conference loss at No. 1 Connecticut was plundered 93-50 in a Southeastern Conference visit to No. 3 South Carolina (24-2, 10-1) at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia.

It’s Tennessee’s worst defeat in the program’s history and the 43-point differential is the largest victory margin for South Carolina against an Associated Press Top 25 team, besting the 41-point win last season against Oklahoma on January 19.

Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks, who won three prior meetings with the Lady Vols (15-6, 7-2) by single digits and have won nine straight in the series, set a program mark in conference play, shooting 36-for-52 for 69 percent from the field, led by Florida State transfer Ta’Niya Latson, who led the nation last season in scoring, with 21 points.

“In my 26-year career I don’t think I’ve played more zone than today,” Staley said afterwards of her defense. “But I’m not stubborn enough to not go with what’s working. So, it was working today and we stayed with it and I thought it impacted the game.”

Joyce Edwards added 20 points for the winners, while Madina Okot had 10 points and 15 rebounds.

Tennessee’s Talaysia Cooper, a former Gamecock, had 17 points.

Staley, without her hometown Philly Eagles to cheer for in Sunday’s Super Bowl, wore a Seattle No. 3 jersey of rookie defensive back Nick Emmanwori, an AP All-American in college at South Carolina.

“We just had a lot of quit in us tonight,” said Tennessee second-year coach Kim Caldwell. “And that’s just something that’s consistent with our team. When we’re not comfortable, and things aren’t going our way, the team will just quit on you, and you can’t do that in big games, any time in SEC games, and you certainly can’t do that in a program like this.

“That’s a question for them, why you can’t stick together. They have to fix it. I do know we don’t have the player leadership we need. We’ve talked about it for a couple of weeks. Consistency has been a big problem for this team right now.”

As for any message to her squad, Caldwell matter-of-factly said, “Win your next game. We’re embarrassed. Win your next game.”

The Lady Vols host Missouri Thursday night, marking the return of previous Tennessee coach and former player Kelly Harper, while the Gamecocks are off until a Saturday night showdown visit to No. 5 LSU in Baton Rouge, La.

Meanwhile, No. 2 UCLA (23-1, 13-0) in a key Big Ten contest at No. 8 Michigan (20-4, 11-2) in Ann Arbor, edged the Wolverines 69-66 to take a two-game lead in the conference as Lauren Betts had 16 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and three blocks for the Bruins, who have won 17 straight overall since their only loss to No. 4 Texas in Las Vegas in November.

It’s the first time this season the winning Bruins did not reach 70 points.

The home team trailed by 11 with under two minutes left in regulation and made a run that fell short of a potential tie when Syla Swords’ attempted 3-pointer became an airball with 2.2 seconds left in regulation.

UCLA has a nation-leading nine wins over Associated Press Top 25 women’s teams.

In the loss, Michigan parted with a school-record, nine-game win streak.

Kiki Rice scored 20 points for the visitors, while Gabriela Jaquez had 13 points and Utah transfer Gianna Kneepkens scored 12.

Michigan’s Olivia Olson scored 20 points, Mila Holloway scored 15, and Te’Yala Delfosse scored 10 but Swords, one of the Wolverines’ leaders, was held to eight points, missing 10 of her 13 attempts from the field.

A season-high 6,108 fans attended the game at the Crisler Center.

The Bruins stay in the Midwest, visiting No. 12 Michigan State on Wednesday, while Michigan is at Northwestern on Thursday.

Elsewhere in the conference among ranked teams, No. 24 Washington (18-6, 8-5) was forced into overtime before winning 91-86 at Wisconsin (13-11, 5-8) as Avery Howell of the visiting Huskies of the Northwest had a career-high 34 points, eight in the overtime, and 14 rebounds, while Sayvia Sellers scored 23.

Elle Ladine added 16 points.

Wisconsin’s Destiny Howell had 28 points propelled by five makes from deep, while Gift Uchenna scored 24 points with 12 rebounds and three steals.

Washington visits No. 10 Iowa Wednesday, the same day Wisconsin is at Illinois.

No. 9 Ohio State (22-3, 11-2) had an easier day, winning 80-64 over Oregon (18-8, 6-7) as Elsa Lemmila had a career-high 23 points for the Buckeyes, who have won four straight and 11-of-12.

Jaloni Cambridge added 19 points, passing her 1000th career score, wile Chance Gray, who played two seasons at Oregon, had eight points and five rebounds.

Ari Long had four made 3-pointers for most of her 16 points for the host Ducks, who won four straight prior to Sunday. Oregon was forced into 23 turnovers.

Ohio State is off a week until Maryland’s visit this Sunday while Oregon is also off the same span before traveling up to play Washington, the Ducks’ former rival when both schools were in the PAC-12 prior to last season.

In two other Big Ten games of note, Southern Cal (15-9, 7-6) won 70-62 over Illinois (16-8, 6-7) in Champaign as freshman Jazzy Davidson scored 27 points for the visiting Trojans, who host Indiana Thursday at 10 p.m. in Los Angeles at the Galen Center on BTN.

The Hoosiers (14-11, 3-10) won their third conference game 74-59 at home in Bloomington over Purdue to move into a 14th-place tie with the Boilermakers as Shay Ciezki, who played two seasons ago at Penn State had a near triple double for Indiana with with 29 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.

In two other ranked games in the SEC, No. 5 LSU (22-3, 8-3) came off its previous loss at No. 4 Texas to win 77-44 at Auburn (13-12, 2-9) as ZaKiyah Johnson scored 16 points and Mikaylah Williams scored 12 points.

The Tigers are off until Saturday’s visit from South Carolina.

In an upset, off the only game in the nation that tipped at 6 p.m. or after, No. 21 Alabama (20-5, 6-5) suffered a narrow 72-69 upset loss at Texas A&M (9-10, 2-8), the winning Aggies getting 20 points from Ny’Ceara Pryor and 12 points and 15 boards from Fatmata Janneh.

Jessica Timmons scored 19 points with eight rebounds, Ta’Mia Scott scored 18 points, and Essence Cody had 13 for the Crimson, who next host No. 11 Oklahoma on Sunday at 4 p.m. on the SEC Network, while Texas A&M on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. on the SEC Network is at No. 16 Kentucky in Lexington.

Kentucky is involved with one of two SEC games on Monday, the Wildcats visiting No. 4 Texas at 7:30 p.m. in Austin on the SEC Network, while No. 7 Vanderbilt, home in Nashville, Tenn., hosts Oklahoma at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.

In the Big 12’s only Sunday game, No. 14 TCU (21-4, 9-3) fell by a point 80-79 at Colorado (16-8, 7-5) in Boulder as Jade Masogayo executed a three-point play with two seconds left in regulation, the stunning upset ruining the Horned Frogs move to a first place tie with No. 15 Baylor.

TCU had gone ahead 79-77 on Donovyn Hunter’s layup with five seconds left followed by Masogayo taking a sideline inbounds pass, driving the lane on the right side for a short bank shot and then, with Kennedy Basham called for a foul on the play, stepping to the line and sinking the and-one for the winning point.

Masogayo had a career-high 23 points, shooting 7-for-11 from the field and 9-of-10 on the line, while Desiree Wooten had 19 points, Logyn Greer scored 17, and Zyanna Walker scored 15 points.

Notre Dame transfer Olivia Miles equaled her season best with 21 points for TCU, California transfer Marta Suarez had 20 points and Hunter scored 17.

TCU is at Baylor Thursday in Waco, Texas, while Colorado is at Houston Wednesday.

In the Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 17 Duke (18-6, 13-0) at home in Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C., did not suffer any letdown from its prior triumph over No. 6 Louisville, winning easily 95-36 over SMU (8-16, 1-11) for the Blue Devils, who have won 15 straight overall and 13 straight in the conference, bests in coach Kara Lawson’s five seasons at the helm.

Duke’s Arianna Roberson, a freshman center, had career-highs of 22 points and 16 rebounds off the bench and Toby Fournier added 26 points, while Delaney Thomas had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Ashlon Jackson had 11 points and 10 assists.

The Blue Devils are off until Sunday hosting No. 25 North Carolina, which first hosts SMU on Thursday.

The Tar Heels (20-5, 9-3) on Sunday won 84-56 at Wake Forest (13-12, 3-10) in Winston-Salem, N.C., as Nyla Brooks scored 21 points and Nyla Harris scored 19 .

Louisville (22-4, 12-1) bounced back from its one-point loss to Duke, snapping the Cardinals’ 14-game win streak, dominating wire-to-wire 84-65 at Syracuse (19-5, 9-4) in upstate New York as Saint Joseph’s transfer Laura Ziegler scored 22 points and Mackenly Rudolph and Imari Berry each scored 15 points.

Next up for the Cardinals is a Wake Forest visit on Thursday.

In three other ACC games of note, N.C. State (17-7, 10-3) stayed near the conference leaders, winning 82-62 at Virginia Tech (18-7, 8-5) in Blacksburg as Khamil Pierre and Zoe Brooks each scored 25 points while Pierre also grabbed 12 rebounds.

The Wolfpack next after a week off visit Notre Dame on Sunday at 4 p.m. on ESPN.

The Fighting Irish (15-9, 7-6) on Sunday fell 81-70 at Virginia (17-7, 9-4) in Charlottesville.

Kymora Johnson had 29 points for the winning Cavaliers, who visit California Thursday, while South Jersey’s Hannah Hidalgo had 24 points, seven rebounds and eight assists for Notre Dame, which is also off all week until the N.C. State visit.

Georgia Tech (11-14, 6-7) at home in Atlanta won 74-52 over Stanford (16-9, 5-7) as L’Nya Foster had 25 points and shot 5-for-8 from deep for the Yellow Jackets and Lara Somfai had 19 points for the visiting Cardinal.

The winners next visit Clemson on Thursday at 8 p.m. on the ACC Network while Stanford the same night back home in Palo Alto, Calif., host Virginia Tech at 10 p.m. on ACCNX.

NYU Sets DIII Win Streak Mark

The Violets (20-0) coached by Meg Barber, who was on one of Dawn Staley’s early Temple staffs in Philadelphia, beat Carnegie Mellon 69-58 on Sunday to break a tie with rival Washington University of St. Louis and set the new Division III win streak record at 82.

The previous record of 81 was set from 1998 to 2001.

“Thrilled we beat Wash U for that record,” Barber said in an interview with the Associated Press following the victory.

“I’m a competitive person and wildly respect this league and to have any type of streak is incredible.”

The overall all-time streak is 111 set by the Division I UConn women, who also had a run of 90 straight triumphs.

Caroline Pepper scored 27 points for NYU, which is the two-time D-III defending champions.

A week ago Carnegie Mellon nearly ended the run, losing by a point, the closest any team has come to topping the Violets this season, less than the previous small margin of 12 points in any game.

The only teams besides that game that were within single digits during the streak were Chicago, losing by six points; Whittier within eight points, and Case Western also by eight two days ago.

NYU now looks to win a fifth straight UAA Conference title and third straight national championship.

Washington U won four straight national titles from 1998 to 2001.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Guru’s Local/National NCAAW Roundup: Villanova Beats Georgetown on Alumni Day; La Salle Tops Fordham; No. 1 UConn Keeps Rolling

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

VILLANOVA, Pa. – In the Big East world beyond No. 1 and nationally unbeaten Connecticut, the defending NCAA champion, games during the second go-round on the season schedule are not going to be runaway affairs when those in the upper part of the standings meet up with those in the lower district.

But the difference is handling runs by the opposition, playing solid defense and making use of the talent able to ultimately handle the opposition and get to a satisfaction.

Villanova (19-5, 12-3) had all those elements harnessed Saturday afternoon here at the Wildcats’ Finneran Pavilion on their annual alumni day that included a special honor to retired longtime coach Harry Perretta in gaining a 67-55 win over Georgetown (12-12, 5-10) and season sweep of the Hoyas.

Denise Dillon’s squad got off to a 19-12 advantage in the first quarter, played toe-to-toe the next two periods in which Georgetown across the halves gained a slim 27-26 effort and then the home team came back with a finishing kick that grew a 19-point lead with 3:21 left in regulation to navigate the rest of the way to a victory.

With Seton Hall (15-8, 9-5) losing at St. John’s (19-7, 9-6) and 3rd-place Marquette (16-7, 10-4) idle, Villanova grew its second-place lead to 1.5 games ahead of 3rd and 2.5 ahead of fourth.

Third place would be just as acceptable because either is out of the way in next month’s Big East semifinals of UConn (25-0, 14-0) which held its 2.5 first-place lad over the Wildcats while demolishing visiting Butler 80-48 on campus at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs.

The Villanova defense forced twice as many turnovers 20-10 on Georgetown mining an 18-8 advantage in transition and 13-5 on fast breaks leading to 30-16 in the paint.

Made 3-pointers were close 8-7 in the home team’s favor but Villanova nailed theirs from long distance every time Georgetown was on a rally.

“It is a special day, and I just said that to the team, definitely one of my favorite days seeing so many of my teammates back here on campus, this year especially with honoring Harry at halftime,” Dillon said.

Perretta, who was also working another of the ongoing broadcasts in the Big East, many right here, as a game analyst, was presented with a big plaque that will be mounted in front of the building where tributes to former men’s and women’s players have existed since the arena’s renovation.

All-time scorer Maddy Siegriest, now a member of the WNBA Dallas Wings since her 2023 overall No. 3 pick and a member of the onoing Unrivaled winter league in Florida was here, where she also works with the Wildcats’ program when not involved with her duties in the women’s pro world.

So were many others, a group of 70 was anticipated.

“We get a lot of alums at our games,” Dillon said.

“You always teach what you’re taught,” she referred to Perretta. “I was so fortunate, I always had great coaches all the way up the line.”

Dillon prior to succeeding her former coach in the spring of 2020 had a long-time successful run down in West Philadelphia coaching Drexel and winning the WNIT besides guiding the Dragons to the first of several NCAA appearances.

“He taught us team basketball besides individual basketball.”

As for the immediate pursuit of ending a three-season absence from the NCAA tournament, Jasmine Bascoe scored 19 points, Denae Carter had 11 points and six assists, and Kennedy Henry and Kelsey Joens each scored 10 points.

Henry, Joens, and reserve Ryanne Allen each connected on two makes from deep and the team was a near-perfect 9-for-11 on the line.

Georgetown’s Khia Miller scored 12 points, Laila Jewett scored 10, and Brianna Byars grabbed 12 rebounds.

Starter Brianna Scott is the daughter of former Maryland star and Big Ten broadcaster Christy Winters Scott, who also is part of the WNBA Washington Mystics broadcast team.

Villanova is on the road next week visiting Xavier Wednesday in Cincinnati at 6:30 p.m. and then Sunday at Creighton at 5 p.m. in Omaha, Nebraska.

Connecticut continued to cruise in the Huskies’ ongoing domination of the conference to the point that they rested sophomore Sarah Strong, a key component of the attack as the leading scorer and rebounder, without missing a beat.

Azzi Fudd had 15 of her 17 points in the first half as UConn won its 41st straight game since a late season road loss at Tennessee, which the Huskies’ gained revenge with a 30-point home win a week ago in Hartford.

It was Strong’s first absence in two seasons, while Blanca Quinonez and Caroline Ducharme were also sidelined.

Reserve Reserve Allie Ziebell made her second start and tied KK Arnold each with four steals, while Serah Williams, Ashlynn Shade and Ziebell each scored 11 points and Arnold collected 10 points.

It’s the 62nd straight regular season Big East win for Hall of Fame coach Geno Auriemma’s team, which completes its two-game series with Villanova when the Wildcats are back here on Feb. 18 at 7 p.m.

A Split Afternoon in the A-10 for La Salle and Saint Joseph’s

La Salle (13-11, 6-7), which had been suffering shooting woes, snapped a losing streak with a season-best 54.7 percent from the field in downing Fordham 70-53 at home in John E. Glaser Arena.

Aryss Macktoon had a game-high 18 points for the Explorers against the Rams (9-15, 1-12), shooting 8-for-12 from the field, and grabbed her 300th rebound, while matching a personal best with four assists.

Joan Quinn had 13 points, six rebounds and three assists along with four steals, while Ashleigh Connor scored 11 points on 62.5 percent from the field with four boards, and Ivona Miljanic had four assists and was turnover free in her 22 minutes.

The Explorers are off all week until Saturday’s Valentines Day visit to George Washington at the Smith Center in the nation’s capital at 2 p.m. (ESPN+).

Saint Joseph’s (15-8, 6-6) at home in Hagan Arena had a rally fall short in losing 75-73 to Dayton (13-11, 6-7), which swept a Philadelphia road visit after winning at La Salle Wednesday.

The Flyers are coached by former UConn and WNBA star Tamika Williams-Jeter.

Gabby Casey had a career-high 29 points for the Hawks with seven rebounds, while Faith Stinson and Jill Jekot each scored 11 points.

Dayton had four players score in double figures led by Nicole Stephens with 18 points.

Saint Joseph’s stays home next for a Wednesday morning visit at 11 (ESPN+) from George Washington.

At the top of the conference, later Saturday evening, preseason favorite Richmond (20-4, 1-1) ended defending A-10 tourney champion George Mason’s perfect record with a 71-57 home win over the Patriots (15-7, 10-1) in the Spiders’ Robins Center leaving idle Rhode Island (20-2, 11-0) the last league team with a perfect record in A-10 competition.

Cardinal O’Hara grad Maggie Doogan led three teammates in double figures scoring 20 points for Richmond, while Mary Amoateng, one of two GMU players in double figures, scored 17 points off the bench.

In the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), Rider (5-18, 3-11) suffered a 73-37 road rout at Merrimack (13-10, 10-4) in North Andover, Mass.

Kristina Ekofo scored 13 points for the Broncs, who next host Saint Peter’s Thursday at 6 p.m. (ESPN+) at Alumni Gym in Lawrenceville, N.J.

At the top of the conference, Quinnipiac (20-4, 15-0) stayed a game in front in first with an 89-45 win at Niagara, while two-time defending champion Fairfield (20-4, 14-1) kept pace winning 82-46 at home against Iona.

In the Big Ten, Penn State (8-16, 1-12) looked poised to follow Wednesday’s first conference win of the season in overtime at Purdue when the Lady Lions held a 45-29 lead in the second quarter on No. 12 Michigan State at home in Rec Hall.

But the Spartans (20-4, 9-4) rallied for an 81-70 win, dropping Penn State alone in last place a half-game behind Rutgers, which hosts Minnesota Sunday at noon (B1G+) at Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, N.J.

The Michigan State comeback from 16 down was the Spartans’ largest since 2005 in the NCAA semifinals upsetting Tennessee in Indianapolis.

Sunday’s only other local action has Drexel on a six-game win streak hosting Monmouth in a Coastal Athletic Association game at 1 p.m. at the Daskalakis Athletic Center on FlowCollege.

In the Penn State game, Grace VanSlooten had 20 points and 14 rebounds for Michigan State, Jalyn Brown scored 16 points, and Rashunda Jones scored 14 points.

Rutgers transfer Kiyomi McMiller had a career-high 37 points for the Lady Lions, who next are at No. 22 Maryland on Thursday while Michigan State is at No. 2 UCLA on Wednesday.

In Saturday’s only other Big Ten game, Maryland (19-6, 7-6) on the road at Nebraska (16-8, 5-8) in Lincoln won 78-60 as Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu scored 16 points, shooting 7-for-8 from the field as the Terrapins pulled away down the stretch.

Oluchi Okananwa had 14 points and four steals for the Terrapins and Yarden Garzon scored 11 points with six assists, and Kyndal Walker scored 13 off the bench.

Nebraska’s Logan Nissley had a career-high 22 points.

Maryland, as mentioned, hosts Penn State Wednesday, and Nebraska is at Minnesota Thursday.

Temple (10-12, 4-6) after a week off committed 20 turnovers in an American Conference game at home in the Liacouras Center in a narrow 69-66 loss to North Texas (13-11, 7-4).

The miscues were damaging considering the Owls had a 13-point lead at the half and then gave up 28 points in the third period.

“It was a tough game,” said Temple coach Diane Richardson. “We had our run in the first half, they came back and had a run. We ended up in a tight game that we didn’t come out on top.”

Savannah Curry scored 14 points for the Owls while Saniyah Craig scored 10 points.

Megan Nestor, the nation’s leading rebounder, pulled down 13 with 20 points for North Texas.

Temple is at UTSA in San Antonio, Texas, Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

Delaware (11-12, 5-6) got 20 points and 16 boards on a season-best effort from Kay Fontroy but the Blue Hens fell 61-58 in a Conference USA game at Jacksonville State (12-11, 6-5) in Alabama.

Ande’a Cherisier scored 13 points, shooting 5-of-8 from the field, and Ella Wanzer scored 10 points, highlighted by making a pair of shots from beyond the arc.

Delaware returns home to the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark on Thursday, hosting New Mexico State at 7 p.m. (ESPN+).

In the only other two local games Saturday, in the Patriot League, Lehigh (12-10, 8-4) won 73-61 at home in Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pa., over Holy Cross (14-9, 8-4), while Lafayette (8-15, 4-8) fell at home 62-50 in the Kirby Center in Easton, Pa., to second-place Army (18-5, 9-3).

The visiting Black Knights at Lafayette, stayed in second place two games behind preseason favorite Navy (16-6, 11-1), which beat host American 86-58 in Washington, D.C.

Lehigh got 21 points from Belle Bramer, while Whitney Lind scored 17 points with five assists, Gracyn Lovette scored13, and Lily Fandre scored 12 points.

Army, under first year coach Kate Kuester, a former Saint Joseph’s star and assistant coach, got 18 points from Reese Ericson, while Camryn Tade had 15 points, and Kya Smith had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

The host Leopards got 11 points from Haylie Adamski and Madison Krug shooting 5-for-7 scored 10 points.

Lafayette on Wednesday is at Loyola, Md., in suburban Baltimore at 7 p.m. (ESPN+), while Lehigh is at American U. at 6 p.m. (ESPN+).

Army at 6 p.m. (ESPN+) is at Boston U. while Navy hosts Bucknell at 7 p.m. (ESPN+).

The National Scene

Three other ranked teams, all in the Big 12, had games Saturday.

No. 15 Baylor at home in Waco, Texas, edged Arizona State 67-64, while No. 20 West Virginia at home in Morgantown, won 87-68 over Arizona, and No. 18 Texas Tech won at Houston.

In the Baylor game, Taliah Scott had 17 points in a narrow win in which Gabby Elliott for the Sun Devils (19-6, 6-6) scored to bring the visitors within a point with 15 seconds left.

But the Bears (21-4, 10-2) answered with two foul shots and Arizona State then committed a turnover.

Baylor is at No. 14 TCU in Fort Worth on Thursday.

West Virginia (20-5, 10-3) got 17 points from Kierra Wheeler in the win over Arizona (11-12, 2-10), while the Mountaineers also got 16 from Sydney Shaw and next hosts UCF on Wednesday.

Texas Tech (22-3, 9-3) on the road at Houston (7-16, 1-11) were led by Bailey Maupin with 25 points and next host Kansas on Tuesday.

The Jayhawks will be coming off an 80-71 win over Cincinnati at home, a game in which freshman Jaliya Davis for Kansas had her second straight performance with 28 points, the first one in a win over BYU she had her first double double with 12 rebounds.

In another Big 12 game of note, Audi Crooks scored 26 points for Iowa State (19-5, 7-5) in a 79-72 road win at Utah (16-8, 7-5) in Salt Lake City.

In the second part of the Mid-American Conference-Sun Belt Challenge, MAC teams dominated the 12 games, 8-4 with Kent State and Toledo among the winners while Old Dominion was one of the four winners out of the Sun Belt Conference.

Looking Ahead

Sunday’s pre-NFL Super Bowl afternoon card is highlighted by N. 19 Tennessee at No. 3 South Carolina at 3 p.m. on ABC, while in the Big Ten, No. 2 UCLA is at No. 8 Michigan the same time on FOX.

No. 17 Duke in the ACC will look to continue its win streak hosting SMU at 2 p.m. on the CW Network.

On Monday, No. 16 Kentucky is at No. 4 Texas at 7 p.m. on the SEC Network, while another SEC attraction has No. 11 Oklahoma at No. 7 Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn., at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.