March 21, 2024
Postseason WNIT | 3/21/2024 8:01:40 PM
MONMOUTH 68, BUFFALO 58
BUFFALO, NY – After a slow start to the game, Monmouth blitzed Buffalo in the second quarter, 26-7, to seize control of the game, en route to a 10-point opening round victory in the 2024 Postseason WNIT.
Taisha Exanor led the Hawks with 16 points on 8-of-13 shooting, while Belle Kranbuhl added 12 points and 12 rebounds. Jania Hall rounded out the scoring for Monmouth with 15 points.
While both teams struggled to find a lot of offensive rhythm from the field, shooting below 36 percent, Monmouth made up the difference at the free throw line, going 20-for-22 as a team. Chellia Watson led the way for Buffalo with 26 points and eight rebounds.
Monmouth will travel to Duquesne to take on the Dukes on March 25 at 6 p.m. ET in the second round of the WNIT.
COLGATE 64, UALBANY 50
HAMILTON, NY – In a matchup of two teams with notable profiles on defense, Colgate had all the necessary answers on offense against UAlbany, opening up a big lead after two quarters Thursday and easing past UAlbany in Round 1 of the 2024 Postseason WNIT.
The Raiders (19-13) will play at Providence in Round 2 – that game is set for tipoff at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, March 25.
Colgate shot 51 percent and forced 18 turnovers; Thursday’s game marked Colgate’s first postseason contest in 20 years. The Raiders owned a strong defensive resume this season with the No. 20 scoring defense in D-I.
Taylor Golembiewski scored 17 points; Sophia Diehl rang up 16 points and eight rebounds, and Tiasia McMillan scored 13 points. UAlbany went almost four minutes without scoring late in the second quarter, and Colgate used that window to open up a 39-25 lead at the break, forcing 11 turnovers as well. The Raiders kept it up by scoring seven straight points to start the third quarter.
UAlbany entered the game as the top-ranked scoring defense in D-I, allowing just under 51 points per contest, backing that up with 38 percent shooting from 3-point range, 13th in the country. But the Great Danes (25-7) shot just 3-for-16 from long range.
Kayla Cooper had 23 points and eight rebounds for UAlbany; Sarah Karpell scored 12 points and Meghan Huerter scored 11 points.
BUTLER 60, BOWLING GREEN 47
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Butler, which had won just 15 games in the three previous seasons prior to the 2023-24 campaign, shot 9-for-20 from 3-point range Thursday against Bowling Green and had just five turnovers, easing past the Falcons in Round 1 of the 2024 Postseason WNIT.
The Bulldogs (15-16) will host Purdue in Round 2 – that game is set for tipoff at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, March 25.
Butler took an early lead as Bowling Green had seven turnovers in the first quarter, with the Bulldogs moving ahead, 26-17. Butler also had great contributions from its subs, with the bench outscoring Bowling Green’s, 19-5.
Caroline Strande scored 24 points for Butler; Sydney Janes added 11 points and Riley Makalusky scored 10 points.
The Falcons (16-15) got a big night from Erika Porter, who tallied a career-high 32 points along with nine rebounds. Amy Velasco added 13 points.
COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 78, USC UPSTATE 60
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Playing against her former team, Jada Logan played some inspired basketball, scoring a career-high 34 points to guide College of Charleston past USC Upstate, 78-60, and into the second round of the 2024 Postseason WNIT.
Charleston will play at Illinois State on March 24 at 5 p.m. ET for the second round of the WNIT.
Logan, one of the best rebounding guards in the country, pulled down 10 rebounds and was an efficient 13-of-24 from the field, including 6-of-9 from 3-point range. Taryn Barbot added 16 points, while Alexis Andrews (12) and Jenna Annecchiarico (10) each scored in double figures for a Charleston squad that got 74 of its 78 points from its starters.
As a team, Charleston shot 44.6 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from 3-point range while holding USC Upstate to just 35.1 percent shooting overall. The Spartans were led by Dakota Reeves, who notched 15 points.
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL 60, STETSON 47
MIAMI, FL – Florida International flexed its defensive muscles, holding Stetson to just 31 percent shooting from the field, to advance to the second round of the 2024 Postseason WNIT with a 60-47 victory over Stetson.
Tanajah Hayes led the Panthers with 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting, while Kaliah Henderson and Mya Kone each added 11 points. Florida International used an 18-8 third quarter to help pull away from Stetson, which was led by Jamiya Turner’s 17 points.
Florida International will play at Troy in the next round of the WNIT; the game is set for tipoff at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, March 25.
UTSA 80, NORTHERN COLORADO 62
SAN ANTONIO, TX – The UTSA Roadrunners advanced to the second round of the 2024 Postseason WNIT with an 80-62 victory over Northern Colorado on Thursday night.
Jordyn Jenkins led UTSA with 27 points and seven rebounds on 11-of-16 shooting, while Aysia Proctor added 13 points and Sidney Love and Kyra White each scored 10. As a team, UTSA was an efficient 47.7 percent from the field and outscored UNC 40-26 in the paint.
Trailing by four after the first quarter, UTSA turned things around with a 21-12 second quarter to take a five-point lead heading into the break. The two teams were even in the third quarter before UTSA pulled away at the end with an impressive 20-7 fourth quarter.
UTSA travels to Wyoming to take on the Cowgirls on March 24 at 3 p.m. ET for the second round of the WNIT.
GRAMBLING STATE 93, ORAL ROBERTS 91
TULSA, OK – Jazmyne Jackson led Grambling State with 21 points, but none were bigger than her 3-pointer with 22 seconds left in the game to put the Tigers in the lead for good over Oral Roberts in the first round of the 2024 Postseason WNIT.
Grambling State shot 54.2 percent from the field as a team and controlled the tempo with a 26-9 advantage in fast break points as well as a 38-23 advantage in bench points. Led by Jackson, five Tigers reached double figures in scoring.
Five players also scored in double figures for Oral Roberts, led by Taleyah Jones and Ruthie Udoumah, who each had 22. In a game defined by its offensive scoring, both teams eclipsed at least 20 points in all four quarters.
The Tigers will take on Louisiana Monroe in the second round of the WNIT.
SAINT LOUIS 66, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 61
CONWAY, AR – Peyton Kennedy scored 28 points and came through with a number of key plays late for Saint Louis, which clawed ahead in the third quarter and held off Central Arkansas in Round 1 of the 2024 Postseason WNIT.
The Billikens (18-18) will host Northern Iowa in Round 2 – that game is set for tipoff at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 24.
Jade Upshaw hit a layup for Central Arkansas to cut the lead to 55-51 with 5:51 to go in the fourth quarter. Kennedy hit two free throws at the 2:00 mark to make it 61-57 for the Billikens, but Leah Mafua countered with a 3-pointer as the score tightened to 61-60 with 1:38 remaining. A free throw from Elizabeth Abaira tied it at 61-all.
Both teams then exchanged turnovers – Kennedy came through with a jumper at the :27 mark, and Kyla McMakin hit one free throw as the lead moved to 64-61. Kennedy rebounded McMakin’s missed free throw and was fouled, drilling two free throws to seal the result.
SLU ended up with a 16-4 advantage in made free throws. McMakin finished with 14 points and eight rebounds.
The Sugar Bears (21-12) were a perfect 14-0 at home entering the Postseason WNIT. Upshaw closed with 17 points and eight rebounds for Central Arkansas; Mafua scored 12 points.
SOUTHERN INDIANA 69, UIC 64
EVANSVILLE, IN – Freshman Triniti Ralston came through with a remarkable effort for Southern Indiana, closing with a career-high 25 points as the Screaming Eagles prevailed in a close one against UIC in the first round of the Postseason WNIT.
Southern Indiana (25-6) will host Wisconsin in Round 2 – that game is set for tipoff at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, March 25.
With 2:42 left in the fourth quarter, Ali Saunders hit a layup to put Southern Indiana up, 58-56, but UIC countered immediately with a 3-pointer by Sara Zabrecky, and the Flames were up 59-58 with 2:17 remaining. After a UIC free throw, Ralston tied it at 60-all with a layup, then electrified the crowd with a 3-pointer as USI took a 63-60 lead with 1:32 to go.
UIC then committed its 23rd turnover on the night at the :55 mark; after a timeout, Meredith Raley hit two big free throws for Southern Indiana.
Madison Webb had 14 points for USI and Meredith Raley closed with 12 points. Vanessa Shafford added 11 rebounds.
The Flames (18-16) had a 43-33 edge in rebounds but were just 5-for-23 from 3-point range. Makiyah Williams finished with 17 points; Keimari Rimmer and Zabrecky each scored 10 points.
PACIFIC 63, CAL POLY 43
STOCKTON, CA – Backed by a stingy defense and solid rebounding, Pacific kept Cal Poly at arm’s length Thursday to secure a victory in Round 1 of the 2024 Postseason WNIT.
The Tigers (19-14) will play at Minnesota in Round 2 – that game is set for tipoff at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 26.
Elizabeth Elliott scored 16 points for Pacific, who held Cal Poly to 22 percent shooting from the floor and closed with an 52-35 edge in rebounds. The Tigers, who had to work through 24 turnovers, now lead all-time series 27-25. Kadie Deaton added 11 points.
The Mustangs (17-14) were paced by Mary Carter’s 12 points.