Below we reflect on some outstanding individual performances at the weekend in NCAA Division I basketball.
Kayla Manuirirangi passed the 400 career points mark on her way to a team high 17 points (5/10 3PG) as Tulane University Green Wave (3-0 in the American Athletic Conference) defeated Southern Methodist University 61-43. The former New Plymouth Girls High standout also added 4 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal.
Akiene-Tera Reed continued her good form with a team high 19 points (6/11FG), 6 rebounds and a brace of steals as Virginia Commonwealth University, on the back of a dominant second half display, won 68-43 at Richmond. VCU, 3-0 in Atlantic-10 Conference play, next face Fordham University with their trio of Kiwis – Mary Goulding, Kendell Heremaia and Zara Jillings.
Jillings was the toast of the Bronx on Sunday as her And-1 play with 5 seconds to play secured Fordham a 56-53 road win at Saint Louis. Jillings finished with 6 points, 4 rebounds and a block. Kendell Heremaia claimed a career high 16 rebounds (her previous best was 10) to go with 5 points and Mary Goulding passed 500 career points for Fordham as she tallied 12 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Fordham, like VCU are 3-0 in Atlantic-10 play.
Also unbeaten in conference fixtures are Northern Colorado Bears. After defeating Montana 73-62 the Bears are 5-0 in the Big Sky Conference. Krystal Leger-Walker, as usual, filled the stats line with 4 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals.
KL-W leads the conference in minutes played (averaging 38.5 minutes per game) is second on the assists list (79 at 5.6apg) and fourth in steals (34 at 2.4spg).
Michelle Nicholls scored 11 points to go with 5 assists but couldn’t prevent La Salle going down 74-60 to Massachusetts. it was a third straight defeat for the Explorers in Atlantic-10 fixtures.
Tegan Graham accumulated 7 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists but Colgate University Raiders fell 62-49 to Navy – the Raiders 2-2 in the Patriot League.
It took three periods of overtime but Santa Clara eventually secured an 83-75 win against Loyola Marymount. 2014 Tall Fern Dru Toleafoa secured 6 rebounds and 2 points for Santa Clara as they improve to 2-3 in the West Coast Conference.
In Men’s Division I action an Izayah Le’afa three helped Sacramento State Hornets come from five points down in the final thirty seconds, before losing 72-70 on the buzzer against Idaho State. Le’afa finished with 16 points (4/8 3PG), 2 assists and 2 blocks. The Hornets have now lost their opening four Big Sky Conference games.
Sam Waardenburg snared a career high 9 rebounds to accompany 6 points and 3 assists as Miami University Hurricanes collected their first Atlantic Coast Conference point courtesy of a 76-65 win against Wake Forest.
Jack Salt weathered some foul trouble eventually posting 7 points and 8 rebounds as Virginia University Cavaliers extended its unbeaten run this season to 15 games. The defending Atlantic Coast champions won 63-43 at Clemson.
Freshman Callum McRae made 5 points and grabbed 5 rebounds but University of California Riverside dropped their opening Big West Conference opener against Santa Barbara 72-64.
LACEY LOWDOWN 