Despite a massive double-double from Corey Le’aupepe Menlo College were defeated 84-78 by William Jessup University in NAIA play-off action. Le’aupepe produced a game high 21 points (7/11FG, 7/7FT) and a team high 10 rebounds in the loss.
Earlier in the week the former St Pat’s Town forward was named to the Golden State Athletic All-Conference Team after averaging 13.5 points per game, shooting 60.3% from the field in the process, during the regular season.
The Milligan University Buffaloes also fell at the first hurdle of NAIA play-off action, defeated 81-73 by Truett McConnell despite a team high 20 points from Finn McClure (4/9 3PG).
He didn’t appear in the above contest but Piripi Korent was named to the Appalachian Conference All-Freshman Team after averaging 8.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in his first season with Milligan.
In the NCAA Division I UC Riverside (UCR) centre Callum McRae was named Big West Conference Player of the Week after averaging 15 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists across a pair of games. To celebrate McRae posted a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds to lead UCR to a 79-57 win against CSU Northridge. Flynn Cameron was also busy with 13 points and 4 assists.
Kruz Perrott-Hunt’s run of games scoring double figure points came to an end at fourteen consecutive as South Dakota were defeated 72-63 by Kansas City. It was a close thing however as the former Rosmini College standout posted 9 points to go with 5 rebounds and a couple of assists.
Tobias Cameron was another former Junior Tall Black with 9 points as Abilene Christian dominated Lamar 77-42. Cameron also snared 3 steals and 4 rebounds.
St Mary’s 60 (Dan Fotu 6 points, 2 rebounds) San Diego 47
Grace Hunter and Tayla Dalton were in career best form in women’s NCAA Division I play.
Hunter scored a career high 23 points, topping 200 points for the season, as Florida International fell 65-55 to Charlotte.
Dalton ran up 20 points (4/7 3PG) as St Mary’s California accounted for Pacific 83-67. Amy West had a couple of blocks to go with 4 points and 4 rebounds in the West Coast Conference (WCC) win.
Tegan Graham equalled her career high in assists with 8 as BYU thumped Santa Clara 103-66. Graham scored 9 points and Kaylee Smiler chipped in with seven as BYU remained top of the WCC standings at 14-1.
Washington State gave it a decent nudge at #2 Stanford before going down 61-54. Charlisse Leger-Walker scored a game high 17 points plus 4 rebounds and a couple of steals while Krystal L-W had an industrious 9 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
Tera Reed also scored 17 points, including three baskets in the final two minutes, as University of Southern California scored a triple on the buzzer to beat Arizona State 60-58. Reed was a highly efficient 7 from 9 from the field including 2 from 2 from beyond the arc.
The Tall Fern wing now has 1,611 Division I career points and closing in on Erin Rooney’s 1,647 all-time record.
Portland 53 (Emme Shearer 8 points, 3 steals, 4 rebounds) San Diego 61
UC Irvine 54 (Olivia Williams 7pts, 2 rebs, 2 assists, 1 steal) California State Fullerton 51
Virginia 57 (McKenna Dale 5 points, 2 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 assists) North Carolina 68
Georgia Southern 83 (Tsubasa Nisbett 3 points, 5 rebounds) Louisiana Monroe 68
LACEY LOWDOWN 