November 19
The Kiwi NCAA Division I performance of the week went the way of Maia Jones with Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones the best of the men.
Women
Maia Jones amassed 28 points as St Mary’s Gaels won in double overtime on the road overcoming San Diego State 74-65. The combo guard hardly missed a shot making 10 from 11 from the field and all but one of her 8 free-throws. In case you are wondering her career high is 31 points.
A couple of days later the Gaels were facing UC Irvine which meant Jones was facing fellow Kiwi Olivia Williams – the pair having attended the Tall Ferns Selection Camp at Irvine earlier in the year.
Irvine eventually prevailed 64-61 with Williams making 4 from 6 threes for 14 points while Jones had 9 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists. The points from Williams took her past 300 career points.
Emilee Tahata scored a career high 16 points to go with 7 rebounds despite Rider University losing 62-54 to Bryant.
Lilly Parke made 4 from 7 threes on her way to 14 points and 5 rebounds as Fairleigh Dickinson were beaten 77-58 at Syracuse. The defeat comes after four straight wins by FDU to start the season.
Leah Mafua dropped 11 points and added 4 rebounds and a couple of blocks as Central Arkansas overcame UT Martin 87-67.
Boise State made it three wins from as many games after a 72-57 win against UC Riverside – Danni Bayes with 10 points for Boise.
Freshman Hannah Richardson, in just her third game for St Bonaventure, scored 9 points in a 92-41 loss to Bowling Green.
Emme Shearer had 8 points and 4 rebounds as Portland, now 3-0 at the start of the season, won 74-62 at Eastern Washington.
Waiata Jennings, after a record setting junior college career at Collin College scored her first NCAA Division I points as Baylor beat Texas A&M 104-55. The Rotorua local made both of her field goal attempts for 5 points.
Men
Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones lit up the stats line with a game high 21 points to accompany 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals as UC San Diego defeated Sacramento State 64-54.
Tait-Jones passed 500 career points at UCSD and becomes the 20th Kiwi to pass 500 NCAA Division I career points.
Now with 535 points after scoring another 20 in an 84-71 loss to Seattle he moved past Matt Freeman (531 points) and looks set to overtake Sean Marks (557) and Yanni Wetzell (560) in the very near future.
Tom Beattie made a critical 4 from 6 free throws in overtime as Hawaii defeated Pacific 73-68. Beattie scored 10 points, his fourth successive double figure score, while also adding 6 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and a block.
Hunter Adam passed 100 career points as Davidson edged East Tennessee State 76-70. The former Canterbury standout had a nice double of 8 points (3/4FG) and 8 rebounds.
LACEY LOWDOWN 