Emme Shearer is on the verge of setting a new mark for games played In the latest NCAA Division I roundup while Ben Gold set a new career points scoring mark (see later in the article). These stories and more as we wrap up another week of college hoops.
NB Bracketed numbers indicate conference win/loss records.
Fittingly, on the occasion she equaled the record for the most games ever played by a Kiwi in NCAA Division I basketball, Emme Shearer bagged a career high 28 points as Portland (17-3) edged to a 94-88 overtime win at Pacific.
Shearer now holds the record alongside Wellingtonian Tegan Graham who in her time at Colgate University (2017-20) and BYU (2020-22) amassed 153 appearances. Shearer will be able to claim the outright record when the West Coast Conference Tournament gets underway next week in Las Vegas.
The win gave Portland co-ownership of the WCC regular season title along with Gonzaga (also boasting a 17 wins – 3 loss record) who beat Santa Clara 68-61, Tayla Dalton with 6 points for the Zags.
Also in the WCCMaia Jones was in terrific form for St Mary’s (10-10) as the Gaels reversed a 17-point half-time deficit to beat Oregon State 69-66. Jones finished with 27 points, 6 assists, 4 steals, 3 rebounds and a block.
Shawnessy Nordstrom posted 5 assists and a season high 13 points (3/5 3PG) as California Baptist (8-5) defeated Seattle 81-68.
Mackenzie Chatfield also dished 5 assists, to go with 11 points, as Western Kentucky (12-4) wrapped up an 85-68 victory over New Mexico State.
Dani Bayes scored 10 points as Boise State (6-11) were grounded 75-68 by Air Force.
Leah Mafua scored 10 points as Central Arkansas moved to 15-2 with a 63-59 success against Easter Kentucky. Central Arkansas will be the #2 seed at the Atlantic Sun Conference Championships.
Izzy Pugh had 9 points and 5 rebounds as Wisconsin Milwaukee (5-15) rounded out Horizon League action with an 82-46 defeat against league leaders Purdue Fort Wayne.
Another former Westlaker, Hannah Richardson, also scored 9 points for St Bonaventure in their 67-57 loss to Dayton.
Lilly Parke scored 8 points as unbeaten Fairleigh Dickinson (15-0) continued to chew up Northeast Conference opposition with a 73-46 dissection of Long Island.
NCAA Division I Men:
Ben Gold scored a career high 17 points (7/9FG, 3/5 3PG) as Marquette (13-5) romped to an 82-52 win against Providence and followed up with 15 points in a 76-61 win at Georgetown. Gold now has 501 career points – just the 21st New Zealander to score over 500 points in NCAA Division I men’s basketball.
Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones scored a team high 21 points as UC San Diego (16-2) maintained top spot on the Big West Conference table by steam rolling Cal State Fullerton 100-55. That’s the 17th time in 30 games that Tait-Jones has scored 20 points or more.
Tom Beattie added 6 rebounds to a dozen points as Hawaii (7-11) secured a home win against UC Davis 78-70.
Taine Murray scored 9 points (4/8FG) as Virginia (7-11) grabbed an 83-75 win at Wake Forest in his 92nd appearance for Virginia.
Finn Lally also scored 9 points off the bench for William & Mary (11-6) in their 88-73 loss against Towson.
LACEY LOWDOWN 