CAA Women's Basketball

CAA Women's Basketball Report - Nov. 28, 2022

CAA Women's Basketball Report - Nov. 28, 2022

Catch up on the CAA Women's Basketball weekly news, notes and awards.

Nov 29, 2022 by FloHoops Staff
CAA Women's Basketball Report - Nov. 28, 2022

Catch up on the CAA Women's Basketball weekly news, notes and awards.

WEEKLY HONORS

PLAYER OF THE WEEK 

Riley Casey, William & Mary

Graduate | Guard | Brentwood, Tennessee / Franklin Road Academy

Casey averaged 31 points per game on 53.8% shooting (21-39), including 64.7% (11-17) from 3-point range, in a pair of games for William & Mary. 

On Monday, Casey tallied a game-high 31 points, shooting 10-of-17 (58.8%) from the floor and 5-of-8 (62.5%) from distance to account for over 50% of William & Mary’s scoring, despite a 71-61 setback against George Mason. 

She followed the performance with 31 points on 11-of-22 (50.0%) shooting, including 6-of-9 (66.7%) from behind the 3-point line, and hit the go-ahead basket in a 69-66 victory over Army. 

The 31 points match a career-high for the graduate student, who scored at least 30 points in back-to-back games for the first time in her career.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK 

Raven Preston, Elon

Freshman | Guard | Greensboro, North Carolina / South Guilford

Preston averaged 24 points on 66.7% shooting (18-27) and 10.5 rebounds per game, leading Elon to a 2-0 week. 

On Tuesday, she recorded her first career double-double, with 22 points and 15 rebounds, as the Phoenix defeated Old Dominion 71-68. 

On Sunday, Preston improved her scoring output with a season-best 26 points, shooting 10-of-15 from the floor, and she added six rebounds in a 77-68 win over North Carolina Central. 

The 26 points are the most by an Elon freshman since 2011.

CONFERENCE NOTES

DELAWARE POSTS B1G WIN: Delaware earned an 83-80 win over Big Ten adversary Illinois at the Daytona Beach Invitational, marking the third Power Five victory for the Blue Hens in the past three seasons, including the postseason. 

It was the first meeting between Delaware and Illinois and the first win over a Big Ten team for the Blue Hens since 2011. 

With the win, the CAA has knocked off a Power Five opponent in three consecutive seasons.  

THE CREAM ALWAYS RISES TO THE TOP: Through three weeks of the 2022-2023 women's basketball season, eight CAA teams have posted winning percentages above .500, including seven collecting four wins. 

Drexel has a league-best 4-1 (.800) record, while five teams - Delaware, Elon, North Carolina A&T, Stony Brook and Towson - sit half a game back of the Dragons at 4-2 (.667). 

In addition, William & Mary is off to a 3-2 start, and Monmouth sits at 4-3 to round out the teams with winning records.  

ROBINSON BECOMES WINNINGEST COACH IN AGGIE PROGRAM HISTORY: On Nov. 22, North Carolina A&T defeated South Carolina State 68-49. It was head coach Tarrell Robinson's 192nd win with the Aggies. With that number, Robinson became the program's all-time winningest coach. 

No one in program history has won more games, more regular-season championships (four), made more postseason appearances (six), won more conference tournament championships (three) and had more 20-win seasons (five) as the head women's basketball coach at A&T than Robinson.

CAA IN THE COLLEGE INSIDER MID-MAJOR TOP 25: Three CAA teams were recognized in the latest edition of the College Insider Mid-Major Top-25 poll. 

Drexel remained ranked seventh, while Delaware and Stony Brook received votes for the third time this season. 

At least three conference teams have been recognized in the poll during each week this season. 

HOME SWEET HOME: Home-court advantage has proved to be a factor in the CAA early this season, as league teams have gone 22-5 in their home gyms over the first three weeks of the year. 

Nine teams are unbeaten at home, with 12 having at least one win, and eight have multiple wins on their home courts.  

SEEING DOUBLE: Delaware had five players score in double figures during its win over Illinois. 

It is the second time this season that a CAA team has had five players reach double figures scoring, as North Carolina A&T accomplished the feat against St. Andrews. 

Each team had an impressive double-double performance as part of the effort. 

Makayla Pippen recorded career highs with 18 points and 18 rebounds for the Blue Hens, while Jazmin Harris tallied 16 points and a season-high 15 rebounds for the Aggies in each contest.

30 FOR 30: Drexel has had at least one 30-point scorer in four of its first five games, which accounts for four of the six 30-point performances in the league this season. 

Keishana Washington has three 30-plus performances, including the top two scoring outputs from any player in the conference. 

She scored 34 points in the season opener and netted a season-high 37 this past week. 

Additionally, Kylie Lavelle tallied a Drexel freshman record with a season-best 31 points in just her second career game. 

TEAM NOTES

Charleston

• Charleston dropped a shootout against Gardner-Webb 91-87 on Wednesday afternoon. The Cougars led at the half but were outscored 53-43 in the final 20 minutes. 

• Freshman Jazmyn Stone poured in a season-best 27 points to lead Charleston in the effort. Stone came off the bench, shooting 9-of-16 from the field and went 4-of-10 from three-point range, scoring in double figures for the first time in her career. 

• Fellow first-year guard Alexis Andrews had a season-high 18 points and played all 40 minutes in the contest. Andrews shot 72.7% (8-11) from the floor, adding season-bests with seven rebounds and five assists while recording two steals.  

• Jaila Roberts stuffed the box score with 13 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and Jada Logan tallied 12 points while adding eight boards to round out the Cougars in double figures. Logan has scored at least 10 points in all four games this season. 

Delaware 

• Delaware went 1-1 at the Daytona Beach Invitational, defeating Illinois 83-80 after a narrow 53-49 setback against Fresno State. It marks the third Power Five victory for the Blue Hens over the past three seasons, including the postseason, and the second during the previous three regular seasons. 

• Makayla Pippin led Delaware, averaging 15.5 points and 13.5 rebounds per game, including her first double-double this season. Pippin set career highs with 18 points and 18 rebounds in the victory. Additionally, it is the most rebounds in a game by a CAA player this year. 

• Klarke Sconiers contributed 14.5 points per game on 64.7 percent (11-17) shooting from the floor. Sconiers added a career-high 18 points against Illinois and has reached double figures scoring in three straight games.

• Kharis Idom scored 12 points in each contest, scoring in double figures in the third and fourth consecutive games. She also added a season-high five rebounds versus Fresno State. 

Drexel

• Drexel went 2-0, with an 84-61 victory over Lehigh on Tuesday and a 53-35 win against Buffalo on Sunday. The Dragons have won three games in a row and improved to 4-1 this season. 

• Keishana Washington averaged 24 points and 7.5 assists per game to lead the Dragons. She scored a game-high 33 points and tallied a career-best 10 assists for her first career double-double on Tuesday. 

Washington added 15 points and five assists Sunday, scoring in double figures for the 39th consecutive game.

• Kylie Lavelle added 15.5 points per game, including 20 against Lehigh. Lavelle has reached double figures scoring in her first five collegiate contests and has at least 20 points in three games this season. 

• Freshman Grace O'Neil posted season-best marks of 12 points, nine rebounds and three steals against Buffalo. It marks her first career double-figure scoring performance, while she has multiple steals three times this season.  

Elon 

• Elon extended its winning streak to four games in a 2-0 week. The Phoenix defeated Old Dominion 71-68 on Tuesday and NC Central 77-68 on Sunday. 

• Raven Preston averaged 24 points and 10.5 rebounds per game for the Phoenix. She tallied her first career double-double on Tuesday with 22 points and a season-high 15 rebounds. 

On Sunday, Preston recorded a season-high 26 points and five rebounds, marking the most points scored by an Elon freshman since 2011. 

• Lenaejha Evans recorded 15 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, scoring in double figures in both contests. She tallied 16 points and seven rebounds on Sunday after 14 points and four rebounds on Tuesday. 

The Phoenix are 4-0 this season when Evans scores at least 10 points. 

• Evonna McGill contributed 14.5 points per game on 86.7% shooting (13-15) from the floor. McGill reached double figures in both games, including a season-high 17 points on a perfect 8-of-8 performance from the field against NC Central. 

Hampton

• Hampton continued its six-game road trip as the Lady Pirates visited the defending national champion No. 1 South Carolina. Hampton dropped the contest 85-38. 

• Camryn Hill paced the Lady Pirates with a game-high 16 points, adding three rebounds and two assists in the effort. It marks the third straight game Hill has scored at least 15 points. 

• Nylah Young contributed seven points, a team-high six rebounds and a season-high four steals. Young has recorded at least five rebounds in every game this season and has at least three steals in back-to-back contests.

• Madison Buford added six points, one rebound and one assist off the bench, while Tia Montagne and Ariana Wilkes also found the scoring column in reserve minutes for the Lady Pirates. 

Hofstra

• Hofstra went 1-1 this week, defeating Alliance 73-49 before a 76-68 setback against Wagner. 

The win provided the Pride's largest margin of victory since Nov. 6, 2018, when Hofstra defeated Iona 74-49. 

• Brandy Thomas scored in double figures in both contests, including her second double-double this season. Against Wagner, Thomas scored a season-high 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting with 10 rebounds. She added 10 points, six rebounds and three steals in the victory.

• Zaniyyah Ross-Barnes had a career day against Alliance, pacing Hofstra with a personal-best 13 points. Ross-Barnes was a perfect 6-of-6 from the field, adding career highs with seven rebounds and four assists in the effort.

• Zyheima Swint tallied a career-high 15 points in the effort against Wagner. She added seven rebounds and matched her season-best with two assists. 

Monmouth 

• Monmouth went 2-1 during the week, earning victories over Navy (76-56) on the road and NJIT (70-62) at home while falling to Brown (70-69). 

• Kacy Donovan averaged 13.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game to lead the Hawks. She tallied 17 points, shooting 7-of-9 from the floor against Navy before following the performance with a season-high 22 points versus Brown. 

Donovan has now reached double figures four times this season.

• Bell Kranbuhl added 10 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game throughout the week. 

On Sunday, she recorded her first double-double this season with 11 points and 10 rebounds. 

Additionally, she tallied a season-best five blocks in the effort. 

• Ariana Vanderhoop contributed 11.3 points per game for Monmouth. Vanderhoop tallied a career-high 17 points against NJIT after nine points versus Navy and eight at Brown. 

North Carolina A&T

• North Carolina A&T went 2-1 last week as head coach Tarrell Robinson became the program's all-time winningest (192) coach on Tuesday. 

The Aggies defeated South Carolina State (68-49) and Arkansas Pine-Bluff (64-59), while falling to Miami (97-54).

• Maleia Bracone averaged 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per contest to lead North Carolina A&T. 

She scored in double figures in all three games over the week and has done so in all six games this year. 

Her best performance came against South Carolina State, recording 18 points, eight rebounds and four steals. 

• Jazmin Harris added 14.7 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per contest throughout the week. Harris surpassed 1,000 career points with 17 against South Carolina State and matched a season-high with 18 versus Miami.

• Chaniaya Clark contributed 8.0 points and 6.0 rebounds off the bench for the Aggies. 

On Tuesday, she recorded her first career double-double, posting 11 points and 10 rebounds against South Carolina State. 

UNCW 

• UNCW dropped a pair of hard-fought contests, falling to Wofford 67-66 on Tuesday before a 67-60 setback against Radford on Sunday.

• Carrie Gross averaged 17.5 points and six rebounds per game for the Seahawks. 

Gross scored in double figures in both games, including a career-high 20 points with seven rebounds in the effort against Wofford. 

• Against Wofford, Mary McMillan tallied a career-high 25 points, including a personal-best five 3-pointers on seven attempts from long range. The junior guard, who reset her career-high in back-to-back games, has reached double figures in three contests this season.  

• Jayde Gamble continued to contribute by adding 10.0 points, five rebounds, 2.5 steals and two assists per contest. 

Gamble recorded 16 points, five rebounds and three steals against Radford. 

She has reached double figures in three games this season and has multiple steals in four straight contests. 

Northeastern 

• Northeastern dropped three games over the week, falling to Maine (61-59) on the road, before setbacks against UW Green Bay (56-56) and Portland (67-41) at the St. Pete Showcase. 

• Gemima Motema was named a St. Pete Showcase All-Star for her performance in the Sunshine State. 

For the week, Motema averaged 14 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. 

Motema has finished in double-digits in six of seven games this season, including twice last week. 

• Derin Erdogan contributed 12.3 points, three rebounds, 2.6 assists and two steals per game throughout the week. Erdogan had at least 10 points in two of the three contests and has five total this season.  

• On Monday, Deja Bristol tallied a career-high 10 points, marking her first performance in double figures. On Friday, she added seven points and grabbed a season-high six boards.

Stony Brook

• Stony Brook capped a 2-0 trip at the Puerto Rico Classico, defeating High Point 86-72, followed by a 63-58 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. 

• Sherese Pittman paced Stony Brook averaging 18.5 points and nine rebounds per game over the two contests. 

Pittman tallied a career-high 26 points in the victory over High Point and recorded her first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds versus Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. 

• Annie Warren tallied 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range versus High Point. She also matched a season-high with seven rebounds and had a season-best four assists.

• Nairimar Vargas-Reyes scored a career-high 14 points to lead Stony Brook against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and grabbed seven rebounds. 

She also recorded 11 rebounds on Wednesday for her third performance this season with at least 10 boards. 

Towson

• Towson went 2-2 in a busy week for the Tigers. Towson defeated UMES (69-57) and DePaul (64-56) while suffering setbacks to Pittsburgh (72-62) and No. 14 Maryland (81-70). 

• Kylie Kornegay-Lucas continued an impressive start to the season, averaging 14.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.8 steals per game throughout the week. 

She extended her streak of scoring in double figures to six games and was named to the Fort Myers Tip-Off All-Tournament Team. 

• Skye Williams added 11.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game for the Tigers. She scored in double figures in two of the three games at the Fort Meyers Tip-Off. 

Williams paced Towson with a season-high 19 points against Maryland after 11 points versus Pittsburgh. 

• A pair of Freshmen have had their best performances this season during the week. Gabby Scott led Towson with 15 points and five rebounds in the victory, while India Johnson set a season-high with 17 points in the effort against Maryland. 

William & Mary

• William & Mary went 1-1 as the Tribe fell to Commonwealth rival George Mason 71-61 on Monday, before a 69-66 victory over Army on Sunday. 

• Riley Casey scored 31 points in back-to-back games, matching her career-high. 

Casey shot 53.8% (21-39) from the field, including 64.7% (11-17) from downtown. 

Casey has scored at least 20 points in four of the first five games this season and has back-to-back 30-point performances for the first time in her career. 

• Sydney Wagner reached double figures in both contests, adding 16 points per game throughout the week. 

Wager tallied a season-high 18 points with two steals and one assist against the Patriots. 

Wagner has at least 10 points in all five games this year. 

• Madison McGee and Caitlin Wingertzahn set new career highs during the week. Wingertzahn contributed 10 points against Army for her first career double-figure performance, while McGee tallied seven rebounds and two blocks at George Mason.