Nov. 14, 2009

Ryan Earns Career No. 700, No. 14 UVa Defeats UMBC

BALTIMORE - Virginia head coach Debbie Ryan earned her 700th-career victory as the Cavaliers defeated UMBC, 68-57, on the road Friday night in the season-opener for both teams.

Ryan joins six other active coaches with 700 wins and becomes the 12th to ever to accomplish the feat. Ryan's career record now stands at 700-298.

"I'm proud for the University of Virginia and I'm proud for my players," Ryan said. "Those wins belong to the players, the coaches who have coached with me, the administration and the University of Virginia."

Virginia (1-0) had to wait until the seven-minute mark of the second half to get that separation, when a jumper by Monica Wright put the Cavaliers up, 49-48. From there, Virginia went on an 11-0 run to take a 60-48 lead on a fast break lay-up by Wright with 3:21 left in the game.

Harper Chalks Up First Win At NC State

RALEIGH, N.C. - Fourteen seconds into her first game as N.C. State women's basketball coach, Kellie Harper came out of her seat on the Wolfpack bench.

Nattily attired in a gray dress and jacket to match, she presented a tall sideline presence, bearing the look of a leader. And Friday night the Pack players needed a poised guide to steer them through a turbulent stretch and to a 87-71 win over Florida International in the opening round of the Shearton Wolfpack Raleigh Invitational.

After what initially was a stress-free rout, State shockingly lost a 21-point first-half lead, creating nerve-wracking vibes. But then it regained traction with relentless pressure defense to reach tonight's title game against Vermont.

No. 15 Florida State downs North Florida, 79-50

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)--The Florida State women's basketball team looked to be in midseason form in Friday night's season opener.

The No. 15 Seminoles (1-0) held North Florida scoreless for more than 12 minutes in the first half, romping to a 79-50 win. Florida State put the game away in the first half with a 30-0 run and a defense that held North Florida (0-1) to just two points in the paint.

Jacinta Monroe led the Seminoles with 16 points, while Angel Gray added 11 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Alexa Deluzio and Courtney Ward each added 10 points. Sophomore guard Brittany Kirkland led the Ospreys with 12 points, and Dori Lansbach added 11.

Bennett leads No. 19 Ga. Tech over Winthrop, 63-30

ATLANTA (AP)--Georgia Tech's season opener was a much-needed confidence builder for sophomore Mo Bennett.

Friday night, Bennett notched career highs in points (21), rebounds (seven) and steals (eight) as No. 19 Georgia Tech beat Winthrop 63-30 in the opener of the women's preseason NIT.

Bennett made 9 of 15 shots from the floor, including two 3-pointers. Shelly Hankins scored nine points to lead Winthrop, which turned the ball over 27 times in the opener for both teams.

Wake Forest Tops Jacksonville 64-47 in Season Opener

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - In her collegiate debut, Wake Forest freshman center Sandra Garcia posted a game-high 22 points and added 10 rebounds as the Demon Deacons defeated Jacksonville 64-47 at the Joel Coliseum on Friday night.

Wake Forest sophomore Secily Ray also registered a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Jacksonville's Desarae Johnson led the Dolphins in scoring and rebounding with 12 points and 13 boards.

Garcia recorded five blocks, the best single-game block performance for Wake Forest since Mekia Valentine put up six against Radford on December 16, 2007. Junior Brittany Waters got into foul trouble early in the first half but came back in the second half to score 12 points and post six rebounds.

Hardy, Pauldo lead Tigers to Season-Opening Victory

CLEMSON, SC - Clemson used a 27-7 run to turn a one point deficit into a 19-point lead as the Lady Tigers defeated the Furman Paladins, 68-48, at Littlejohn Coliseum to open the 2009-10 season on Friday night.

The Lady Tigers (1-0) were led in scoring by Lele Hardy with 19 points while sophomore Shaniqua Pauldo also posted double figures with 17. Hardy also led the team in rebounds with 11, and also added six steals for good measure. Hardy is just 34 steals shy of the school career record. The Tigers had 29 offensive rebounds as well, in avenging a loss to the Paladins a season ago. The Tigers move to 20-3 all-time against Furman.

No. 5 Tar Heels Open With Rout Of Charleston, 88-57

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP)--North Carolina wasn't at full strength. That's what made it even more impressive.

Laura Broomfield and She'la White scored 14 points each to help No. 5 North Carolina defeat College of Charleston 88-57 Friday in the season opener for both teams.

Cetera DeGraffenreid and Tierra Ruffin-Pratt added 13 points apiece for the Tar Heels, who played without a pair of projected starters. Forward Jessica Breland is sidelined as she recovers from Hodgkin's lymphoma, and guard Italee Lucas sat out to rest a sore knee.

Opening night a success as Tech beats Longwood 77-55

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Last year, it took the Virginia Tech women’s basketball team 27 games before it had five players tally double-figure scoring in the same game. This year, it took just one.

Five Hokies, including two freshmen, scored at least 10 points as Tech rolled to a 77-55 victory over visiting Longwood in the 2009-10 season opener on Friday night at Cassell Coliseum.

Senior Utahya Drye and freshman Alyssa Fenyn each netted 15 points to pace Tech, while sophomore Shanel Harrison (13), junior Nikki Davis (11) and freshman Abby Redick (10) joined them in double digits.

Duke Cruises to 104-35 Victory at Houston Baptist

HOUSTON, Texas - Duke's less-than-perfect opening performance was more than enough against overmatched Houston Baptist.

Bridgette Mitchell scored 18 points, Krystal Thomas added 14 points and 12 rebounds and No. 6 Duke cruised to a 104-35 win over the Huskies on Friday night.

Joy Cheek had 16 points for the Blue Devils, who held the overmatched Huskies to 20 percent shooting (10 for 49), forced 33 turnovers and enjoyed a 62-25 rebounding edge.

Riquna Williams Scores 34 in Miami's 86-63 Win Over UC Riverside

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - The University of Miami women's basketball team (1-0) was led by sophomore Riquna Williams' 34 points in a 86-63 victory over the UC Riverside Highlanders (0-1), in the season-opener for both teams at the Student Recreation Center.

From the start of the game it looked like R. Williams would be in for a big night. The Pahokee, Fla. native scored the Hurricanes first seven points and by half time she had 19. Meanwhile, the entire Highlander team managed only 22 first-half points. Overall, R. Williams was 11-of-21 from the field including 6-of-12 from three-point range. R. Williams' 34 points was the most scored by a Miami player since Renee Taylor scored a team-record 42 in 2005 at Houston.

Three other Hurricanes scored in double figures, including 13 from senior Charmaine Clark and 12 points from both Diane Barnes and Shenise Johnson. Barnes also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds as she recorded her second career double-double.