Hoyas Come Up Short as UConn Wins 14th Straight

Washington, DC — The UConn Huskies defeated the Georgetown Hoyas 64-62 on Saturday to win their 14th straight game and remain undefeated in Big East Conference play.

UConn has now won 11 consecutive games against Georgetown, while the Hoyas have dropped five straight overall. Tarris Reed Jr led Georgetown with 15 points and 11 rebounds, including eight offensive boards.

Vincent Iwuchukwu and KJ Lewis each added 12 points for the Hoyas.

UConn Wastes No Time

The Huskies jumped out to an early 6-0 lead with 18:26 remaining in the first half following a Tarris Reed Jr dunk, a Silas Demary Jr jumper, and a Reed layup. Iwuchukwu put Georgetown on the scoreboard with 17:13 remaining, but Reed Jr later knocked down a pair of free throws to extend UConn’s lead to 10-2 with 16:08 left.

UConn maintained control for most of the first half. A Braylon Mullins basket pushed the Huskies ahead 32-24 with 1:48 remaining. Georgetown closed the half strong, scoring the final four points to cut the deficit to 32-28 at halftime.

Hoyas Take Their First Lead

Georgetown carried its momentum into the second half. Iwuchukwu scored in the opening minutes to trim the UConn lead to two. On the following possession, Caleb Williams drilled a three-pointer, sending the crowd of 17,861 into a frenzy as the Hoyas took their first lead of the game. KJ Lewis later connected on a pair of free throws to cap a 12-0 run for Georgetown.

UConn Responds Late

The game was tied at 45 following an Iwuchukwu basket with 9:56 remaining. UConn regained the lead at 47-45 after converting a pair of free throws with 8:55 left and held the advantage for the remainder of the second half.

Georgetown had chances late. Lewis pulled the Hoyas within 63-60 with 32 seconds remaining, but after UConn guard Solo Ball missed two free throws, Lewis’ three-point attempt came up short. The Huskies held on for the 64-62 victory.

What’s Next

Georgetown, now 9-9 overall and 1-6 in Big East play, will face Villanova on Wednesday, January 21. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 pm.

4 Tha Culture Holiday Hoops Classic Day 2 Recap

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Richmond Rolls Past Alabama A&M

The Richmond Spiders earned their 10th win of the season on Saturday afternoon with a 72-58 victory over the Alabama A&M Bulldogs.

Rachel Ullstrom led the Spiders with 20 points, while Rakiyah Beal paced the Bulldogs with 16. Richmond also received a strong lift from its bench, which outscored Alabama A&M 25-14. Ava Persichetti finished with nine points off the bench, and Sam Dewey added eight.

Richmond jumped out to a fast start, opening the game on a 13-0 run. The Spiders held a 21-7 advantage at the end of the first quarter. A three-pointer from Ullstrom with 2:48 remaining in the second quarter gave Richmond its largest lead of the game at 41-21. The Spiders carried a 41-27 lead into halftime and maintained control throughout the second half on the way to the 72-58 win.

Richmond will face Penn State on Day 3 of the 4 Tha Culture Holiday Hoops Classic on Sunday, December 21, with tipoff scheduled for 2:30 pm.

Rams Fall to Nittany Lions

The VCU Rams fell to the Penn State Nittany Lions 78-66 on Saturday afternoon.

Daija Preston led VCU with a career high of 17 points, while Moriah Murray scored 18 points for Penn State. The Rams jumped out to an early 6-2 lead with 7:27 remaining in the first quarter, which proved to be their largest lead of the game.

Penn State responded with a 9-0 run to take a 15-8 advantage and led 23-14 at the end of the first quarter. VCU answered in the second quarter with an 11-0 run to cut the deficit to 34-31 with 2:37 remaining before halftime. The Rams trailed 41-34 at the break.

Preston opened the third quarter with a layup that trimmed the Penn State lead to 43-41, marking the closest VCU would get for the remainder of the game. Penn State closed the quarter strong and led 64-54 heading into the fourth. The Nittany Lions maintained their lead down the stretch to secure the 78-66 victory.

VCU, now 4-9 overall and 0-1 in Atlantic 10 play, will face Saint Joseph’s on December 31 at 2 pm.

VCU Women’s Basketball Snaps Skid with 69-63 Win Over American

Richmond, VA — The VCU Women’s Basketball team defeated the American Eagles 69-63 on Tuesday night, snapping a six-game losing streak. The game featured eight lead changes and was tied six times throughout the night.

VCU controlled the game in key areas, dominating points in the paint 36-16 and getting a significant lift from its bench, which accounted for 41 points. Lucy Ghaifan led the way with a career-high 16 points, while Makennah White added 10 off the bench. American received just two points from its reserves. Molly Driscoll led the Eagles with 24 points.

Rams Close the First Quarter Strong

VCU came out with energy early. A three-pointer from Tanya Tkachenko and a layup by Luicia Sotelo gave the Rams a 5-0 lead in the opening minutes. American responded with a 7-0 run, capped by a Madisyn Moore-Nicholson layup to take an 11-7 lead with 5:29 remaining in the first quarter, which marked the Eagles’ largest lead of the game.

The Rams answered back. Following a pair of free throws by White, VCU closed the quarter on an 8-2 run to take an 18-13 lead after one.

VCU Builds Momentum in the Second Quarter

American trimmed the deficit early in the second quarter when Charlotte Tuhy scored on a layup to make it 18-17. VCU responded with a 7-0 run sparked by baskets from Tkachenko and Daija Preston, along with a three pointer from Katarina Knezevic, pushing the lead to 25-17 with 4:53 left in the half.

The Rams continued to extend the lead. A layup and a three pointer from White gave VCU its largest advantage of the game at 11 points, making it 30-19 with 2:32 remaining. American closed the gap late, but VCU still carried a 32-28 lead into halftime.

American Makes Its Push

VCU maintained its edge early in the third quarter, but the Eagles began to find their rhythm. A layup from Anna Rescifina tied the game at 37, and Lexi Salazar followed with a three pointer to give American a 42-40 lead. Free throws from Rescifina and Charlotte Tuhy helped the Eagles take a 48-45 lead into the fourth quarter.

Ghaifan Takes Over Late

With the Rams trailing in the fourth quarter, Ghaifan delivered her best stretch of the night. She went 3-for-5 from the field and completed a three-point play to put VCU back in front 54-52 with 7:32 remaining.

Driscoll knocked down two three-pointers to give American a 58-54 lead with 6:42 left, but those would be the Eagles’ final made field goals. Driscoll later converted a free throw to give American a 61-60 edge with 3:41 remaining, marking the last time the Eagles led.

VCU closed the game on an 8-0 run. A layup from Ghaifan, a pair of free throws, a layup by Patricia Augustin, and a pair of free throws from Laia Crespin sealed the comeback. The Rams held on for the 69-63 victory.

Box Score

What’s Next

VCU, now 4-7 overall and 0-1 in Atlantic 10 play, will head to the Henrico Sports and Events Center for the 4 Tha Culture Holiday Hoops Classic. The Rams will face Georgia on Friday, December 19, with tipoff scheduled for 7 pm.