While students were at home feasting on Thanksgiving leftovers, the women’s basketball team hosted a tournament at the Watsco Center this past weekend.
On Friday, the Hurricanes lost their second game in a row, 75-53 to seventh-ranked Oregon State.
“I didn’t see an A effort tonight,” said head coach Katie Meier after the loss “it needed to be an A effort mentally; it needed to be an A effort with discipline. I think discipline was the biggest issue tonight.”
Miami struggled for most of the night, finishing the game shooting only 35.2 percent from the field and 15 percent from the three-point range. Redshirt senior Beatrice Mompremier led the Canes with 13 points and seven rebounds. Endia Banks also added 12 points. Mompremier and Banks were the only two Miami players to score in double digits.
“We didn’t enforce our will on them,” Banks said. “We had no heart and no desire to come back.”
It was a slow start to the game for Miami, as they scored only 11 points and turned the ball over five times in the first quarter.
Miami kept the score close, but the Beavers held the lead for most of the quarter. Oregon State scored the last four points of the quarter to take a seven-point lead into the second quarter.
Miami came out strong to start the second quarter, using a 9-3 run to cut the lead to three with 5:37 remaining in the half, but the Beavers hit their next three three-pointers and went on 13-3 run to take a 10 point lead. Miami ended the half making two free throws to cut the lead to 36-28 at halftime.
Oregon State continued their hot shooting in the third quarter, hitting their first three three-pointers, while Miami only made three of their 13 shots in the quarter. The Beavers ended the quarter shooting 57.1 percent from the field and 55.6 percent from three-pointer range. Miami went zero for four from the three-point range in the quarter and shot just 23.1 percent from the field. Miami went into the fourth quarter trailing by 18 points.
“I think the start of the third quarter was very inflating. There was a lack of focus,” Meier said. “We took two crazy, horrible shots and then didn’t defend to the scout on the back end and that was nine points right there. It seems like at that point we just wasn’t smart enough to chip away.”
The Beavers held on to their double-digit lead for the rest of the game as Miami’s defense continued to struggle to get stops in the fourth quarter.
“I think on the defensive end we just didn’t play hard at all” Banks said.
On Saturday, the Hurricanes defeated the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks 80-62 to end their two game losing streak and regain some much needed confidence after the 22-point blowout to Oregon State.
The offensive was led by Mompremier, who scored 13 points in just 15 minutes of play. Mompremier continues to lead the ACC as one of the best forwards in the nation.
In a win that was definitely a team effort, the bench played a key role in sealing the game.
The Canes scored 40 points off the bench and for the first time this season every player on the roster scored. Junior guard Taylor Mason put up 10 points and freshman guard Kenza Salgues recorded her first career basket as a Hurricane.
“The most important thing is that everybody was concerned about the Miami Hurricanes,” Meier said after the game. “They all just wanted to give to their teammates and we really cheered and supported our way through the game.”
Freshman center Sydnee Roby post a career-high 11 points, the first time she scored double digits as a Cane. Jamir Huston, who Meier described as an Energizer bunny, reeled in 13 rebounds.
The RedHawks fought back hard, with freshman Peyton Scott scoring a career-high 18 points and guard Bree Paulson putting up 12 points. However, with 52 of 62 points coming from its starting five, it was clear the team couldn’t match the talent on the Cane’s bench.
Miami will continue their non-conference play on Dec. 4 at the Watsco Center, as the team looks to upset the 17th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers.