Slow start dooms UMass women’s basketball against Davidson 

By GARRETT COTE

Staff Writer

Published: 01-24-2024 9:22 PM

Modified: 01-25-2024 3:55 PM


A slow start plagued the UMass women’s basketball team in its 72-42 road loss to Davidson on Wednesday night. The Minutewomen scored just eight points in the first quarter and found themselves down nine at the end of the frame. Although UMass played the Wildcats even in the second, the deficit was too much to overcome.

Davidson turned it on out of the locker room, and mirrored its first-quarter efforts in the third and fourth periods. The Minutewomen again only scored eight points in each, and surrendered 37 to the Wildcats across the two frames to bring the game to its 30-point differential.

UMass struggled to get consistent looks on the offensive end, but there was plenty more that led to the result than just the 30.8 percent shooting from the field. The Minutewomen were out-rebounded 43-22, attemped 11 less free throws than Davidson (11 less makes as well) and gave up 19 points off their 13 turnovers in a game in which they trailed the whole way after the Wildcats’ first bucket.

Five players netted double-figure points for Davidson, with Mallorie Haines (15 points, five rebounds) and Maddie Plank (14 points, nine rebounds) leading the charge.

Kristin Williams continued to shine with the ball in her hands, scoring a team-high 13 points including three 3s. Chinenye Odenigbo put up nine points and six rebounds off the bench, Lilly Taulelei added six points and Stefanie Kulesza chipped in four while dealing with foul trouble for most of the night.

UMass (3-17) travels to Rhode Island on Saturday with tip-off coming at 1 p.m. on ESPN-plus.