Bouncing right back after their first loss, the Southern Utah University women’s basketball team took down Benedictine University Mesa in the America First Event Center on Tuesday, Nov. 18 by a score of 91-68.
Despite two different Redhawks scoring 23 points, nearly every Thunderbird got a chance to score meaningful buckets and lift SUU to a 4-1 record. The team remains undefeated at home.
Benedictine Mesa sits at 2-3, losing their first two matches against National Collegiate Athletics Association opponents by a combined 63 points.
First quarter
The teams were evenly matched at first. Neither team went up by more than three points in the first three and a half minutes, and at one point the Redhawks took an 8-7 lead.
The Thunderbirds then went on a massive 18-0 run that saw every rostered player get minutes, with six different players recording a basket.
Benedictine Mesa grabbed an offensive board and hit a three to end the quarter, but SUU held the 25-12 lead.
Second quarter
The quarter started out balanced, as both teams scored 14 points in the first five minutes.
SUU went on another big run, scoring 10 straight points to go up 49-27 with two minutes before halftime. Benedictine Mesa only made one field goal in the final five minutes, and found themselves down 58-34 at the half.
The Thunderbirds shot the lights out this quarter, going 13-15 from the field and draining three of four attempts from beyond the arc.
Third quarter
The Redhawks struck first, scoring the first four points of the quarter. This was the worst quarter for both teams shooting. SUU shot 5-13 from the field and Benedictine Mesa shot 5-18.
The final four minutes were a foul battle, as 12 of the quarter’s last 16 points were scored at the free-throw line.
Despite only outscoring Benedictine Mesa by one point this quarter, SUU ended it with a 75-50 lead.
Fourth quarter
The Thunderbirds opened with a 7-2 run, locking down the Redhawks defensively as they aimed to ice the match.
Despite a late 11-2 run from Benedictine Mesa as they whittled away at SUU’s lead, the T-Birds kept a comfortable advantage and came away with a 91-68 victory.
SUU stayed dominant from two-point range, going 6-8 from inside the three-point line this quarter.
Key stats
— Bench play was the big difference in this game. 12 of SUU’s 13 active players recorded a bucket, and SUU had 45 bench points to Benedictine Mesa’s five.
— The T-Birds had a huge presence down low, scoring 54 points in the paint to the Redhawks’ 20 and notching eight blocks to the Redhawks’ zero.
— SUU shot excellently, going 61.4% from the field and 41.2% from three.
— Benedictine Mesa recorded 10 steals to SUU’s six, but SUU had more points off turnovers.
Top performers
— Benedictine Mesa’s Olivia Arvallo and Naomi Elliot both had 23 points, while no other Redhawk had more than seven.
— Brooklyn Fely recorded team-highs of 12 points, six rebounds and two blocks, while also notching three assists.
— Sierra Chambers, recently named Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week, recorded 11 points, two assists and a steal.
— Olivia Malafu scored a career-high 10 points on perfect shooting to go along with three rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal in 12 bench minutes.
Up next
SUU will head to San Luis Obispo, California to take on California Polytechnic State University on Friday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Author: Payson Davis
Photographer: SUU Athletics
Editor: Jack Paul