CAA Women's Basketball

CAA Women's Basketball Report | Jan. 17, 2022

CAA Women's Basketball Report | Jan. 17, 2022

Catch up on the CAA Women's Basketball weekly news, notes, and awards.

Jan 18, 2022 by FloHoops Staff
CAA Women's Basketball Report | Jan. 17, 2022

WEEKLY HONORS:

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Allie Kubek, Towson

Sophomore | Forward | Elkton, Md. / Sanford School

Kubek led Towson to a 3-0 start in conference play, scoring a career-high 28 points in a 79-70 win over James Madison. The sophomore forward was 11-of-18 (61.1%) from the floor and 3-for-4 (75.0%) from three while adding eight rebounds, two steals and one block in the victory. In a mid-week matchup at Princeton, Kubek contributed a team-high 19 points with eight rebounds despite the Tigers dropping the contest. For the week, Kubek averaged 23.5 points with 8.0 rebounds per game, and she shot 56.7% (17-30) from the floor, including 75.0% (6-8) from three. The Elkton, Md. native ranks fourth in the CAA in points per game (16.4) and has reached double figures in 13 of 14 games this season.  

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Grace Abercrombie, Charleston

Freshman | Wing | Jacksonville, Texas / Jacksonville HS

Abercrombie averaged 16.0 points with 5.0 rebounds per game and helped Charleston earn its first CAA victory this season. On Sunday, the freshman wing was Charleston’s second-leading scorer with 13 points in an 87-70 road win over William & Mary. She shot 3-of-6 from behind the arc and added three rebounds, one steal and one block. The performance came after scoring a team-high 19 points with seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks despite a 65-60 setback to Elon. Abercrombie has reached double figures scoring in four consecutive games and eight times this season. 

CONFERENCE NOTES:

THREE TEAMS REMAIN UNBEATEN IN CAA PLAY: Delaware, Drexel and Towson have gone undefeated through the first two full weekends of conference play. Drexel sits atop the CAA standings at 4-0, while Towson and Delaware are 3-0. It will be an interesting week at the top of the conference standings as Drexel hosts Towson on Tuesday night before Delaware travels to Philadelphia to face the Dragons on Sunday.  

STRINGING WWWWINS TOGETHER: Drexel extended its winning streak to nine games, following a 4-0 start in CAA play. The Dragons are tied for the league lead with 12 wins, and their nine-game winning streak is tied for the third-longest active streak in the nation.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: CAA teams have proved hard to beat on their home court this season, posting a 44-17 record at home. In conference games, home teams have gone 12-4 through the first two weekends of CAA play. Two teams remain undefeated on their home court, while four squads have only one loss at home.

CAA REVISES POLICY FOR GAMES IMPACTED BY COVID-19: Any contest that cannot be played will initially be counted as a postponement with the intention to be rescheduled. If unable to reschedule, it would count as a forfeit for the purpose of conference standings, resulting in a loss for the team that caused the cancelation and a win for the opposing team. If both teams were unable to play it will count as a tie in the conference standings. Canceled games will not have an impact on a team’s overall NCAA record. 

PROLIFIC SCORING: Delaware's Jasmine Dickey is second in NCAA women's basketball, averaging 24.7 points per game, while a pair of teams rank inside the top 25 in scoring offense. As a team, Charleston ranks 15th in the nation averaging 78.9 points per game, and Towson ranks 21st, scoring 77.7 points per game.

STONE COLD THIEVERY: Two CAA players are top 10 nationally in steals per game. Charleston's Jenna Annecchiarico ranks seventh nationally with 3.40 steals per game and 51 total steals. Claudia Soriano of Northeastern is eighth, averaging 3.38 steals per game and 18th in total steals (44). 

DROPPING DIMES: Three CAA student-athletes rank top 15 nationally in assists per game this season. Charleston's Jenna Annecchiarico ranks sixth in the NCAA in assists per game (6.3) and 13th in total assists (94), and Aleah Nelson of Towson is seventh in assists per game (6.2) and 22nd in total assists (87). Elon's Brie Perpignan is 12th nationally in assists per game (6.0) and 36th in total assists (78).

CLEANING THE GLASS: A pair of CAA teams are top 15 in the NCAA in rebounds per game, while three athletes crack the top 50. Towson ranks eighth nationally in rebounding (44.8 rpg), and Delaware is 11th (44.4 rpg). Delaware's Ty Battle ranks 20th in the NCAA with 10.7 rebounds per game, while JMU's Jaylin Carodine ranks 36th (9.7 rpg) and Tessa Brugler of Drexel is 49th (9.4 rpg).

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL: Drexel posts the seventh-best assist to turnover ratio (1.42) in the nation. The Dragons turn the ball over at the fifth-lowest rate nationally, averaging just 11.3 turnovers per game, and have the eighth fewest turnovers (158) in the NCAA this year.  

FORCE MY HAND: Charleston causes havoc on defense, ranking fourth nationally in steals per game (13.5) and 12th in turnovers forced (22.87). Subsequently, the Cougars are third in the NCAA, maintaining a +8.93 turnover margin.  

LOCKDOWN DEFENSE: Defense has been solid for CAA squads this season as three teams are holding opponents to under 60.0 points per game and seven limit opponents to under 40% shooting. Drexel leads the league in scoring defense and ranks second in field goal percentage defense (35.9%). The Dragons are 17th in the NCAA, allowing 54.3 ppg. Towson leads the conference in field goal percentage defense and is third in scoring defense (59.8 ppg). The Tigers' 34.8% opponent field goal percentage ranks 18th nationally.  

FRESHMEN PHENOMS: Two freshmen have shined bright in their first collegiate seasons as Charleston's Grace Abercrombie and Claudia Soriano of Northeastern have combined to take home CAA Rookie of the Week honors on all six occasions this season.   

NON-CONFERENCE, NO PROBLEM: It was an impressive statement throughout the non-conference slate as CAA teams have combined for a 60-42 record. Six teams posted at least six wins in non-conference play, with Towson earning a league-high nine victories.       

NOTHING BUT NET: In the latest edition of the NCAA NET rankings, four CAA teams remain in the top 150. Towson ranked 78th to lead all CAA teams. Drexel followed at 102nd, with Delaware and Elon rounding out the top four at 112th and 130th, respectively.

CAA IN THE COLLEGE INSIDER MID-MAJOR TOP 25: Three CAA teams: Drexel, James Madison, and Towson received recognition in the College Insider Mid-Major Poll. Towson rose to its highest rank of the season, sitting at No. 15. Drexel re-entered the poll after a one-week hiatus at No. 19. James Madison received votes for the tenth straight week.

TEAM NOTES:

Charleston

• Charleston earned its first CAA victory, defeating William & Mary 87-71 after a 65-60 setback to Elon to begin the week.  

• Anika McGarity averaged 18.0 ppg, including a career-high 25 points in the Cougars' win. 

• Eight of McGarity's 13 made field goals were three-pointers. She leads the CAA in 3-pt FG percentage (37.6%) and made 3-pt FG (3.17 per game). 

• Grace Abercrombie contributed 16.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. On Friday, she tallied a team-high 19 points with seven rebounds, followed by 13 points on Sunday. 

• Abercrombie has reached double figures scoring in four straight games and eight this season. 

• Jenna Annecchiarico added 10.5 points, 6.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game throughout the week. 

• Arynn Eady recorded her fifth double-double this season with 11 points and 13 rebounds against W&M. She has secured 10+ rebounds in three of the last four games.

• Charleston leads the CAA in scoring offense (78.7 ppg), steals per game (13.5), and turnover margin (+8.93).  

Delaware

• Delaware improved to 3-0 in CAA play following wins over Hofstra (73-38) and Northeastern (79-60).  

• Jasmine Dickey recorded back-to-back double-doubles, averaging 22.0 ppg and 10.5 rpg. She tallied 31 points and 10 rebounds against Northeastern; after 13 points and 11 rebounds versus Hofstra. 

• Dickey leads the CAA and is second in the NCAA, scoring 24.7 points per game. 

• Tara Cousins scored a career-high 17 points, shooting 5-of-8 from behind the arc, to lead the Blue Hens over the Pride. 

• Ty Battle recorded her eighth double-double this season with 15 points and 19 rebounds against Northeastern. 

• Battle is tied her the league lead in double-doubles (8) and paces the conference with 10.7 rebounds per game. 

• Tyi Skinner tallied 12 points in each game last week. She has reached double figures in eight of her last nine games and 11 times this winter. 

• The Blue Hens lead the CAA in rebounding margin (+7.62) and are atop the league in offensive rebounds per game (16.6). 

Drexel

• Drexel extended its winning streak to nine games following a 4-0 start in CAA play, with wins over Northeastern (63-50) and Hofstra (72-53) last week. 

• Keishana Washington averaged 18.0 ppg with scoring outputs of 14 and 22 points, respectively. She has reached double figures in all 14 games this season. 

• Washington ranks third in the conference, averaging 17.8 points per game. 

• Tess Brugler contributed 16.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, including her eighth double-double this season. On Friday, she tallied 19 points and 10 rebounds.   

• Brugler is tied for the CAA lead in double-doubles (8). Previously, Drexel had three double-doubles in the past two years. 

• Hannah Nihill added 12.0 points and 6.0 assists per game, including 17 points and five assists against Northeastern.     

• The Dragons lead the CAA in scoring defense (54.3 ppg), assists per game (16.1), assist/turnover ratio (1.42), and team field goal percentage (43.2%).  

•  At 12-2, Drexel is off to the best start in program history. The previous best mark was 10-2 during the 2016-17 season.

Elon

• Elon won its first CAA contest of the year defeating Charleston 65-60. 

• Brie Perpignan scored a game-high 22 points and matched a season-high with eight rebounds. 

• Perpignan has scored in double figures six straight games and 10 this season. 

• Kayla Liles posted the second double-double of her career, scoring a season-high 17 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. She also tied her career-high with seven steals in addition to posting five assists and a block. 

• Liles has recorded at least one steal in eight straight games and 12 of 13 this season. She ranks third in the CAA in steals per game (2.54).

• All 10 Elon players that logged minutes scored and made at least one field goal. 

• Elon set a season-high for rebounds, holding a 46-37 advantage on the glass. The Phoenix grabbed 16 offensive boards and scored 18 second-chance points. 

• The Phoenix is now 6-0 at home this season, marking the best start at home since the 2017-18 season (13-0).

Hofstra

• Hofstra dropped a pair of conference games, falling to Drexel (72-53) after a setback against Delaware (73-38). 

• All 10 players who saw the floor made at least one field goal against Drexel. 

• On Sunday, Jaylen Hines scored a team-high 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting and grabbed a game-high six rebounds. She averaged 12.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game for the week. 

• Hines has scored in double figures seven games this season, including five of her last six.

• Against Delaware, Sorelle Ineza paced the Pride with 12 points, marking the first time she has led Hofstra in the category this year. 

• On Friday, Jaala Henry added seven points, while Ineza and Selma Markisic tallied seven points on Sunday. 

• Hofstra finished with a season-high 14 steals at Delaware, led by Rosi Nicholson who had four.

• The Pride shot a season-best 82-percent from the free throw line (9-of-11) against Drexel. 

James Madison

• James Madison dropped its first CAA contest of the season, falling to Towson 79-70. 

• Six Dukes scored a least seven points in the contest, including all five starters.  

• Kiki Jefferson led the way with 19 points and 10 rebounds for her third double-double this season. She also recorded a career-best three blocks in the effort. 

• Jefferson ranks second in the conference scoring 18.0 points per game. She has eclipsed double figures in 12 games this season. 

• Jaylin Carodine tallied her second career double-double, recording a game-high 15 rebounds with 10 points. 

• Carodine ranks second in the CAA in rebounding (9.8 rpg) and has grabbed 12 or more rebounds in her past four contests. 

• Claire Neff was JMU's second-leading scorer with 13 points, and she added five rebounds. 

• JMU held a 50-42 advantage on the glass, including 18 offensive rebounds, which led to 21 second-chance points. 

UNCW

• UNCW had its games at William & Mary, and Elon postponed due to CoVID-19 protocols. Dates for rescheduling have not been announced. 

• Sierra DaCosta paces UNCW scoring 13.6 points per game on the season. 

• Last time out, DaCosta averaged 21.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, setting season-highs for points in back-to-back contests. She has scored in double figures 10 games this season. 

• Micah Hoggatt leads the team in rebounding (6.3 rpg) and adds 8.5 points per game. 

• Against Northeastern, Hoggatt recorded her first career double-double, tallying a career-high 20 points and a season-best 12 rebounds. 

• Allie Best has a team-high 29 assists (2.9 per game). She scored in double figures her past two games and averaged 10.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game the last week UNCW took the court. 

• UNCW leads the CAA in team three-point field goal percentage (34.3%) and free throw percentage (75.8%).  

Northeastern

• Northeastern dropped back-to-back conference games, falling to Drexel (63-50) and Delaware (79-60). 

• Claudia Soriano averaged 14.0 points and 3.5 steals per game, including a career-high 20 points against Drexel.  

• Soriano has recorded multiple steals in 11 games this season and has four or more on seven occasions. She ranks second in the conference in steals per game (3.38). 

• Emily Calabrese tallied a season-high 18 points to lead the Huskies against Delaware. She grabbed six rebounds and recorded two steals in the effort. 

• Katie May contributed 8.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. She recorded 11 points and five boards at Drexel, followed by five points and seven rebounds against Delaware.

• Kendall Currence added 10.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 2.5 apg throughout the week. She scored 13 points on Sunday, marking her eighth double-digit scoring output over the last nine games. 

• Northeastern ranks second in the CAA in scoring defense (58.8 ppg) and team field goal percentage (42.2%).

Towson

• Towson went 1-1 last week but improved to 3-0 in CAA play. The Tigers suffered a setback to Princeton (68-54) before defeating James Madison (79-70). 

• Allie Kubek was the Tigers' high scorer in both games with 19 and 28 (career-high) points, respectively. Additionally, she grabbed eight rebounds in each contest. 

• Aleah Nelson averaged 10.5 points, 6.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game. She tallied a season-high 10 assists versus JMU. 

• Nelson and Kubek are tied for fourth in the CAA in scoring (16.4 ppg). Towson is the only team in the conference with two scorers in the top five.

• Rayne Tucker paced Towson in rebounding (9.0 rpg). She contributed 11 points and seven rebounds against JMU after grabbing 11 boards at Princeton. 

• Anissa Rivera added 14.0 ppg and 6.5 rpg, including 20 points and six rebounds in the Tigers' victory.  

• Offensively, Towson leads the CAA in scoring margin (+17.93) and ranks second in scoring offense (77.7 ppg). 

• Defensively, the Tigers pace the CAA in field goal percentage defense (34.8%) and blocks per game (4.4). 

William & Mary

• William & Mary dropped an 87-71 decision to Charleston in conference play. 

• Riley Casey paced the Tribe, pouring in a career-high 27 points. She was 7-for-14 on three-point tries and added five rebounds with three assists.  

• Casey's seven made three-pointers are tied for the second-most in program history. 

• Dani McTeer added a career-best 13 points with five rebounds, knocking down all five of her attempts from the charity stripe.  

• Sydney Wagner recorded a career-high nine assists, nearly missing a double-double, adding 11 points. 

• Wagner leads William & Mary with 10 double-figure scoring performances this season, and she has recorded six such efforts in her previous seven games. 

• Kate Sramac contributed 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal in the effort. 

• William & Mary is second in the CAA in team free throw percentage, shooting 75.6% from the charity stripe.