Carolina University Women’s Basketball faced a challenging opponent on Saturday as they played against No. 13-ranked Rio Grande in Ohio. This was the second meeting between the two teams this season. In their previous matchup on November 11, Rio Grande won with a score of 108–53.
During Saturday’s game, Carolina showed moments of strong play, especially in the first quarter where they scored 14 points and shot 46% from the field. Jakyiiah Willis led Carolina with 12 points, including two early three-pointers that kept the team close in the opening minutes. Angelina Jordan contributed 10 points, five rebounds, and two assists. MeiLani Patterson added another 10 points along with six rebounds and two steals. Ja’Nisha Caldwell had a team-high ten rebounds, eight points, and five steals.
Despite their efforts, Carolina struggled to keep up with Rio Grande’s scoring inside and bench contributions as the game went on. The RedStorm finished with 60 points in the paint and received 33 points from their bench players. The final score was 92–50 in favor of Rio Grande.
Head Coach Hannah Latiolais commented after the game: “Coming off the break, our group showed energy and competed from the start,” said Head Coach Hannah Latiolais. “Rio Grande is a top-15 program for a reason, but I’m proud of the moments where we executed well and showed growth. We’ll use this experience to prepare for a busy stretch ahead.”
Carolina University will continue its schedule on Wednesday, December 10, when they travel to Morris College for an afternoon game as they look to build on positive aspects from Saturday’s performance.
