CORAL GABLES, Fla. – A third-quarter surge from Miami was too much for the Colgate women's basketball team Friday night at Watsco Center, as the host Hurricanes topped the Raiders by a 67-49 final in the first round of the Miami Thanksgiving Tournament.
Colgate, who entered the game with a perfect 3-0 record, raced out to a six-point lead at the end of the first quarter against its ACC opponent thanks to a Madison Schiller three ball with 26 seconds left in the quarter. It capped a red-hot shooting stretch for the visitors, who knocked down a trio from behind the arc in the final three minutes of the quarter and totaled seven three-points in the game to easily set a season-high.
The Hurricanes came back to tie the score before the halftime break, then they outscored the Raiders by an 18-7 margin in the third quarter to all but put the game out of reach. Colgate cut the deficit down to nine on a Morgan McMahon three with 4:55 to play in the game, but Miami scored the next six points to seal the decision.
"First, I just want to say that I love my team, and I just loved our fight tonight," said head coach Ganiyat Adeduntan. "They came in with a high level of belief, effort and intensity. I asked them to show up and that's exactly what they did! We played with heart and toughness that unfortunately isn't easily seen based on what the final score reads. We will grow and be better from today."
HOW IT HAPPENED
Colgate's six-point lead at the end of the first quarter tied the largest deficit that Miami has had so far on the year. The Hurricanes also entered with a 3-0 mark and reached the Elite Eight in last season's NCAA tournament before they fell to eventual champion, LSU.
Three Raiders finished the game in double-digit scoring, as
Taylor Golembiewski led the team with 14, then Schiller totaled 12 and McMahon had 11. All three of those players also hit a pair of three-pointers to tie for the team lead.
Schiller also set a new season-high with four assists and tied for the team-high, as Alexa Brodie also had a quartet of helpers.
Sophia Diehl led the Raiders with six rebounds in the game and continues to top the Raiders in the category with 6.0 boards per game.
UP NEXT
Colgate concludes the Miami Thanksgiving Tournament Sunday morning in the consolation game against Norfolk State, who fell earlier Friday to East Tennessee State. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. from Watsco Center.
