TAMPA, Fla. (November 11, 2022) - Women's basketball started their season on the right foot with a big 66-49 win against the West Georgia Wolves in the South Region Crossover, hosted by the University of Tampa on Friday afternoon.
The tone was set early on by newcomer Aaliyah Irizarry-Perez, who scored the first bucket of the year, and six of the first nine points for the Tars. The Furman transfer established her presence down low early on, converting on shots in the paint and earning multiple trips to the free throw line. By the end of the first quarter, she had eight points and three rebounds as Rollins held a slim one-point lead, 14-13.
The defense stepped up for Rollins in the second quarter, forcing six turnovers and turning them into nine points. Irizarry-Perez and
Shannelle Heredia each added four points down low, but the statement came late in the period when the Tars hit three-pointers on three consecutive possessions courtesy of
Isabella Prada,
Maria Atanassov-Tomas and
Lucy Leen. They would head in to halftime with a 31-25 lead.
Quarter three saw the two teams moving in opposite directions. Rollins' defense continued to impress, limiting the Wolves to 28% shooting while the offense poured it in at 64% (9-14). Included in that number were two more threes from Leen, as well as a long-range bucket from Irizarry-Perez. The Tars also continued their dominance down low, pouring in ten paint points as they outscored West Georgia 22-14, giving them a 14-point lead in the game.
The Tars cruised to victory in the fourth as they once again limited the opposition offensively. West Georgia only managed to convert one shot from the field in the final frame, shooting 1-8 from the floor. Claire Erickson came off the bench to lead the Tars with seven points in the fourth.
Irizarry-Perez ended the game with 19 points on 75% shooting to go with six rebounds and two steals. Leen poured in thirteen points and five rebounds while playing a team-high 28 minutes.
It's a quick turnaround for the Tars as they will play a second game on Saturday against Spring Hill. Tipoff is scheduled for 12:00 pm from Tampa.
