@CanesWBB Wins 55-47 over Bethune-Cookman

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CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Led by the sharpshooting of Michelle Woods, the University of Miami women’s basketball team took down Bethune-Cookman 55-47 Sunday at the BankUnited Center.

Woods, a redshirt senior guard scored 12 points in the third quarter, all off 3-pointers, and finished with a game-high 17 points in the Miami (2-0) victory. Redshirt junior forward Keyona Hayes also tallied her ninth-career double-double, logging 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

“Bethune did a great job,” Miami head coach Katie Meier said. “They played with way more energy than we did. So, when you get lessons in a win that’s a good day.”

Bethune-Cookman (0-2) came out strong to open the game and led 16-11 after one quarter of play. The Wildcats shot 4-of-5 from 3-point range in the opening period, the last make coming from sophomore forward Lyndsey Edwards just before the buzzer sounded.

Following a low-scoring second quarter, the Wildcats retained the edge and went into the locker room ahead 21-19. The three leading scorers at the break all had six points, including Miami redshirt junior forward Keyona Hayes, who made all three of her shot attempts in the opening 20 minutes.

Woods took over for the Hurricanes in the third quarter, shooting them into a lead they would not relinquish. After the Wildcats scored the first two points of the period, Woods knocked down three-straight 3-pointers in a minute and three seconds to put Miami ahead 28-23 with 7:50 left in the frame.

The Naples, Fla. native hit a fourth 3-pointer of the period to give the Hurricanes their first lead of double figures, 33-23, with 6:27 on the clock. Bethune-Cookman responded with an 8-0 run to slice the lead to two with 2:49 left in the period, but sophomore forward Erykah Davenport quickly countered with three-consecutive baskets for Miami to stretch the lead back to eight.

When the frantic third quarter finally came to an end, the Hurricanes held a 39-33 edge, scoring more points in the period than they did in the first half.

“Michelle has really been working on her shot and she’s been real consistent,” Meier said. “The more surprising thing was the first and second quarter, honestly. She was, in all of our drills, hitting shots at a high percentage. In scrimmages and games and exhibition games she’s been hitting shots, so I wasn’t surprised at the third quarter. I was surprised at the first and second.”

The Wildcats were unable to get it back to a one-possession game in the final quarter and Miami stretched its lead out to as much as 12 en route to the eight-point win.

Three Bethune-Cookman players finished with double figures, led by 15 from redshirt junior guard Taylor Houston. Freshman guard Angel Golden had 13 and redshirt senior guard Jasmine Knowles added 11.

Miami will begin its road slate Tuesday when it faces Old Dominion at 7 p.m. at the Ted Constant Center in Norfolk, Va. 

To keep up with the University of Miami women’s basketball team throughout the 2015-16 season, follow @CanesWBB.

MIAMI HURRICANES POSTGAME NOTES

·         As was the case in the season opener, the Hurricanes’ starting lineup consisted of Davenport, Hayes, junior guard Adrienne Motley, junior guard Jessica Thomas and Woods.
·         Miami improved its edge in the all-time series against Bethune-Cookman to 8-1 and has now won six-consecutive meetings.
·         Meier is now 261-179 in her 15 seasons as a head coach, including 185-134 in her 11 years at Miami.
·         This is the third time in the last nine years the Hurricanes have started the season 2-0, joining the 2009-10 and 2012-13 campaigns.
·         The Hurricanes have had a player score at least a dozen points in the third quarter of both games this season. Thomas had 13 against Wright State and Woods had 12 today.
·         Miami held the Wildcats to five points in the second period.
·         The Hurricanes recorded an assist on 71.4 percent of their made field goals (15-of-21).
·         Miami had a 43-26 edge in rebounding, including 21-6 on the offensive end.
·         Woods set a career high with 10 3-point field goal attempts (previous high nine, at NC State, 2/19/15) and tied a career high with 14 field goal attempts (previous at NC State, 2/19/15).
·         Sophomore forward Keyanna Harris played a career-high 20 minutes (previous high 17 vs. Illinois State, 11/28/14).
·         Hayes has finished with 12-plus points and nine-plus rebounds in both games this year.
·         Hayes’ seven offensive rebounds were more than all but one other player on either team had total.
·         Woods shot 4-of-4 from 3-point range in the third period. She has made four 3-pointers in both games this season.
·         Motley surpassed 2,000 minutes played in her career and also reached 350 made field goals.
·         Thomas moved past 150 rebounds as a Hurricane.
·         Woods eclipsed 100 steals in her collegiate career.
·         Hayes reached 50 assists in her career at Miami.
·         Motley is now 80 points away from 1,000 as a Hurricane.