Given that we are one week into AU Basketball, we have treated to some outstanding individual performances. However, one team that has been impressive is Team Carrington, led by Connecticut Sun guard/forward DiJonai Carrington. They defeated Team Sims, led by Atlanta Dream guard Odyssey Sims, by a score of 84-78.
Overall, Team Carrington became the first team in AU Basketball history to win all three of their games in a week. They beat Team Micthell, led by a 92-85 score in Game Two by Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell. Also, they won a double-overtime classic in Game Three 110-104 against Team Russell, led by Seattle Storm center Mercedes Russell.
Both Team Carrington and Team Sims had 28 points in the paint. But, comparatively, Team Carrington owned a 19-5 upper hand in points off turnovers.
Team Carrington
To begin, forward Isabelle Harrison led Team Carrington in double figures with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe.
The Dallas Wings player also nabbed six board, which tied Carrington for the most on the team. However, Harrison fell short of her third consecutive 20-point with her 19 points.
❌ NOT. TODAY. ❌@OMG_itsizzyb stops the shot and comes up with the ball 🥵#AUHoops | 📺: FS2 @FOXSports pic.twitter.com/aMzuxQzXxR
— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) January 30, 2022
In total, she wrapped up Week One of AU Basketball with averaging 20 points while hitting 24-of-46 (52.2 percent) of field goal attempts.
In addition, Washington Mystics guard Natasha Cloud scored 12 points and doled out seven assists in the victory for Team Carrington. She concludes the week averaging 16.3 points and 35 assists with just four turnovers.
Team Sims
Team Sims is the first team in AU Basketball history to have lost all three of its games in a single week. Regardless of that, there were positives to come away with—the squad lost by a combined 20 points in their losses.
Moreover, Team Sims set an AU Basketball season-high by scoring 26 points in the first quarter. They went 9-of-17 from the field, including 4-for-7 from three-point range, and made 4-of-5 free throws.
Former Atlanta Dream center Kalani Brown put up her second straight 20-point game after making 6-of-11 shots for Team Sims. The former Baylor Bear finished the opening week, shooting 72.7 percent from the field while averaging 20.0 points a game.
TOO STRONG 😤@kalanibrown21 adds to her point total with this bucket 🪣#AUHoops | 📺: FS2 @FOXSports pic.twitter.com/KR6WWWNJMt
— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) January 30, 2022
By comparison, Sims had her second consecutive 20-point performance after scoring a game-high 24 points in the loss. The Dream guard ended the game making 9-of-15 field goal attempts in addition to a 3-for-4 showing at the free-throw line.
Guard Kirby Burkholder had her best game of the AU Basketball weekend with eight points and six rebounds off the bench. The former James Madison Dukes player went 4-of-8 in field goals and an assist.
AU Basketball: Game Five MVPs (Total Points)
- MVP 1: Harrison (Team Carrington) – 90 points (482 points)
- MVP 2: Cloud (Team Carrington) – 60 points (447 points)
- MVP 3: Brown (Team Sims) – 30 points (311 points)
Your Game 5️⃣ MVPs are… 🥁
— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) January 30, 2022
1️⃣ @OMG_itsizzyb
2️⃣ @T_Cloud4
3️⃣ @kalanibrown21 #BeUnlimited | #AUHoops pic.twitter.com/gfoerEgmq3
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