To begin with, AU Basketball has been full of amazing team and individual performances. Firstly, Team Brown, led by guard Lexie Brown, defeated Team Russell, led by Seattle Storm center Mercedes Russell. Overall, Team Brown went 2-0 following their 98-85 victory in the ninth game of AU Basketball.
In addition, Team Brown led for 27 minutes, 55 seconds, counting the last 11 minutes, 28 seconds. The squad shot 54.8 percent from the field, marking the top shooting effort by a team in AU Basketball this season. It is the sixth time a team has shot greater than 50 percent from the field in the inaugural season.
Furthermore, Team Brown’s 13-point win is the biggest win of the season, overtaking the 11-point margin by Team Cloud against Team Russell in Game Eight. Team Brown snagged more boards than Team Russell by a 36-35 margin. Overall, teams that held the rebounding advantage possess a record of 5-4 this season through nine games.
Brown had a season-high ten rebounds to help her team’s cause. Both squads combined to shoot 27-for-31 (87.1 percent) from the charity stripe, including a 15-of-16 (93.8 percent) from Team Brown. All things considered, there were eight ties and ten lead changes in the contest.
Team Brown
Credit: Jade Hewitt – Athletes Unlimited
Without a doubt, former Dream forward Tianna Hawkins went off for an AU Basketball season-high 38 points, including 27 in the second half. She becomes the fifth player this season to have a 30-point game and the sixth player to have consecutive 20-point performances.
Hawkins’ 17 fourth-quarter points match the most by a player in a single quarter this season. Guard Odyssey Sims scored 17 points in the third quarter versus Team Mitchell back in Game Four. The former Martland Terrapin ended the game converting 14-of-18 (77.8 percent) of her field goal attempts, setting an AU Basketball season-high for made field goals. Not to mention that she was also perfect in seven attempts at the charity stripe and added eight rebounds.
.@TCOLE_0 🤝 @t_hawk21 #AUHoops | 📺: FS2 @FOXSports pic.twitter.com/bt1fpvqSm9
— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) February 5, 2022
Significantly, guard Taj Cole had her fourth double-digit scoring game in five contests after finishing with 23 points, including 17 in the first half. At any rate, she signed a Training Camp contract with the Connecticut Sun. Cole hit 9 of her 15 shots from the field and was 3-of-3 from the free-throw line.
Cole also converted the first four-point play in AU Basketball history. She made a three-pointer and ensuing free throw after she was fouled with under four minutes left in the second quarter.
What’s more, Brown nearly missed a triple-double in the win after scoring nine points with ten rebounds and eight assists. Forward Jessica Kuster came off the bench to score a season-high 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field. In this AU Basketball matchup, the former Rice Owl also grabbed four rebounds in 22 minutes.
Team Russell
Credit: Jade Hewitt – Athletes Unlimited
On the other hand, guard MeMe Jackson and Russell each notched 17 points in the loss for Team Russell. By comparison, Jackson was 6-of-11 from the field, including a 5-for-9 showing from beyond the arc. By the same token, Russell converted 5-of-14 field goal attempts and drained seven of her eight free throws. The pair also tied center Nikki Greene for a team-high six rebounds.
Greene, who spent two seasons in the WNBA (2014-2015), had 13 points and 11 rebounds in the game. She posted her second straight double-digit scoring game with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor and 3-of-5 at the foul line.
WHAT CAN’T @Kelz_Hoop DO?! 🥵#AUHoops | 📺: FS2 @FOXSports pic.twitter.com/0zlC9AevCd
— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) February 5, 2022
Lastly, Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell scored 13 points with four rebounds and four assists.
AU Basketball: Game Nine MVPs (Total Points)
MVP 1: Hawkins (Team Brown) – 90 points (715 points)
MVP 2: Mitchell (Team Russell) – 60 points (176 points)
MVP 3: Cole (Team Brown) – 30 points (496 points)
Your Game 9 MVPs are… 🥁
— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) February 5, 2022
1️⃣ @t_hawk21
2️⃣ @Kelz_Hoop
3️⃣ @TCOLE_0 #BeUnlimited | #AUHoops pic.twitter.com/cghObgdTBn
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