University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Sunday, November 19
Greeley, Colo
2pm
University of Northern Colorado
4-0
73
vs
60
San Francisco
1-2
1
2
3
4
F
San Francisco
23
8
16
13
60
Northern Colorado
12
20
27
14
73
Photo by: Dean Popejoy
Recap: @UNCBearsWBB Keeps It Rolling With 73-60 Win Over San Francisco
11/19/2017 6:55:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Northern Colorado women's basketball improved to 4-0 on the season with a complete performance against San Francisco
GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado women's basketball improved to 4-0 for the first time since the 2014-15 season with a 73-60 win over San Francisco Sunday afternoon inside Bank of Colorado Arena. The Bears overcame a 13 point deficit early in the second quarter and switched it the complete opposite way by the time the clock struck zero to end the game.
San Francisco came out quick to start the game going up 8-2 within the first two minutes, including hitting a pair of 3s. UNC cut the Dons' lead to 8-6 as Kianna Williams scored four straight points for the team with a jumper and pair of free throws.
While Northern Colorado cut into the lead, San Francisco's offense stayed hot throughout the first quarter as they hit five 3-pointers and shot 64.3 percent from the field. The strong shooting gave USF a 23-12 after the first 10 minutes of play.
In the second quarter, San Francisco's offense cooled off, and the Bears defensive intensity picked up. The Dons extended its lead to 13 with a jumper from Shannon Powell to begin the quarter, but then it was all UNC after that.
Northern Colorado went on a 20-2 run after that, holding USF to just one made field goal over an eight and a half minute span. UNC's New Zealanders Krystal Leger-Walker and Tiarna Clarke started the run with each hitting a 3 to cut the Dons' lead in half.
Following the pair of 3s, San Francisco made its lone basket during the UNC run before Savannah Smith hit a trey of her own to start a 14-0 run for Northern Colorado. During the run, San Francisco turned the ball over four times. Clarke scored eight of her 10 points in the game during the 20-2 run, helping UNC outscore USF 20-8 in the quarter, and lead 32-31 at halftime.
Coming out the break, San Francisco started strong again, going up by five at the 6:27 mark of the quarter, but the Bears closed it out strong.
It started with a 10-2 run sparked by a 3 from Savannah Smith and Savannah Scott, tying the game on Smith's trey and going up by three on Scott's. Northern Colorado then closed the game out on a 12-3 run. Savannah Smith scored eight of the 12 points for the Bears during the run including two more 3-pointers. The big run allowed UNC to enter the fourth quarter with a 59-47 lead.
San Francisco made a run at Northern Colorado with a 6-0 run to start the fourth quarter, cutting the lead in half, but never closer than that as UNC closed out the game with another run, this one 9-0 over 3 minutes and 15-second span. The dagger came on a fast break 3-pointer by Savannah Scott from Leger-Walker. The 3 was set up by a Courtney Smith steal on the other end of the floor.
UNC did not score over the final 2:34 of the game, but USF only scored three points as the Bears secured the 73-60 win.
They Said It
Head Coach Kamie Ethridge
On how the team slowed down San Francisco following the first quarter
"San Francisco is a good shooting team and I was worried they were going to continue to make shots like they did in the first quarter. Our scouting report said do not allow them to hit 3s. They had not been hitting on them yet this year, but it was a matter of time. I was surprised their post player stepped out and made a couple of shots against Courtney Smith, but I was worried after the way they shot in the first quarter. Once we said to guard the three better and stop helping on drives we did not need to, our defense improved for the remainder of the game."
About Kianna Williams impact on the team
"Kianna Williams can guard everybody. She helps even when it's not her help and makes a huge impact on that side of the floor. I think she is the best defender in the Big Sky and can guard anybody. She impacts games in so many ways and when she is scoring and getting to the foul line that is just icing on the cake."
Senior Forward Kianna Williams
About doing it all for the team
"When I was a sophomore Coach E emphasized for me to become a stat stuffer and fill in every category a little. Since then I have been focused on doing that and helping the team."
How the defense improved following the first quarter
"We played together more on defense and talked more about switching on ball screens. We pressed out more on them and pushed them off of the 3-point line."
Senior Guard Savannah Scott
On how Kianna Williams energizes the team
"Watching Kianna get on the floor after the loose ball, or working to grab the rebound just brings us a lot of energy. When she does that we want to make sure we finish the possession out with a good shot for her work."
Game Changer
Kianna Williams effected every aspect of the game Sunday afternoon finishing with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists, two rebounds and a block. She went 4-of-7 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Her impact could have been even greater if she did not get into foul trouble during the first half.
Stat to Know
Northern Colorado's defense was relentless against San Francisco all game long. After USF started the game shooting 64.3 percent in the first quarter, and making five 3-pointers, UNC held the Dons to 38.1 percent for the remainder of the game and just one 3-pointer. The Bears also forced 17 turnovers in the game, 11 via a steal. Those 17 USF turnovers led to 20 UNC points.
Game Notes
- Northern Colorado had its most balanced offensive performance of the young season on Sunday night, with four players finishing in double figures. Savannah Scott led the team with 19 points, while Savannah Smith (18), Kianna Williams (12) and Tiarna Clarke (10) joined her. Scott not only led the team in scoring but in rebounds too, with nine.
- The Bears' Savannahs combined to go 7-of-10 from beyond the arc for UNC. The team made nine 3s in the game.
- Free throws were a big part in deciding the outcome of the game, as Northern Colorado was 14-for-15 from the line, while USF was 4-for-10.
- Krystal Leger-Walker continues to have a strong sophomore season, she finished the game with seven points, four of them offensive, five points, five assists and a steal.
What's Ahead?
Northern Colorado is heading east for Thanksgiving. The Bears will play the day before and the day after turkey day by taking on Quinnipiac and Fordham, respectively. Tip-off at Quinnipiac is set for 11 am MT on November 22.
UNC returns home on Thursday, November 30 to host BYU. Tip-off between the Bears and Cougars is set for 7 pm MT. Tickets are on sale now, starting as low as $5, some fees may apply.
To stay up to date on all things UNC women's basketball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @UNCBearsWBB.
San Francisco came out quick to start the game going up 8-2 within the first two minutes, including hitting a pair of 3s. UNC cut the Dons' lead to 8-6 as Kianna Williams scored four straight points for the team with a jumper and pair of free throws.
While Northern Colorado cut into the lead, San Francisco's offense stayed hot throughout the first quarter as they hit five 3-pointers and shot 64.3 percent from the field. The strong shooting gave USF a 23-12 after the first 10 minutes of play.
In the second quarter, San Francisco's offense cooled off, and the Bears defensive intensity picked up. The Dons extended its lead to 13 with a jumper from Shannon Powell to begin the quarter, but then it was all UNC after that.
Northern Colorado went on a 20-2 run after that, holding USF to just one made field goal over an eight and a half minute span. UNC's New Zealanders Krystal Leger-Walker and Tiarna Clarke started the run with each hitting a 3 to cut the Dons' lead in half.
Following the pair of 3s, San Francisco made its lone basket during the UNC run before Savannah Smith hit a trey of her own to start a 14-0 run for Northern Colorado. During the run, San Francisco turned the ball over four times. Clarke scored eight of her 10 points in the game during the 20-2 run, helping UNC outscore USF 20-8 in the quarter, and lead 32-31 at halftime.
Coming out the break, San Francisco started strong again, going up by five at the 6:27 mark of the quarter, but the Bears closed it out strong.
It started with a 10-2 run sparked by a 3 from Savannah Smith and Savannah Scott, tying the game on Smith's trey and going up by three on Scott's. Northern Colorado then closed the game out on a 12-3 run. Savannah Smith scored eight of the 12 points for the Bears during the run including two more 3-pointers. The big run allowed UNC to enter the fourth quarter with a 59-47 lead.
San Francisco made a run at Northern Colorado with a 6-0 run to start the fourth quarter, cutting the lead in half, but never closer than that as UNC closed out the game with another run, this one 9-0 over 3 minutes and 15-second span. The dagger came on a fast break 3-pointer by Savannah Scott from Leger-Walker. The 3 was set up by a Courtney Smith steal on the other end of the floor.
UNC did not score over the final 2:34 of the game, but USF only scored three points as the Bears secured the 73-60 win.
They Said It
Head Coach Kamie Ethridge
On how the team slowed down San Francisco following the first quarter
"San Francisco is a good shooting team and I was worried they were going to continue to make shots like they did in the first quarter. Our scouting report said do not allow them to hit 3s. They had not been hitting on them yet this year, but it was a matter of time. I was surprised their post player stepped out and made a couple of shots against Courtney Smith, but I was worried after the way they shot in the first quarter. Once we said to guard the three better and stop helping on drives we did not need to, our defense improved for the remainder of the game."
About Kianna Williams impact on the team
"Kianna Williams can guard everybody. She helps even when it's not her help and makes a huge impact on that side of the floor. I think she is the best defender in the Big Sky and can guard anybody. She impacts games in so many ways and when she is scoring and getting to the foul line that is just icing on the cake."
Senior Forward Kianna Williams
About doing it all for the team
"When I was a sophomore Coach E emphasized for me to become a stat stuffer and fill in every category a little. Since then I have been focused on doing that and helping the team."
How the defense improved following the first quarter
"We played together more on defense and talked more about switching on ball screens. We pressed out more on them and pushed them off of the 3-point line."
Senior Guard Savannah Scott
On how Kianna Williams energizes the team
"Watching Kianna get on the floor after the loose ball, or working to grab the rebound just brings us a lot of energy. When she does that we want to make sure we finish the possession out with a good shot for her work."
Game Changer
Kianna Williams effected every aspect of the game Sunday afternoon finishing with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists, two rebounds and a block. She went 4-of-7 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Her impact could have been even greater if she did not get into foul trouble during the first half.
Stat to Know
Northern Colorado's defense was relentless against San Francisco all game long. After USF started the game shooting 64.3 percent in the first quarter, and making five 3-pointers, UNC held the Dons to 38.1 percent for the remainder of the game and just one 3-pointer. The Bears also forced 17 turnovers in the game, 11 via a steal. Those 17 USF turnovers led to 20 UNC points.
Game Notes
- Northern Colorado had its most balanced offensive performance of the young season on Sunday night, with four players finishing in double figures. Savannah Scott led the team with 19 points, while Savannah Smith (18), Kianna Williams (12) and Tiarna Clarke (10) joined her. Scott not only led the team in scoring but in rebounds too, with nine.
- The Bears' Savannahs combined to go 7-of-10 from beyond the arc for UNC. The team made nine 3s in the game.
- Free throws were a big part in deciding the outcome of the game, as Northern Colorado was 14-for-15 from the line, while USF was 4-for-10.
- Krystal Leger-Walker continues to have a strong sophomore season, she finished the game with seven points, four of them offensive, five points, five assists and a steal.
What's Ahead?
Northern Colorado is heading east for Thanksgiving. The Bears will play the day before and the day after turkey day by taking on Quinnipiac and Fordham, respectively. Tip-off at Quinnipiac is set for 11 am MT on November 22.
UNC returns home on Thursday, November 30 to host BYU. Tip-off between the Bears and Cougars is set for 7 pm MT. Tickets are on sale now, starting as low as $5, some fees may apply.
To stay up to date on all things UNC women's basketball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @UNCBearsWBB.
Team Stats
USF
NC
FG%
.446
.455
3FG%
.316
.474
FT%
.400
.933
RB
35
33
TO
17
15
STL
7
11
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
19
FGM
8
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
18
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
4
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
PG
/ Women's Basketball
G/PG
/ Women's Basketball
G
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