Women’s basketball loses first 2 home games

The Eagles looking to avenge their loss last week to the University of Wyoming played their first home games of the season against Augustana University—losing 82-52—and the University of Nebraska at Kearney—losing 66-59—in two non-conference match-ups Friday, Nov. 20 and Saturday, Nov. 21, respectively.

In the first game they faced off against Augustana, it was an uphill battle for the Eagles all night trying to take the lead after being down early in the game.

Maka Daysh, sophomore of Tauranga, New Zealand, led the Eagles offense with 13 points on three of seven shooting from the field and seven of 11 shooting from the free throw line. Erin Graham, junior of DeLand, Florida, scored 10 points on four of 14 shooting from the field and two of three shooting from the free throw line. The pair combined for 23 points out of the team’s total 52 points.

The Eagles struggled to find ways to create assists for other players on the floor. However, even with the team struggling two players found a way to contribute. Emma Block, senior of Copenhagen, Denmark, and Kayla Matthews, sophomore of Adelaide, Australia, gave the team three assists a piece.

Defensively, the Eagles created 18 Viking turnovers but were only able to score five points off turnovers.

The Eagles struggled to keep them off the offensive glass, giving up a total of 23 offensive rebounds during the game.

However, the Eagles defense did have a few bright spots during the evening. Block managed to come away with three steals and five other Eagles also contributed one steal apiece. Keeley Pearce, freshman of Adelaide, Australia, finished the night with two blocks. The only other Eagle to get a block that night was Havannah Newens, junior of Mitchell.

The Eagles were outmatched during the whole evening, never having the lead during the game and big reason for that was turnovers; the Eagles turned the ball over 33 times compared to Augustana’s 18. The game was not pretty for either team but Augustana kept pushing the lead by scoring in a myriad of ways while the Eagles couldn’t. Augustana went on to win the game, 82-52.

In the second game of the weekend, the Eagles played against the University of Nebraska at Kearney in a game that many from both schools would view as a rivalry. The Eagles offense was again led by Daysh, who scored 21 points on eight of 11 shooting from the field and five of eight shooting from the free-throw line. She also led the team in rebounds, pulling down a total of eight rebounds in 24 minutes of play.

Stephanie Knowles, senior of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Block also scored nine points apiece. The trio combined for 39 of the team’s 59 points, Block also dished out four assists, which led the team.

Defensively, the Eagles created 16 turnovers, but they only managed to score nine total points off them. Allegria Chisom, senior of Wichita, Kansas, and Daysh were the only two Eagles players to record a steal during the game. Knowles, Daysh, and Chisom all managed to record two blocks on the evening and Pearce and Jasmine Hill, junior of Edgewater, Florida, both had one block apiece.

While the Eagles did play better this game than the previous game, turnovers were still a major factor and could be seen as one of the main reasons why they lost; the Eagles accumulated turnovers while only collecting 10 assists. The Lopers had 16 turnovers with 14 assists.

The Eagles fought hard but could not come away with a win this weekend eventually losing to the Lopers, 66-59.

CSC’s next game will be against Montana State University-Billings, 5:15 p.m., Friday in Billings.