LYNCHBURG, Va. - The Randolph College women's basketball team kicked off their season with a dominant 62-35 victory over Regent University. A strong team effort propelled the WildCats to secure their first win of the season.
The game was tightly contested in the first quarter, with both teams tied at 14. However, Randolph surged ahead in the second quarter, outscoring Regent 20-3. This decisive period set the tone for the rest of the game, with Randolph's defense holding Regent to only 35 points on 26.7% shooting. The WildCats also capitalized on turnovers, scoring 29 points off Regent's 30 turnovers.
"Overall, for our first game, I was happy with our effort and energy," said Coach Lanpher. "We came out a little tight in the first quarter offensively but defensively we stayed connected and made them take tough shots which allowed us to gain a lot of separation in the 2nd quarter."
Kylie Stark led the charge for Randolph with 15 points, six rebounds, and four assists, hitting two three-pointers along the way.
Teniyah Crenshaw-Patterson contributed a solid all-around performance with eight points and a team-high nine rebounds.
Natija Pate provided a scoring boost off the bench, tallying 10 points, including a perfect 5-for-6 from the free-throw line.
Simone Brown added eight points, showcasing Randolph's depth with a bench that contributed 26 points.
"Our defensive pressure forced 30 turnovers which allowed us to really dominate the 2nd and 3rd quarters to put the game out of reach," said Lanpher. "I thought we got great production from our post players, Simone, Natija, and Lex, combining for 22 pts & 10 rebounds."
On the boards, Randolph displayed dominance with a 48-31 rebounding advantage, including 22 offensive rebounds that led to 19 second-chance points. Regent's Shardae Williams and My'Angel Carter led their team with 12 points each, but Regent's shooting struggles, especially from beyond the arc (3-for-17), made it difficult for them to keep up.
"Taniya and Imani were solid from the point guard spot. I thought they did a nice job controlling tempo and getting us into our offensive sets," said Lanpher. "It is always great to get that first win of the season."
The WildCats will be back in action on Wednesday at home against Salem College. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00pm.
