Scouting Report: VCU vs. Duquesne
Illustration by Killian Goodale-Porter.
The VCU women’s basketball team will face off against Duquesne University in a conference matchup at home in the Siegel Center on Thursday, Jan. 30. Here are some of the key players to watch out for in this matchup.
VCU
Andrew McGhan, Staff Writer
Mykel Parham – The 6-foot-1-inch graduate student forward is a defensive anchor for VCU. Mykel Parham is currently leading the team in rebounds with 208 total rebounds and is averaging 10.4 rebounds per game, according to VCU Athletics. The forward leads the team in blocks with 24 total blocks, the closest player to her has 6 total blocks. Parham was selected to the All-Atlantic 10 Defensive team for her play in the 2023-2024 season, according to VCU Athletics. In that season, she led the team again in rebounds by averaging 8.4 rebounds a game. Parham’s defensive capabilities pose a huge match-up problem for opposing offensives and will play a key factor in Thursday’s match-up.
Renata Belhaj Mendez, Contributing Writer
Mary-Anna Asare As the Lady Rams prepare to head up north to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to face off against Duquesne, VCU third-year guard Mary-Anna Asare will most certainly be a player the Dukes will have to keep an eye on. Earlier this month, Duquesne lost 63-65 against the VCU Rams at the Siegel Center because of Asare. The 5-foot-8-inch guard dropped a whopping 37 points, a career-high, and the second-most points in school history, according to VCU Athletics. Asare had an incredible performance in this close-knit game. She already has 324 points averaging 15.4 points per game halfway into the regular season, according to VCU Athletics. Asare’s quickness and ability to find openings in the opponent’s defense will keep the Dukes on high alert in this upcoming match-up.
Duquesne
Jenny Allen, Contributing Writer
Megan McConnell – The 5-foot-7-inch fourth-year guard, Megan McConnell is a key player for the Dukes. In the 2023-2024 season, McConnell was named Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team, Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team and Atlantic 10 All-Academic Team, according to Duquesne University Athletics. Most recently, after the Duquesne game against La Salle University, McConnell is now nine points away from surpassing guard Darcie Vincent for sixth place on the all-time scoring list, according to Pittsburgh Sports Now. In the last game against VCU at the Siegel Center, McConnell had 24 points, five assists and two steals, making her a key player to watch out for, according to Duquesne University Athletics. McConnell’s ability to score off the attack makes her a dangerous player for the VCU team. In order for VCU to walk away with a win, they will need to keep her off the board and lock in on their defense.
Kyler Gilliam, Staff Writer
Jerni Kaiku – As an offensive weapon for the Dukes, Jerni Kaiku is helping lead Duquesne to the top-scoring offense in the conference. The 5-foot-7 third-year guard is the second leading scorer on her team and is top-15 in points per game in the Atlantic 10, according to the Atlantic 10. Averaging 14.1 points per game and shooting 50.3% from the field, Kaiku establishes a consistent shot inside the arc. Kaiku pairs her scoring ability with being opportunistic on the defensive side of the ball; she is second on the team in steals, according to Duquesne University Athletics. VCU will have to rely on their defense to slow down the scoring of the Dukes, especially Kaiku.
