Ben Martindale, Contributing Writer
Benney Koch, Contributing Writer
VCU women’s basketball kicked off its season opener against the University of Maryland Eastern Shore on Wednesday at the Siegel Center.
The Rams’ defense was stifling from the start, forcing a turnover that led to a fastbreak layup and VCU’s first points of the game.
Both teams relied on their defense early, jumping passing lanes and diving on the floor for loose balls.
UMES began implementing a full court press to great effect, forcing back-to-back turnovers. They took a 5-4 lead four minutes into the first quarter.
VCU fourth-year guard Mary-Anna Asare was on fire through the first five minutes, scoring the Rams’ first eight points.
Second-year guard Cyriah Griffin got on the board with a baseline mid-range jumper to give VCU a 12-10 lead with less than three minutes remaining in the first quarter.
The Rams went into the second quarter down just five points, despite turning the ball over 11 times in the first quarter.
Griffin continued her solid play by knocking down a pair of free throws to cut the UMES’ lead down to 21-16.
VCU’s turnover woes continued with three in the first minute of the second quarter, but first-year guard Patricia Augustin drained a corner three to stop the bleeding and bring the lead to two.
A series of rapid fire passes succeeded in breaking the UMES press, resulting in an open look for a sharpshooting Asare, who knocked down her first three of the game and increased her points to 13.
The Rams’s superb defense kept them in the game, forcing their 15th first half turnover leading to a fast break layup by Griffin.
VCU went into the half down 32-29. The two teams have committed a combined 33 turnovers.
VCU got on the board first to start the second half with a nice finish inside by Augustin. She had an aggressive defensive performance and used her instinct to jump the passing lane and collect her third steal.
Riding their defensive momentum, second-year forward Isabel Whitelaw knocked down a corner three to give the Rams their first lead of the second half, 35-33.
Griffin knocked down another three from the exact same spot to follow, giving VCU a 40-37 lead.
The Rams found their groove on both ends of the floor, closing the quarter on a dominant 16-0 run to extend their lead to 53-37.
The Siegel Center was evacuated between quarters after a fire alarm went off, causing the game to be briefly halted.
VCU’s stifling defense picked up right where they left off, forcing a turnover to start the fourth quarter after play resumed.
“It’s hard to do, that was a long break,” head coach Beth O’Boyle said. “Just impressed that these guys stuck with it. It was a challenge that we had to overcome tonight.”
Asare continued her excellent play, finishing at the rim to put VCU on the board in the final period.
UMES refused to quit despite the deficit, cutting the VCU lead to 12 with five minutes left on the clock.
Asare stifled UMES’ momentum with a crossover at the top of the key — leading to a tough and-one lefty finish.
VCU did not give another inch and rode its defensive play to a 62-48 victory.
Asare showcased her unique brand of leadership and led the team in scoring with 23 points — which helped her reach 1,000 career points at VCU.
“I honestly have a good relationship with everybody off the court and I think that’s where it starts, knowing that they trust me and respect me means the world to me,” Asare said. “It’s really comforting to know they got my back no matter what, and same goes for them.”
VCU plays its next game against Villanova University in Toronto, Canada on Sunday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m.