DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman Women's Basketball opens its 2024 home season this weekend as the Wildcats welcome the University of Fort Lauderdale to Richard V. Moore Gymnasium on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 2 p.m. The game will be a "White Out" where all fans are encouraged to wear white.
 
What: Game Two
Who: Bethune-Cookman (0-1) vs. Fort Lauderdale (1-2)
When: Saturday, Nov. 9, at 2 p.m.
Where: Daytona Beach, Fla. – Richard V. Moore Gymnasium (1,000)
 
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IN THE RANKINGS
▪ Bethune-Cookman is not ranked in this week's Associated Press Top 25
▪ Fort Lauderdale is not ranked in this week's Associated Press Top 25
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Keep up with everything Bethune-Cookman Women's Basketball this season by following the Wildcats social media platforms. You can follow @BCU_WBB on Instagram and @BCUWBB on X/Twitter.
 
FAN INFORMATION/PROMOTIONS
▪ Doors open one hour prior to tip-off at the South entrance of Richard V. Moore Gymnasium.
▪ The clear bag policy is in effect for all Bethune-Cookman Athletics events.
▪ Theme: White Out
▪ All Bethune-Cookman fans are encouraged to wear WHITE for the game.
 
NEWS & NOTES
▪ Under Head Coach Janell Crayton Del Rosario, Bethune-Cookman is 1-2 in home opening contests including a 74-72 overtime win over Iona last season.
▪ In the season opener away to South Florida, B-CU connected on 13 of 21 shots from the free throw line.
▪ Despite being forced into 20 turnovers against the Bulls, B-CU turned the Bulls over 18 times with guard Karianna Woods collecting three steals on the night.
▪ Six newcomers saw action in the season opener, including a start by freshman point guard Jordan Brooks and transfers Asianae Nicholson and Shomari Phillips.
▪ Senior forward Chanelle McDonald was a perfect 4-for-4 shooting from the field against USF for 10 points and adding four rebounds and a steal.
▪ Senior center Kayla Clark finished the night with six points and four rebounds for the Wildcats.
▪ Sophomore guard Daimoni Dorsey made her second career start at USF. Her only other collegiate start came against Jackson State on Jan. 27, 2024.
▪ Sophomore guard Chariot Johnson hit her seventh career three-pointer – B-CU's only made basket from three-point range in the game against USF.
 
BCU VS. UFL SERIES
▪ This is the first ever meeting between Bethune-Cookman and Fort Lauderdale in women's basketball.
 
SCOUTING FOUR LAUDERDALE
▪ For the University of Fort Lauderdale, the game will count as an exhibition in the Eagles' official record.
▪ Fort Lauderdale has amassed a record of 1-2 on the season thus far with a win over Beacon, as well as losses to Keiser and Southeastern (Fla.), respectively.
▪ Esther Joseph is the leading scorer for the Eagles with 40 points and averaging 13.3 points per contest. She is followed nicely by Nina Solomon (10.7 ppg) and Maiya Petit (10.0 ppg) in double figures.
▪ Brinyia Rolax heads the Eagles' rebounding efforts with an average of 7.7 boards per game. Rolax also has a team-high five blocked shots.
▪ The Eagles are averaging 54.3 points per game, while opponents are scoring at a 79 ppg average against them.
▪ Solomon is shooting 22.2 percent from long range, while the Eagles shoot just 11.9 percent as a team from beyond the arc.
▪ Opponents have made more free throws (43 of 57) than UFL has attempted (22 of 32) on the campaign.
▪ The Eagles are turning the ball over at an average of 21.7 times per game, while forcing 13.7 turnovers per game by their opponents.
 
RECAPPING B-CU'S LAST GAME (at South Florida)
L'or Mputu poured in 16 points and Romi Levy added 14 for South Florida as the Bulls cruised to an 87-44 victory over Bethune-Cookman in women's basketball action inside the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida. South Florida held a 47-18 lead at the half, as the Bulls shot 61.3 percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes, adding a 50 percent touch from long range. On the night, the Bulls connected on nine (9) three-pointers while Bethune-Cookman was limited to just 15 field goals overall.
 
A Kayla Clark layup to begin the second quarter pulled Bethune-Cookman to within 25-9. After junior guard Kayla White's jumper with 7:54 remaining in the half, USF's Janette Aarnio converted a layup stemming from a B-CU turnover to begin a 6-0 Bulls run. Back-to-back baskets from Chanelle McDonald – coupled with a pair of Jordan Brooks free throws, saw the visitors with a 6-0 run of their own to get back to within a 35-18 deficit with 3:42 showing on the clock in the second quarter. However, a step-back three-pointer from Amy Thompson, one of five (5) three-pointers in the half for the Bulls, ended the run, allowing USF a 20-point lead for the second time in the game, this time at 38-18.
 
The Bulls would end the half on a 12-0 run with Thompson adding another three-pointer.
 
The fourth quarter saw the Wildcats register a 7-for-19 shooting touch from the field and 3 of 7 from the foul line. Clark hit on a pair of baskets in the paint while the B-CU bench scored 12 points in the quarter. Freshman Alyssa Green had four points in the quarter, and it was Asianae Nicholson and Johnson each adding field goals including Johnson's three-pointer to open the period. South Florida led 25-7 at the close of the first quarter.
 
USF was led by Mputu's 16 points on a 7 of 9 shooting touch from the field and added seven rebounds. Levy was 5 of 9 from the floor for 14 points and eight rebounds, and Sammie Puisis had 13 points with three (3) three-pointers. Tomasicka finished with 11 points. Mama Dembele contributed eight assists. Bethune-Cookman used Chanelle McDonald's 10 points to lead the scoring as she finished the evening with a perfect 4-for-4 showing from the floor. Nicholson led the Cats in rebounding with five boards. And it was Jordan Brooks finishing the game with a pair of assists and two steals.
 
UP NEXT
The Wildcats hit the road for a two-game swing beginning with a trip to Georgia Southern on Tuesday, Nov. 12, in Statesboro, Georgia. Bethune-Cookman travels to Florida Atlantic (Nov. 16) next weekend.
 
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