Continuing its early season success, UR Women’s Basketball defeated Oswego State by a 50-point margin and picked up three other wins since Thanksgiving Break, two of which by over 20 points.
On Nov. 21, the women traveled to William Smith College (2–0), where the team’s frontcourt shined. Senior forwards Al Leslie and Lauren Deming packed the stat sheet, each scoring in the double digits and grabbing at least four rebounds and assists.
The Yellowjackets manifested their stifling defense in their next two victories against Brockport (2–1) and Oswego (0–3), allowing a combined 61 points while holding the teams to 19 percent shooting from the field.
In their 57–33 victory over Brockport, senior forward Mary Kronenwetter posted 13 points and six rebounds, while shooting 4–5 from the field. Against Oswego, the team scored 78 points with offensive contributions coming from several players. Sophomore guard Brenna James scored 10 points and senior guard Brynn Lauer and Leslie scored nine. Deming contributed with eight points, seven rebounds, and five assists.
“We wanted to be much better defensively, and I think that’s where we are right now,” Coach Jim Scheible said.
Following this impressive three-game stretch, the Yellowjackets faced top-ranked Tufts University in the Williams College Tournament. The Jumbos started out strong, outscoring UR 22–9 in the first quarter.
The women outscored Tufts in the second and fourth quarters, but Tufts emerged victorious in the end, defeating the Yellowjackets 63–51. Leslie led the way for UR, scoring 19 points and grabbing 12 boards. Junior guard Lena Ethington scored 11 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. Despite the loss, Scheible said his team left the game confident in its ability to compete with any team in the nation.
UR displayed this confidence the next day in its 70–61 against Williams College (5–1). Facing a four-point first quarter deficit, the women asserted their dominance with a 25–10 second quarter and rode that momentum to a victory. Led by Leslie and Deming, who combined for 32 points and 15 boards, the team shot an impressive 46 percent from the field.
UR Men’s Basketball followed its season-opening tournament victory against no. 19 Hobart (3–2), which has five players averaging double figures. The no. 15 Yellowjackets (5–1) entered the second half down by two, but the Statesmen managed to pull away, outscoring the Yellowjackets 37–28 in the second half on the way to a 72–61 victory.
Junior guard Ryan Clamage caught fire, making five shots from beyond the arc in his 25-point performance. Junior guard Jacob Wittig facilitated the offense, scoring 12, while dishing out 6 assists.
UR followed the Hobart loss by winning the Holiday Inn Rochester Downtown Tournament, which it hosted. The Yellowjackets handed SUNY Canton their fourth-straight loss in the first round, defeating the Roos 84–51. Senior forward Tucker Knox made all four of his three point attempts and grabbed eight boards despite playing only 20 minutes. Junior forward Andrew Lundstrom and Clamage each scored in double digits, with senior guard Kyle Parker contributing nine points and six assists off the bench.
Following their first round win, the Yellowjackets faced Stockton University (4–1). UR established a 14-point lead in the first half and never looked back, winning the game 64–56. Sophomore forward Jacob Urban scored 13 points as a part of well-balanced offensive surge for UR.
The men followed their tournament victory with perhaps their most impressive second half of the season, against Union College. The Dutchmen played well in the first half, but the Yellowjackets were too much down the stretch, outscoring their opponent 45–32 in the second half, on the way to a 77–66 victory.
Junior guards Brendan O’Shea and Alexander Gamble both had breakout games, nearly outscoring the starting lineup. The two combined for 35 points while only missing three shots the entire game.
Coach Luke Flockerzi was proud to see O’Shea and Gamble succeed, describing them as “two team-oriented guys who’ve done everything they can to win.”
O’Shea and Gamble’s performance are indicative of the team’s cohesive offense. Flockerzi pointed out that eight different players have scored 13 or more points in a game this season, proving how the group subscribes to a team-first attitude.
The men play their next game on Tuesday at SUNY Geneseo, while the women won’t play until the weekend, when they host the Marks Pizzeria Crosstown Shootout.
