HIGHLIGHTS

WARREN, Mich. – Macomb Women's Basketball opened the lid on the 2022-23 season in style Tuesday (Nov. 1) with a 96-33 home victory over the visiting Lions of Community Christian College. The win was highlighted by a 30-assist effort on 38 made baskets  as the Blue & White started the season off with a well-rounded team win in front of their home fans.

The Monarchs raced out to an early 22-8 lead after one quarter of play and never looked back on their way to the 63-point victory. Up 16 after one, the Monarchs extended their lead to 54-13 at the halftime break after outscoring the Lions by a decisive 32-5 margin in the second quarter.

Second half action saw the Monarchs continue to play a connected team brand of basketball as five members of the Blue & White reached double figures scoring and eight players recorded two-or-more assists in the season-opening victory.

In all, the Monarchs shot 41% from the field and out-rebounded the Lions by a 60-29 margin. The Monarchs forced 33 Lions' turnovers and used the miscues to post an impressive 40-0 points off turnovers advantage Tuesday evening.

Amy Jackson (Flat Rock, Mich./Flat Rock) led all scorers with 19 points to go along with a team-best five steals, while Kamryn Richards (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich./Grosse Pointe South) enjoyed a solid collegiate debut with a stat line of 17 points, five assists, five rebounds and three steals. Jasmine Ellis (Hazel Park, Mich./Michigan Math & Science) shot 4-of-8 from the floor to record 11 points and added seven boards, while Hannah Roberts (Roseville, Mich./L'Anse Creuse) and Tamia Tounsel (Shelby Twp., Mich./Dakota) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points each. Tounsel also added a team-high 10 rebounds to record a double-double in her collegiate debut.

Valina Hudgins (Warren, Mich./Lincoln) followed Tounsel on the glass with eight rebounds and added four points and Ryleigh Sanom (Berkley, Mich./Berkley) dished out a team-leading seven assists to accompany seven points in her Monarch debut. Talia Krause (Clinton Twp., Mich./L'Anse Creuse) tallied an equal seven points and pulled down five rebounds, while Rylee Thomas (Harrison Twp., Mich./L'Anse Creuse) and Jaelynn Jones (Sterling Heights, Mich./Stevenson) combined for 11 points and seven assists in the winning effort.

The Monarchs will return to action Friday (Nov. 4) in Benton Harbor for the first of two games at Lake Michigan College's Red Hawk Showcase. Friday's game will tip at 5:00 p.m. against Southwestern Michigan College while Saturday's (Nov. 5) tilt opposite the host Red Hawks features a 3:00 p.m. tip time.