MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (January 27, 2024) - The (RV) St. Thomas University (STU) Women's Basketball team matched up against Webber International University on Saturday afternoon to close out the first round of Sun Conference play. With Marta Franco leading the charge, the Bobcats defeated the Warriors, 78-62.
St. Thomas started off the game with a strong first quarter, outscoring Webber 22-15. Brooke Bogatz took the lead, scoring nine points and notching four assists in quarter one. Paige McDonald also started the game off strong, going 3-3 in field goals, scoring six points in favor of the Bobcats.
The Bobcats maintained the lead into the second quarter, outscoring the Warriors 11-9. Franco started off her scoring spree, recording two points in the quarter. Mariah McKenzie entered the game for the Bobcats, putting up a three-pointer in their favor. St. Thomas was leading 33-24 entering the intermission.
The third quarter saw the Bobcats extending their lead even further, putting the Warriors in an 18-point deficit. Franco put up 11 points, contributing to her total of 18 for the game. Sophie Vandyke also dominated in quarter three, adding eight points to the Bobcats' total. Bogatz added two more assists and four rebounds to her total of seven assists and nine rebounds. The Bobcats were leading the Warriors 57-39 heading into the final quarter.
The Bobcats continued to hold the lead into quarter four, putting up 21 more points in the last ten minutes of the match up. Franco scored five more points while McDonald added six, finishing the game with 16 points. The Bobcats ultimately defeated the Warriors, 78-62. This brings St. Thomas to an overall record of 15-5 and a Sun Conference record of 5-2 to close out the first round of conference play.
Four Bobcats finish in double-digit point territory. Vandyke and McDonald had nearly identical stats with 16 points and nine rebounds each. Bogatz finished the match up with 14 points, along with her strong performance in rebounds and assists. Franco, who led the charge with 18, has had five double-digit performances out of the seven Sun Conference games the Bobcats have played this season.
Up next, the Bobcats will face the College of Coastal Georgia for the second time this season, this time at home. The meeting will take place on Saturday, February 3rd at 2 p.m. in the Fernandez Family Center.
-STU-
