MONROE, La. – Five players scored in double figures and all 12 players that suited up scored as the ULM women's basketball team rolled to a 96-48 win over Louisiana College in the Warhawks' home opener Sunday afternoon at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
"It was a win just to play, number one," ULM women's basketball head coach Brooks Donald Williams said. "Number two, we were able to play against somebody else, other than ourselves. We haven't had that opportunity because of some preseason injuries and what not. We had wins all the way around just to play the game and put a uniform on. It was a lot of fun to see our players bring that energy from the tip."
Junior Kierra Brimzy made her Warhawk debut after missing Thursday's game at No. 16 Arkansas with an injury. She led ULM with 15 points, with 10 points coming in the second half. Brimzy spent the 2019-20 season practicing with the Warhawks but was ineligible to play after transferring to the program from Tyler Junior College.
"Brimzy is a creator," Williams said. "She can create her own shot. You always want a kid like that on your team. It was tough watching her sit last year, knowing that we have somebody like her on our bench. We're excited about her having the opportunity to play this year. She can go get a bucket. She can go get it in the transition game. She can get in in the half court. She can also create for others. She's got a strong body. She can take some contact and still finish. We're excited about Brimzy being able to get some points on the board."
It was a balanced effort overall for ULM. Four other Warhawks joined Brimzy in double figures. Senior Diamond Brooks and sophomore Linda van Schaik had 11 points apiece while freshmen Kyren Whittington and Morgan Hill had 10 points each. Sophomore Gara Beth Self added nine points, while freshmen Tasionna McDowell and Sadie Williams had eight points each.
As a team, ULM shot 50% from the field (31-of-62) and reached the free throw line 39 times, making 31 (79.5%).
Brooks and van Schaik also displayed the ability to take over a game in stretches. Brooks played just eight minutes but was 4-of-5 from the field and 3-of-4 at the free throw line, scoring seven of her 11 points in the second quarter. Van Schaik had nine of her 11 points in the third quarter, going 4-for-4 from the field, including a 3-pointer, and added four rebounds in that quarter.
"We certainly have some depth," Williams said. "We're excited about that. We've got a talented roster. We've got some variety. You have Linda and some kids that can really shoot the ball very, very well. You have some athleticism that can get to the paint and create for others. It's a great combination. We're excited about those guys gelling together. You saw some of that today. You'll continue to see that as we move along."
The Warhawks also displayed some ability defensively. ULM outscored the Wildcats 22-5 in the second quarter and used a 17-0 run over 3:34 in the late third and early fourth quarters to continue to add to the gap. The Wildcats shot 27.1% from the floor (19-of-70) and just 2-of-23 from 3-point range. ULM blocked nine shots, with senior Whitney Goins and freshman Hannah Edwards blocking three shots each.
"We had some tough stops at times," Williams said. "We had aggression guarding the ball and cleaning the boards. We played aggressively. We certainly want to do that. We're excited about having a group that wants to play that way. We have some things to clean up. We've had limited time with five-on-five in practice, but we're excited about the strides we made throughout the game."
Louisiana College opened with a 7-1 lead before ULM used a 10-0 run to take the lead for good, keyed by a pair of three-point plays by Whittington. The Warhawks had another 7-0 spurt in the quarter, capped on Goins' 3-pointer, to push the lead to eight at 21-13. ULM led 23-16 after a quarter.
The Warhawks scored the first nine points of the second quarter, including a three-point play by Brooks, to lead 32-16. ULM had another 7-0 run late in the quarter to continue pushing the lead out to 45-21 at halftime.
The lead went over 30 in the third quarter on a 6-0 spurt, using four free throws by Hill, to go up 63-30. The Warhawks scored the final 14 points of the quarter to push the lead to 77-34.
ULM slowly added to its lead in the final frame, eventually building out to the final 48-point margin, 96-48.
The Warhawks also doubled up the Wildcats in rebounds, 58-29.
ULM is back in Fant-Ewing Coliseum at noon Wednesday to face I-20 foe Grambling State. For tickets, call 318-342-HAWK or visit ULMWarhawks.com. For links to live video, audio and stats, visit ULMWarhawks.com.
