MONROE, La. -- The ULM women's basketball team (1-0) fired on all cylinders and cruised to a 117-60 victory over Central Baptist (1-2) to open the 2024-25 season on Monday (Nov. 4) night in Fant-Ewing Coliseum in Monroe, La. The Warhawks' 117 points tied the most points scored in a single game in ULM women's basketball history, matching the 1982-83 team's 117-78 win versus Nicholls State on Dec. 11, 1982.
Six players finished the game in double figures, with
Sakyia White leading the way in her ULM debut with 18 points on a 9-for-9 shooting night from the field.
Meloney Thames drilled a trio of three-pointers and posted 17 points in her first appearance as a Warhawk.
Jakayla Johnson scored 16 points and grabbed five boards and two steals in her first performance of the season. Another newcomer, Cianté Downs, added 16 points and distributed four assists and led the team with three steals. Jackson State transfer
Laila Walker scored 12 points and Clemson transfer
Nya Valentine rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11.
2024 Sun Belt Conference Sixth Woman of the Year Katelyn Manuel pulled down a game-high nine boards and tallied a trio of blocks while adding eight points. Valentine led the team with seven assists while Downs and
Chardai Watkins both had four.
ULM shot 54.3% from the field and 37.0% from beyond the arc. The Warhawks converted 19-of-21 free throws for a 90.5%. ULM's defense held the Mustangs to 35.7% shooting from the field. Central Baptist found success from downtown, making 15-of-35 three-pointers, but ULM forced 23 turnovers and only committed six turnovers on offense. The Warhawks outrebounded the Mustangs on the glass, 48-26.
After Central Baptist took a 17-12 lead early, Johnson sank a three-pointer and a pull-up jumper to even the count. A pair of free throws by Walker and a steal-and-score by Valentine gave ULM a one-point lead with less than three minutes left in the first quarter.
Brikayla Gray extended the Warhawks' lead to four points on ULM's fourth three-pointer of the first quarter. Thames poked a steal and put the ball through the net before the final horn of the first quarter, and ULM led 28-22.
The Warhawks dominated the beginning of the second quarter, scoring the first 10 points on a layup from White, a fastbreak layup off a block by Johnson and two three-pointers by Valentine. Thames knocked down another triple at the 4:11 mark of the quarter to give ULM its first 20-point lead of the night. ULM finished the final two minutes scoring by a Manuel putback layup and a deep three by
Olivia Knight and ULM went into the locker room holding a 55-29 advantage.
ULM extended its lead to over 30 points with an 8-0 scoring run that featured a trio of buckets by White and one by Johnson that made the score 63-32 Warhawks. ULM led the majority of the third quarter by more than 30 points, and Watkins increased the Warhawks' lead to 38 after a three-point play. Consecutive layups by Downs pushed the ULM lead to 41 in the final minutes of the third quarter, and ULM led 89-48 after three quarters of play.
Watkins pulled the Warhawks above the century mark with 5:28 to go in the fourth quarter. Walker connected on back-to-back jump shots and the ULM lead grew to 106-56 inside five minutes to go.
Miriam Prince dished out a pass to Sha'miya Butler, who finished with a layup in the paint at the 4:06 mark. Downs would score the final eight points of the game on four free throws and two layups to conclude a high-powered night for the ULM offense.
The Warhawks will return to Fant-Ewing Coliseum next Monday (Nov. 11) at 11:30 a.m. and will welcome Louisiana Christian for the team's annual Education Day.
