Tigers Fall to Transy in Season Opener

Written by: Sutton Jacobs '18

Lexington, Ky. – The Wittenberg women's basketball team opened the 2018-19 regular season on the road, falling to the Pioneers of Transylvania University, 57-51. Wittenberg was led by junior-transfer Riley Culver, who took control during the second half scoring 10 of her 14 points. The Tigers finished with two scoring in double figures on the afternoon, as senior Sydney Mayle added her name to the list alongside Culver with 11 points scored. Senior Alex Kiess edged the her performance to double digits, coming in short with nine points from four shots made to rank third for the Tigers.

HOW IT HAPPENED: The Tigers started off the season with putting the first points on the board of the game, hot off the hands of Culver for two. Mayle moved the ball well for the Tigers, sinking three in the basket and snagging a steal in the first 10 minutes of action. Neither team, however was able to get momentum; the score stayed low and close for long stretches in the first half. The Tigers find themselves down by two halfway through the second quarter, Kiess launches a ball into the net for two, tying up the game at 21 after the assist came from Mayle, who grabbed her own offensive rebound. The Tigers poised great defense through the first, allowing the Pioneers to collect only five points in seven and a half minutes of second quarter action. Culver opened the second half with a layup for the Tigers, subsequently followed by a steal. With a minute left in the season opener, Wittenberg overcame a 13-point deficit. Mayle brought the game within a four-point reach for the red and white, making a lay-up coming off of a steal and a timeout. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Wittenberg outpaced the Pioneers on the floor, leading in almost every stat-line except for three-point field goals. Shooting 31.5% from the field on the afternoon to Transylvania's 28.6%, the Tigers attempted 19 shots from beyond the arc but only capitalized twice. Transylvania allotted 17 turnovers in Wittenbergs favor, allowing the Tigers to cash in 10 points from the Pioneer errors. The Tigers tipped 10 additional points on second chances, after collecting 18 offensive rebounds. The red and white controlled 51 rebounds altogether.

UP NEXT: Wittenberg is en route to the Windy City next weekend, resuming action in the North Park Tip-Off on Friday Nov. 16, hosted by North Park University in Chicago.