By Ron Smith
January 5, 2024
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Westmont Women's Basketball (6-8, 3-4 PacWest) said goodbye to 2023 and welcomed 2024 with an impressive 101-61 win over PacWest opponent Academy of Art (3-9, 2-4) on Friday at Murchison Gymnasium. It was just the eighth time in program history the Warriors eclipsed the century mark.
 
"This win today was hard earned," expressed Westmont's head coach Kirsten Moore. "We have been working hard at who we want to be. It hasn't been easy for so many reasons – the number of injuries we are playing through and other things we are navigating. However, there has been a renewed commitment from this group to keep fighting and it was exciting to see that play out on the court today."
 
The Warriors made 16 of their 37 attempts from beyond the arc (43.2%), which ties for sixth most in the team record books. Sophomore guard Bailey Fong was five of five from 3-point range on her way to a team-high 18 points. Kristan Yumul also drained five triples while posting a double-double of 17 points and 10 assists. She also collected four rebounds.
 
"I am proud of Bailey's mental toughness more than anything today," offered Moore. "She has been trying to navigate injury for a little while. She showed the mental toughness to be able to navigate that and still come out with confidence and an attacking mentality.
 
"That was true of our entire team today. The attacking mentality that we had was a refreshing change."
 
In regard to Yumul, Moore reflected, "We have been waiting for this game to happen. She is really capable and has been trying to do the right things out there. There have been so many moments where I thought Kristan was on the brink of this. To have it happen now was great and is hopefully something for her to build on as a freshman."
 
Sage Kramer notched her third double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Kramer leads the team in both categories averaging 11.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
 
"Sage has been consistently effective and productive for us and was that again today, especially on the boards," noted Moore.
 
The box score reflects the efforts and progress that the team has made as a whole. In regard to rebounds, the Warriors produced a 55-18 advantage.
 
"If you look at what we did on the boards, statistically, it shows the effort and emphasis we have put towards that," asserted Moore. "To have a plus-37 rebounding margin was pretty amazing and a huge key to the game.
 
"Even though you can look at hitting all the threes and scoring 101 points, our emphasis has continued to be to figure out a way to be better defensively and be better on the boards. We are going to have to keep fighting to keep improving in those areas as well."
 
Another box score team stat that stands out is the Warriors' 27 assists, which ties for eighth in team history. That number speaks to something that has always characterized Warrior basketball during Moore's 19 seasons – a willingness to play together as a team of individuals who each put the good of their teammates, and of the team as a whole, above their own personal success.
 
In addition to Yumul's 10 assists, Madi Bogan dished the ball off six times. She also tallied 11 points and eight rebounds.
 
"Madi is a high-IQ player that is making those around her better," assessed Moore. "Her whole, all-around game today was really great."
 
All 10 Warriors scored in the game and all 10 collected at least one rebound. Six Warriors scored in double-digits, including 10 each from Aleena Cook (7 rebounds) and Isabella Pearson.
 
Destiny Okonkwo, playing in her second game after returning from injury, added nine points and four rebounds in just 12 minutes of play.
 
"Destiny makes the biggest difference on the defensive end as well as her presence on the offensive end," said Moore. "She gives us such a different presence."
 
As the game started, both teams enjoyed offensive success. The Urban Knights scored on five of their first seven possessions while Westmont tallied points on five of its first six. Down 12-9, however, the Warriors went on an 11-0 run to begin to take control of the game.
 
Okonkwo tied the game at 12 by scoring on a layup and completing an and-one opportunity. She then put Westmont up 14-12 with a layup, giving the Warriors an advantage they never relinquished. Triples by Fong and Bogan produced a 20-12 Westmont lead. At the end of the opening frame, Westmont was up 24-15.
 
The Warriors' success continued as the two teams moved into the second quarter of play. Westmont began the frame with a 13-0 run, the result of layups by Okonkwo, and Navine Mallon, two triples by Yumul and one by Kate Goostrey.
 
Westmont pressed its advantage throughout the rest of the first half, leading by 28 (55-27) at the intermission.
 
There was no fading in the second half for the Warriors. Westmont took its largest lead at 4:26 to go in the final frame, extending its advantage to 99-46 (53 points) on a jumper by Cook.
 
Throughout the contest, the Warriors enjoyed the support of kids from the local school just down the street. The fifth and sixth graders of Cold Spring Elementary, including Coach Moore's daughter Alexis, made the trip up La Paz Road to cheer for the Warriors.
 
"I was so glad that Alexa's school came up and gave us some people in the gym," said Moore. Westmont's student body does not return to campus from Christmas break until this coming weekend.
 
The Warriors gave the kids plenty to cheer about.
 
Westmont will take to the road for its next four games beginning with a trip to take on the Cougars of Azusa Pacific on Wednesday.