H. AUSTILL PHARR GYMNASIUM | MOBILE, Ala. - The University of Mobile Women's Basketball team, led by first-year head coach Sydney Westry, opened the 2023-24 season on Friday evening, Oct. 28, cruising to a 74-46 victory over the Pensacola Christian College (Fla.) Eagles. The win is Westry's first of her collegiate head coaching career as it comes at her alma mater at the University of Mobile. Westry played for Mobile from 2014-2017 before becoming a graduate assistant at Troy University (Ala.) and making previous stops as an assistant coach at UT-Southern (Tenn.) and Spring Hill College (Ala.). She was hired to take over the UM Women's Basketball program in spring of 2023.
Season Opener Recap: Mobile Never Trails PCC
The Rams began the first game of the season on Friday with a 13-0 run as Pensacola Christian struggled to score the team's first basket of the night. Six minutes ticked off the clock before the Eagles notched their first bucket as Mobile continued to roll offensively in the first quarter. At the end of the first, Mobile put up a whopping 22 points, holding PCC to just eight points to open the game. Mobile newcomer Alanna Donaldson and senior Erica Jones combined for 13 of Mobile's 22 first-quarter points, with Jones tallying six rebounds in the process.
In the second quarter, Jones continued her strong start to her senior season, adding 13 points and four rebounds in the quarter alone and giving her a double-double through just the first half of Friday's opener. As a team, Mobile scored 21 points in the second quarter, while PCC notched 16 points as a team. The Rams took a 43-24 lead to the half.
The second half opened with Mobile continuing to roll as the Rams put up 20 third-quarter points, led by another newcomer in Braylee McMath. McMath tallied nine points in the third quarter, making four of six shots in the process. Meanwhile, Pensacola Christian could only muster 10 points in the third, allowing Mobile a 10-0 run through the first five minutes of the second half.
The Rams put the game away in the fourth quarter, recording a game-low 11 points through the final 10 minutes. PCC outscored Mobile for the first time in a quarter in Friday's game, tallying 12 points. However, the deficit was too large for the Eagles to mount a comeback, with Mobile winning by 28 points at 74-46.
Box Score Notables
Erica Jones eventually finished Friday with a game-high 23 points and 13 rebounds, securing five offensive boards. Braylee McMath's strong third quarter finished her with 13 points in her first game as a Ram, adding two steals and two rebounds. For Alanna Donaldson, the transfer from Baton Rouge Community College led Mobile with three blocks and four assists, while also recording nine points, four rebounds, and two steals. In addition to the production from starters, Miriam Oldarcre finished four rebounds shy of a double-double from off the bench, ending the night with 11 points in 21 minutes of playing time. A total of 11 players hit the court for Mobile against Pensacola Christian.
As a team, Mobile finished the season opener with a 36% shooting percentage against PCC, making 12 of 20 free throw attempts. Mobile made just six of 32 three-point shots, with the Rams putting up 17 second-chance points after recording 23 offensive rebounds. The Rams eventually out-rebounded PCC, 59-33.
SSAC v. SUN Conference Challenge
Mobile will return to action next week in the annual SSAC v. SUN Conference Challenge in Montgomery, Ala., opening the tournament with a 10:00 a.m. CT game against Keiser University (Fla.) on Nov. 2. The Rams will play Webber International (Fla.) to conclude the tourney the following day at 12:00 p.m. CT.
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For complete coverage of University of Mobile Athletics, follow the Rams on social media at /MobileRams (Facebook), @UMobileRams (Twitter), and @umobilerams (Instagram), or visit the official home of the University of Mobile Athletic Department at https://umobilerams.com/.
About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.
For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
