After missing a near upset of No. 13-ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor, the Schreiner University women’s basketball team is now on a clearly-defined mission — dominate.
The Mountaineers opened Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play with a sweep of St. Thomas on Friday and Centenary on Sunday. The two wins put the Mountaineers atop the conference standings.
The catalyst of this resurgence is the play of sophomore reserve Nariyah Buggs, who posted 29 combined points in the wins. Buggs has scored double-digit points in her last six games — all coming off the bench. Buggs is now the third-leading scorer.
Still, the offense rolls on the play of Demauria Miles and Elisa Peralta, and both delivered on the road trip. Miles scored 15 in the Centenary game, while the disruptive and nimble Peralta scored 10.
Whatever hopes Schreiner University men’s basketball team had at contending for a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference may have come apart on a disastrous road trip last weekend.
The Mountaineers lost both games, including a humbling 60-34 loss at St. Thomas, culminating in a loss Sunday afternoon to Centenary in Shreveport, Louisiana.
After a 5-0 start, the Mountaineers have lost three of four games. Compounding issues, senior guard Alex Dehoyos has been out on a disciplinarian issue. Now the Mountaineers are 0-2 to start conference play, where coaches picked them to finish third.
The loss at St. Thomas was particularly troubling. The Mountaineers were held to 34 points, shot 19% from the field and committed 25 turnovers.
Things were a bit better Sunday against Centenary, with Jalen Ned exploding for a season-high 26 points and Kamden Ross adding 21. It still wasn’t enough to slow Centenary. The Gents held a 39-31 lead at halftime, but Schreiner chipped away at the lead.
However, the Mountaineers could never close the gap from the first-half deficit.
