University of Miami Women’s Basketball Team Dominates Season Opener

On Thursday morning, at the Watsco Center, the University of Miami women’s basketball team tipped off the season with a resounding 81-53 victory over the Jacksonville Dolphins. In front of an audience of 3,851 fans, primarily comprised of school children attending the annual Elementary School Day game.

Head coach Katie Meier commented on the fantastic atmosphere generated by the Elementary School Day event and expressed gratitude to the administration for their continued support.

Remarkably, every player on the Miami roster contributed points in the game, and four Hurricanes reached double figures in scoring. Junior Jasmyne Roberts and sophomore Lemyah Hylton both posted 14 points, while junior Lashae Dwyer and sophomore Lazaria Spearman added 13 points each.

In her inaugural appearance as a Hurricane, junior Shayeann Day-Wilson delivered a career-high nine assists with just one turnover, demonstrating an impressive grasp of Miami’s complex system. Jasmyne Roberts dominated the boards with seven rebounds for the Hurricanes.

The offensive spark in the first quarter came from Lazaria Spearman, who contributed seven of her 13 total points within the opening 10 minutes while coming off the bench. A significant portion of Miami’s 17 first-quarter points resulted from play in the paint, with nine points generated from turnovers.

Miami continued to build their lead in the second quarter, outscoring Jacksonville 21-12. Lashae Dwyer would shine bright in the second quarter, scoring all 11 of her first-half points during this period, shooting 5-of-7 from the floor, and extending Miami to a 38-25 lead at halftime.

During the third quarter, Miami’s defense tightened, allowing Jacksonville to score only six points after halftime. On the offensive end, Jasmyne Roberts came alive, contributing nine points by going 4-for-5 from the field.

In the final quarter, Lemyah Hylton took center stage, tallying 10 points on a 4-of-5 shooting effort, including two three-pointers. Miami also excelled in ball movement on Thursday, recording assists on seven of their 10 made field goals in the last 10 minutes of the game.

“The energy in the building was great… Thanks to our administration who does this for us every year. It mattered for our team because I don’t think we ever looked tired. I thought we played relentlessly.” – Head Coach Katie Meier

The Hurricanes will return to play on Sunday as they host Fordham at 2:00 p.m. at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida. Before the game, there will be a banner-unveiling ceremony to recognize the Hurricanes’ first-ever Elite Eight appearance in 2023.