Pride dominate season opener behind pair of double-doubles
OMAHA, Neb. - Getting their 2025-26 season started on the road for the first of back-to-back days in Omaha, Neb., the Clarke University women's basketball team earned a big 85-58 win over College of Saint Mary on Thursday night.
The Pride won each of the first three quarters by at least nine points including an absolutely dominant opening 10 minutes to outscore the Flames 29-9, allowing just one made field goal over the first 7:41 of the game to grow their largest lead of the period to 21 points three different times at 25-4, 27-6, and 29-8.
CSM went 3-for-14 (21.4%) in the first frame with Clarke going 12-for-22 (54.5%) led by an eight-point quarter from junior guard Josie Potts as the Dubuque, Iowa native also grabbed seven of her career-high 12 rebounds in the first quarter to eventually finish with her first career double-double with a 14-point, 12-rebound game.
Potts was one of four members of the CU lineup to finish with double digit points led by junior Zoe Kennedy picking up where she left off in 2024-25 as she produced a 21-point, 12-rebound double-double while also finishing two assists shy of her second career triple-double adding eight assists and grabbing three steals as well.
The two other double figure scorers for the Pride came from the starting lineup as senior guard Hailey Walters produced an efficient 15 points on 6-of-9 (66.7%) shooting from the field and hitting three of the team's four three pointers made in the game then Reese Ryan scored 13 points in a career-high 30 minutes played for the sophomore forward getting her first-career start to begin her second season at CU.
Growing their large lead allowed head coach Adam Hocking to give his entire healthy roster minutes to start the season as Camdyn Kay was the fifth starter for the Pride, finishing with a solid six-point, four-rebound, two-steal game one of the season, Jenna Scheller was the leading scorer off the bench with six points of her own in eight minutes, Abby Hollis added four points in 12 minutes, and Breckan Stewart led all bench players with 21 minutes and producing two points, two rebounds, and an assist.
The remainder of the squad that all got at least two minutes of run included eight minutes for freshman Jessica Morgan with two points and two steals, four minutes apiece from Mya McNeil, Karley Hawkins, and Lauren Stone with McNeil hitting two free throws, three minutes for Luz Del Rosario Kwiatkowski Perez, and two minutes each from Rachel Lind and Ashley Swift.
Clarke women's basketball will remain in Omaha for another game as part of the CSM Classic to wrap up their road trip on Friday, Oct. 31 when they play a neutral court game against Doane University with a scheduled 3:00 p.m. CT opening tip between the Pride and Tigers.