Women's Basketball: Cyclones vs Newman University

Before the opening tip against Neumann University, the spotlight belonged to six seniors whose impact on Centenary women’s basketball extends far beyond the stat sheet. Huge shoutout to the seniors Sofia Mendez, Viviana Mendez, Kayla Sampong, Jasmine Sampong, Alexa Osafo, and D’ani Morales for their commitment to Centenary basketball culture. Senior day at Centenary is more than a ceremony; it's a celebration of commitment, resilience, and the players who helped shape the Cyclones’ basketball culture.

With the start of the tip-off, Sofia Mendez drained a smooth jumper, following along with Vatijah Davis. The team started off trying to get the offensive rhythm going, but on defense, they consistently forced turnovers, creating fast-break opportunities and demonstrating great ball movement.  

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Neumann started applying pressure on the Cyclones with consistent scoring and tightening up its team defense, but Head Coach Rose Haller is doing her very best to keep her team in the mix. Our Cyclones are still tightening up their offensive movement but are crashing the boards for rebounds, forcing turnovers, and playing aggressive defense to keep the score close. As the buzzer sounded to end the second half, Neumann held a 31–20 lead. Coach Rose and the Cyclones now turn their focus to rebuilding momentum and sustaining their defensive pressure on home court, including getting their offense going.

The second half began, and Neuman came out with renewed momentum, while our Cyclones were still on the hunt to maintain the lead. Both teams showed physicality and effort on both ends of the floor, despite Neuman's large lead. Our Cyclones are showing heart and grit on the court, taking good shots, playing as a team, and communicating.

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Ashanti Davis gave it her all to get her team back in the game with a three-pointer and a steal, which led to a fast-break opportunity, followed by two three-pointers from Kayla Sampong and Iysis Nickens.

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As the final buzzer sounded on a 66-51 loss to Neuman, emotions filled the court. Senior day may not have ended in victory, but the true measure of this team lies in resilience, leadership, and, most importantly, built on memories over the years, a legacy that will outlast the stat sheet and scoreboard.