UM women draw energy from giddy schoolkids, win season opener 81-53 against Jacksonville
The University of Miami women’s basketball team tipped off its 2023-24 season bright and early at 11 a.m. Thursday in front of nearly 4,000 squealing elementary school students who made sure the players were wide awake from the opening whistle.
The Hurricanes, coming off the first Elite Eight in school history, won their opener 81-53 against Jacksonville University.
“I’ll play at 11 every day if we can have that kind of energy,” said UM coach Katie Meier. “The energy in the building for Kids Day was great. It matters for our team because I don’t think we ever looked tired. We played relentlessly. Jacksonville is tough and physical, and we didn’t break them until the third quarter.”
Four UM players finished in double figures, including junior guard Jasmyne Roberts and Arizona transfer Lemyah Hylton, who shot a combined 12-of-18 for 14 points apiece. Roberts also was the game’s top rebounder with seven.
“Their efficiency numbers were amazing,” Meier said of Roberts and Hylton. “They are gritty players. They play every position on the court.”
Meier was impressed with Hylton’s composure in her first game in a UM uniform.
“It’s really hard to be new in our system but Maya is very curious, asks a lot of questions, and everyone loves Maya so they help her,” the coach said. “It’s really crazy how she’s already a Miami player by the way she plays.”
Hylton said she woke up excited for her first UM game.
“I was ready,” Hylton said, wearing a huge smile. “I came in here and was screaming, `Gameday, baby!’ I was excited and it showed when I went in the game. My defensive energy is what gets me going and that’s where my comfort comes from.”
Hylton seemed the most at ease of the four transfers on the roster.
The other three – Jaida Patrick (from Columbia), Shayeann Day-Wilson (from Duke) and Ally Stedman (from Pepperdine) – struggled to get their shot going. They shot a combined 5-of-23 for 14 points. But Day-Wilson had a game-leading career-high nine assists, which delighted Meier.
“For Shayeann Day-Wilson to get nine assists her first time in our uniform with our complicated, weird system with all the different language and everything, that’s pretty high level,” Meier said. “I was really impressed by that.”
Guard LaShae Dwyer and forward Lazaria “Z” Spearman each chipped in 13 points, and Spearman had six rebounds in 20 minutes. Spearman wore a protective brace on her left knee after missing five games late last season.
“She looked fantastic,” Meier said. “She definitely came in with a sense of purpose when we brought her off the bench. She needed it. She needed to get a little check, wake up and play tough. I though she was tough as nails.”
Meier played all four transfers together in the final quarter.
“When you come in together with a group, you have your own moments. I’m sure they have conversations like `What are we doing here? What is this 6 a.m. workout?’ and to have them all in there together, I wanted them to have a little fun to celebrate their choice and celebrate that they’re here together,” Meier said.
The Hurricanes are back home Sunday at 2 p.m. against Fordham and the game will be preceded by the unveiling of the Elite Eight banner.
