Wright Assists Avila to Massive Win over McPherson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Powered by a career game from freshman point guard Marlie Wright, Avila women's basketball (6-11, 5-6 KCAC) earned its biggest win of the 2023-24 season so far, dominating McPherson (5-11, 1-9 KCAC) 79-48 in Mabee Fieldhouse on Wednesday night.

The 31-point margin was the widest in Remy Wolfe's tenure as Avila's head coach, and the Eagles' biggest margin of victory in almost exactly two years: Avila defeated many opponents by 30 or more points in the 2021-22 season en route to the KCAC Tournament Championship Game, the last of which came in a 86-45 shellacking of Southwestern on January 27, 2022.

And the Eagles were extremely unselfish in earning this win over the Bulldogs on Wednesday. Seven players recorded at least one assist, leading the team to a new season high of 25 helpers on 32 made field goals – also a new season high – and a remarkable rate of 78% baskets assisted. Hannah Pinkston set a new Avila career high with six assists on the night, but Marlie Wright stole the show with a career high 12 assists – the most any Eagle has had in a game so far this season.

Wright also set a new career best with six steals – as many as McPherson had as a team – to help the Eagles set a new season high with 18 takeaways, suffocating McPherson's offense and forcing the Bulldogs into 25 turnovers. Unsurprisingly, the Eagles are 3-0 this season when holding opponents south of 50 points.

Offensively, the Eagles relied heavily on Hannah Smith early and then got great balance late to salt the game away. Smith scored 14 points – more than McPherson scored as a team – in the first quarter and finished with a game-high 17, tying a season high with five made three-pointers. Madilyn Melton scored in every quarter, finishing with 16 points, and Hannah Pinkston had an excellent overall game with 12 points and six rebounds to go with her six assists.

Every Eagle on the roster appeared in the game. Every player recorded at least one rebound, and all but one player scored at least two points. Helped heavily by Smith's early prowess, the Eagles shot 32% from beyond the arc – the Eagles have shot better than 30% from downtown in five of their six wins this season, and are 5-3 overall in those games.

Pinkston scored on the game's opening possession, and the Bulldogs never recovered. Avila led for the entire game, holding McPherson scoreless for nearly the first five minutes of the night, and steadily building their lead out to 31 points by the time the final buzzer sounded. The Eagles approach the midway point of the conference season with their largest win of the campaign to date and a couple of very important contests to come.

Up next, Avila women's basketball will head out to Lindsborg, Kansas to take on Bethany in a doubleheader that might prove critically important for both Avila basketball programs. The women kick off the doubleheader at 3 PM with the men to follow at 5; as always, you can watch all the action live and for free on the KCAC Network.