ST. JOSEPH, Missouri — In game one of the 2025-26 season, the Grizzlies take the win, starting their season off with a bang. The Grizzlies took the win by a final score of 56-51 to take their record to 1-0 to kick off the season.
Breaking down today's game, it was a defensive match for most of the first half as both teams struggled to get anything going offensively. In the first half, the Grizzlies went 7-29 from the floor for a 24.14% shooting percentage, while only making 1 of their 9 three-point attempts in the first half. Northwest Missouri State also struggled, shooting 8-25 from the floor for a 32% clip, while making only 2 of 8 shots from behind the 3-point line. At the end of the first half, the score was only 22-20 Northwest Missouri State.
Although the first half started slowly, the second half was a completely different story for the Grizzlies, who were able to take the lead in the third quarter and never give it back. In the second half, the Grizzlies scored 36 points and shot 50% from the floor, going 13-26 while also going 10-10 from the free throw line.
In the second half, the Northwest Missouri State offense was slightly better, but it truly never got going with the strong defense of the Grizzlies. Northwest Missouri State only shot 38.46% from the floor in the second half and did not make a single 3-pointer. They also missed 3 free throws, which ended up playing a big factor in today's close game with the Grizzlies going perfect from the free throw line in the second half and only missing 1 during the entire game.
Along with Northwest Missouri State's poor offensive showing, the Grizzlies' defense was also able to force a total of 20 turnovers. The 20 turnovers were 6 more than the Grizzlies, who committed 14 in the game. With strong offense in the second half and outstanding defense throughout, the Grizzlies were able to take their first win of the season.
Individually, the Grizzlies were led by Taejhuan Hill, Kiiyani Anitielu, Ashiian Hunter, and Elaina Watson. Hill and Anitielu accounted for most of the offense, combining for 36 of the team's 56 points. Hill scored 23 points, leading the team, while Anitielu added 13, second-highest for the Grizzlies. In addition to her 23 points, Hill grabbed 5 rebounds, including 4 offensive rebounds, and contributed 2 assists, 1 block, and 1 steal. This game marked an exciting start for Hill's season after being recognized as a forward to watch in DII Women's Basketball. Supporting Hill and Anitielu on offense, Hunter and Watson also made significant contributions on defense. Hunter and Watson combined for 7 of the Grizzlies' 12 steals, with Hunter providing 4 steals. Hunter scored 6 points, added 4 rebounds and 2 assists, while Watson scored 8 points, along with 5 rebounds and 4 assists, leading the team's defense. Overall, these four women played a crucial role in tonight's game.
Looking forward to the Grizzlies. Their next game is tomorrow, November 1st, at 2 PM MST. The game will be against the No. 13 ranked Lubbock Christian University in St. Joseph, Missouri, as the Grizzlies finish the D2CCA Tipoff Classic. The match will be a great opportunity for the Grizzlies to potentially move into the top 25 for DII Women's Basketball after entering the season with votes. Continue following the Grizzly women as they complete their first road trip of the season before returning home to play their home opener in two weeks on November 14th against Angelo State University.
