SPORTS

Davidson opens Friday afternoon against UC Irvine at 4:30 p.m. (EST) followed by Kansas City against Portland State. Based on Friday’s results, Davidson will then play either Kansas City or Portland State Saturday. Win or lose, Kansas City will play in the 4:30 p.m. game Saturday.

Tickets for the two games at Kansas City can be purchased by clicking here on Day One and Day Two.

Playing in its fourth Preseason WNIT, Davidson (1-1) dropped its first game in the tournament last Saturday at Drexel, 74-63. Junior Katie Turner scored a career-high 25 points and Davidson shot 47.7 percent from the field, but the Wildcats were unable to overcome a 21-7 run by Drexel between the first and second quarters. They would get within five points in the third quarter before the Dragons pulled away, and then on three different occasions, the ‘Cats were within eight in the fourth, but again the Dragons pulled away each time.

Sarah Donovan reached double figures with 14 points and added six rebounds, while Chloe Welch dropped in a personal-best 11 points. Cassidy Gould dished out a career-high 10 assists.

UC Irvine (1-1) has split its first two games this year, winning a 79-77 decision at home against San Jose State before falling to Oregon State, 86-57, in the first round of the Preseason WNIT. Pacing the Anteaters on offense is Jordan Sanders at 19.5 points per game. A year ago, the Anteaters went 20-11 and 8-8 in the Big West. They return eight letterwinners, including four starters.

The Portland State Vikings, a 2019 NCAA Tournament qualifying team, fell to Boise State (82-57) in their first round of play. They opened the season with a 104-58 win against Multnomah. Portland State is coming off a 25-8 season last year and went 14-6 in the Big Sky, winning the league tournament title for just the second time in program history. Desirae Hansen leads the team in scoring this year at 15.0 points per game, while Tatiana Streun is averaging a double-double, 13.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.

Also sitting with a 1-1 record is Kansas City, which took an 83-79 win to open the season before falling to Pacific recently in its first game of the Preseason WNIT, 89-60. Three players are averaging in double figures for the Roos, paced by Emily Ivory’s 17 points per game average. Ericka Mattingly (14.5) and Tajah Foster-Walker (10.5) are also in double figures. Kansas City went 16-15 last year and 9-7 in the Western Athletic Conference.

Following its final two Preseason WNIT games, Davidson will return home to face Western Carolina, Nov. 20.