Press Release
The Utah State Eastern women’s basketball team picked up three more road wins last week at the Badger Tournament in Ephraim. The Eagles defeated Colorado Springs Ballers, Northwest Kansas Tech, and Pima by 11 points or more in the tournament. This is the best start for the program in three years. In 2014-15, the Eagles began the season 10-1.
Leading the Eagles in scoring throughout the tournament was sophomore Madison Loftus who averaged 16.7 points while also averaging 4.7 rebounds per game.
Loftus got help at the tournament offensively from the team’s second leading scorer, Alyssa Crumley, as she finished the tournament with 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
“She is an offensive threat inside, it’s hard for other teams to guard her inside and we try to isolate her because of that,” said USU Eastern head coach Chelsey Warburton.
The Eagles also got a boost from their bench each game of the tournament. Sophomores Autum Kay and Harlee Willoughby stepped up in each game and played important minutes for Warburton.
“I can turn to the bench and know that whoever is going in will match whoever they are going in for, there is no let down for our bench play,” said Warburton.
Willoughby averaged nine points and 4.7 rebounds per game in the tournament.
Helping on both sides of the ball, Kay averaged 9.7 points and five rebounds per game while playing an important role for the Eagles on defense.
“We put her on the other team’s best offensive player and she helped control the game that way,” said Warburton.
Kay said that she prides herself on playing defense and doing anything possible to help the team win.
“To me it doesn’t matter about who starts, It’s about contributing and doing your job the best you can,” said Kay.
This season, Kay is averaging 5.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game with two starts.
The Eagles will return home and play two games this upcoming weekend on Friday and Saturday. On Friday night, the Eagles will host Chemeketa Community College at 5:30 p.m. and then turn around on Saturday and take on the Utah All-Stars at 3 p.m.
Both games will streamed live on the USU Eastern Athletics YouTube channel.