OAKLAND, Calif. Head-Royce broke open a low-scoring game with a 10-0 run in the third quarter and beat Albany 33-24 on Friday. The Jayhawks improved to 4-1 and won their third straight game. Their defense and rebounding made the difference: they forced 20 turnovers and outrebounded Albany 41-29.
Hailey H. scored the game's first basket. After Temzin tied it at 2-2, Head-Royce went back in front and stayed there for the rest of the first quarter. Leila H. scored on a feed from Morgan R., and Morgan R. added a second-chance basket. Later, Leila H. hit a second-chance 3-pointer, set up by Abigail K., for a 13-8 lead. Hailey H. scored again to make it 15-9, but Albany answered with a basket by Kaila and a second-chance 3-pointer by Jordin to get within 15-14 after one quarter. The score did not change in the second quarter, and Head-Royce led 15-14 at halftime.
Albany opened the third quarter with a basket by Kaila and a second-chance basket by Darya. That finished a 9-0 run and gave Albany an 18-15 lead, its biggest of the game. Head-Royce answered with 10 straight points. Morgan R. made a free throw, and Melina M. tied the game at 18 with a second-chance basket off an assist from Morgan R. Abigail K. then put the Jayhawks ahead for good on another assist from Morgan R. Morgan R. scored inside, and Leila H. capped the run with a second-chance 3-pointer, assisted by Hailey H., for a 25-18 lead. Albany got within 27-22, but Melina M. and Hailey H. assisted each other on back-to-back baskets for a 31-22 lead, Head-Royce's largest at nine. Leila H. made the final basket of the quarter to set the final score of 33-24. Head-Royce outscored Albany 18-10 in the third quarter, and neither team scored in the fourth.
Leila H. led Head-Royce with 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting, including 2-of-7 from 3-point range. Both of her 3-pointers came on second chances. Hailey H. added 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks without a turnover. Morgan R. filled the stat sheet with 7 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals. Melina M. came off the bench for a game-high 13 rebounds, including 7 on the offensive end, along with 6 points and 5 steals.
Neither team shot well. Head-Royce made 14 of 54 shots (25.9 percent), and Albany made 11 of 39 (28.2 percent). The Jayhawks made up for it with extra possessions: they had 13 steals, forced 20 turnovers while committing 13, and grabbed 18 offensive rebounds. That work on the glass led to a 10-9 edge in second-chance points. Head-Royce also blocked 5 shots, and its bench scored 8 points. For Albany, Temzin led all scorers with 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting, and Melat had 9 rebounds and 6 blocks. Jordin and Sienna each had 5 turnovers.
The win was Head-Royce's second over Albany in six days, after a 54-40 home victory on Saturday, Dec. 2. At 4-1, the Jayhawks next visit Bentley on Tuesday, Jan. 9.