SPARTANBURG, S.C. – After trailing 11-10 upon the end of the first quarter, the Wofford women's basketball team held Newberry scoreless in the second stanza en route to a 76-27 victory to open the campaign Monday night at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. Wofford is 1-0 to begin the season, and Newberry remains 0-0 with this contest officially an exhibition for the Division II Wolves.
 
The Terriers over doubled the Wolves' shooting clip tonight, putting down 40.3 percent (27-of-67) of their shots compared to the 20.0 percent (11-of-55) mark of the Wolves. Newberry was notably held quiet at the free throw line, missing all three shots. Wofford was 15-of-18 at the charity stripe for an 83.3 percent clip. Wofford outrebounded Newberry 53-34, with those 53 boards the program's first 50-plus rebounding effort since 52 against Emory & Henry in December of 2023. The Terriers moved the ball well with 19 assists. Defensively sound, Wofford forced 28 giveaways with 17 steals, the first 15-plus swipe performance since March of 2023 against UNCG (15). The Terriers capitalized off those turnovers for 41 extra points and 16 fast break scores.
 
"I think it took us a little bit to get settled in," said head coach Jimmy Garrity. "But I'll give Newberry a lot of credit; they played really well that first quarter. I thought we had some good looks, good shots, and they just didn't go in. But overall, the goals that we set for each game, we achieved most of those. I'm really happy with how we played on the boards. Nineteen assists, too, was really good. I thought we shared the ball. We got out and ran in transition, and to have 17 steals was really exciting for us."
 
All 12 Terriers on the roster played, and 11 of them scored. Showing depth early, Wofford's bench tallied over half of the team's points with 42 as the five starters posted 34.
 
Wofford was led by Maddie Heiss with her 11 points. She was 4-of-7 from the field with one three, adding in four boards. Libby Privett added 10 points to mark a pair of Terriers in double figures. Privett was perfect on her shooting, going 2-of-2, both threes, with four free throws. Privett was one of three Terriers returning to action this season after missing the last campaign due to injury, and after also missing her freshman season, the junior made her long-anticipated debut in style tonight.
 
"It's had to even put into words," said Privett of her debut over two years in the making. "I was at the free throw line and just turned around and saw all my teammates and just how much love they had for me; that's what it's all about. Scoring points and all of that, being back on the court is great, but I've had a great support system behind me this whole time from top to bottom. And that's just so special and something that's going to carry me through life, and it was just awesome to share that moment with them."
 
Five other Terriers scored seven points, marking seven total players with at least seven points. Evangelia Paulk tallied seven rebounds with her points, as did Helen Matthews and Indiya Clarke. The trio led the efforts on the boards, and Paulk displayed further defense with her career-high and team-best six steals while also posting two blocks and three assists. Freshman Molly Masingale made her collegiate debut with seven points, including a three-pointer made, and six boards. She added two assists. Queen Ikhiuwu rounds out the seven-point scorers, and she added four boards and a steal.
 
Toni Warren scored six points in her freshman debut with two steals and boards. Mia Flor made her Terrier debut after missing last season due to injury, posting five points, a block and four rebounds.
 
Madi Hawk tallied five points in her debut, and Rachael Rose added four points with four assists. Sara Deidda led the team with six assists, a career high.
 
Wofford got off to a rocky start in the first quarter. Evangelia Paulk scored the first points of the season with her jumper, but Newberry promptly responded. After a Mia Flor bucket, the Wolves knocked down a three to take the lead, and the teams exchanged control from there. A Newberry three with 2:51 on the clock pushed the Wolves ahead 11-6. Rachael Rose scored the final four points of the quarter, pulling Wofford within one, 11-10, after the first 10 minutes.
 
The Terriers settled in and found their groove in the second quarter. An Indiya Clarke free throw at the 8:36 mark tied the game, and with a Helen Matthews three just over a minute later, Wofford took a lead it would not relent. In all, seven different Terriers scored in the second quarter as Wofford posted 18 points while holding Newberry scoreless. All 13 Wolf attempts were unsuccessful, marking the first time Wofford has held an opponent scoreless in a frame since keeping Coastal Carolina off the board in December of 2017, also in the second quarter. The overall run ran into the third quarter and halted at 24 points, but the Terriers entered the break ahead 28-11 after both Libby Privett and Molly Masingale scored their first-career points.
 
"I think it was just our defensive intensity," said Paulk of the team's turnaround between the first and second quarters. "Our defense led to our offense, and just being to talk and communicate and get the energy up."
 
Maddie Heiss opened the third quarter with a jumper, and Newberry got on the board for the first time in a long time with four-straight points. The Wolves scored a layup just before the halfway mark of the quarter, but Heiss knocked home a three, and Matthews followed with a jumper to spark a 12-point Terrier run that culminated with an and-one play by Evangelia Paulk. The Wolves responded with a three, but Privett returned serve with her first-career triple to send Wofford into the final frame up 50-23.
 
After a pair of Toni Warren free throws to begin the fourth, Privett again connected from distance, and the run ultimately reach 15-straight points for Wofford. Mia Flor punctuated the swing with a three-ball to mark a 62-23 Terrier advantage with 5:41 remaining. The teams would continue to trade blows as though Newberry found a few more scores, Wofford continued to roll until the time ran out. Privett put home a pair of free throws with just over a minute left, and though the Wolves would score quickly thereafter, Madi Hawk swished a three as the final punctuation to the game with 30 seconds remaining. Wofford sealed a 76-27 emphatic first win of the season.
 
After the home victory, Wofford hits the road for the first time this season with a trip to NC Central on Saturday, November 9. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. in the first contest of a three-game road stint.