New Faces lead Women’s Basketball past Arkansas Baptist in Frazier debut
MARSHALL, TEXAS – Malikiya Thomas and Alexandra Brooks scored in double figures in their Wiley University Women’s Basketball debuts and Asia Foster hit the go-ahead basket in her return to lift the Lady Wildcats to a 65-61 victory over Arkansas Baptist College in the first game of the Dr. Destiny Frazier era Thursday at Alumni Gymnasium.
The Lady Wildcats (1-0) open with a victory for the fourth time in the last five seasons. Frazier is the sixth head coach to win their debut.
Thomas led all scorers with 16 points, hitting seven of eight shot attempts. She also contributed defensively with four steals and two blocks. Brooks added 10 points, four rebounds and four assists in her collegiate debut. Foster, who last played for the Lady Wildcats during the 2023-24 season, provided a career-high 13 points off the bench and six made shots. She hit a jumper off an in-bounds pass from Emilee Proctor with 40 seconds remaining. Proctor contributed 11 points and five steals in her first game since January 6, 2025.
Wiley trailed 33-28 at halftime after shooting 37.9 percent. Proctor got a steal and a layup and hit a 3-pointer to tie the game. Thomas hit a jumper to give Wiley its first lead since 4:18 left in the second quarter. It wasn’t able to build on its advantage as it fell behind by four in the last three minutes of the quarter. Thomas cut the margin to one with a second-chance 3-pointer.
A second chance bucket by Kyla Clark and a layup by Thomas, which was set up on a steal by Nyemah Hodo gave the Lady Wildcats a 50-47 lead. Arkansas Baptist bounced back and took the lead. Proctor hit a layup to put Wiley back in front. Carly Gates drained a 3-pointer to increase the margin to four with 5:19 left in the game. Arkansas Baptist came back and tied the game with 1:33 remaining. After Foster’s jumper put Wiley up for good, it didn’t allow another basket for Arkansas Baptist, which missed a 3-pointer and came up empty at the free throw line.
Wiley outshot Arkansas Baptist 40.9 to 31.8 percent. It was outrebounded 55-35 but won the turnover battle 33-23, outscoring the Lady Buffaloes 34-20 in points off turnovers.
The Lady Wildcats will continue its opening homestand with their Homecoming game against Texas College at 2 p.m. Saturday.
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About Wiley University Athletics
Wiley University sponsors 13 varsity sports: women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, men’s and women’s outdoor track and field, baseball and softball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC).
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