‘Play with no regrets’: Sainsbury
8:14 PM AEST | Charlie Gill
UTS are now looking ahead to next Wednesday’s contest away from home.
Nicola Sainsbury said the team plans to ‘play with no regrets’ in their final game of the season and notch just their second win of the season against the ‘gettable’ UNSW.
‘Everyone’s still positive’: O’Loughlin
8:09 PM AEST | Charlie Gill
Taya O’Loughlin shared Fletcher’s sentiment but went on to say team morale has nonetheless remained high.
“Everyone’s still positive,” she said.
Close losses ‘a bit depleting’: Fletcher
8:05 PM AEST | Charlie Gill
Elle Fletcher led the UTS offence from the backcourt. Image: Isla Giron
Speaking post-game, Elle Fletcher says it has been ‘a bit depleting’ to be on the wrong end of so many close games throughout the season.
After tonight, five of their six losses have been by single-figure margins.
FULL-TIME: USYD clinches tight win
7:49 PM AEST | Charlie Gill
USYD has overrun a gallant UTS to win 69-63 here at RMSH.
It takes their win-loss record to 5-2 for the season while UTS slip to 1-6.
USYD dominating the glass
7:40 PM AEST | Hannah Lee & Charley Georgiou
Rebounding has been a struggle this quarter for UTS, as USYD are getting multiple chances to score, but UTS is being limited to just one shot per possession.
Pressure coming to the fore in tight finish
7:29 PM AEST | Hannah Lee & Charley Georgiou
USYD mounts a comeback and ties the game 54-54 with 7 minutes left to play.
Shots haven’t been easy to come by for either team so far this quarter, with many empty plays and missed shots due to the high level of defensive pressure from both sides.
THREE-QUARTER-TIME: UTS maintain narrow lead
7:21 PM AEST | Hannah Lee & Charley Georgiou
After a strong defensive run from UTS, momentum began swinging back towards USYD late in the third quarter after a UTS shot clock violation. USYD is increasing their own defensive pressure, at one point inflicting back-to-back blocks at the rim.
UTS narrowly leads 54-52 at the final break.
HALF-TIME: UTS burst into the lead
6:58 PM AEST | Charlie Gill
USYD call a timeout after a surge in UTS momentum. Image: Charlie Gill
With the backing of a raucous sold-out crowd, the home side has shot out to a seven-point lead at the major break.
UTS leads 45-38 with a half to play.
Defence a clear focus early for UTS
6:40 PM AEST | Hannah Lee
Taya O’Loughlin caps off defensive hustle at the free-throw line. Image: Isla Giron
UTS are defending through a full-court press, double-teaming USYD players off the throw-in. Defensive pressure is clearly a key focus for UTS today against a fast USYD side.
Taya O’Loughlin epitomised the gameplan late in the first term, drawing the game level with a free throw following a sideline steal. O’Loughlin’s defensive hustle has been vital to UTS’s play so far.
UTS leads 40-34 with just under two minutes to play in the second quarter.
QUARTER-TIME: Momentum with UTS after early USYD lead
6:27 PM AEST | Hannah Lee & Charlie Gill
UTS has clawed back momentum after USYD led by as much as seven points early.
Elle Fletcher has led the offence early from the backcourt while Poscha Paredes provided the quarter’s highlight play, scoring a clean one-legged floater that began shifting momentum back towards the home side.
USYD leads 23-21 at the first break.
Off to a fast and physical start
6:12 PM AEST | Hannah Lee & Charley Georgiou
Vicky McCarthy opens the scoresheet for UTS with Elle Fletcher following on quickly from three-point range.
Both teams playing fast in transition, maintaining a heavy focus on playing physical and attacking the rim with UTS already getting to the foul line twice in the first 2 minutes of the game.
Players to watch tonight
1:55 PM AEST | Charlie Gill
The home side will be looking for new recruit Elle Fletcher and veteran Nicola Sainsbury to continue their rich vein of form, with the pair leading the team in points per game, averaging 17.83 and 17.5 respectively.
Sainsbury is fresh off scoring a game-high 21 points in Wednesday’s loss to Federation University, 18 of which came from beyond the three-point arc. You can read more about her journey through UTS to a semi-professional start in the NBL1 here.
For the visitors, Yvette Volk has had the highest scoreboard impact this season, averaging 16 points per game, while Maddy Dalmeida has dominated the glass, boasting an average of 11.5 rebounds per game, the fifth-highest in the league.
Preview: last time they met and what to expect
1:40 PM AEST | Charlie Gill
These two teams last faced off in the 2024 UBL semi-finals where USYD eliminated UTS 82-63.
As they aim to make amends tonight, the hosts will come in as heavy underdogs with a win-loss record of 1-5 that sees them currently placed 12th on the ladder. Meanwhile, USYD remain in finals contention, placed fifth with a record of 4-2.
But, UTS will hope to be buoyed by the heavy contingent of home support that’s expected to file through the doors of RMSH.
Hello and welcome
1:30 PM AEST | Charlie Gill
Welcome to Central News’ live blog coverage of tonight’s UBL Women’s clash between UTS and the University of Sydney. Throughout the evening, we will be bringing you the latest updates from right here on the sidelines at Ross Milbourne Sports Hall.
The hotly anticipated cross-town rivalry is set to tip-off at 6:00 pm and will be the final home game of the season for UTS.
You can follow along here on centralnews.com.au and via our social media pages here.
Blog by Hannah Lee, Charley Georgiou and Charlie Gill.
Edited by Charlie Gill.
Main image of UTS Women’s basketball team by James O’Donohue.
