Lady Commodores advance into second round

Lake Charles, LA-Gulf Coast State came out fast and set the tone early. The Lady Commodores led 28-12 after the first quarter behind a strong start from sophomore guards Graca Barbosa and Myla Benton. Barbosa knocked down all three of her shots from beyond the arc, while Benton attacked the basket and scored efficiently inside. The duo combined for 24 points in the opening quarter to give Gulf Coast control. Defensively, Anjela Minja made her presence known early with three blocks in the first quarter, protecting the rim and limiting Gillette's scoring chances.

 

Gillette responded in the second quarter and made it a game. They shot well from both inside and outside, cutting the deficit to just two points at halftime.

 

The Lady Commodores answered again in the third quarter. Barbosa stayed hot, scoring 10 points while continuing her strong shooting from long range. Benton added eight points and remained perfect from inside the arc. Minja continued her strong defensive play with two more blocks in the quarter. Gulf Coast St. held a 65-61 lead going into the final quarter.  

 

The Lady Commodores closed out the game with a balanced scoring effort in the fourth quarter, as multiple players stepped up on the offensive end. Benton led the way with nine points, attacking the basket and converting key opportunities down the stretch. Kayla Hopson added five points while helping control the tempo, and Hannah Carr chipped in four points to support the effort. Barbosa chipped in three points to keep the offense moving. Minja and Arianny Francisco De Oliveira each added two points, as every player on the floor contributed to the scoring effort to help secure the win. Minja also added two more blocks in the fourth quarter to anchor the defense late.

 

Benton finished with a game-high 33 points, six rebounds, and three steals. Barbosa added 25 points, six rebounds, and four steals. Minja controlled the paint with eight rebounds and seven blocks, while Kayla Hopson recorded seven assists and five rebounds.

 

"We found a way tonight," said Head Coach Rory Kuhn.  "Different people stepped up. Graca Barbosa was amazing hitting 6 three pointers, Myla Benton was fantastic as usual and we found a way. We made multiple runs and answered them every time they went on a run. It was a true team win!"

 

With the win, the Lady Commodores advance into the second round of the 2026 NJCAA DI Women's Basketball Championship where they will face #6 Trinity Valley on Friday, March 27 at 4:45 pm in the NJCAA DI Women's Basketball Championship.

 

 

For her outstanding performance during the game, Myla Benton was awarded the Jersey Mike's Sub Above Player of the Game.