WEST POINT, N.Y. – In a battle that lived up to its billing, the Army West Point women’s basketball team delivered its biggest win of the season Saturday afternoon, taking down previously undefeated No. 57 UMass 64-61 at Christl Arena in front of 732 fans.

Junior forward Kya Smith put on a fourth-quarter clinic, scoring 15 of her game-high 16 points in the final 10 minutes to lead the Black Knights (7-2) past the Minutewomen (7-1), who entered the game ranked No. 10 in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 and No. 56 in the NCAA NET Rankings.

Smith’s Fourth-Quarter Takeover

With the game hanging in the balance, Smith delivered when it mattered most. The junior was a perfect 4-of-4 from the field and 7-of-7 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter, including a crucial and-one with 44 seconds remaining that gave Army a five-point cushion at 64-59.

Smith’s 15-point fourth quarter marked the most points she has scored in a single quarter in her career. She also grabbed nine rebounds and recorded four steals, leading Army in scoring for the sixth time this season. Smith has now scored in double-figures in every game this season and has been Army’s leading scorer in six contests.

A True Back-And-Forth Battle

The game featured 15 lead changes and was tied 10 different times, with neither team leading by more than six points until the final minutes. UMass led 29-27 at halftime, but Army’s defense tightened in the second half, holding the Minutewomen to 32 second-half points.

“Yeah, just such a gritty win,” head coach Katie Kuester said postgame. “[UMass] is a really good team, and it was our day. We were gritty, we were tough. We were extremely detail-oriented in our scouting and our defensive approach, and then offensively, we just hit big shots in big moments. Had big assists in big moments. And just, you know, proud of our girls as a collective whole, one through 14, healthy or not, they’re so dialed in every day for each other and for being there for each other and just having a will to win every day. That showed today. So just very proud.”

Army trailed by as many as six in the third quarter (36-30) before responding with a 10-2 run to take a 40-38 lead. Camryn Tade hit a clutch three-pointer with less than five seconds remaining in the third quarter to give Army a 43-42 advantage heading into the final period.

Kuester’s Pride In Her Team

First-year head coach Katie Kuester was emotional in her postgame remarks, praising her team’s collective effort and resilience.

“Huge. I’m just so happy for our girls,” Kuester said. “They deserve it. They work their butts off every single day. They’ve been bought in since day one, and they deserve to feel the way that they feel.”

The victory marked Army’s first home game in several weeks after a grueling non-conference travel schedule.

“This has been a crazy travel-wise non-conference schedule. We’ve been on the road a lot, so it felt so good to be at home today,” Kuester said. “I can’t even tell you, just to be able to have a walkthrough in our own gym, be able to have our shooting groups and warmups in our own gym, then putting on the white uniforms—they deserve this. I can’t say it enough. It’s all about them, and they showed up and showed out.”

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Ericson’s Milestone Game

Senior guard Reese Ericson added 12 points and five assists in her 100th collegiate game, moving within 12 points of becoming the 20th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points. Ericson also moved into second place on Army’s all-time three-pointers made list with 207 career treys in the game against St. Peter’s in Jersey City, NJ.

When asked about her milestones, Ericson deflected credit to her teammates.

“The biggest thing, it just makes me think of all the teammates and all the people that have given me those passes and those girls that I’ve played 100 games with,” Ericson said. “I love this gym. I’m so excited to be here with these coaches, this team. I’m just grateful for it all. It’s been such a fun ride, and we’re not done. We haven’t even started our season yet.”

Ericson was instrumental in the second quarter, scoring six of Army’s 12 points in the period, all on three-pointers. Her leadership and clutch shooting kept Army within striking distance throughout the game.

When asked if she was disappointed not to reach 1,000 points at home, Ericson’s answer reflected her team-first mentality.

“I just want to win basketball games. I’ll get my points. I’m fine,” Ericson said. “We get two points, and we beat New Hampshire, I’m happy. I had a good game against EKU, and we lost. So the biggest thing for me is I’m here for the team. My teammates have my back. The points will come. I just want to win basketball games.”

Reardon Provides Spark Off The Bench

Freshman Reaganne Reardon tied her career high with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting off the bench, providing a crucial spark in the third and fourth quarters. Reardon’s two layups in the fourth quarter helped Army maintain its lead during a critical stretch.

Taylor Wilson added five points, three rebounds, and an assist, while Brooke Wilson contributed seven points, three assists, and two steals. Soleil Montrose chipped in five points off the bench.

Bouncing Back From Adversity

The win came just eight days after Army’s 75-72 loss to Eastern Kentucky, a game the Black Knights felt they let slip away. Kuester praised her team’s response and commitment to improvement.

“We just want to get better every single day. We’re not complacent at all,” Kuester said. “We felt like [EKU] took that from us. We didn’t give them our best punch. And today we did give our best punch, and I still think we have more left in the tank that we haven’t shown yet. That’s what is gonna be our approach every day—one percent better. That’s all it is.”

Kuester emphasized that the team’s daily focus on incremental improvement has been the foundation of their success.

“That’s been really since preseason—just one percent better each and every day and not taking a single day for granted that we have together,” she said.

Defensive Intensity

Army’s defense was the difference-maker in the second half, forcing UMass into difficult shots and limiting the Minutewomen’s offensive flow. Army held UMass to 40.6 percent shooting (13-32) in the second half and forced 14 turnovers for the game, converting them into 20 points.

Army also dominated the free-throw line, going 14-of-17 (82.4 percent) compared to UMass’ 5-of-7. The Black Knights also outscored the Minutewomen 6-2 in fast-break points and 16-14 in bench points.

UMass’ Strong Effort Falls Short

UMass was led by Megan Olbrys, who recorded 16 points and nine rebounds. Yahmani McKayle added 13 points and five assists, while Chinenye Odenigbo contributed eight points and four rebounds. Aiyanna Perkins provided a spark off the bench with eight points in just under 10 minutes.

The Minutewomen outrebounded Army 33-31 and outscored the Black Knights 32-20 in the paint, but struggled from three-point range, shooting just 26.7 percent (4-15) from beyond the arc. UMass also went to the free-throw line just seven times compared to Army’s 17 attempts.

Three-Point Barrage

Army knocked down 10 three-pointers on 27 attempts (37.0 percent), marking the third time this season the Black Knights have recorded at least 10 treys from distance. Army is now 3-0 this season when making 10 or more three-pointers.

All five of Army’s first-quarter field goals came from beyond the arc, with five different players hitting threes in the opening period. Seven of Army’s eight made field goals in the first half were three-pointers, and all eight were assisted.

Army finished with 16 assists on 20 made field goals, marking the sixth time this season the Black Knights have recorded 15 or more assists in a game. Ericson and Tade each dished out five assists.

The Fiona Factor

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Army’s strong start is that the Black Knights have accomplished it without preseason All-Patriot League selection Fiona Hasek, who has been sidelined with an injury.

When asked about Hasek’s impending return, Kuester couldn’t contain her excitement.

“Don’t get me wrong, I would never forget about Fiona, but we’re so talented and we’re winning games right now that, when I take a second, I remember that we have Fiona freaking Hasek coming back,” Kuester said. “Like, just makes you smile and makes you get excited.”

The return of Hasek, combined with the team’s current form, has the Black Knights positioned for a strong Patriot League campaign.

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Christl Arena Advantage

The victory improved Army to 4-0 at home this season and 17-3 at Christl Arena since the start of last season. The Black Knights are also undefeated (7-0) this season when holding opponents to fewer than 70 points.

Army’s seven wins are the most by a Patriot League team so far this season, and the Black Knights are now 4-0 all-time against UMass.

Game Flow

UMass opened strong, shooting 57.1 percent (8-14) in the first quarter and taking an 18-15 lead after 10 minutes. The second quarter was a defensive struggle, with both teams combining to shoot just 8-of-27 from the field. Army shot just 23.1 percent in the second quarter but held UMass to 35.7 percent, keeping the deficit at just two points (29-27) at halftime.

Army came out of halftime with renewed energy, shooting 45.5 percent in the third quarter while holding UMass to 38.5 percent. Tade’s buzzer-beating three gave Army a 43-42 lead heading into the fourth.

The final quarter belonged to Smith, who scored 15 of Army’s 21 fourth-quarter points. Army shot 70.0 percent (7-10) in the fourth quarter and went 7-of-9 from the free-throw line to seal the victory.

Inside The Numbers

• Army shot 41.7 percent (20-48) from the field, 37.0 percent (10-27) from three, and 82.4 percent (14-17) from the free-throw line
• UMass shot 43.3 percent (26-60) from the floor, 26.7 percent (4-15) from three, and 71.4 percent (5-7) from the line
• Army was outrebounded 33-31 but had a 6-5 edge in offensive rebounds
• Army outscored UMass 20-16 in points off turnovers, 6-2 in fast-break points, and 16-14 in bench points
• UMass outscored Army 32-20 in the paint and 9-8 in second-chance points
• Army had 16 assists on 20 made field goals; UMass had 17 assists on 26 made baskets
• Smith’s 15 fourth-quarter points were the most she has scored in a single quarter in her career
• Ericson is now 12 points away from 1,000 career points and moved into second place on Army’s all-time three-pointers made list
• Reardon’s 11 points tied her career high
• Saturday marked Ericson’s 100th collegiate game
• Army is now 4-0 all-time against UMass
• Army’s seven wins are the most by a Patriot League team this season

Ericson Branches Engineers

In a postgame moment that highlighted the unique nature of Army athletics, Ericson revealed that she received her branch assignment earlier in the week on “Branch Night,” a milestone event for West Point seniors.

“Yeah, it was my first pick. I branched Engineers, so I’m super excited about it,” Ericson said. “I have some great mentors, some great officers who have been helping me get to this point. Almost wish I could have branch basketball. I’m loving it.”

The moment served as a reminder that Army’s student-athletes are preparing not just for athletic competition, but for military service after graduation.

Up Next

Army returns to the court Tuesday night in Ithaca, N.Y., to battle Cornell at Newman Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., with the game broadcast on ESPN+.

The Black Knights will look to extend their winning streak to two games and improve to 8-2 on the season as they continue non-conference play. Ericson will likely reach the 1,000-point milestone on the road at Cornell, though her focus remains squarely on team success.

Game attendance: 732

Officials: Maggie Tieman, Brandon Enterline, Rob Fessler

Game duration: 1:50

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