Recap: Kia Nurse Leads Team Westbrook in Opening Night Victory, 114-72

Led by Nurse, Team Westbrook led from start to finish to earn the season-opening victory. She tallied 17 of her 23 points in the opening half and also added six rebounds and two assists en route to MVP 1 honors and 739 leaderboard points.

Bradford, making her return to AU Pro Basketball after not playing last season, followed with MVP 2 distinction after netting 18 points on 7-of-16 shooting from the field. The former Central Michigan product added 10 rebounds for the ninth double-double of her AU career and closed with 669 leaderboard points.

Guard Tyasha Harris completed the Game MVP trifecta after chipping in 21 points with six rebounds and five assists. Harris shot 8-for-11 from the field, including 4-of-5 from three-point range, to finish her AU debut with 714 leaderboard points.

Team Bell was paced by guard Christyn Williams, who scored 23 points after making 10-of-14 field goal attempts, including a perfect 3-for-3 from three-point range. Captain Kierstan Bell contributed 16 points while guard Odyssey Sims finished with 11 points.

KEY MOMENT

Team Westbrook exploded for a 27-7 lead in the opening 6:40 and never looked back. Nurse led the charge by scoring 13 points, including four three-pointers.

LEADERBOARD IMPACT

Nurse and Harris hold the early advantage on the leaderboard after each posted over 700 points in their debuts. Bradford follows in third place with 669 points.

NOTES OF INTEREST

• Wednesday night’s season opener marked the first-ever meeting between Bell and guard Evina Westbrook as opposing captains.
• The teams were a combined 3-of-6 in converting ‘and one’ opportunities in Wednesday’s opener.
• Westbrook became the ninth team captain in AU Pro Basketball history to win their first game as a team leader.
• Team Westbrook became the fifth squad in Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball history to register a sweep of the win points … It is the first win points sweep since March 3, 2023, when Team Hillmon downed Team [Isabelle] Harrison by an 87-76 count.
• Team Westbrook’s 114 points are the most by any squad in an Opening Night contest in league history … The 114 points also rank as the sixth-highest single-game output in the league’s four-year history.
• Team Westbrook knocked down 16-of-29 three-point field goal attempts in Wednesday night’s season opener, the most triples in an Opening Night contest in league history … The 16 three-pointers are also the fourth-most in any game.
• Team Westbrook became the seventh team in AU Pro Basketball history with 30 or more assists in a single game.
• Team Westbrook held a commanding 59-47 rebounding advantage over Team Bell … The 59 caroms are the second-highest total in any AU Pro Basketball game, trailing the 61 rebounds by Team Cloud against Team Hawkins on February 26, 2022.
• Team Westbrook set a new AU Pro Basketball single-game record with its 50 defensive rebounds on Wednesday night, eclipsing the previous mark of 44 caroms by Team Sims against Team [Tiffany] Mitchell on March 17, 2024.
• Team Westbrook matched an Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball record by making 25 field goal attempts in the first half … Team Gray also connected on 25 field goal tries during the opening half of its March 10, 2024, game against Team [Tiffany] Mitchell.
• Team Westbrook also equaled a league record with its 31 rebounds in the first half … A team has collected 31 rebounds in a single half five other times prior to Wednesday’s season opener.
• Team Westbrook became the first team in league history to score 30 or more points in a single quarter during the opening night of the season after doing so in each of the first two frames on Wednesday night … Team Sims held the previous Opening Night first quarter record with 26 points against Team [Kelsey] Mitchell on February 29, 2024, while Team [Kelsey] Mitchell set the second quarter standard with a 27-point outburst against Team Sims in the same game.
• Guard Bria Hartley and forward Jordan Horston each matched Bradford for game-high honors with 10 rebounds apiece.
• Bradford also set a personal AU career high with five steals in Wednesday’s victory.

GAME MVPS

• #1 – Kia Nurse (Team Westbrook, +90)
• #2 – Crystal Bradford (Team Westbrook, +60)
• #3 – Tyasha Harris (Team Westbrook, +30)