The University of Miami women’s basketball team secured an 83-77 overtime win against George Washington on Friday afternoon in George Town, Grand Cayman. The victory was driven by strong performances from Ra Shaya Kyle and Gal Raviv, who scored 26 and 29 points respectively.
Miami improved its season record to 5-1, while George Washington dropped to 2-5. The Hurricanes shot 42.9 percent from the field and held a rebounding advantage over their opponent, collecting 44 boards compared to GW’s 35.
The game started slowly with both teams scoreless for the first two minutes until Amarachi Kimpson put Miami on the board with free throws. Eight of Miami’s first-quarter points came from the free throw line as offensive play remained limited early. The Hurricanes led at the end of the opening period but trailed by seven at halftime after George Washington built momentum with back-to-back three-pointers.
In the first half, Kyle and Raviv each contributed 10 points for Miami, with Kyle also leading in rebounds. Soma Okolo helped defensively with three steals.
George Washington extended its lead to as many as 15 points early in the second half before Miami responded with an 11-2 run to narrow the gap. The Hurricanes continued to chip away at the deficit throughout the third quarter.
Entering the fourth quarter down by seven, Miami quickly tied the game and regained a brief lead late in regulation. A late three-pointer from George Washington forced overtime with both teams tied at 72.
Miami took control during overtime, scoring first and extending their lead to eight before George Washington managed any points in extra time. The Hurricanes converted nine out of ten free throw attempts during overtime and limited GW to five points in that period.
Gal Raviv set a season high with her 29-point performance while Ra Shaya Kyle achieved a career high with her 26 points. “Raviv (29) Kyle (26) Marks career high,” according to team statistics provided after the game.
The Hurricanes made a season-best 27 free throws during this matchup and had three players reach double figures: Raviv (29), Kyle (26), and Okolo (10). Okolo also recorded personal bests in points, rebounds, blocks, and steals.
Miami outscored George Washington in paint points (38-32) and forced their opponent into 18 turnovers, converting those into 23 points.
Looking ahead, Miami will face Oklahoma State on Saturday morning in its final game of the Cayman Islands Classic tournament. Fans can watch that contest via FloSports streaming platforms.
