CHICAGO – The RMU women's basketball team opened the 2025-26 season with a 78-63 win over UIC, led by Malcolm's career-high 26 points to begin the season at 1-0. This win marks the third-straight win over UIC for the Colonials.
 
FIRST QUARTER

• In the first quarter of action, RMU shot 40 percent from the floor, going a game-low 6-15 to begin the contest.
• Both teams traded baskets back-and-forth before UIC found its rhythm with five minutes to go in the first quarter, building a nine-point lead with 1:53 left to go to put the Flames out in front of RMU 21-12.
• The Colonials got a basket from Aislin Malcolm with 1:30 left, making it 21-14. Malcolm drove in for the layup, scoring her seventh point of the contest.
• Both teams locked down defensively for the remaining 1:30, as neither team was able to score the rest of the quarter, with the teams going a combined 0-6 from the floor.
• The RMU offense found success down low. Eight of RMU's 14 points came from the paint. 

SECOND QUARTER

• RMU quickly turned up the heat in the second quarter, shooting 56 percent from the floor and going 9-16. RMU's defense held the Flames to a game-low 23 percent, allowing only three made baskets.
• In the second quarter, RMU went on its best scoring run of the night with a 14-0 run to put them out front 30-23. The Flames answered back with a layup with 3:46 left to go in the second quarter to end the scoring run.
• The Colonials scored an impressive 16 points in the paint with forward Bailey Kuhns leading the way with nine points on 4-5 shooting from the floor.
• Down low, RMU had a 12-4 advantage in rebounds to control the glass with Jada Lee pulling down four defensive boards.

THIRD QUARTER

• During the third quarter, the RMU offense saw its lead grow as the Colonials went up 50-35 after a Malcolm three with 5:36 remaining on the clock.
• UIC went on its best scoring run of the quarter with 5:13 on the clock, scoring six points to cut RMU's lead down to nine, bringing the score to 50-41 with 4:17 left to go in the contest.
• As a team, the Colonials continued to shoot over 50 percent from the floor, shooting 53 percent. Malcolm, who shot 4-8, recorded 12 points in the quarter to lead RMU.
• Both teams scored 12 points each in the paint, while RMU got seven second-chance points off 11 boards.

FOURTH QUARTER

• During the fourth quarter, the RMU offense had its best showing of the night as the Colonials turned up the pressure, shooting an incredible 64 percent from the floor while going 4-5 from beyond the arc for 80% shooting from deep.
• The Colonials got the quarter started with a three from Noa Givon to put them up 58-41 with 9:36 to go. Back-to-back baskets by Givon and Eva Levingston gave RMU its largest lead of the night as the Colonials were up 19 over the Flames.
• In the final two minutes of the matchup, both teams traded baskets, but the RMU defense held off the Flames.
• RMU closed out the contest, scoring 23 points in the final quarter to earn the 78-63 win over UIC.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Aislin Malcolm led the way for the Colonials, scoring a career-high 26 points in her debut for RMU. Malcolm went 10-20 from the floor while recording four baskets from deep along with four rebounds. Noa Givon and Bailey Kuhns provided offensive support to Malcolm, with the duo scoring 13 points apiece. Givon also recorded six rebounds. Rounding out major statistics from the contest was Jada Lee, who contributed with a team-leading eight rebounds and six assists.
 
As a team, the Colonials shot 53 percent from the floor, scoring 46 points in the paint, seven points off turnovers, 18 second-chance points, and 14 points from the bench.
 
UP NEXT
The Colonials will welcome Akron to the UPMC Events Center on Friday night as they host the Zips in their home opener. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. and can be seen live on ESPN+
 
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