Basketball: Kiwis on the Road Tuesday January 26

Tai Webster #0 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Photo / Getty Images.

Hot on the heels of BYU, where Tall Fern Kalani Purcell is enjoying a standout season, in the West Coast Conference are Saint Mary's. The Gaels recorded a convincing 78-51 win at Portland on Saturday and, with the win, improves to 7-2 in conference play just one game behind the co-leaders BYU.

Playing her second game back after an injury lay off Stella Beck had a strong influence on the outcome. The Tall Ferns small forward was a perfect five from five from the field on her way to 12 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists.

Colgate Raiders broke a four-game losing streak on Wednesday defeating Boston University 72-63. Centre Josie Stockill contributed 5pts/9rebs/4blocks. Stockill still leads the NCAA Womens Division 1 in shots blocked averaging 4.3 per game.

After four losses Cal State Northridge Matadors picked up its first Big West Conference win defeating Hawaii 63-60 on Saturday. Centre Tessa Boagni had a quiet game contributing just two rebounds and an assist in 13 minutes.

University of California Golden Bears slipped to a 61-47 loss to USC on Sunday. With the loss, the Bears have now lost five games in a row and drops its record to 10-9 overall and 1-7 in Pac-12 play. Sophomore Penina Davidson led the Bears in scoring with 13, coming up two points shy of her career best for the second game in a row. She also came up two rebounds shy of a double-double, ending the day by matching her career-high eight boards.

It's been a good week for Davidson one of only two Cal players in double figures scoring 13 points (6/10FG) and adding 3 rebounds and a block in the 75-56 loss to 20th ranked UCLA Bruins on Friday.

Seattle University Redhawks improved to 3-2 in the Western Athletic Conference defeating University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 74-71. Tall Ferns forward Jacinta Beckley scored 10 points for the Redhawks and added a career high 8 rebounds.

American College - Men

Nebraska University Huskers picked up its fourth straight win, a 72-71 win over No. 11 Michigan State on Wednesday. The result was described on the Huskers website as one of the biggest wins in recent years. Tai Webster, played a team high 32 minutes for the Huskers, and with 10pts/7rebs/3assists/1steal was a major contributor to the win.

Nebraska's winning streak came to an end on Saturday when they fell to Michigan 81-68. Webster had 12 points, five rebounds and five steals, the Huskers now 4-4 in Big Ten Conference games.

Jack Salt started for No 13 ranked Virginia University Cavaliers who recorded an important 69-62 victory against Clemson University on Tuesday. Salt had 2 points and 2 rebounds against Clemson. He scored a couple more points in the 73-65 win over Syracuse on Sunday as the Cavs improve to 4-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Europe - Women

Le Mura Lucca, playing its first home game of the year, eased to a comfortable 75-49 victory in the Italian SerieA. Tall Ferns forward Jillian Harmon completed a dominant 22 points/12 rebounds double double for Lucca who enjoy an equal share of top spot on the Italian League ladder with a 15-1 record.

Calais (3-11) lost its fourth game in a row in the French League going down 95-64 at home against Nantes slipping to 13th on the 14-team ladder. Guard Erin Rooney had 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists for Calais who were outscored in every quarter.

Europe - Men

Following his season best 25 points last week for the Plymouth Raiders Duane Bailey continued his good form with a 14 points (6/12FG), 8 rebounds and 3 assists effort as the Raiders went down 90-80 against Leicester Riders. The result was no disgrace for Plymouth, nestled in mid table of the British Basketball League with a 6-11 record, against Leicester that are second on the table (12-1).

CAI Zaragoza slipped to an agonising 80-79 home defeat against Fuenlabrada in the Liga Endesa, Spanish League. Isaac Fotu captured a team high 7 rebounds but scored just 2 points, as Zaragoze remain 15th in the 18-team competition with a 5-12 record

Australia - Women

The Australian WNBL resumed after a one week break to allow the Australian Opals squad to attend a pre Olympics tournament in Rio. Both Perth Lynx (13-6) and Townsville Fire (12-6) reinforced their top two statuses on the ladder with important victories on Sunday.

Cantabrian Toni Edmondson, in her first start of the season, scored 7 points and added a brace of rebounds and assists as Perth defeated Adelaide Lightning 76-67.

In Townsville the Fire outlasted Canberra Capitals to win 97-83. Both Tall Ferns on the Fire roster got on the scoresheet. Chevannah Paalvast (3pts) scored with her only shot of the contest and Micaela Cocks contributed 6pts/3rebs/5 assists.

Australia - Men

Jarrod Kenny provided the 'Play of the Week" in the NBL during Perth Wildcats comprehensive 95-72 victory over the Kirk Penney less (out with a hamstring strain) Illawarra Hawks on Thursday.

With the three quarter time buzzer about to sound Kenny launched an optimistic heave from a pace outside his own free throw line. Moments later the sixty feet effort hit nothing but net to give Kenny his only points of the night, increase the Wildcats advantage to 15 points and help Perth secure a play-off berth for the 30th straight season.

On Wednesday Dion Prewster made his second double digit scoring contribution of the season to the Sydney Kings cause as the NBL cellar dwellers went down 96-86 to the 36ers in Adelaide. Prewster had a very efficient 10 points (4/6FG) that included two from two three pointers plus 4 rebounds and 2 blocks.

On Thursday Leon Henry failed to score from four attempts against his former team the Breakers but he did have the satisfaction of helping the Townsville Crocodiles down the defending champions 89-66.