Four Wildcats scored in double figures, but perhaps none more noticeably than Utah Tech transfer forward Nicole Willardson, who finished the afternoon 7 of 8 for 18 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

The Wildcats are in the win column for the first time this season following a 75-58 loss at Colorado State to begin the season. WSU head coach Jenteal Jackson, who left her alma mater, Westminster (in Salt Lake City) for Ogden in 2023, said Willardson is adjusting quickly to a new program.

“She’s been super locked in,” Jackson said of Willardson. “It’s been fun for her to get into a system where she can utilize her post-up, that low lock that she has. I’m proud of her and the way she’s responded, come in, learned and adapted, and just her growth overall.”

Guards Hannah Robbins (16 points, five rebounds), Makenna Shaffer-Lauer (10 points, nine rebounds), and Antoniette Emma-Nnopu (10 points, nine rebounds) padded the box score. As a team, WSU (1-1) improved from the field (31 of 68) after landing just 22 of 60 attempts, including just 4 of 27 from 3-point range, last week.

Sydney White (nine points, nine assists), Maya Davis (nine points, five rebounds), Lanae Billy (seven points), and Paris Lauro (five points, two rebounds) all lent a hand in piling a 24-point lead by halftime.

Saturday marked Jackson’s second win over WU as a coach, and improved WSU’s all-time record against her alma mater to 6-0. The Griffins have been led by Asami Morita, college basketball’s first Japanese-born head coach, since Jackson left WU in 2023.

“It’s nice to get it back on the schedule and open up that home game (for) them,” Jackson said.

The majority of Westminster’s pitfalls were self-inflicted.

The Griffins (0-1) turned the ball over 11 times in the first half and hardly rewarded itself at the rim despite winning the glass 25-23 through 20 minutes on the floor.

Robbins and White each moved the needle for WSU from 3-point land early for a 14-3 lead through five minutes. However, that production soon slowed and the Griffins managed seven unanswered to end the first quarter back within single digits, down 8.

Shaffer-Lauer became the third Wildcat to chalk up a 3 just a couple of minutes into the second quarter, and White soon added her second of the afternoon for a 16-point WSU lead with little under six minutes remaining in the first half. Hoping off the bench, Willardson grabbed a floor-high nine first-half points on perfect 3-of-3 shooting.

Junior forward Madison Anderson led the visitors with five points and five rebounds at the half. WSU ultimately held WU to just 18 of 56 (27%) on Saturday, but Jackson said the defense is still miles away from what she envisions come conference play.

“We’re focusing on the defensive side of the ball but a lot of those things are really big-picture and those details just take time,” Jackson said.

Ahead 42-18 at the break, WSU returned to begin the third quarter just 2 of 7 with layups by Emma-Nnopu and White serving as the only production through roughly six minutes.

Shaffer-Lauer and Robbins, hitting two looks from 3 range late in the third quarter, helped the Wildcats to a comfortable 26-point buffer at the end of three.

Robbins and Willardson, hitting her second 3-pointer with just over five minutes left, each rose to 16 points midway through the fourth quarter. Willardson added another field goal before the contest wrapped.

WSU next hosts UC Davis at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12.

Connect with reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.