WESTFIELD, Mass. –Westfield State women's basketball tips off the home schedule as they host the Westfield Gas and Electric Tip-Off Tournament this weekend on Friday, November 22 and Saturday, November 23. 

The Westfield Gas and Electric Tip-Off Tournament tips with the Owls first home game of the 2024-2025 season on Friday November 22 at 5:30 p.m. against Utica. The second game on Friday will begin at 7:30 p.m. as Wellesley takes on Saint Lawrence.

The consolation and championship games will be played on Saturday, November 23 with the consolation game set to tip off at 12:00 p.m. and the championship game tipping off at 2 p.m. 

The Owls enter the tournament with a record of 3-1, after blasting Mount Holyoke, 81-47 on Tuesday.   Westfield forced a school-record 57 turnovers from the Lyons. For the Owls, seniors Jordan Grant (Gray, ME), Olivia Hadla (Westfield, Mass.), and Maddie Pond (Holyoke, Mass.) lead the way.  The Owls finished their season 17-10 last year.

Grant is leading the team in scoring, averaging nearly 18 points per game this season with 5.5 rebounds per game this season. Grant led the team last season averaging 15 points per game and grabbed 6 rebounds per game. She earned first team all-conference last season and was just named to the New England Women's Basketball Association's weekly honor roll to start the season.

Hadla is heading to the tournament this season averaging 15.5 points per game with 5.3 rebounds per game. She also received first team all-conference honors last season. 

Grant and Hadla rank in the Owls' top-20 scorers all time.  Both topped the 1000-point mark last season and continue to rapidly ascend Westfield's all-time list.

Pond is heading into the tournament averaging 8.5 points per game. Westfield junior guard Tavi Williams (Springfield, Mass.) is averaging 6.3 points and five steals per game.

Utica enters the tip-off tournament 0-3 so far this year. Utica finished last season with a 10-16 record. For the Pioneers, 5-10 sophomore Vanessa Hall (Whitesville, N.Y.) leads the team in scoring averaging 19 points per game. Junior swing player McKenzie Simmons (Red Hook, N.Y.) is leading the Pioneers in assists averaging 2.7 and is also leading the team in rebounds with 5.3 rebounds per game.

Wellesley is entering the tip-off tournament 2-2 after losing their previous matchup to Lasell, 51-48. The Blue were led by Trinity Barrow (Evans, GA), Caitlin Windross (Eastvale, Calif.), and Ava Shane (Plano, TX) who all dropped 10 points in their previous matchup. Wellesley finished their season 9-14 overall last year.

The Saint Lawrence Saints enter into the tip-off tournament 4-0, led by their top scorer junior sophomore Elizabeth Flynn (Brentwood, TN), a 5-10 forward who is averaging nearly 14 points per game on the season. Junior Jackie Malley (Reading, Mass.) is the second-leading scorer for the Saints averaging 9.5 points per game. The Saints finished their season last year 12-14 overall.

Special thanks to Westfield Gas and Electric and Whip City Fiber for their sponsorship of the tournament!