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The University of the Virgin Islands’ women’s basketball team got off to slow start to the 2025-2026 season, suffering an 83-40 loss to St. Thomas University on Friday night in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Lady Buccaneers (0-1) fell behind early to the Bobcats (1-0) and never recovered, trailing by as many as 46 points midway through the fourth quarter in falling to 0-8 all-time against STU. The Bobcats led 21-11 after the first quarter and 37-21 at the half. STU then essentially put the game away in the third quarter, outscoring UVI 26-7 in the period. St. Croix native Keshara Romain, a junior transfer from Pierce College in Washington state, came off the bench to score a team-high 15 points for UVI. She also had a game-high nine rebounds. Three players finished in double figures for St. Thomas (1-0), led by five 3-pointers and 17 points from reserve Samantha Bautista. Samantha Vales added 11 points and Jaliyah Weekes, another Bobcats reserve, had 10 points. UVI wraps up its three-game Florida road trip on Tuesday, playing Atlantis University’s Atlanteans in their season opener tonight in Miami, Fla. Game time is 7 p.m. Atlantic. Lady Bucs win exhibition game vs. STU JV team The Lady Buccaneers bounced back from their season-opening loss to take a 72-44 exhibition-game victory over St. Thomas’ developmental team Saturday. UVI never trailed in the exhibition game, leading 19-9 after the first quarter and 38-18 at the half in outscoring the Bobcats in all four quarters. Three players finished in double figures for the Lady Buccaneers, led by Romain with a game-high 18 points. Khaelii Robertson-Mack, a junior transfer from California’s Allan Hancock College, added 17 points, and senior returnee Kashay Bass – a preseason second team all-HBCU Athletic Conference selection – scoring 16 points. Kirsten Wood led St. Thomas’ developmental team with 10 points. UVI Bucs drop exhibition opener to RBA All-Stars UVI’s men’s basketball team dropped its season opening exhibition game Friday night, falling 91-87 to St. Croix’s Real Basketball Association’s All-Stars at the Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center on St. Thomas. Led by three players scoring 20 or more points, the RBA All-Stars rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat the Buccaneers on their home floor. St. Croix’s Zion Jones led the way for the RBA All-Stars with a 23 points, making 7 of 15 from the field and 3 of 4 3-pointers. Former international pro and U.S. Virgin Islands National Team star Cuthbert Victor added 21 points and eight rebounds, and Craig Williams finished with a double-double (20 points and 10 rebounds). St. Croix’s Chad Molloy had a game-high 25 points to lead UVI, which had three other players finish in double figures. St. Croix native Brandon Rasmussen had a double-double (15 points and a game-high 11 rebounds), Evik Amy added 14 points and Khari Person had 11 points. The Buccaneers have one more exhibition game set, hosting the Virgin Islands Elite on Friday, Oct. 31, at the Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center as part of Homecoming Week activities. Game time is 8:30 p.m.
