Hailey Van Lith Had Emotional Reaction After Statistical Achievement

Hailey Van Lith surprised herself when she recorded 10 assists for the first time in her collegiate career.
TCU Horned Frogs guard Hailey Van Lith talks to media.
TCU Horned Frogs guard Hailey Van Lith talks to media. / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
In this story:

Hailey Van Lith surprised herself Sunday night as she helped TCU squeak out a narrow win over No. 13 ranked NC State.

Van Lith had 18 points, 10 assists and four rebounds as the Horned Frogs held on to a 76-73 win. She recorded her tenth assist of the night in the final seconds of the game when she dished the ball to Taylor Bigsby for a layup to put TCU up three points. NC State's Aziaha James put up a three-point attempt at the buzzer in an effort to tie the game, but the Wolfpack came up short.

It was a career night for Van Lith as she scored the 2,000th point of her collegiate career and recorded her first-ever game with 10 assists. She didn't even realize she got a double-double until after the game. The strides she's taken as a facilitator for her teammates brought on a ton of emotion once she heard her statline.

"I'm kind of transforming into a new player," Van Lith told reporters after the win Sunday. "Before, I was like Hailey the scorer, I was going to go and get buckets. And now I'm the playmaker."

She recorded a few points-rebounds double-doubles when she was at Louisville but has never got to 10 assists in a game.

Angel Reese even chimed in to give Van Lith her well deserved flowers.

Sedona Prince had a huge game for TCU on Sunday as well with 31 points, 16 boards and two blocks. The Horned Frogs advanced to 4-0, rolling with their star-duo.


More of the Latest Around College Basketball

feed


Published
Blake Silverman
BLAKE SILVERMAN

Blake Silverman is a breaking/trending news writer at Sports Illustrated. Blake has covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball since 2021 for numerous sites including Winsidr, SB Nation's Detroit Bad Boys and A10Talk. He graduated from Michigan State University before receiving a master's degree in sports journalism from St. Bonaventure University. Outside of work, he's probably binging the latest Netflix documentary, at a yoga studio or enjoying everything Detroit sports. A lifelong Michigander, he lives in suburban Detroit with his wife, young son and their personal petting zoo of two cats and a dog.