Campus Clips: South Bend Riley grad Asia Strong becoming a force at Syracuse

Asia Strong is living up to her moniker on the hardwood.

The former South Bend Riley star has been strong throughout her well-traveled collegiate career, including her time this season as a grad student for Syracuse.

Strong, a 6-2 forward, has been a force for the Orange. She is averaging 9.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Syracuse fell 56-54 at home to No. 6 North Carolina State Sunday night to drop to 10-4 overall and 1-2 in ACC play this season.

Girls basketball power rankings:Northridge moving up the South Bend-area list

Strong played the previous two seasons at Wichita State, where she averaged 10.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest last year. She started her career at Bradley University before then helping Trinity Valley Community College post a 32-1 mark her sophomore season. Strong averaged 14.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per outing for Trinity Valley.

Strong is shooting 40 percent from the field and 76 percent from the line for the Orange. She scored a season best 18 points in a win over Albany.

Strong earned All-State honors following her senior season at Riley. She averaged 18.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game as a senior for the Wildcats, who went 6-18 during the 2017-18 campaign under coach Jose Robles. Strong was a two-time team MVP at Riley.

Locals help IUSB continue winning ways

Some familiar faces to area hoops fans are helping the Indiana University South Bend women's basketball team to another strong season on the collegiate hardwood.

Coach Steve Bruce's team, a perennial power in the NAIA, sits at 14-1 overall and 9-1 in the CCAC. The Titans, whose lone loss was a 72-70 final to league foe University of Saint Francis (Illinois) on Dec. 7, are averaging 83.2 ppg.

IUSB is led by its stellar sister act of Maddie and Katie Gard. The pair of senior guards from Oak Creek, Wisconsin are each averaging 14 ppg for the Titans. The two led IUSB to a 25-8 mark last season under longtime coach and school Executive Director of Athletics Bruce.

The Titans roster also features plenty of former local stars in veterans like graduate students Tia Chambers and Sara Doi and junior Jazmen Watts.

Chambers, a Penn High School product, is averaging 12.8 points and a team-high 7.5 rebounds per outing. Guard Doi, who also played for the Kingsmen, is averaging 7.1 ppg. Watts, a former standout at Riley who played at Bethel the past two years, is at 7.8 ppg.

More:Sara Doi brings much to table for IUSB Titans

IUSB also features a pair of freshmen in Francisca Galicia and Maddie McSurley. Galicia played at Washington and McSurley is a New Prairie High School alum.

IUSB topped Roosevelt University of Illinois 84-68 at home in league play Wednesday night. Katie Gard canned 26 points to pace the Titans. Chambers had 13 points in the win.

The Roosevelt roster featured a pair of former hoops players in Meghan Urbanski and Lauren Gillon.

Urbanski, a former star at Marian, is a graduate student for Roosevelt after previously playing at Rockhurst University. Urbanski entered play Wednesday night averaging 12.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. She had 13 points Wednesday night.

Gillon is a freshman guard for Roosevelt. She had played in nine games and was averaging 3.1 ppg. going into the IUSB contest, in which she scored nine points. Gillon was one of three seniors last season who helped Washington win the Class 3A state championship.

Kaitlyn Costner, Mila Reynolds, Brynn Shoup-Hill all in the Big Ten

A trio of former local prep standouts are competing in the Big Ten Conference.

Kaitlyn Costner is a part of one of the top women's college teams in the country.

The former Elkhart Central and Penn star is a sophomore guard for Ohio State. The Buckeyes boast a 15-0 mark, including a perfect 4-0 start in Big 10 play.

Costner, who led both Central and Penn to sectional titles, has appeared in seven games this season. She has played a total of 23 minutes and scored two points. Costner, who is the daughter of former Penn star Rod Creech, played in 11 games as a freshman.

The Buckeyes are coached by Kevin McGuff, a former assistant coach at Notre Dame. OSU is ranked No. 3 in the country.

Former South Bend Washington star Mila Reynolds is a freshman for No. 13 Maryland.

Reynolds, who led the Panthers to the Class 3A state title in 2022, has played a total of 72 minutes in 11 game appearances for the Terps. She has scored 14 points and also grabbed 14 rebounds.

Brynn Shoup-Hill, who starred at Goshen, is a sophomore forward for Illinois. Shoup-Hill played in 23 games at Dayton last season.

Shoup-Hill was first-team All-NLC all four years at Goshen and an All-State choice following her senior season in which she averaged 17.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.8 blocked shots per game. She finished her high school career playing for her father Shaun as the program's all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocked shots and free throws made.

Shoup-Hill is averaging 5.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while playing an average of 23 minutes per outing. She has a season high of 14 points in a win over Florida Atlantic. Shoup-Hill started and had three points and three rebounds last Sunday as Illinois upset Iowa 90-86 to move to 13-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big 10.

Drew Lutz prospering for Bethel Pilots

Drew Lutz continues to be a major force for Bethel.

The 6-1 senior guard, who played at Division 1 Incarnate Word in Texas the past three seasons, is averaging a team-high 23 ppg. for the Pilots.

Lutz, a Penn High School product, is also averaging 4.9 rebounds. He has 88 assists with just 22 turnovers, while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the free throw line.

The Pilots dropped to 11-5 overall and 3-3 in Crossroads League play after a 70-60 conference loss at Spring Arbor Wednesday night.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Campus Clips: South Bend-area athletes now playing in college