Surging sophomore making impact for Marquette women's basketball
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) - Marquette sophomore guard Halle Vice is surging this season. After playing in 12 games as a freshman and scoring 14 total points, she's breaking out.
Vice has reached double figures 14 times, averaging 11 points. She is top 10 in the Big East Conference in rebounding, averaging 7.5 per game. Vice leads the team with six double-doubles including a career-high of 20 points twice and a career-high in rebounds with 13.
"When we start games, the number one thing she knows she has to do is get rebounds, get deflections. Her motor is just so high level," said Cara Consuegra, Marquette women's basketball coach.
"I kinda always have had a knack for the ball. You don't have to be the biggest or the strongest if you just have the work ethic and try to go for the ball every time," said Vice.
In the summer, the 6'1" guard made an impression on her new head coach and teammates. She often earned the team's "lockdown leader" award as the best defensive player, in large part due to her rebounding. She gained a nickname in the process. Halle Violence.
"She's definitely fiery on the court. She - I don't even know how to explain it but she's just Halle Violence," said Skylar Forbes, the Golden Eagles leading scorer and Vice's best friend and roommate.
"That first came around this summer," laughed Vice. "We pride, obviously rebounding, and violence is just something we use as a word to go after the ball with violence, play with violence, so I guess I just kind of embodied that."
"Halle Violence" still searches for friendly advice to continue to grow her game. She went against Forbes in practice a lot as a freshman. But also goes to past Golden Eagles like former teammates, Jordan King, Chloe Marotta or Liza Karlen to help benefit her future. All three are 1,000-point scorers during their time at Marquette.
"They've done it," said Vice. "It's been nice to lean on them when things get hard. They just have a lot of good advice to give."
Vice and Marquette, 19-8 (11-5) close the regular season against Xavier and UConn before playing in the Big East Tournament which begins on March 8.