PHILADELPHIA - The La Salle women's basketball squad is spending this week in the state of Connecticut, starting with a game at Central Connecticut State tonight at 7 p.m.

La Salle Explorers (1-9) @ Central Conn. State Blue Devils (4-3)
Detrick Gymnasium | New Britain, Conn.
Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012 | 7 p.m.

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The Match-Up

Wednesday marks only the second-ever meeting of La Salle and CCSU on the hardwood. The lone meeting of the two squads was 20 years ago in the La Salle Invitational when the Explorers trounced the Blue Devils 96-63.

Scouting the Explorers

The Explorers returned from the final exam break on Sunday when they hosted SEC opponent Florida, seeing the Gators for the second straight year. Florida jumped out to a 19-point halftime lead before the Explorer defense helped clamp down and allow the team to get within six before ultimately falling 74-50. Shanel Harrison led the Explorers with 15 points and six rebounds and Brittany Wilson added 14 points, three assists and three steals.

Wilson continues to be the scoring leader in the Atlantic 10, averaging 19.3 points per game. She also ranks in the top 20 in the league in rebounding, pulling down 6.8 boards per game. Harrison is chipping in 8.7 points and 6.5 boards per game, and Ebonee Jones rounds out the top three scorers with 8.3 per game.

Scouting the Blue Devils

CCSU enters the game with a 4-3 record, and is coming off of a 10-day final exam break.

The Blue Devils tout their defense, with Jaclyn Babe ranking second nationally in steals per game (4.71) and the team is 31st overall in the nation with 12.6 per contest. They limited New Hampshire to just 32 points in their last outing, topping the Wildcats 43-32. Prior to that, they limited Vermont to 41 points in a 67-41 triumph.

La Salle is the third Atlantic 10 opponent for the Blue Devils this season, as they opened with back-to-back wins against Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The Blue Devils outlasted URI 57-49 in overtime in the season opener before taking a 78-69 decision from the Minutewomen in the second game of the season.

The Babe sisters lead the team in scoring with Jaclyn averaging 16.7 ppg and sister Jessica scoring 10.7 per contest. Jessica Babe averages a team-best 7.4 rebounds per game and is second on the squad with 2.3 steals. Kirsten Daamen is second in rebounding with 4.7 rpg while chipping in 9.1 ppg.

Next Up

The Explorers stay in Connecticut through Saturday, paying a visit to Fairfield on Saturday at 2 p.m.