PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle women's basketball squad opens a long road trip spanning the new year by closing out 2013 with a pair of games on Sunday and Monday at Dartmouth's Blue Sky Classic. The Explorers play host Dartmouth on Sunday at 7 p.m. and Binghamton on Monday at 5 p.m. Atlantic 10 foe Massachusetts rounds out the four-team field, though the two squads will not meet in the tournament.

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La Salle Explorers (4-6) at Dartmouth Big Green (1-9)
Sunday, December 29 | 7:00 PM | Leede Arena
Blue Sky Classic

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Game Notes
La Salle

La Salle Explorers (4-6) vs. Binghamton Bearcats (1-10)
Monday, December 30 | 5:00 PM | Leede Arena (Dartmouth College)
Blue Sky Classic

Game Notes
La Salle

Scouting the Explorers

La Salle split a pair of games before the Christmas holiday at the University of Florida's Gator Holiday Classic. The Explorers dropped an 84-58 decision to FIU in the opener before bouncing back with a 66-58 win over Tennessee State in the consolation game.

Rookie Micahya Owens either led or tied for the team-high scoring lead in both contests at Florida. The Gator Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team pick averaged 16.0 ppg and 4.5 rpg in those two games, including a game-high 19 points in the win over Tennessee State.

Owens continues to rank as the team scoring leader on the season, draining 13.8 ppg while chipping in 5.1 rpg. She leads the squad with 18 three-pointers made and is also tops at the free throw line with a solid 80.0 percent clip (24-30). Her 1.8 three-pointers per game ranks her 10th in the Atlantic 10 and her free throw percentage is tied for 13th in the league.

Khristin Lee returned from an injury and is back in the starting lineup. She is second on the team with 11.9 ppg and leads the Atlantic 10 with 2.8 steals per game. Her 3.3 assists leads the team and is 15th in the league.

Alicia Cropper rounds out the top three scorers, as she chips in 11.5 ppg while playing a league-leading 37.2 minutes each outing. Cropper has drained 16 threes this season, which is second on the team and 13th in the A-10.

The squad scores 60.4 ppg while giving up 65.3 ppg to opponents. The Explorers rank in the top half of the A-10 in scoring defense (65.3), 3-point field goal percent defense (28.9%), rebounding offense (40.2 rpg), rebounding margin (+0.9 rpg), offensive rebounds (15.3 rpg) and blocked shots (3.0 bpg).

Scouting the Big Green

Dartmouth is still looking for its second win of the season, entering the weekend with a 1-9 record. The Big Green's lone win was a 66-62 triumph over Vermont back on Nov. 11. The squad last played a two-game swing in Chicago, dropping a 90-76 decision at DePaul and a heartbreaking 56-52 loss to Loyola-Chicago.

The Big Green relies on rookie guard/forward Fanni Szabo for most of its scoring production. The 6'1 freshman from Hungary is the lone Dartmouth player in double figures, scoring 18.8 ppg which ranks her second in the Ivy League. She is also one of three players to start all 10 games, along with Lakin Roland and Abbey Schmitt.

Roland is second on the team among active players with 9.0 ppg, while adding 4.6 rpg. Nicola Zimmer was averaging 9.3 ppg through the first three games, but remains questionable for the tournament with an illness.

Schmitt averages 6.6 ppg and chips in 5.1 rpg.

As a team, the Big Green scores just 59.1 ppg while giving up 75.3 to opponents.

Scouting the Bearcats

Binghamton has struggled this season., bringing a 1-10 record into the tournament. The Bearcats' lone win was a 58-53 triumph over New Mexico in the Lobos' Thanksgiving Tournament on Nov. 29. They placed second in the tournament with a loss to Arkansas in the championship game.

Sherae Swinson is the lone Bearcat in double figures, averaging 10.6 ppg while chipping in 4.8 rpg. Vaneeshia Paulk is second in scoring with 7.7 ppg and Stephanie Jensen rounds out the top three scorers by chipping in 6.5 ppg.

The Bearcats average a slim 49.2 ppg as a team while yielding 66.4 to opponents. They are shooting just 33.5 percent from the field and are outrebounded by an average of 39.5 rpg to 32.8.