Women's Basketball Primed For Dayton

Women's Basketball | February 22, 2015

PHILADELPHIA - The La Salle women's basketball team ventures out on its final road swing of the regular season, first with a trip to Dayton on Sunday (2/22) and followed by a visit to St. Bonaventure on Wednesday (2/25).

La Salle Explorers (13-13, 4-9 Atlantic 10) vs. Dayton Flyers (20-5, 11-2 Atlantic 10)
Sunday, Feb. 22 | 4:00 PM | UD Arena
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Game Notes
La Salle | Dayton

Video Stream
Sunday's contest at Dayton will be streamed on the A-10 Digital Network.

All-Time Series vs. Flyers
Dayton is edging La Salle in the series, 17-15, dating back to 1993. The Explorers are looking to snap a nine-game win streak by the Flyers.

Last Time Out vs. Flyers
Three Explorers scored in double figures, led by Alicia Cropper's 24 points, but the squad could not overcome the Flyers' high-powered offense in an 84-69 setback at Tom Gola Arena last season. Micahya Owens added 14 points and Jasmine Alston contributed 10. Dayton had four players in double figures, led by Amber Deane's 22 points and Andrea Hoover's 19.

Scouting the Explorers
Despite going scoreless in the final four minutes, the Explorers were able to hang on to defeat Rhode Island 47-45 to avenge an earlier season overtime loss to the Rams. After trailing for much of the first and second half, the Explorers used a 10-2 run midway through the second half to open up a nine-point cushion. That cushion proved pivotal as the Ram defense shut down the Explorers in the last four minutes, and started chipping away at the lead. The Rams got within two with two seconds remaining, but time ran out on the comeback attempt for the final 47-45 score.

Offensively, Owens and Cropper lead the team. Owens is averaging 13.6 ppg and Cropper is just behind with 12.7 per contest. Siobhan Beslow and Amy Griffin have been significant contributors scoring-wise as well. Beslow drained 13 points to lead the Explorers at Richmond last week, and Griffin tallied 12 second-half points against Rhody on Thursday. Beslow is averaging 7.8 ppg and Griffin is up to 7.4.

Defensively, Beslow continues to lead the squad in rebounding with 5.8 boards per game. Cropper and Alston add 4.9 per game. Alston also leads the team with 3.4 assists per game and leads the Atlantic 10 with 2.4 steals per game. Khristin Lee has upped her passing game, overtaking the second place spot on the team with 2.4 helpers per outing, while Cropper chips in 2.3 apg.

The Explorers average 62.2 ppg as a team while giving up 64.7. They have been stronger lately on the defensive side as the field goal percent defense is back under 40 percent at 39.9 percent. The squad is shooting 37.2 percent from the field.

Scouting the Flyers
Dayton is one of just five teams in the country right now with a 20-5 or better record, and the Flyers are in second place in the Atlantic 10 with an 11-2 league record. Their two losses were both to league leader George Washington, including a heartbreaking three-point 69-66 loss in the conference opener on Jan. 4. The Flyers are currently riding a three-game win streak after their second loss of the season to the Colonials, a streak that includes wins over Richmond, Saint Joseph's and most recently Fordham.

The A-10's most potent offense averages over 75 points per game behind Andrea Hoover's 18.5 ppg and Ally Malott's 15.4 ppg. The pair are both Lowe's Senior CLASS candidates and have been huge in the Flyers' success over the past four seasons. Hoover, the reigning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and a member of this year's Naismith Trophy watch list, is a threat on both ends of the court as she also pulls down 7.0 boards per game and dishes out 3.4 apg. Hoover also ranks 12th nationally in free throw percentage as she has hit 119 of her 133 attempts (89.5%).

Malott, a 2014 A-10 First Team pick, leads all Flyers with 7.8 rebounds and also dishes out 1.8 assists. She is also dangerous at the free throw line, hitting over 83 percent of her attempts (77-92). Amber Deane and Kelley Austria chip in 9.5 ppg and 9.0 ppg, respectively.

Defensively, Jodie Cornelie-Sigmundova leads the league and ranks in the top 25 nationally with over 2.5 blocked shots per game. She has racked up 64 total this season, while also chipping in 5.0 ppg and 5.7 rpg

The Flyers, who average 75.1 ppg, shoot 43.1 percent from the field while limiting opponents to 64.2 ppg on 36.2 percent shooting. They also outrebound opponents 42.9 to 37.6.

Next Up
The Explorers close out the regular season road schedule with a swing to St. Bonaventure on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Jasmine Alston: G; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#2 Siobhan Beslow: F; 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior

#14 Alicia Cropper: G; 5' 7"; Redshirt Senior

#3 Khristin Lee: G; 5' 9"; Graduate Student

#34 Micahya Owens: F; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#21 Amy Griffin: G/F; 6' 1"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#11 Jasmine Alston
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: G

#2 Siobhan Beslow
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior
: F

#14 Alicia Cropper
: 5' 7"; Redshirt Senior
: G

#3 Khristin Lee
: 5' 9"; Graduate Student
: G

#34 Micahya Owens
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: F

#21 Amy Griffin
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: G/F

La Salle University Athletics

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Women's Basketball Primed For Dayton

Players Mentioned

#11 Jasmine Alston

#2 Siobhan Beslow

#14 Alicia Cropper

#3 Khristin Lee

#34 Micahya Owens

#21 Amy Griffin

Players Mentioned

#11 Jasmine Alston

#2 Siobhan Beslow

#14 Alicia Cropper

#3 Khristin Lee

#34 Micahya Owens

#21 Amy Griffin