Women's Basketball | January 11, 2019

PHILADELPHIA – After playing the last six games away from Tom Gola Arena, the La Salle women's basketball team (3-13, 0-2 A-10) returns home to host Atlantic 10 foe, UMass (9-7, 1-1 A-10) on Sunday. The conference matchup will tip at 2 p.m. with the game streaming on ESPN+.
 
SCOUTING THE EXPLORERS:

• La Salle has dropped its last four games, most recently falling at VCU, 68-38. Senior Jeryn Reese led the team, scoring a career best 13 points.
• At least one Explorer has scored a career high in points in six of the last eight games.
• Over the last 11 games, La Salle has posted a +25 turnover margin, with only four negative outings. Over that span, the team has collected 113 steals - good enough for 10.3 per contest.
• With its success in the turnover department, La Salle ranks fifth in the conference with a +0.3 turnover margin, which coincides with the team's skill at grabbing steals. The Explorers are first in the A-10 in both steals (154) and steals per game (9.6). The 154 steals has La Salle ranked 35th nationally.
• After playing the last six games away from Tom Gola Arena, the Explorers will play their next six games within city limits, hosting five games with the sixth contest at Saint Joseph's.
• Sophomore Michelle Nicholls is the team's active leading scorer with 7.7 points per game. Senior Jeryn Reese (6.9 ppg) and junior Shalina Miller (6.8 ppg) are the next top scorers, while Miller paces the team in rebounds/game with 6.3.

SCOUTING THE MINUTEWOMEN:

• UMass enters Sunday's contest at 9-7 overall and 1-1 in the A-10. The Minutewomen have two mutual opponents with La Salle, as both teams fell to Towson and Dayton. The squad's lone conference win came against Saint Louis.
• The Minutewomen come into the game ranked fourth in the league with 64.5 points per outing. Pacing the team in scoring is Hailey Leidel (13.4 ppg), Bre Hampton-Bey (12.0 ppg), and Jessica George (10.1 ppg).
•  Leidel is an all-around player, leading the team in rebounds (7.1 rpg), which sits fifth in the conference. The junior also sits fourth in the conference in three points field goals made with 33 and recently became the program's all-time leader.
• Nine different players have made a start for the Minutewomen this season, with Leidel and George starting all 16 games.

THE SERIES:

• La Salle and UMass have an extensive series history, dating back to 1985 when the teams first went head-to-head.
• Overall, the Minutewomen hold the series record, 18-13, however La Salle has won eight of the last 12.
• UMass took the most recent matchup last season, 69-66.