Women's Basketball | February 16, 2019
PHILADELPHIA – In the team's annual Play4Kay game, the La Salle women's basketball program (4-22, 1-11 A-10) welcomes crosstown rival Saint Joseph's (9-15, 5-6 A-10) to Tom Gola Arena for a 2 p.m. tipoff. The game will stream on ESPN+.
During the month of February, the La Salle women's basketball team is competing in the 2019 Play4Kay Free Throw Challenge, benefitting the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Everyone can join the competition by
making a pledge per free throw made or by contributing a one-time donation.
The Kay Yow Cancer Fund was started by the vision of the former passionate, inspiring, and extraordinary NC State Hall of Fame coach Kay Yow. The Kay Yow Cancer Fund mission is to extend and improve the lives of all women battling cancer by raising money for research and assisting the underserved. Since the Fund's inception in 2007, $7.53 million has been raised for scientific research focused on women's cancers.
SCOUTING THE EXPLORERS:
- After picking up a win against Rhode Island, the Explorers have dropped their last two games, most recently falling at George Mason, 59-42. La Salle trailed by just one point after the first quarter, however the Patriots pulled away through the final three frames.
- Over the last 10 games, the Explorers are shooting 41.1% from the field and 31.0% from long range. Both are better than the season averages of 34.1% FG and 24.8% 3FG. Given the increase in shooting percentage, La Salle is also scoring 59.0 points per outing over that span, which is 4.5 points better than the season average.
- At least one Explorer has scored a career high in points in 11 of the last 18 games.
- The Explorers are first in the A-10 in both steals (238) and steals per game (9.2). The 238 steals have La Salle ranked 38th nationally.
- Senior Jeryn Reese is the team's active leading scorer with 8.1 points per game. Sophomore Michelle Nicholls (7.8 ppg), junior Sofilia Ngwafang (7.6 ppg), and junior Shalina Miller (7.5 ppg) are the next top scorers.
- On the glass, senior Jeryn Reese (6.5 rpg) and junior Shalina Miller (6.1 rpg) are topping the team in rebounds.
- Junior Shalina Miller is fourth in program history in blocks with 96 and is currently second in the conference in blocks (47) and third in blocks per game (1.8). Her 47 deflections also have Miller ranked 37th in the nation.
- Senior Jeryn Reese has been on fire as of late. The Mansfield, Ohio native has dropped 10 or more points in four of her last six games, averaging 12.3 ppg over that span. In A-10 play this season, the senior is averaging 9.8 points per outing.
SCOUTING THE HAWKS:
- Saint Joseph's enters Sunday's game on a three-game win streak, putting its record at 9-15 overall and 5-6 in the Atlantic 10.
- Defensively, the Hawks are one of the best in the country, ranking 28th nationally in scoring defense (56.8 ppg).
- Alyssa Monaghan is pacing the team offensively with 14.0 points per contest. The senior is shooting 39.0% from the floor and 40.05 from long range. She also paces the team with 3.6 assists per game and is the only Hawk to start all 23 games this season.
- After Monaghan, four different players are averaging between 7.8 and 6.2 points per outing.
LAST TIME THEY MET:
- The Hawks mounted a fourth quarter comeback to claim the teams' Big 5 matchup of the year, 60-57.
- In the game, junior Shalina Miller and freshman Shayla Sweeney dropped 14 points each.
- The Explorers shot, what was a season best, 44.9% (22-of-49) from the field, including 42.9% (6-of-14) from three-point range.
- SJU's Alyssa Monaghan scored a game and career high 25 points.
THE SERIES:
- A history dating back to La Salle's inaugural season of 1972-73, the Explorers and Hawks have battled 59 times.
- Saint Joseph's holds the overall record at 49-10, including 20 of the last 21 matchups.
- La Salle's last win over the Hawks came back in 2016, 75-70, at Gola.
- Of the team's 10 wins over SJU, six have come at home.
