Women's Basketball | March 4, 2019

PHILADELPHIA – The #13 La Salle women's basketball team (6-24, 3-13 A-10) heads to #4 Dayton (15-12, 10-6 A-10) for a first-round matchup of the Atlantic 10 Championship on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The game is set to stream on ESPN+.
 
The Explorers come into the game on a two-game winning streak after closing the regular season with a win over St. Bonaventure and George Mason.
 
SCOUTING THE EXPLORERS:

• In the regular season finale, the Explorers took down George Mason in overtime, 77-71. The win, which was the programs first OT win at home since 2007, came with multiple career performances by a host of Explorers. Senior Jeryn Reese led the team with a career high 22 points. Junior Shalina Miller notched a double-double with career bests in points (17), rebounds (15), and blocks (6).
• Over the past seven games, the Explorers have the best defensive field goal percentage in the league. La Salle has held opponents to just 33.7% from the floor, which is 2.4% better than the next best team. During that spurt, the Explorers are also holding opponents to 26.0% from long range for second best in the A-10.
• With her six-block performance, Miller broke the 33-year-old single season program record with 61 deflections on the year. The 61 blocks are tied for second in the conference, while ranking third in blocks per game (2.0). Her 61 deflections also have Miller ranked 31st in the nation.
• Over the last 13 games, the Explorers are shooting 38.8% from the field, which is better than the season average of 34.2%. Given the increase in shooting percentage, La Salle is also scoring 59.5 points per outing over that span, which is 4.2 points better than the season average.
• La Salle is 13-19 all-time in the Atlantic 10 Championship and has an 0-1 record against Dayton. During the 2007 A-10 Championship, #9 Dayton defeated #8 La Salle, 57-43, in the first round at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati.
• The Explorers are first in the A-10 in both steals (268) and steals per game (8.9).
• Reese is the team's active leading scorer with 8.7 points per game. Miller (8.0 ppg), sophomore Michelle Nicholls (7.5 ppg), and junior Sofilia Ngwafang (7.0 ppg) are the next top scorers.
• On the glass, Reese (6.8 rpg) and Miller (6.8 rpg) are topping the team in rebounds.
• Reese has been on fire as of late. The Mansfield, Ohio native has dropped 10 or more points in eight of her last 10 games, averaging 12.6 ppg over that span.
• At least one Explorer has scored a career high in points in 12 of the last 22 games.

SCOUTING THE FLYERS:

• Dayton comes into Tuesday's affair at 15-12 overall and 10-6 in the Atlantic 10. Over the final seven games of the regular season, the Flyers went 3-4.
• Two Flyers are averaging 13+ points or more a game. Jayla Scaife is dropping 15.1 points per outing, shooting 38% from the floor and 35.5% from downtown. Lauren Cannatelli adds 13.4 per contest hitting 36% of her shots.
• Dayton is averaging 65.6 points as a team, allowing 59.3. Collectively the team shoots 37.5% from the field and 30.9% from long range.
• Defensively, the Flyers rank sixth in the nation in three-point field goal defense and ninth in defensive rebounds.
• Collectively, the squad leads the league in rebounds per game and is second in scoring margin and fewest turnovers.

LAST TIME THE MET:

• The teams last met earlier this season in the conference opener on Jan. 5. Dayton claimed the victory, 84-45.
• Sophomore Rayshel Brown paced La Salle with 12 points in the game.
• The Flyers had four players in double figures, led by Jenna Giacone with 13 points.
• Dayton shot 42.3% from the floor and 29.6% from three-point range, while the Explorers hit just 23.4% of their shots and 6.7% from downtown.

THE SERIES:

• All 37 games between La Salle and Dayton were conference matchups, with the first pair coming as members of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (now Horizon League) in 1993. The following 34 bouts were as members of the Atlantic 10.
• The Flyers hold the overall advantage 21-16, including the most recent matchup earlier this season.
• The Explorers' last win came with a 54-51 score on Dec. 4, 2016 in Ohio.
• During the 2007 A-10 Championship, #9 Dayton defeated #8 La Salle, 57-43, in the first round at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati.