Women's Basketball | December 17, 2021

WILMINGTON, Del. – The La Salle women's basketball team is set to host Sacred Heart at CHASE Fieldhouse on Saturday, Dec. 18 in an exclusive Atlantic 10 Championship preview. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.
 
SCOUTING THE EXPLORERS:

• La Salle (6-4) hosts Sacred Heart (3-2) at CHASE Fieldhouse on Saturday, Dec. 18 for an exclusive Atlantic 10 Championship preview game. This will be the fourth time these two teams meet and the first at a neutral venue.
• The Explorers return to the court following a week-long break. La Salle was last in action on Dec. 11 at St. John's where it recorded its first loss in three game.
• Claire Jacobs paced the Explorers in the game against St. John's. She recorded a season-high 23 points off 9-of-15 shooting. The game marked the first time the junior hit the 20-point mark this season. She is one of two Explorers averaging double-digit points per game with 11.1 per game.
• Molly Masciantonio continues to be the go-to helping hand this season. With nine assists in the game the junior set a new season high and was just one assist away from tying her career-high. She currently ranks second in the A-10 in assists per game averaging 5.4.
• Kayla Spruill continues to hit double-figures this season recording 19 points in the game against St. John's. She is currently averaging 16.5 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game. The senior is shooting over 40.0% from both the field and 3-point range.
• La Salle is averaging 16.2 turnovers per game compared to its opponents 19.5 turnovers per game. The team currently holds a 3.3 turnover margin.
• As a group, La Salle is shooting 35.8% from the field, 31.2% from the long range and 79.5% from the line.

 
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS:

• Sacred Heart returns to the course following 12 days off. Head coach Jessica Mannetti will not be coaching the game due to health and safety protocols.
• Adrianne Hagood leads the Pioneers in scoring this season averaging 18.5 points per game. Hagood recently earned NEC Player of the Week honors on Dec. 6.
• Kelsey Wood is the leading rebounder with 9.0 points per game while Carly Stromel has notched 1.5 blocks per game.
• Nikki Johnson leads Sacred Heart in assists and steals per game with 4.0 and 1.2, respectively.
• Hagood, Johnson and Wood are projected to be joined by Asia McCray and Olivia Tucker to start the contest.
• Prior to the team's 12-day hiatus, the Pioneers had broken a two-game rut with a 63-60 overtime win on the road at Monmouth. Currently, Sacred Heart is 2-0 on the road.

SERIES HISTORY:

• La Salle faces Sacred Heart for the first time since 2007. This will mark just the fourth meet up between the two teams in the series history.
• The Explorers are undefeated in the series against the Pioneers having come out victorious in all three contests, including two at home.
• La Salle and Sacred Heart last met on December 28, 2007. The Explorers defeated the Pioneers 75-70 in a come-from-behind overtime victory.
• ­The Explorers trailed by as many as 12 in the second half, but mounted a comeback to force the game into overtime. Carlene Hightower put together a six-point performance in the extra minutes to push La Salle to victory.