Women's Basketball | February 11, 2021

PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle women's basketball team (9-10, 5-7 A-10) return to action this weekend at Davidson (6-9, 3-6 A-10) and Fordham (10-3, 7-2 A-10). The Explorers take on the Wildcats on Friday at 2 p.m. and the Rams on Sunday at 2 p.m. Both games will stream nationally on ESPN+.
 
SCOUTING THE EXPLORERS:

• La Salle had won four of its last five games before falling to Saint Louis and Dayton last weekend.
• Although they lost both games, the Explorers showed they can compete with the upper echelon of the Atlantic 10. Against Saint Louis, La Salle was very much in the game throughout its entirety. Versus the Flyers, the Blue & Gold cut an 18-0 deficit to start the game to just 10 points. The Explorers' 66 points are the second most scored on Dayton this season.
• Sophomore Claire Jacobs is leading La Salle with 15.5 ppg. The Perth, Australia native is also pacing the Blue & Gold in steals and is third in rebounding. Jacobs has recorded 15+ in 13 of 18 games this season and 10+ in 26 of her last 28, including the past 12.
• Junior Kayla Spruill is the second leading scorer with 13.4 ppg and top rebounder (5.1). She's shooting 49.6% from the field and 48.3% from deep. Since returning from injury against St. Bonaventure, Spruill has been a force with eight straight double-digit scoring performances for a 17.1 average. During that span, she's connected on 54.8% of her shots and 52.9% from long range.
• Junior Molly Masciantonio rounds out the top three scorers with 8.3 points per outing. Since joining the DI ranks this season, she's been extremely consistent with at least seven points in 15 of her 19 games.
• Senior Kate Hill continues to shine at the point guard position for the Explorers. The Toronto, Ontario product is handing out 4.6 apg and holds a 3.3 assist to turnover ratio. Her ratio is best in the Atlantic 10 and seventh in the nation. She's second in the league in assists and assists per game.
• Collectively, La Salle leads the A-10 in assists, free throw attempts, free throws made, steals, three-point field goals attempted, and three-point field goals made.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS:

• Davidson is riding a six-game losing streak with four postponed games throughout the streak.
• The Wildcats are scoring 65.1 ppg and allowing their opponents 70.1, however over the last five games the team is registerting just 55.6 per game.
• Chloe Welch has emerged as the team's top scorer with 16.7 ppg and is converting 45.8% of her shots.
• Reigning league Rookie of the Year and Preseason First Team All-Conference selection Suzi-Rose Deegan is adding 10.7 points per outing.
• Adelaide Fuller (8.5) and Cassidy Gould (8.2) round out a group of Wildcats averaging eight or more points per game.

SERIES HISTORY – DAVIDSON:

• All eight matchups have come as conference foes since the Wildcats joined the A-10 in 2014-15, with the 'Cats on top, 5-3.
• Davidson has claimed the last four games in the series, including last season's Atlantic 10 Championship First Round win 67-63.

SCOUTING THE RAMS:

• Fordham is off to another great start in 2020-21 under head coach Stephanie Gaitley as the Rams are riding a four-game win streak since it lost to Massachusetts on Jan. 10.
• Offensively, the group is outpacing its opponents 63.9 to 55.2.
• Fordham is shooting just above 40% from the floor and 38% from deep.
• Anna DeWolfe boasts a 22.8 points per game average to lead the Atlantic 10. Her 22.8 ppg is 4.8 more than the second-place scorer conference wide.
• Kendell Heremaia adds 12.6 ppg and 7.9 rpg.
• Kaitlyn Downey averages a double-double with 10.4 ppg and a team high 10.8 rpg.

SERIES HISTORY – FORDHAM:

• Fordham and La Salle have been going head-to-head dating back to the 1984 season with the Explorers ahead 34-16 all-time.
• The Blue & Gold won the first 14 matchups between the two programs; however, the Rams have claimed the last eight.
• La Salle's last victory over Fordham came back in 2012.