Women's Basketball | December 9, 2022

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – The La Salle women's basketball team heads to Maryland to take on UMES in matinee matchup on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 1 p.m. The game will stream live on HBCUGo.
 
SCOUTING THE EXPLORERS:

• La Salle looks for its first back-to-back win since its four-game stretch earlier this season. The Explorers enter the contest most recently defeating Monmouth at home on Wednesday night to make La Salle 7-4 overall and 3-1 when playing in Tom Gola Arena.
• The Explorers took an early lead over the Hawks that traded hands three times in the third frame, but a 10-0 run to start the fourth put the victory out of reach for Monmouth, 66-60.
• Three Explorers ended the night in double-digits marking the seventh game La Salle has had at least three members reach 10-plus points.
• Claire Jacobs reached 13 points from 5-of-12 shooting including a 1-of-5 effort from the long range and a 2-of-2 performance from the line. The game marked her second consecutive game in double-digits and her seventh overall this season. Jacobs was one of two leaders at the boards for La Salle with six.
• Mia Jacobs joined her sister in the 10-plus point category with 13 points of her own shooting 2-of-8 from the field, 1-of-2 from the 3-point range and an impressive 8-of-8 from the line. Her 13 points and eight made free throws marked career-highs for the rookie. She has now recorded 100% from the foul line in five games this season including three with four or more free throws made.
• Kayla Spruill ended the night with 13 points from a 5-of-11 performance from the field, 2-of-4 effort from beyond the arc and 1-of-2 from the charity stripe. She joined Jacobs as a rebounding leader with six. Spruill has now recorded 10-plus points in 11 contests, the most of any Explorer.
• Amy Jacobs sat just two points away from joining the double-digit club. She served as the team's second-leading rebounder in the game with five boards and is the Explorers' leading rebounder this season averaging 5.5 rebounds per game. She has now recorded at least five rebounds in seven games this season including the last five-straight contests.
• La Salle is now 6-0 when leading at halftime having yet to concede a victory when holding the advantage after the first 20 minutes.
• Spruill (13.8 ppg) and Claire Jacobs (11.7 ppg) are the only Explorers averaging double-digit scoring this season with Gabby Crawford and Charity Shears following closely behind averaging 8.6 and 8.0 points per game, respectively.

 
SCOUTING THE HAWKS:

• UMES enters the contest at 3-8, most recently dropping back-to-back road contests at James Madison and East Carolina. The Hawks are 1-2 when playing in December.
• The contest marks the first at home for UMES since its 16-point victory over Virginia Union on Nov. 29. The Hawks are 2-2 when playing at home.
• Zmara Haynes and Lesley Thomas led the offensive efforts for UMES against Eastern Carolina each recorded seven points.
• Lainey Allen led the Hawks' defense with six rebounds including five defensive boards and one block.
• Haynes leads the overall scoring efforts this season averaging 12.7 points per game. Mya Thomas is the only other Hawk to average double-digits with 10.0 points per game.

SERIES HISTORY:

• This is just the second overall meeting between La Salle and UMES with the first contest between the two teams happening last year.
• The Explorers won the first and only game in the series on Dec. 8, 2021 in a seven-point margin of victory, 77- 70.
• This will be the first time the Explorers will visit the Hawks on their home court.
• La Salle returns its entire starting line from the game last season including Kayla Spruill who led the last contest with a team-high 23 points.