UTICA, NY -- The Utica College women's basketball team (8-14, 3-8 Empire 8) will hit the road this weekend for two Empire 8 Conference games against Alfred University (7-15, 0-11 Empire 8) and Elmira College (8-14, 4-7 Empire 8).

Tip-off: Friday's game against the Saxons is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the James A. McLane Gymnasium in Alfred, NY and Saturday's contest against the Soaring Eagles is set for 2 p.m. at the Speidel Gymnasium.

Pioneer Profile: The Pioneers, currently in seventh place in the conference, have a 3-8 record in the E8 and look for two big wins this weekend to move up in the standings … UC split a pair of games in Rochester, NY this past weekend, losing to Fisher, 66-55, and beating Nazareth, 61-55.

E8 POTW: Junior Meghan Fiore (Epping, NH/Epping) was named the Empire 8 Conference Player of the Week for the week ending Feb. 5, 2012 … Fiore averaged 15.5 points, on 66.7% shooting from the field, and snagged 7.0 rebounds per game this past weekend on the road … She netted a game-high 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds on Friday and followed that up with 11 points and five boards in a 61-55 win over Nazareth College on Saturday.

UC Squad: Senior guard Katie McGee (Philadelphia, PA/Nazareth) and sophomore guard Alyssa Filkins (Castleton, NY/Maple Hill) are second and third in scoring while starting all 22 games and leading the squad in minutes … McGee averages 12.5 points and a league-high 37.5 minutes ... Filkins is posting 7.1 points per game and 34.8 minutes of action.

K.K. Factor: Senior forward Justine Karst (Olean, NY/Hinsdale) and freshman Marissa Kahane (Sayville, NY/Sayville) compliment the Pioneer offense combining for 12 points a game … Karst has started all 22 games while averaging 5.9 points, 6.1 boards and 1.7 assists per contest … Kahane, fifth in team scoring, has worked her way into the sixth man role, averaging 5.1 points in 17.2 minutes.

Against the Enemies: UC swept Alfred and Elmira earlier this season at home beating the Saxons 70-62 and the Soaring Eagles 82-76 … Last season, Utica swept the season series against AU and EC, beating Alfred by scores of 66-56 and 72-68 and Elmira, 79-62 and 87-52, respectively … Since the 2005-06 season, Utica is 13-0 against the Saxons, and the Pioneers are currently riding a nine game winning streak against the Soaring Eagles … Elmira last beat UC back on Jan. 12, 2007 by the score of 71-58.

Conference Standings: Hartwick (18-3, 10-1 Empire 8) and Ithaca (18-4, 10-1 Empire 8) are currently tied atop the conference standings with 10-1 ledgers in the E8 … St. John Fisher (11-11, 7-4 Empire 8) occupies the third spot and Stevens (9-12, 6-5 Empire 8) is in fourth … Nazareth (11-10, 4-7 Empire 8) and Elmira (8-14, 4-7 Empire 8) are presently tied on the bubble in fifth place with Utica (8-14, 3-8 Empire 8) in seventh and Alfred (7-15, 0-11 Empire 8) rounding out the rankings in the final spot.

Return to the Court: Following the weekend set, the Pioneers are back on the hardwood Saturday, Feb. 18 when they host Ithaca College for their final contest of the regular season … Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at the Clark Athletic Center.