Utica, NY (2/12/14) - The Utica College women's basketball team hits the road this weekend for back-to-back Empire 8 Conference games against Alfred University and Ithaca College … UC squares off on Friday (8 p.m.) versus Alfred before traveling to Ithaca on Saturday (4 p.m.) for an afternoon tip.

Game Details & Coverage: Friday's contest will be held at the McLane Center on Alfred's campus … Follow the link for Live Stats … On Saturday, the game will take place at the Ben Light Gymnasium in Ithaca, NY and will also have Live Stats available … Both contests will be broadcast online at Empire8.tv.

Last Game: UC lost its eighth straight Tuesday in a close one at Houghton College, 70-64 ... Junior Samantha Stayer (Allegany, NY/Allegany-Limestone) led the Pioneers with a career-high 30 points to along with seven rebounds, while Marissa Kahane (Sayville, NY/Sayville) added 13 points … The Pioneers went 17-for-22 (77.3%) at the free throw line ... Three of Utica's last four losses have come by single digits.

Grabbing the National Spotlight : Senior Bridget Greenwald (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) currently ranks 32nd nationally in rebounding, averaging 11.2 per game… Greenwald has grabbed 224 rebounds on the season and currenlty leads the Empire 8 ... Whie averaging a double-double this season she has also posted 15+ boards on four different occasions.

As a Team: In Division III, the Pioneers are nationally ranked 82nd out of 431 in rebound margin (5.4) and 187th in three-point field-goal percentage (29.7%).

Last Battle: This will be the second meeting between the two teams this year… On January 31, UC lost at home to Alfred (75-66)… Three players finished the game in double figures for Utica …  Stayer led the team with 22 points, while Mary Miceli (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle) added 18 and Kelsey Cowell (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) chipped in 10… Harley Cleary of Alfred led the Saxons with 21 points and five rebounds. 

Scouting Alfred: The Saxons are 6-15 overall and 1-9 in the conference… There only win in the Empire 8 was at Utica on January 31st (75-66)… They are coming off a home loss to conference opponent Hartwick College (72-62)… Junior Harley Cleary, who averages 15.5 point per game, leads the Saxons. 

UC vs. Ithaca: This will be the second meeting between the two teams this year… On January 11, UC lost at home to Ithaca, 75-53… Four Pioneer players finished the game in double figures… Stayer and Bridget Greenwald (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) finished the game with 14 points, while Cowell added 11 and Christy Traglia (Mohawk, NY/Mohawk) netted 10… The team finished 13-18 (72.2%) at the free throw line… For Ithaca, Mary Kate Tierney led the team with 19 points… The team went 6-for-9 (66.7%) at the free throw line.

Getting to Know the Bombers: The Bombers are 18-4 overall and 10-1 in the conference… There only conference lost came on January 3rd when they played at conference opponent Hartwick College (63-60)… Ithaca is coming off a home victory against conference opponent St. John Fisher, 77-43… The Bombers are led by senior Mary Kate Tierney who is averaging 13.6 points per game while shooting 92.5% from the charity stripe.

Looking Ahead: The Pioneers will return home the following weekend to wrap up the regular-season at the Clark Athletic Center … UC welcomes Nazareth College on Friday, February 21st for an 8 p.m. set start before hosting Houghton College on Saturday, February 22nd for a 5 p.m. tip-off.