UTICA, NY -- The Utica College women's basketball team returns to the Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium this weekend for a two-game Empire 8 Conference set against visiting Elmira College on Friday night (6 p.m.) and Stevens Institute of Technology on Saturday (2 p.m.).

EVENTFUL SATURDAY: Saturday marks the Pioneers annual alumni game which is set to begin at 11 a.m. at the Clark Athletic Center … Over 100 alumni, families and friends will join together to participate in a game prior to enjoying a reception in the Pioneer Pub … Saturday also marks the Pioneers third annual "A Game For Brooks Miles" event (details below).

A GAME FOR BROOKS MILES: The third annual "A Game for Brooks Miles" on Saturday afternoon will help raise funds for the 21 Club of CNY, Inc. …  The 21 Club helps with raising awareness, supporting, educating, and connecting people with Down syndrome and their families in the greater Utica and central New York area … The fundraiser will take place during both the the women's (2 p.m.) and men's (4 p.m.) games against Stevens ... Brooks Miles Rorick, son of Greg Rorick '98 and Angela Rorick, passed away from heart complications shortly after he was born on April 1, 2008 … Greg, a local podiatrist and Utica College alum, and his wife Angela are cousins of UC Women's Basketball Head Coach Michele Davis … Coach Davis is the godmother to Brooks' brother, Cooper Rorick …There will be a 50/50 raffle during both the men's and women's game with the 21 Club of CNY, Inc. receiving the benefits … In addition to the 50/50, there will be a booth set up near the Sports Information office that will be selling baked goods along with the 50/50 raffle tickets … In last season's "Game for Brooks Miles" the event raised $970 which was donated to former Utica College football offensive coordinator Jeff McNamara's daughter, Kendall, who was diagnosed with Leukemia in August of 2013 … If you would like to make a donation to the 21 Club of CNY, Inc. but can't attend the game, feel free to send a check to Michele Davis, Women's Basketball, Utica College, 1600 Burrstone Road, Utica, NY 13502 … Please make the check payable the 21 Club of CNY, Inc … Any questions feel free to email Michele Davis at mdavis@utica.edu.

UC IS ON FIRE: The Pioneers have now won five games in a row, marking the longest win streak since the 2009-10 season when they advanced to the NCAA Tournament … UC is currently 9-8 overall and 5-3 in Empire 8 play … The Pioneers sit in third place in the Empire 8 behind Ithaca (12-3, 6-0 E8) and Stevens (12-2, 6-1 E8).

MICELI LEADS THE WAY: Utica junior guard Mary Miceli (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle) ranks eighth in the conference with an average of 13.8 points per game … Miceli is averaging 1.7 3-point field goals made per game … Miceli has scored 30+ points twice so far this season. 

GREENWALD IS A GAMER: Utica's Bridget Greenwald (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) ranks second in the conference with an average of 9.5 rebounds per game … She also ranks third on the team with 8.8 points per game. 

STAYER IN THE TOP 15: Senior forward Samantha Stayer (Allegany, NY/Allegany-Limestone) ranks in the top 15 in the Empire 8 in both scoring and rebounding … Stayer is currently 11^th in the conference with an average of 6.2 rebounds per game and she ranks 14^th with an average of 10.6 points per game.

FRESHMEN STEPPING UP: Utica freshmen Ashley Mayo (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet), Ashelyne Babb (Lynn, MA/Winthrop) and Amanda Henderson (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by the Sea) have all contributed in their first year of intercollegiate basketball … Mayo leads the group with an average of 6.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game … Babb has played in all 17 games and is averaging 3.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists to go along with 19 steals … Henderson ranks second on the team with 13 3-pointers this season.

DEFENSE: The Utica defense currently leads the conference with 179 total steals this season … UC has held its opponents to an average of 48.4 points per game in the last five games. 

AGAINST ELMIRA: Utica and Elmira last met on January 9^th at Elmira and the Pioneers came away with a 66-60 victory … The Pioneers were led by Mary Miceli (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle)'s game-high, 32-point effort.

AGAINST STEVENS: Utica and Stevens squared off back on January 6^th with the Ducks coming away with a 55-52 victory … The Pioneers rallied midway through the second half to lead by as many as six points with 8:14 to go but the Ducks used a 15-4 run in an 8:04 stretch late in the contest to earn the three point victory.


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