UTICA, NY -- The Utica College women's basketball team travels to Union College Monday night for a 6 p.m. start time and the Pioneers will turn right back around and take on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at home on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Last Time Out: Misericordia University downed visiting Utica, 79-47, on Saturday (Dec. 3) … Junior
Ashley Mayo (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet) led the Pioneers with 14 points … Freshman
Nicolette Conkin (Los Altos, CA/Homestead) scored a career-high 13 points for the Pioneers while
Ashelyne Babb (Lynn, MA/Winthrop) led UC with six rebounds, and a had a team-high two steals … The Pioneers are currently 2-4 overall.
Top Performing Players: Mayo continues to lead the team in points per game (13.7) and she is averaging 4.5 rebounds per contest … She is heating up from behind the arc as six of her seven 3-pointers this season have come in the last three games ... Babb has put on an impressive overall campaign so far this season as she ios averaging 13.2 points per game to go along with a team-best 7.0 rebounds per game … She also leads the Empire 8 in assists (28) and is second in the conference in steals (18).
Utica's Rankings in the Empire 8: The Pioneers are now ranked fifth in the Empire 8 Conference in scoring defense (61.7 points allowed per game) and field goal percentage defense (.363) … Utica is also ranked second in the conference in turnover margin (3.33 margin).
Scouting Union: The Union College Dutchwomen are 2-3 overall, but have lost three straight games ... Two of their three losses were at home against St. John Fisher (56-52) and Hamilton (61-55) … Their other loss was on the road against Pine Manor College, 73-63, on Dec. 3
rd … Union sophomore Nicole Conley and junior Jenni Barra led the Dutchwomen with 13 points each in the loss … Union College leads the Liberty League in scoring defense (Avg/G: 49.8) and field goal percentage defense (.318) … The Dutchwomen are also ranked second in the conference in blocked shots (17) and defensive rebounds (Avg./G: 28) … Conley leads the team in points scored (46), steals (14), and three pointers (six made) … Senior Abby Katz is ranked second in the Liberty League in blocked shots with five.
Scouting RPI: RPI is currently 4-4 overall … The Engineers snapped a three-game losing streak Thursday with a 50-47 home victory against Middlebury College ... RPI sophomore Elizabeth Eckhardt scored a game-high 20 points in the victory … The team's defense also forced 29 turnovers … RPI is ranked first in the Liberty League in rebounding (Avg./G: 35.6) … Sophomore Sam Krumbhaar has scored a team-high 83 points this season … Junior Shaina Iton has a team-high 59 rebounds and is ranked fourth in the conference in blocked shots (10). Senior Lauren Young is ranked second in the conference in assists (35).
Against the Dutchwomen: The Pioneers are 1-4 against the Dutchwomen in the past five seasons … Utica beat Union College 64-60 at their home court last season (Dec. 30, 2015).
Against RPI: Utica is 2-3 against RPI in the past five seasons … The Pioneers beat RPI 91-84 at home on Nov. 19, 2015 … Babb had a game-high 19 points in 25 minutes of play.
Looking Ahead: After Union and RPI, the Pioneers will be on the road this Friday as they travel to Morrisville State … Game time starts at 6 p.m.