UTICA, NY- The Utica College women's basketball team returns to the hardwood on Tuesday as it hosts Empire 8 foe, Hartwick College.  Game time is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT: The Pioneers are coming off a 72-62 loss to St. John Fisher College on Friday… UC led the Cardinals 35-29 at the half, but a big third quarter by Fisher erased the Utica lead… Four players scored in double-figures for the Pioneers, including junior Nicolette Conkin (Los Altos, CA/Homestead) who posted 16 points and added seven assists, while shooting 4-for-7 from beyond the arc...  Briannah Florian (Fort Plain, NY/Fort Plain) returned from injury and scored 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor...  Sydney Przygoda (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) added 12 points and six rebounds, while Kimberly Soriano (Queens, NY/Monsignor McClancey Memorial) earned her second start of the season and netted 10 points to go along with four assists.
 
BALL HAWK: Freshman Sydney Przygoda (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) currently ranks first in the country in offensive rebounds per game (6.0)… Przygoda is also eighth nationally and first in the Empire 8 with 13.4 rebounds per game… The 5-11 forward also leads the Pioneers with 12.9 points per outing… She has recorded 10 double-doubles on the season.
 
DOUBLE TROUBLE: The duo of Nicolette Conkin (Los Altos, CA/Homestead) and Brigid Johndrow (Bristol, CT/St. Paul Catholic) have put up nearly identical numbers this season…Conkin ranks second on the squad with 11.1 points per game, while Johndrow is averaging 10.6 points per game… Johndrow and Conkin rank third and fourth in the conference in assists per game with 4.3 and 4.2, respectively… They also have 22 steals apiece this season.
 
SCOUTING HARTWICK: The Hawks are currently sitting at the top of the Empire 8 Conference standings with a 6-1 mark in league play, and a 13-3 overall record… Hartwick is coming off an 86-52 win over Elmira on Friday… Three players are averaging over 10 points per game, led by senior Carly Johnson, who has 15.7 points per game on the year… In the first meeting between the two teams this season, Hartwick came away with a 92-52 win over the Pioneers… Przygoda led UC with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
 
LOOKING AHEAD: The Pioneers wrap up their five-game home stand this weekend as they host Stevens and Nazareth in E8 action on Friday and Saturday… Game time is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. on Saturday.