UTICA, NY - The Utica College women's basketball team will play its final two games before the new year this week. The team will carry its 6-0 record into Aurora, NY on Wednesday when they take on Wells College at 6 p.m. Then on Saturday, UC will hit the road once again for a 1 p.m. date with the Morrisville State College Mustangs. 
 
Follow Along: Wells will be providing live video through https://bit.ly/32S6YRJ as well as live stats through https://bit.ly/32YlUhf. Morrisville will also provide live video on Saturday through https://bit.ly/3GgQqBp and live stats through https://bit.ly/32XLC5r. 
 
Last Time Out: The Pioneers welcomed crosstown rival SUNY Poly onto Miga Court on November 30 and came away with a 59-43 over the Wildcats. The Pioneers had three different players score in the double-digits, led by Julia Rotando (Cold Spring, NY/Haldane) who finished with 13 points thanks in part to 3-for-5 shooting from behind the arc. Rotando also finished with six defensive rebounds. Graduate student Brigid Johndrow (Bristol, CT/St. Paul Catholic) finished one assist shy of a double-double as she totaled 12 points and nine dishes. Petrina DeMarco (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) meanwhile tallied 11 points and a game-high four steals. Senior Sydney Przygoda (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) followed up her 20-rebound outing last game with 19 boards on Tuesday, including 13 off the defensive glass. Przygoda also chipped in with seven points, three steals, and six assists. Forwards Kristine Miller (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) and Krissy Geraci (Rochester, NY/Greece Arcadia) combined for 14 points on the evening. 
 
Accolades On Accolades: Brigid Johndrow (Bristol, CT/St. Paul Catholic) was named Empire 8 Player of the Week for her outing against SUNY Poly last week. In Utica's 59-43 win over the Wildcats on November 30, Johndrow recorded 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting while playing all 40 minutes. The guard dished out a team high eight assists and came down with six rebounds in the win while also forcing three steals and blocking two shots. So far this season she is averaging 9.2 points per game on 42.2 percent shooting, six assists and 5.2 rebounds. 
 
So, You're Saying There's a Chance?: UC will have a chance to match its best start in program history this week if the team can defeat Wells and Morrisville. The Pioneers started the 1984-85 season 8-0 before finishing that year 22-4 with notable wins over Army, Colgate, Canisius, LeMoyne, Niagara and two against St. Bonaventure. As of Monday morning, Utica is one of 28 unbeaten teams remaining in Division III. 
 
I'll Be Taking That: The Pioneers open the new week tied for 16th in Division III averaging 15 steals per game. Brigid Johndrow (Bristol, CT/St. Paul Catholic) has been a ball hawk through her first six games as she leads the Empire 8 with 4.2 steals per game which also ranks her 11th in the nation. Cora Sawyer (New London, CT/New London) has had her fair share of steals as well, forcing 2.7 steals per game which is the third best mark in the E8. Sydney Przygoda (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) (2), Petrina Demarco (1.8) and Julianna Beaulieu (Chicopee,MA/Chicopee Comprehensive) (1.5) each rank within the top-25 in steals in the conference as well. 
 
A Perfect Balance: As a team the Pioneers have gotten the job done on both ends of the court to help start the season a perfect 6-0. Utica is ninth in the nation with a 29.3 scoring margin thanks to a strong offense that averages 77.2 points per game, the 20th highest mark in the country, and a defense that has allowed just 47.8 points per game, the 14th fewest average in DIII. UC has also been the most successful rebounding team in the NCAA at any level with a 21.2 rebound margin while averaging the second most rebounds per game in Division III with 55 and second most offensive rebounds per game in DIII with 24.3. 
 
Earn Your Minutes: Krissy Geraci (Rochester, NY/Greece Arcadia), Julianna Beaulieu (Chicopee,MA/Chicopee Comprehensive) and Julia Rotando (Cold Spring, NY/Haldane) each have played impactful minutes coming off the bench through the team's first six games. Geraci is 21st in the E8 netting 9.2 points per game in just about 20 minutes per outing. The sophomore is also 20th in the conference with 5.8 rebounds per game which is third on UC behind only Przygoda and Cora Sawyer (New London, CT/New London). Beaulieu has played like a seasoned veteran with her will to drive the line and create opportunities for teammates. She's fourth on the team with 10 assists and has averaged 6.3 points per game while playing roughly 14 minutes per game. In 15.3 minutes per game, Rotando is putting up roughly five points, 4.3 rebounds and one steal per game. 
 
PrzyGOATa: Sydney Przygoda's (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) first six games have been nothing short of remarkable. The senior is tied for 11th in the country averaging 13 boards per game while her 6.2 offensive rebounds per game is fourth in Division III and leads all players with five or more games. She is also fourth in the Empire 8 with her average of 15.7 points per game and owns the second best shooting percentage in the conference at a conversion rate of 50.7 percent. The quest for 1,000 career points is also on for Przygoda as she enters this week with 927 points through 57 career games. 
 
About Wells: The Express are 0-6 to begin the season and are coming off a 73-23 loss to Lancaster Bible on Saturday. Offense has been hard to come by for Wells in the season's early stages as the team has averaged just 25.5 points per game, the lowest point per game average in Division III, on 22.5 percent shooting, the second lowest mark in Division III. The team has also allowed 70.8 points per game to opponents of its first six contests. Freshman Maggie Myers leads the team with 8.3 points per game while teammate Morgan Adams (6.3 PPG) is the only other member of the team averaging five or more points per game. The Pioneers are 5-0 all-time against Wells and took the last meeting between the teams 84-30 at home in the 2019-20 season. 
 
Scouting the Mustangs: Morrisville will enter Saturday 5-3 overall on the season as well as with fresh legs with its last game being played on December 4 in a 69-67 win at Penn State Harrisburg. The team averages 64.6 points per game on 36.5 percent shooting while allowing 62.9 points per game to opponents on 38.8 percent shooting. Not a threatening rebounding team, Morrisville owns a -9.9 rebound margin while grabbing about 33 per game to opponent's 43.3. However, the team is prone to creating extra possessions as they force 24.5 turnovers per game as well as 12.5 steals. Three members of the team average 10 or more points per game; Taylor Colone-Microni (13.5), Cara Walker (13.1) and Rachel Vieira (11.3). Cologne-Microni has been outstanding from beyond the arc this season as she has converted on over 50 percent of three-point attempts. UC is 4-1 all-time against Morrisville while also having won each of the last three meetings. 

Up Next: After this week Utica will be off until January 3, 2022 when it will play its final non-conference game of the regular season at home against Hamilton College. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m.