UTICA, NY - The Utica University women's basketball team returns to action this week at home as the team takes on the SNY Delhi Broncos on Monday, December 2 with a start time set for 5:30pm. The team then travels to Middletown, CT for the Courtyard by Marriott Classic, hosted by Wesleyan University. Game one of the tournament, against Wesleyan, is set for Friday, December 6 at 6pm. Game two of the tournament will take place on Saturday, December 7 at 1pm against Rivier University.
Faculty Staff Appreciation Game/Girl Scout Day: During Monday's game the Utica University women's basketball program would like to honor University faculty and staff for their contributions. The program will also welcome the Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways, where the team will hold an autograph signing after the game.
Follow Along: For those unable to attend this week's slate, live video for Monday's matchup can be found here, and live stats can be found here. Live video for game one of the tournament can be found here, live video for game two can be found here, and live stats for both tournament games can be found here.
Last Time Out: The Utica University women's basketball team earned its first win of the season following a 69-58 victory over the Wellesley College Blue in the consolation game of the Westfield Gas and Electric Tip Off Tournament, hosted by Westfield State University on Saturday afternoon. The team's win served as the 300th career win for Head Coach Michele Davis. Leading the way for the Pioneers was McKenzie Simmons (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook), who notched her first double-double of the season with 23 points (8-16 FG, 1-3 3PT, 6-6 FT), and 10 rebounds. Simmons also added three steals, one assist, and one block to her stat line. Vanessa Hall (Whitesville, NY/Whitesville Central) put together another solid outing for the Pioneers, netting 19 points (7-15 FG, 1-1 3PT, 4-6 FT) and hauling in six rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal. Hayleigh Lagase (Wallingford, CT/Mark T. Sheehan) had a solid defensive outing with nine total rebounds and added four assists, while Hanna Godkin (Clifton Springs, NY/Midlakes), Emma Simmons (Unadilla, NY/Sidney Central), and Kate Mahoney (Clifton Springs, NY/Midlakes) each recorded a steal.
Deck the Halls: Vanessa Hall (Whitesville, NY/Whitesville Central) has been named Empire 8 Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week, as announced by the league last Monday. Hall averaged 25.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 55.9 percent from the floor over the weekend. Against Westfield State on Friday, Hall netted 32 points, third most in one game all-time at Utica, shooting 12-for-19 from the floor, while hauling in 10 boards. She added 19 points and six rebounds in Saturday's 69-58 win over Wellesley College.
Boarded Up: Four Pioneers have found themselves with rebounding figures over 20 in McKenzie Simmons (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) who holds the team lead with 39, Vanessa Hall (Whitesville, NY/Whitesville Central) and Hayleigh Lagase (Wallingford, CT/Mark T. Sheehan) with 26 and Emma Simmons (Unadilla, NY/Sidney Central) with 25. Just outside of the 20 rebound mark is Carly Atty (Tribes Hill, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) who has hauled in 19 total rebounds.
Breaking Down the Broncos: The SUNY Delhi Broncos have opened their season win-less at 0-6 and are averaging only 37.5 points per game. Alani Brock is the team's leading scorer, netting 63 total points so far this season, shooting 37 percent from the floor, and 46 percent from three. Shakera Fullenwilder is the team's second leading scorer with 48 points shooting 27 percent from the floor and 33 percent from three. Jennifer Roche Jimenez is the team's leading rebounder with 40 total rebounds this season. The Pioneers are 5-0 all time against the Broncos, with last season's matchup ending in a decisive win for the Pioneers, 57-38.
Scouting Wesleyan: The Wesleyan University Cardinals have posted a 3-2 record so far this season. Olivia Quinn is the team's leading scorer with 88 total points and averaging 17.6 points per game. Felicia Fongemie is not too far behind Quinn on the scoring leaderboard with 68 total points, averaging 13.6 points per game. Meghan Kirck has been getting the offense going for the Cardinals, dishing out a team high 14 assists on the season. Alli Jones has been a stout defender for Wesleyan this season swiping six steals. Jones is also the team's leading rebounder with 32 total rebounds. Quinn and Maggie Smith also have recorded rebounding figures in the 30s for the team this season. This will be the first time that the Pioneers will square off against the Cardinals.
A Look at Rivier: The Rivier University Raiders have opened the season with only one win at 1-5. Lyric Grumblatt has been the driving force for the Raiders' offense, netting 172 points so far this season, for an average of 28.6 points per game. Hannah Muchemore finds herself as the second leading scorer on the team with 95 total points. Muchemore has been getting the offense going for the Raiders dishing out a team high 29 total assists. Sydney Perry has been the team's leading rebounder, hauling in 56 total rebounds this season. This is the first time that the Pioneers will be squaring off against the Raiders.
Up Next: The Pioneers will return to action in the new year, taking on the team's final non-conference opponent in SUNY Cortland on Thursday, January 2. Game time from Miga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center is set for 3pm.
