ERIE, Pa.- The Mercyhurst women's basketball team opens its 2012-13 season with two games this weekend. The Lakers face Northern Michigan on Saturday, November 24, at 4 p.m. and then take on #1 Ashland University on Sunday, November 25, at 4 p.m. Both contests will be played at Kates Gymnasium in Ashland, Ohio.
 
Live stats for both games will be available at http://livestats.prestosports.com/ashland/.
 
The Lakers went 12-14 last season. They have seven seniors on the 2012-13 roster, including point guard Dana Banda. A four-year starter, Banda averaged 9.8 points and 4.3 assists last year-both tops among returners. Coach Deanna Richard is back for her sixth season on the bench. She guided the Lakers to their biggest regular season win in program history last season-a 59-58 overtime win over #2 Edinboro on February 22.
 
Northern Michigan is a former conference foe when Mercyhurst was a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). The Wildcats are 1-1 this season, including a 78-21 home win over Finlandia this week. Twelve different players scored in the victory. NMU's roster features no seniors and just two juniors.
 
Ashland is 4-0 to start this season. It defeated Kentucky Wesleyan, 92-56, November 17. The Eagles traveled to California to begin the year and picked up three wins, including a 70-59 win over #11 Gannon. AU went 33-2 last year, reeling off a 33-game winning streak that featured a run to the national title game. Kari Daugherty was named NCAA Division II Player of the Year. She is back for her senior season and averaging 26.8 points and 15.8 rebounds per game.