CALIFORNIA, Pa. -- The Mercyhurst women's basketball team will meet Shippensburg in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Atlantic Regional, which will begin Friday at Hamer Hall in California, Pa. The Laker/Raider matchup will tip off at 7:30 p.m., finishing a day of four contests at Hamer Hall.
The Lakers (23-7) are the five-seed in the Atlantic while Shippensburg (24-6) is the four-seed. The Lakers lead the all-time series between the two programs, 5-3, and won their last matchup on Nov. 21, 2015, by a 67-65 score. The first contest between the two schools was an NCAA Tournament First Round matchup in 1994-95 when the Lakers took a 73-68 decision on March 10.
The Lakers are led by a pair of of seniors, who were both honored on the All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division First Team:
Angela Heintz and
Natalie Piaggesi. Heintz is now a two-time All-PSAC West honoree while Piaggesi moved up from her All-PSAC West Second Team accolade from a year ago.
Heintz claimed the Mercyhurst single-season record for total assists (196) in 2016-17. She averages 15.3 points per game, which currently ranks seventh in the PSAC, while leading the league in assists per game (6.5). Heintz leads the Lakers in rebounds per game (7.3), steals per game (1.6) and three-point percentage (.384). Her three-point total ranks fourth all-time in MU single-season history while her 458 total points is 10th.
Piaggesi is Mercyhurst's leading scorer in 2016-17, averaging 16.7 points per game, which is good for fifth in the PSAC. She leads the team in blocks per game (2.0), field-goal percentage (.584) and free-throw percentage (.818), which currently have her ranked tied for first, second and eighth, respectively, in the PSAC. Piaggesi also is second on the Laker roster in rebounds per game (7.1).
In the single-season categories, Piaggesi has recorded the second-highest block total in school history (60), ranking behind only her record of 62 from 2014-15. She has the fifth-highest total for field goals (201) and eighth-most for points (501).
Jalin Steel is the third-highest scorer for the Lakers, averaging 10.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
Shippensburg has five scorers averaging double-figures: Stephanie Knauer (14.2), Colleen Young (12.4), Logan Snyder (11.0), Morgan Griffith (11.0) and Lauren Gold (10.4). Griffith is the team's leading rebounder with 9.1 boards per game while Knauer leads the PSAC in field-goal percentage (.646).
Live Video and Stat links can be found on the link listed below as well as ticket, parking, and hotel information.
NCAA Women's Basketball Atlantic Regional Homepage
2017 Atlantic Regional Schedule
Atlantic Regional Quarterfinals (Friday, March 10)
Game No. 1, 12 p.m. - No. 6 Wheeling Jesuit (25-6) vs. No. 3 Virginia Union (23-4)
Game No. 2, 2:30 p.m. - No. 7 Johnson C. Smith (22-7) vs. No. 2 IUP (23-6)
Game No. 3, 5 p.m. - No. 8 Glenville State (24-5) vs. No. 1 California (Pa.) (28-3)
Game No. 4 7:30 p.m. - No. 5 Mercyhurst (23-7) vs. No. 4 Shippensburg (24-6)
Atlantic Regional Semifinals (Saturday, March 11)
Game No. 5, 5 p.m. - No. 3/No. 6 Winner vs. No. 2/No. 7 Winner
Game No. 6, 7:30 p.m. - No. 1/No. 8 Winner vs. No. 4/No. 5 Winner
Atlantic Regional Championship Game (Monday, March 13)
Game No. 7, 7 p.m. - Semifinal Winners
