ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst women's basketball team wraps up their two-game homestand on Wednesday night when they welcome The Rock of Slippery Rock University to the Mercyhurst Athletic Center for a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western division clash.
Game Information
Opponent - The Rock of Slippery Rock University
Date - Wednesday, January 22
Time - 5:30 pm
Location - Erie, Pa. (Mercyhurst Athletic Center)
Series History - Hurst leads 19-17, (Slippery Rock won last meeting 90-63 at Slippery Rock on 2/13/19)
Tickets
Lakers Notes
Live Stats
Live Video
Last Time Out
Mercyhurst shot just 32.1% from the floor, while allowing the visiting Gannon University to shoot at a 49% clip to edge out the Lakers 61-46 on Saturday night in round one of the Porreco Pride of Erie Cup. Mercyhurst fell behind early as runs of 8-0 and 9-0 staked the Lady Knights to a 21-8 advantage after one, which they extended to 36-18 at the break. The Lakers attempted to mount a rally to begin the third as a 7-2 charge closed the gap to 38-25 with 6:43 to go, but an 11-5 run capped the third and in the final ten minutes the guests let the home side no closer for the 61-46 win.
Emily Shopene paced the hosts with 10 points.
Amber Renz and
Nicolete Newman each chipped in nine, while
Lauren Lapertosa finished with seven.
Scouting the Lakers (4-13, 4-7 PSAC)
Team Numbers
Mercyhurst is averaging 62.9 ppg and allowing 70.9 to their opponents for a -8.0 scoring margin. As a team the Lakers are shooting 41.9% from the floor, 29.8% outside the arc, and 66.3% at the charity line. They hold a +1.4 rebound margin pulling down 35.2 per game and keep their competition to 33.8. Where Mercyhurst has struggled this season has been keeping possession of the ball turning it over on average 17.2 times which results in 17.6 points for the opposition. They force 13.8 giveaways and turn them into 13 ppg. Defensively, the Lakers post 6.6 steals and 3.7 blocks per game.
NCAA Ranks
As a team Mercyhurst ranks inside the Top-100 nationally in field-goal percentage (95th), assists (87th), blocked shots (53rd), and blocked shots per game (64th). Individually, Renz is 62nd in the country and sixth in the PSAC shooting 53.3%. Shopene and Lapertosa rank 15th and 62nd in minutes per game with 36.88 and 34.56 respectively. Shopene is 13th nationally in total minutes played at 626.53.
Protect the Ball
The Lakers turned the ball over just 13 times on Saturday and have dropped their season average from 17.4 to 17.2. Mercyhurst has only had one game where they had single-digits in turnovers which was on the road in a loss at Walsh.
Ball Hogs
Mercyhurst added seven steals on Saturday against Gannon to up their season total to 113. Individually, Lapertosa has 28 steals to lead the team. Shopene (19), Newman (17), and
Kori Sidwell (13) all have double-digits as well. Renz falls just short of the double-figure mark with nine.
Crash the Boards
Mercyhurst is a +1.4 in rebound margin at 35.2 to 33.8. Lapertosa continues to lead the side with 5.4 rpg, while Sidwell, Newman, Renz, and Shopene each average over four per game.
Balanced Scoring
Renz paces a duo of double-digit scorers for the Lakers with 14.8 ppg, followed by 10.3 for Newman. Shopene continues to land just off the mark at 9.9, while
Eliza Oswalt and Lapertosa chip in 8.3 and 7.3 respectively.
Block Party
Three Lakers have hit double-figures in blocks on the season led by
Meghan Komendarek with 13. She is followed by Renz at a dozen and Lapertosa 11. Sidwell and Shopene have combined for 13. Five other players have recorded at least one. As a team they have 63 and average 3.7 per game.
Scouting The Rock (4-13, 2-9 PSAC)
Slippery Rock arrives in Erie having dropped five of their last six games, which includes a 77-67 decision to resurgent Pitt-Johnstown on Saturday afternoon at the Sports Center. As a team they average 68.8 points per game, while allowing 77.1 to the opposition. The Rock come in shooting 38.2% from the field, 27.8% outside the arc, and 72.9% from the foul line. On the glass they haul in just shy of 40 boards per game at 39.9, while giving up 41.8. The Rock turn the ball over 15.3 times per game. A trio leads their offensive attack headed up by Brooke Hinderliter with her 19.2 ppg and 5.6 rebounds. Madison Johnson and Daeja Quick both post double-figures as well at 15.3 and 10.9. LeeAnn Gibson is the leading rebounder with 7.8. Head coach Bobby McGraw is in his sixth season leading The Rock.
On Deck - On the road again
Mercyhurst heads out on the road to continue PSAC West play on Saturday, January 25 when they venture to California University of Pennsylvania for a 1pm tip.
