ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst women's basketball team seek to earn their victory since January 8th at Clarion University when they venture to previously nationally-ranked California University of Pennsylvania for a date with the Vulcans at 1 pm on Saturday afternoon inside of the Convocation Center in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division clash.
Game Information
Opponent - California University of Pennsylvania Vulcans
Date - Saturday, January 25
Time - 1 pm
Location - California, Pa. (Convocation Center)
Series History - Cal leads 28-10, (Cal won last meeting 76-56 at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center on 2/20/19)
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Last Time Out
Mercyhurst had another rough night shooting the basketball as they went just 28.8% from the floor en route to a tough 69-64 setback at home to Slippery Rock on Wednesday night. The game was tied after one quarter 19-19 and through 30-minutes it was just a four-point deficit 51-47. However, the Rock outpaced the Lakers 18-17 over the final ten-minutes to hold on for the victory. Three Mercyhurst players hit double-digits led by
Amber Renz with 18.
Lauren Lapertosa added 12, while
Meghan Komendarek netted 10. Both
Emily Shopene and
Kori Sidwell chipped in seven each. Komendarek was also the team's leading rebounder with seven.
Scouting the Lakers (4-14, 4-8 PSAC)
Team Numbers
Mercyhurst is averaging 62.9 ppg and allowing 70.8 to their opponents for a -7.9 scoring margin. As a team the Lakers are shooting 41.1% from the floor, 29.3% outside the arc, and 67.7% at the charity line. They hold a +1.3 rebound margin pulling down 35.4 per game and keep their competition to 34.1. Mercyhurst has trimmed their turnover number down in recent games as it has moved back under 17 to 16.9 which results in 17.2 points for the opposition. They force 13.9 giveaways and turn them into 13 ppg. Defensively, the Lakers post 6.6 steals and 3.6 blocks per game.
NCAA Ranks
As a team Mercyhurst ranks inside the Top-100 nationally in blocked shots (57th), blocked shots per game (74th), and assists (91st). Individually, Renz is 72nd in the country and sixth in the PSAC shooting 51.8%. Shopene and Lapertosa rank 15th and 62nd in minutes per game with 37.05 and 34.51 respectively. Shopene is 9th nationally in total minutes played at 666:53, while Lapertosa is 30th with 621:05.
Protect the Ball
The Lakers turned the ball over just 13 times in each of their last two games trimming their season average to 16.9 from 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 had five more steals against Rock on Wednesday bringing their season number up to 118. Individually, Lapertosa has 28 steals to lead the team. Shopene (20), Newman (17), and Sidwell (15) all have double-digits as well.
Julia Buchman and Renz each come up short of the double-figure mark with nine.
Crash the Boards
Mercyhurst is a +1.3 in rebound margin at 35.4 to 34.1. 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 14.6 ppg, followed by Newman and Shopene who both land just off the mark with 9.8.
Eliza Oswalt and Lapertosa chip in 8.3 and 7.6 respectively. Vivian Allsion, Sidwell and Komendarek all put up about four points per game as well.
Block Party
Three Lakers have hit double-figures in blocks on the season led by Komendarek with 14. 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 64 and average 3.6 per game.
Scouting the Vulcans (13-5, 7-5 PSAC)
California (Pa.) has been struggling in recent weeks dropping three of their last four, which a 26-point loss to Gannon University on Wednesday night by a score of 66-40. The Vulcans have a +4.2 scoring margin netting 70.4 ppg, while only allowing 66.2 to the opposition. From the field they shoot below 40% at 37.3% and are 29.8% outside the arc to go along with a strong 79.3% at the charity stripe. On the glass they average 37.3 rebounds and turn the ball over 12.9 times. Where the Vulcans have been solid is forcing turnovers causing 20.7 per game out of their opponents. Monica Burns leads a trio of double-digit scorers for Cal putting up 15 points per game. She is followed by Bianca Jasper and Shauna Harrison with 10.8 and 10.0 respectively. Olivia Hudson also adds 8.9 ppg. Harrison is the team's leading rebounder pulling down 5.2 per contest. Jess Strom is in ninth campaign as the Vulcans head coach.
On Deck - Home Cooking
Mercyhurst will return to the Mercyhurst Athletic Center for two games next week against local foe Edinboro on Wednesday, before welcoming nationally-ranked Indiana University of Pennsylvania three-days later.
