ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst women's basketball team will look to build on their comeback victory over California (Pa.) when they welcome local foe Edinboro University to the Mercyhurst Athletic Center on Wednesday night for Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division play.
Game Information
Opponent - Edinboro University Fighting Scots
Date - Wednesday, January 29
Time - 5:30 pm
Location - Erie, Pa. (Mercyhurst Athletic Center)
Series History - Edinboro leads 47-11, (Boro won the last meeting 76-54 at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center on 3/2/19)
Promotion - Academic Appreciation Night: Come join us as we celebrate all student-athletes with 3.0+ GPA from the Fall semester
Tickets
Game Notes
Live Stats
Live Video
Get Your Beer Here
Beer sales will be available to all patrons 21 years of age or older and will be sold at the stand located next to the concession stand in the Mercyhurst Hall of Fame area. Sales will begin 60-minutes prior to tipoff of the women's game and will stop midway through the second half of the men's contest.
Last Time Out
Mercyhurst fell behind 20-12 after one and was down 31-22 at the halftime break on Saturday at California (Pa.). However, the third quarter was all Lakers as they outscored the Vulcans 25-9 over the the segment sparked by an early 10-2 charge led by three pointers from
Kori Sidwell and
Nicolete Newman to close within 35-32. Mercyhurst would then seize the lead thanks to eight points by
Amber Renz to aide a 12-8 push to wrap up the frame at 47-40 visitors. The Lakers would hang on throughout the final quarter to secure the 62-55 win. The 53.2% shooting from the field was a seaosn-best for the Lakers led by 21 points from
Amber Renz.
Emily Shopene and Newman joined her in dobule-digits with 16 and 12 respectively.
Lauren Lapertosa had a team-high seven boards.
Scouting the Lakers (5-14, 5-8 PSAC)
Team Numbers
Mercyhurst currently holds a -7.1 scoring margin averaging 62.9 ppg, but allowing 70 to the opposition. The Lakers as a team are shooting 41.7% from the floor, while hitting at a 30% clip outside the arc, but only 67.2% on the line. As a unit they are averaging 13.8 assists per game, while on the glass they pull in an even 35.6 rebounds per contest and continue to only allow 33.8 to the opposition.
NCAA Ranks
As a team Mercyhurst ranks inside the Top-100 nationally in assists (89th), blocked shots (58th), and blocked shots per game (70th). Individually, Renz is 63rd in the country and sixth in the PSAC shooting 52.8%. Shopene and Lapertosa rank 13th and 55th in minutes per game with 37.20 and 34.74 respectively. Shopene is tenth nationally in total minutes played at 706:53, while Lapertosa sits at 37th with 660:05.
Protect the Ball
After their sixth game with 20-plus turnovers on Saturday, Mercyhurst holds a -3.6 turnover margin averaging 17.3 per game allowing 17.3 ppg off of their turnovers, while converting their opponents 13.7 mistakes into 12.7 ppg.
Ball Hogs
The Lakers added seven steals against the Vulcans bringing their season number to 125 averaging 6.6 per game. Lapertosa (30) and Shopene (20) lead the way, followed by 18 each for Newman and Sidwell.
Julia Buchman also is in double-figures with 10, while Renz lands just outside at nine.
Crash the Boards
Mercyhurst is a +1.8 in rebound margin at 35.6 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 14.9 ppg, followed by 10.1 for Shopene. Newman lands just off the mark at 9.9, with
Eliza Oswalt and Lapertosa chipping in 8.3 and 7.3 respectively.
Block Party
Meghan Komendarek continues to lead the Lakers by posting 14 of the team's 68 blocks which has them averaging 3.6 per game for the season. Renz and Lapertosa each have 13. Sidwell is next at seven with Shopene and her six right behind her. Five other players have at least one.
Scouting the Fighting Scots (10-7, 8-5 PSAC)
Edinboro arrives at the MAC having won three straight and six on their last seven after blowing out Slippery Rock on the road Saturday by a score of 88-59. The Fighting Scots are averaging just under 75 points per game at 74.9 and are only surrendering 65.6 to the opposition. They are just over a 40% shooting team from the field posting a 41.2%. Outside the arc as a unit they are solid shooting at a 34.6% clip, while going 73.2% on the foul line. On the glass the Fighting Scots haul in over 40 rebounds per contest. The Lakers will look to make them comit at least their average of 15.9 turnovers per game and try to not allow Edinboro to force their 18-plus they look for. Callie Wheeler is in her second season at the head of the Edinboro clan.
On Deck - Homestand concludes
The Lakers will finish the two-game homestand by hosting nationally ranked Indiana University of Pennsylvania on Saturday at 1pm for Women in Sports Day.
