ERIE, Pa.
- After a tough double overtime loss on Wednesday night at home against Pitt-Johnstown the Mercyhurst women's basketball team will look to avenge their previous loss to Edinboro when they visit the Fighting Scots on Saturday afternoon in PSAC West action.
Game Information
Opponent - Edinboro University Fighting Scots
Date - Saturday, February 22
Time - 1:00 pm
Location - Edinboro, Pa. (McComb Fieldhouse)
Series History - Edinboro leads 48-11, (Boro won last meeting 78-61 in Erie on 1/29/20)
Game Notes
Live Stats
Live Video
Last Meeting - Fighting Scots 78, LAKERS 61 (1/29/20)
The game was on the seesaw early as buckets from
Amber Renz,
Kori Sidwell, and
Vivian Allison had the hosts in front 14-12 with 2:30 left in the first quarter. A Renz layup with at the 9:53 mark had the Lakers on top 21-19 after one. Edinboro recovered in the second as Michaela Barnes put the guests up 23-21, but an 8-2 push by Mercyhurst got them back ahead 29-25. After the guests took the lead Sidwell and Renz tied the game, before a 5-4 visitors stretch gave them the 40-39 edge at the half. Edinboro took control in the third using a 16-4 charge to lead by a dozen through three and from there they never looked back capping off the win with a strong fourth. Renz had 19 to lead the Lakers.
Lauren Lapertosa,
Vivian Allison and Sidwell combined for 22 points. Sidwell was also the leading rebounder with seven.
Last Time Out - Mountain Cats 77, LAKERS 75 (2OT) (2/19/20)
The Lakers led early thanks to Renz and Sidwell, but a late visitors rally gave them a 15-11 edge through 10-minutes.
Nicolete Newman and Renz used a 6-1 run to move the home team ahead 17-16. The rest of the half would essentially be played to a draw as they went to the locker room knotted at 23. UPJ led 33-30 in the third, before an 8-0 stampede by Mercyhurst thanks to triples from
Julia Buchman and Newman made it 38-33. The 'Cats responded with the ensuing six points to hold a 39-38 edge. The final frame saw each team with a big run as UPJ went on a 6-2 push making it 50-44, however three late triples by Newman was enough to force overtime at 56-56. Unfortunately, after the game could not be settled in one extra session a tip-in from Maddie Shanahan at the horn gave the guests the win. Newman and Renz each had 18 points, while Buchman chipped in 10. Renz also grabbed 11 boards.
Scouting the Lakers (7-18, 7-12 PSAC)
Team Numbers
Mercyhurst has allowed just over 70 ppg to their opponents (70.5), but only score 63.2 for a -7.3 scoring margin. The Lakers as a team shoot 42% from the field. They are sitting at a 30.3% clip from beyond the arc, but are only 68.5% at the charity line. As a unit they possess +0.4 rebound margin grabbing 34.8 giving up just 34.4.
NCAA Ranks
As a team Mercyhurst ranks inside the Top-100 nationally in field goal percentage (89th), blocked shots (57th), and blocked shots per game (59th). Individually, Renz is 48th in the country and fifth in the PSAC shooting 53.6%.
Emily Shopene ranks 13th in minutes per game with 37.55. Shopene is 8th nationally in total minutes played at 938:50. Shopene also ranks 69th in assist-turnover ratio at 1.67.
Protect the Ball
The Lakers continue to get better at holding onto the ball dropping their season average under 17 turnovers per game to 16.6, which is resulting in 17 opposition points. On the other side of the ball, they are forcing 13.6 turnovers and are picking up 12.8 points off their opponents mistakes.
Ball Hogs
Mercyhurst averages 6.7 steals per game and have totaled 168 on the season after having a season-high 14 on Wednesday against UPJ. Lapertosa has the team lead with 35, while the trio of Shopene (28), Newman (26) and Sidwell (26) are also having good seasons.
Vivian Allison, Renz and Buchman also land in double-figures.
Crash the Boards
Mercyhurst is a +0.4 in rebound margin at 34.8 to 34.4. The duo of Sidwell and Renz are averaging over five rebounds per game. Lapertosa and Shopene each haul in at least four per game, with Newman just behind at 3.7.
Balanced Scoring
Renz heads the attack dropping 16.2 ppg, while Newman joins her in double-figures at 10.1. Shopene puts up 9.4 per game, followed by Lapertosa (6.7) and Sidwell (5.3).
Meghan Komendarek, Buchman, and Allison all average over three apiece.
Block Party
The Lakers added five more blocks to their season total on Wednesday which now sits at 92, which has them averaging 3.7 per game. Lapertosa now paces the team with 20, while Renz (19).and Komendarek (18) join her in double-figures. Sidwell and Shopene have combined for 17.
Stephanie Petery, Buchman, Newman, and Allison have all recorded at least one.
Congrats Amber!
With her layup at the 7:46 mark of the second quarter against Gannon on February 12th, Renz became the 20th player in Mercyhurst women's basketball history to eclipse 1,000 points for her career.
Postseason Charge
Mercyhurst sits tied for the final playoff spot with Seton Hill at 7-12 in the PSAC West standings. Edinboro has secured a spot in the PSAC Tournament and currently is in a tie for third with Cal U.
Scouting the Fighting Scots (14-9, 12-7 PSAC)
Edinboro has split their last four contests, including an 80-72 double overtime setback at Indiana (Pa.) on Wednesday night. For the year they are shooting 40.8% from the field, 33.8% beyond the arc, and 76% on the foul line. The Fighting Scots hold a +9.1 scoring margin netting 74.3 points per game and give up just 65.2, while also possessing a +5.0 rebound margin grabbing 40.7 per contest. As a team they force 17.7 turnovers per game which turns into 17.6 points, Edinboro coughs the ball up on average 16 times. Michaela Barnes leads a trio of double-digit scorers at 25.5 ppg, followed by Bridgette Shaffer (13.5) and Rana Elhusseini (10.2). Cheniya Sharpe also adds 7.1 points and is the team leader in rebounds at 9.7. Shaffer and Barnes both grab over five boards per contest.
On Deck - Final Home Game
The Lakers will have their final home game of the season when they welcome the Vulcans of Cal U to the Mercyhurst Athletic Center on Wednesday night at 5:30 pm.
