ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst women's basketball tries to even the season series and right the ship when they visit Seton Hill University on Wednesday night in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division action.
Game Information
Opponent - Seton Hill University Griffins
Date - Wednesday, February 5
Time - 5:30 pm
Location - Greensburg, Pa. (Katherine Mabis McKenna Center)
Series History - SHU leads 9-6, (Griffins won last meeting 85-62 at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center on 1/3/20)
Lakers Notes
Live Stats
Live Video
Last Meeting - Griffins 85, LAKERS 62
The two sides were locked in a seesaw affair in the first as the game was tied 21-21 after ten minutes. Seton Hill led 33-28 at the halfway point of the second, before an 8-2 charge by the Lakers with baskets from
Vivian Allison,
Julia Buchman,
Emily Shopene, and
Amber Renz moved the hosts in from 36-35. However, the Griffins rallied back to lead 41-39 at the break. Runs of 5-2 and 8-2 by the visitors helped SHU to lead by nine after three. An 11-2 push from the Griffins helped them over the finish line for the 85-62 win.
Lauren Lapertosa had a team-high 14 points, followed by 12 for Renz.
Kori Sidwell and
Nicolete Newman tacked on eight and seven. The same two players were also the leading rebounders each grabbing six.
Last Time Out - #5 Indiana (Pa.) 73, LAKERS 59
A 7-0 flight by the Crimson Hawks had the guests up 12-5 in the first, before Newman hit a three and Sidwell knocked home a jumper to cut the deficit to 12-10. However, they would trail 18-15 after one. IUP opened up a larger gap in the second as runs of 6-0 and 8-0 had the Hawks in front 41-26 at the break. In the second half, unfortunately, things did not get better for the Lakers as even though they outscored the visitors 20-9 in the final frame, but it was not enough as IUP held on to win 73-59. Renz had a team-high 22 points and was joined in double-figures by Sidwell with 11 and
Julia Buchman 10.
Emily Shopene, Newman, and Lapertosa combined for 16 points. Sidwell led the Lakers with seven rebounds.
Scouting the Lakers (5-16, 5-10 PSAC)
Team Numbers
Mercyhurst has allowed on average 70.5 ppg to their opponents, while only scoring 62.6 for a -7.9 scoring margin. The Lakers have had a slight dip in their shooting percentage dropping from 41.7% to 41.6%. They also hold a 29.3% from beyond the arc and sit at 68.6% at the charity line. Mercyhurst has been better at holding onto the dropping their average under 17 per game to 16.7. As a unit they possess +1.0 rebound margin grabbing 34.9 giving up just 33.9.
NCAA Ranks
As a team Mercyhurst ranks inside the Top-100 nationally in assists (92nd), blocked shots (53rd), and blocked shots per game (59th). Individually, Renz is 52nd in the country and fifth in the PSAC shooting 53.6%. Shopene and Lapertosa rank 14th and 75th in minutes per game with 37.26 and 34.19 respectively. Shopene is eighth nationally in total minutes played at 782:32, while Lapertosa sits at 56th with 718:05. Shopene lands just inside the top 100 in assist-turnover ratio at 96th with 1.52.
Protect the Ball
The Lakers matched their third lowest turnover output of the season (11) again on Saturday versus Indiana (Pa.), Mercyhurst has now shrunk their turnover margin down to -3.2 averaging 16.7 per game allowing 17.0 ppg off of their turnovers, while converting their opponents 13.5 mistakes into 12.6 ppg.
Ball Hogs
Mercyhurst averages 6.5 steals per game and have totaled 137 on the campaign. The Lakers have three players with 20-plus for the year led by 32 from Lapertosa, followed by 23 for Shopene and 20 for Sidwell. Newman (19), Renz (10) and Buchman (10) also land in double-digits.
Crash the Boards
Mercyhurst is a flat +1.0 in rebound margin at 34.9 to 33.9. Lapertosa and Sidwell both average over five rebounds per game with 5.1 and 5.0. Renz and Shopene each average over four per game.
Balanced Scoring
Renz heads the attack dropping 15.5 ppg. Both Newman and Shopene average 9.6 per contest, while the duo of Lapertosa along with
Eliza Oswalt combines for 15. Sidwell also chips in just over five per game.
Block Party
The Lakers season total now sits at 79 after two against IUP on Saturday. They now average almost four a game (3.8). Lapertosa now paces the team with 19, while Renz and Komendarek each have 15. Sidwell and Shopene have combined for 15. Oswalt, Petery, Buchman, Newman, and
Vivian Allison have all recorded at least one.
Scouting the Griffins (12-8, 7-8 PSAC)
Seton Hill enters Wednesday in the midst of a stretch where they have dropped six straight and seven of their last eight, including a slim 68-66 setback to Clarion on Saturday. As a unit they average 78 ppg, while only allowing 75.2 to the opposition for a +2.8 scoring margin. The Griffins come in shooting at a 39.9% clip to go along with 30.5% from deep and 74.7% at the charity line. They have not been able to gain separation in the rebounding department grabbing 42.2 per game, but give up 42 to the competition. Seton Hill coughs the ball up 14.1 times per game resulting in 14.4 opponent points. Four players average double-digits for the Griffins led by Katie Nolan who nets 14.1 per game, followed by Lexi Civittolo (13.7), Cheyenne Trest (13.0), and Courtney Cecere (10.5). Tiana Stewart just barely misses joining this group as she chips in 9.1. Nolan is also their leading rebounder grabbing 8.5 per game, while Cecere adds 6.6. Stewart and Trest each grab over five per contest. Mark Katarski is in his 12th season at the head of the Griffins nest.
On Deck - Senior Day
Mercyhurst is back in action on Saturday, February 8 when they welcome Clarion University to the Mercyhurst Athletic Center at 1 pm. Prior to the game the Lakers will honor their five seniors and their accomplishments.
