Erie, Pa – Mercyhurst Women's Basketball returns to action this Friday, December 30th, at 1:00 p.m with a road game against PSAC East opponent – Mansfield. The match is set to be the last challenge before the Lakers begin their PSAC West part of the schedule.
1. Good Start
The Lakers are currently 6-4 on the season, as they defeated Lock Haven by a score of 77-66 on Monday, December 19th, and got their second PSAC win of the season. Before that Mercyhurst squad fell to Shippensburg 85-71 and beat Lake Erie by a score of 76-66. The Lakers also recorded a historic win in an exhibition match against DI University at Buffalo. Mercyhurst is looking to climb up in PSAC Standings with the win against Mansfield and prepare for the upcoming conference games in January.
2. Individual Performance
Mercyhurst has showcased a team-oriented brand of basketball with multiple players capable of catching fire and taking over a game. Julia Buchman leads the team with 12.2 points per game on 47% shooting and an impressive 42% from three. She is helped by Jayde Boyd with 11.1 points and Grace Centrulla with 10.7. Danielle Grim plays hard on both sides of the floor, as she leads the team in steals with 18 and 10 blocks on the season so far. Centrulla and Lexi Wagner work hard to clean the glass as they average 5.7 and 5.1 rebounds per contest while Centrulla also has seven rejections.
3. Depth
The Lakers are a well-balanced team with a lot of depth as multiple players can come off the bench and make a difference on the court. As many as 14 players scored this season for Mercyhurst, and four of them average more than ten points per contest. You never know who will have a good night and lead the charge for the Lakers. Ava Waid caught fire against Lock Haven, as she scored 12 points in just 15 minutes of playing time. Paige Woodford went off in the first half against Lake Erie and ended up with 17 points.
4. Team Stats
The Lakers score 78.9 points per game on 43.9% from the field and an impressive 38% from three. They also do a good job on the defensive side of the court, they average 3.1 blocks per game and force their opponents to 18.6 turnovers per game, as they turn their mistakes into offense, averaging 19 points off turnovers. The Lakers also share the ball well and record 13.3 assists per game.
5. Scouting Mansfield
The Mountaineers come into Friday's contest with just one win and seven losses on the season. They have only defeated Alliance so far and are looking for their first conference win this year. Jasmine Hilton leads the charge for them with 17.8 points and 9.4 rebounds. She is helped by Alivia Paeglow with 10.1 points on 45% shooting. Despite a losing record, Mansfield hopes to come out determined to surprise Lakers on Friday. The Lakers are looking to finish the year strong, and maintain their momentum for the PSAC West portion of the season.
