Erie, Pa – Mercyhurst Women's Basketball prepares for another busy week of conference play. They are scheduled to take on Pitt-Johnstown at home on Wednesday, February 15^th and follow that with a matchup against Clarion on Saturday, February 18^th.
 
1. PSAC Situation
After defeating Cal (Pa.) last Saturday, the Lakers moved up to 9-9 conference mark on the season. They are currently seventh in the standings and are looking to climb up the ladder this week with two very important games. Gannon is first with 15-3 record and is the only team that Clinched PSAC Tournament berth so far. The situation is very tight in the middle of the standings, as multiple teams are within one or two wins from each other, and every remaining game might have a huge impact on the playoff outlook.
 
2. Individual Stats
Jayde Boyd leads the charge with 11.2 points per game, and she is helped by Grace Centrulla with 11 and Julia Buchman, scorer of ten points per contest. Danielle Grim averages 9.3 and she leads the squad on defense with one block and nearly two steals per match. She registered 16 points on Saturday, and her performance was a key to that victory over the Vulcans. Mercyhurst is well-balanced and a deep team, where you never know who will come in and make a difference on the court. Grace Clary came off the bench on Saturday and knocked down two three-pointers and scored a layup in just ten minutes of playing time.
 
3. Scouting UPJ
The Mountain Cats sit at the fourth spot in the PSAC West Standings, with 11-7 conference mark. They are coming out of a busy week, where they fell to IUP and Gannon, and defeated Seton Hill. Peyton Alazus and Ashley Norling both lead the charge with 14.1 points per contest. Norling also adds 7.6 rebounds, and nearly a block per game. Stopping them is set to be a key to victory on Wednesday.
 
4. Scouting Clarion
The Golden Eagles are the lone team on the bottom of the standings, as they are currently 3-15 on the season and are six games behind the Lakers. Sierra Bermudez leads her team with 13 points per game, and she is helped by Jada Smith with eight points and eight rebounds per contest.
 
5. What's Next
After this week, the Lakers are scheduled to hit the road for two consecutive away games. They are set to play Seton Hill on Wednesday, February 22^nd and finish the regular season on Saturday, February 25^th. Winning the upcoming games will be a key to making it into the playoffs this season.