MERCYHURST (0-3, 0-0 NEC) vs YOUNGSTOWN STATE (3-1, 0-0 HORIZON)
Thursday, Nov. 20 – 6:00 pm
Mercyhurst Athletics Center
TV: NEC Front Row
 
The Mercyhurst women's basketball team is set to play their second consecutive home game Thursday at the Mercyhurst Athletics Center. Tip off is set for 6:00 p.m. and the game will be streamed on NEC Front Row.
 
The Matchup
The Lakers and the Penguins are wrapping up a home-and-home series that began last season. YSU prevailed in the first-ever meeting on the hardwood between the schools, 64-56.
 
The Opponent
YSU has gotten out to a 3-1 start to the 2025-26 season, collecting wins over Division III Theil, North Dakota, and Bucknell. Their lone loss came at Michigan State, 96-52.
The Penguins feature 12 players on their roster with six returners, three coming of medical redshirts, two transfers, and one true freshman. Sophia Gregory is coming off a stellar freshman season, being named the Horizon League Freshman of the Year and earning Preseason All-Horizon League First Team honors.
 
Last Time Out
Mercyhurst took it down to the wire with Cornell in its home opener, falling 53-49. The Lakers were down 19-9 after the first quarter but cut the deficit to five at the halftime break, outscoring the Big Red 11-6 in the second quarter. Down 10 after three quarters, the Lakers used an 11-0 run to start the fourth quarter to take a 47-44 lead with 2:45 to play. Cornell responded with an 8-3 run to end the game and earn their first win of the season, 53-49.
 
Wall to Walz
Sophomore guard Lena Walz has been a key contributor for the Lakers through the first three games as the leading scorer in every contest. The St. Bonaventure transfer has averaged a team-high 12 points per game, scoring a career-high 13 points vs Cornell. In addition to her 12.3 points per game, Walz is averaging 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 45 percent from the floor and 47 percent from beyond the arc.  
 
60 is the magic number
The Lakers are 27-9 in contest in which they score 60 or more points since the 23-24 season. 
 
Cleaning it up
In Friday's contest against Cornell, the Lakers had a season-low 13 turnovers, 10 less than the previous season low.