MERCYHURST (7-14, 7-3 NEC) at SAINT FRANCIS (2-19, 2-8 NEC)
Thursday, Feb. 5 – 7:00 p.m.
Loretto, Pa.
TV: NEC Front Row
 
The Mercyhurst women's basketball team looks to stay perfect on the road in conference play as they head to Saint Francis Thursday. Mercyhurst looks for its first ever win over SFU in women's basketball after falling to the Red Flash twice last season. The game will be streamed on NEC Front Row with tipoff set for 7 p.m.
 
The Opponent
Saint Francis comes into Thursday's matchup on a four-game losing streak. The Red Flash own a 2-19 overall record with a 2-8 mark in conference play. SFU secured wins Central Connecticut State and Wagner.
 
Shelby Ricks leads the Red Flash in scoring since conference play began, averaging 11.9 points per game. She is also posting 6.7 rebounds per game, good for eighth in the NEC.
 
SFU has the lowest field goal percentage in the league since NEC play began at 36.3. 
 
Last Time Out
The Lakers six-game win streak ended Saturday to Chicago State, 68-64. Cici Hernandez had a look from deep to tie the game with 10 seconds remaining, but the shot rimmed out, giving the Cougars win.
 
Freshman Sofia Wilson dropped a game-high 17 points in the loss, adding five assists while shooting 7-of-13 from the field.
 
NEC Weekly Awards
For the second week in a row, Sofia Wilson has been named the NEC Rookie of the Week and Cici Hernandez has been tabbed a Prime Performer.
 
Wilson averaged 15.5 ppg , 6 apg, and 4 rpg while scoring clutch buckets in OT against New Haven. This is Wilson's fifth Rookie of the Week honor.
 
Hernandez averaged 17.5 ppg and 3.5 apg while making five 3-pointers in an OT win over New Haven.
 
NEC Standings
Over half way through conference play, the Lakers sit in third in the NEC standings. FDU leads the way, clinching a playoff birth with a perfect 10-0 record. LIU sits just ahead of Mercyhurst at 8-2.
 
Wagner is currently the fourth seed (6-4) followed by New Haven (5-5) and Chicago State (5-5). Stonehill (4-6), Le Moyne (3-7), Saint Francis (2-8) and CCSU (0-10) round out the league standings.
 
The top eight teams make the NEC tournament with the top four seeds hosting in the quarterfinal rounds. New Haven is not eligible for the NEC Tournament this season.
 
Sharp Shooters
Mercyhurst is topping the NEC in 3-point makes per game during conference play, averaging 10 per game. The Lakers also have the best 3-point shooting percentage during league play at 37.3 percent.
 
Sinking Shots
 Cici Hernadez and Sofia Wilson are in the top 10 in field goal percentage in NEC play. Hernandez is shooting at a 48.8 percent clip while Wilson is sinking shots at 44.9 percent.
 
Hernandez is also uber efficient from 3-point land, leading the league with a 41.1 percent clip.
 
A Little Bit of Everything
Sofia Wilson has been doing it all in NEC play. The rookie is second in the league in assists per game, dishing out 4.7 helpers. She is third in assist to turnover ratio at 1.7 and third in steals (2.3).
 
Wilson is also a scoring threat, averaging 15.5 points per game against NEC foes, good for fourth in the league and leading all rookies.
 
Road Warriors
The Lakers are 5-0 in NEC road games to start the season. It's the best start road start to conference play for the Lakers since they went 5-1 on the road to begin PSAC play in 2022-23.