This Week in CIAA Women’s Basketball Action

MARQUEE MATCHUP OF THE WEEK:

# 18 Shaw Lady Bears (5-1) at Assumption Greyhounds (8-1)                        Saturday December 29

Since seeing their sixteen-game winning streak snapped two weeks ago against Tusculum, the Lady Bears have won four straight, including a win over then 17th ranked Nova Southeastern.  Following a short break for Christmas, the 18^th ranked Lady Bears will jump right back into their rigorous non-conference schedule, playing three games in as many days this week.  On Friday (12/28), they travel to Wilmington, Delaware to take on the 8-6 Goldey-Beacom College.  The next day, they are in the Nation’s Capital to play in the University of D.C. Winter Classic, where they will face Assumption College on Saturday (12/29) and then close out 2012 against Felician College on Sunday (12/30).  The marquee Saturday matchup features a battle of one-loss teams.  The Assumption Greyhounds (Worchester, MA), from the Northeast 10 Conference, are off to an impressive 8-1 start, and trying to climb back into the Division II Top 25 poll after being ranked 24^th before a 66-58 loss to Adelphi on December 1.  Assumption is led by an experienced trio of double-digit scorers in seniors Gabrielle Gibson, Katy Howard, and Sabrina Siciliano.  The Hounds average 70.8 points a game, while allowing 55.7.  The 5-1 Lady Bears will counter with a balanced scoring attack, led by junior guards Ronika Ransford, and Kearah Jeffreys, and senior forward Taylor Dalrymple, who are all averaging at least 13 points a game.  Dalrymple also leads the team with 7.2 rebounds a game.  Shaw is averaging 78.2 points a game and shooting 44.5 percent from the floor, while holding opponents to 63.8 points and 35.8 percent shooting.  The Lady Bears are one of the top rebounding teams in Division II, outrebounding opponents by a margin of 17.2 a game, but they continue to be plagued by turnovers, averaging 24.3 miscues per game. 

HOT HANDS:

Shaw Lady Bears:

Kearah Jeffreys, Jr. Guard, 5-4 (13.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.3 apg), Ronika Ransford, Jr. Point Guard, 5-6 (14.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.3 apg), Crystal Harris Sr. Center, 6-1 (10.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 bpg, 1.2 spg), Taylor Dalrymple Sr. Forward, 6-1 (13.0 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 3.0 apg)

Assumption Greyhounds:

Gabrielle Gibson, Guard, 5-8 Sr. (14.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.6 spg), Katy Howard, Point Guard, 5-9 Sr. (12.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.2 apg), Sabrina Siciliano, Forward, 6-0 Sr. (10.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg,)

LAST TIME OUT:

Shaw University 59    Lynn University 57

Crystal Harris hit a go-ahead jumper with 1:33 left in the game as Shaw rallied from 12 points down in the second half to edge Lynn 59-57 on Wednesday.  Kearah Jeffreys had 15 points off the bench for Shaw, while Taylor Dalrymple added 13 points and 11 boards and Whitney King chipped in with 10 as the 18^th ranked Lady Bears improved to 5-1 heading into the Christmas break. 

Assumption College 85                      Le Moyne 48

Assumption improved to 8-1 overall and 6-1 in the Northeast 10 with an 85-48 victory over visiting LeMoyne College on Monday night.  The Greyhounds had five players in double figures, led by 15 points each from Jamie Insel and Gabrielle Gibson, while Caitlin Ackerman added 12 points.  Assumption also got 10 points each from Katy Howard and Sabrina Siciliano.

                         TALE OF THE STATISTICAL TAPE

CIAA Women’s Basketball Player of the Week

Week Seven

Player of the Week

Talaya Lynch, Chowan University
Cl. Senior  Position: Wing Height: 5-9  
Hometown: Hampton, VA

Week’s Stats

Top Performance vs. Norfolk State Date 12/19/2012

Player of the Week - Notes of Interest
Lynch scored 30 points in two games in tough losses to Johnson C. Smith and Norfolk State this week in her first games of the season.

Newcomer of the Week

Keyrra Gillespie, Winston-Salem State University
Class: Junior Position: Guard  Height: 5-5
Hometown: Statesville, N.C.

Week’s Stats

Top Performance vs. Lenoir-Rhyne Date 12/17/12

Newcomer of the Week - Notes of Interest
Keyrra led the Lady Rams to a key 49-33 win over the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears, avenging an earlier road loss. She led the way for the Lady Rams with a team-high four assists with six rebounds and seven points.

Rookie of the Week
No Nominations

Coach of the Week
A.G. Hall, Winston-Salem State University
Coach Hall led the Lady Rams to a 49-33 win over the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears. With the win, the team avenged an earlier loss. The Lady Rams used a stellar defensive performance to key the win- holding Lenoir-Rhyne to shooting 24.5% from the field and forcing 23 turnovers.