Two MAAC Women's Basketball Games to be featured on ESPN3 this Week

2/4/2014 3:21:00 PM

MAAC Sports

EDISON, N.J. – On Thursday, Rider University will host first place Iona College in Lawrenceville, N.J at 6 p.m. and on Friday, Canisius College will host rival Niagara University in the Battle of the Bridge at 4 p.m. The two broadcast will be featured live on ESPN3 as part of the MAAC ESPN broadcast package.

The Rider University women’s basketball team enters the week at 10-11 overall and 6-6 in MAAC play. The Broncs have registered one win and one lost each of the last four straight weeks and will look to win back-to-back games for the first time since Jan. 05 and 09. The Broncs rank second in the league in three-point field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 30% per game and second in turnover margin, posting a plus three margin per game. Senior guard/forward MyNeshia McKenzie leads the MAAC in minutes played, averaging 36.5 minutes per contest. She ranks second in the league in scoring (19.1), rebounding (10.9), defensive rebounds (8.0), and double-doubles (12). McKenzie was named MAAC Player of the Week on Jan. 06. Junior forward/center Marritta Gillcrease ranks second in the league in blocked shots with 1.6 per game. Sophomore guard Manon Pellet is tied for eighth in the MAAC in assists, dishing out 2.8 per game. Sophomore guard Mikal Johnson ranks second on the team averaging 9.9 points per outing and ranks in the top ten in the league shooting 74% from the free-throw line. Freshman Julia Duggan was named MAAC Rookie of the Week on Jan. 13.

The Iona College Gaels women’s basketball team sits at a perfect 12-0 league mark and 19-2 overall. The Gaels are riding an 18 game winning streak which set a new Iona basketball record, one ahead of the 17 game winning streak of the 1979-80 men's squad led by legendary coach Jim Valvano. At 12-0 in conference play this season, the Gaels have also won 19 consecutive regular season MAAC contests dating back to last season. In this weeks Associated Press rankings, Iona received one vote. The Gaels rank second nationally and leads the MAAC in free-throw percentage shooting 79.9%. In addition, the Gaels also lead the MAAC in scoring (74.5), three-point field goal percentage (39.5%), made three-pointers per game (8.4), three-point field goal defense (28.6%), blocked shots per game (4.4), and defensive rebounding (27.5). Junior guard Damika Martinez ranks fifth nationally in both points per game (24.8) and three-point field goals per game (3.5). Martinez also leads the MAAC in free-throw percentage (89.1%). Sophomore forward Joy Adams leads the nation in double-doubles (19) and ranks fourth in the country in rebounds per game (13.8). Adams also leads the MAAC in offensive rebounds (4.0) and defensive rebounds (9.8). Senior center Sabrina Jeridore ranks fifth nationally and leads the league in blocked shots per game with 3.4 per contest. Her 13 blocked shots against Pacific earlier in the season are the highest in the country in a single game this season. Graduate student Haley D’Angelo has a 3.2 assists to turnover ratio which is tied for first in the MAAC. Junior Aleesha Powell is shooting 50% from the three-point arc, which is good for first in the league. Damika Martinez has been named MAAC Player of the Week four times this season, while Joy Adams has won the award three times this season.

This will be the first meeting between the two teams this season.

Canisius College is currently 4-8 in the league and 8-13 overall. The Golden Griffins has split their last eight games after starting 0-4 in league play. Canisius ranks third in the MAAC in blocked shots, tallying 3.1 per contest and fourth in three-point field goals made, netting 5.9 each game. Junior guard Kayla Hoohuli leads the team and ranks 19^th in the MAAC in scoring, averaging 10.1 points per game. Senior Jamie Ruttle is second on the team in scoring, recording 9.7 points per outing. Senior Jen Morabito ranks ninth in the MAAC in three-point field goal percentage and three-point field goals made. Sophomore Tiahana Mills ranks sixth in the league in assists per contest dishing out 3.8.

The Niagara University Purple Eagles sit at 7-15 overall and 5-7 in MAAC play at the start of this week. The Purple Eagles are coming off of a 1-1 week and currently sit just outside of the top five in a tie for sixth place. Niagara leads the league in defensive field goal percentage, holding opponents to 38.4% shooting and ranks second in defensive rebounds, grabbing 27 per game. Junior guard Meghan McGuiness leads the team and ranks eighth in the league in scoring, putting up 13.4 points per game. McGuiness also ranks second in the MAAC in three-point fields goals made and fifth in three-point field goal percentage. Senior Chanel Johnson ranks 14^th in the MAAC at 5.6 rebounds per game. Johnson also ranks second in the league in free-throw percentage, shooting 84.7%. Junior Kelly Van Leeuwen averages 4.1 assists per contest, good for fifth in the conference, and ranks fourth in assist to turnover ratio. Freshman Victoria Rampodo was named MAAC Rookie of the Week on Jan. 20.

The two teams met just last week on Wednesday Jan. 29 when the Purple Eagles earned their first home win over the Golden Griffins since the 2009-10 season. Niagara won the game 69-60 over Canisius. Meghan McGuiness scored a game high 22 points in the contest.