Women's Basketball | 3/1/2019 4:01:00 PM

 
GAME COVERAGE
• WATCH (Live Video)
• LISTEN (Live Audio)
• FOLLOW ALONG (Live Stats)

GAME PREVIEWS
• Bloomsburg Game Notes (.pdf)

RELATED LINKS
• Bloomsburg Huskies: Schedule | Roster | Statistics
• Shippensburg Raiders: Schedule | Roster | Statistics

THE STORY
• The Huskies take the court for the final time in the regular season Saturday when they host Shippensburg at the Nelson Field House. Bloomsburg is tied with Kutztown atop the PSAC East at 13-6, 18-9 overall, and can capture the eastern division regular season crown with a win and a loss by the Golden Bears. An undefeated regular season home record is also at stake Saturday, as the Huskies hold a perfect 12-0 record at the Nelson Field House this season.

• With a win over Mansfield on Wednesday, Bloomsburg clinched a bye in the first round of next week's PSAC Tournament, and kept pace with Kutztown atop the PSAC East with one game remaining. If the Golden Bears defeat Lock Haven at home Saturday, Bloomsburg will earn the number two seed in the east, but the Huskies can claim the top seed and the right to host the conference semifinals and championship game with a win and a Kutztown loss. Bloomsburg has not won the PSAC East since the 2014-15 season.

SENIOR DAY
• Prior to Saturday's tip, Bloomsburg seniors Alyssa Mack (Walnutport, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) and Marissa Molnar (Erie, Pa./McDowell) will be honored for their tremendous careers with the Huskies. Mack ranks 22nd on Bloomsburg's all-time scoring list (1,078 career points) and sixth in career made three-pointers (160), while Molnar has tallied 496 points, and is tied for 13th in program history with 102 career triples. The duo both rank in the top-25 in the PSAC in made three-pointers this season.

THE HISTORY: BLOOMSBURG vs. SHIPPENSBURG
• Bloomsburg trails the all-time series with Shippensburg 35-27, but defeated the Raiders 78-71 on the road back on January 30 of this year. Bella Ricci (Etters, Pa./Red Land) led the Huskies with 24 points in the win, while Ariel Jones splashed in 32 second-half points en route to a game-high 38. The teams split a pair of meetings in 2017-18, and are locked in a 6-6 draw over the last five seasons.

LAST TIME OUT
• All 12 players in uniform scored as the Huskies cruised to an impressive 64-31 win over Mansfield Wednesday night. Megan Brandt (Lebanon, Pa./Northern Lebanon) and Molnar led the way with 10 points each, while Emma Saxton (York, Pa./Central York) chipped in nine points. Lauren Oeth (Doylestown, Pa./Germantown Academy) was fantastic off the bench for Bloomsburg, tallying seven points, seven rebounds, and three steals in just 15 minutes. The terrific Huskies defense held Mansfield to just 12-of-50 (24.0%) shooting from the field and 2-of-19 (10.5%) from beyond the arc. 

THE HUSKIES AT A GLANCE
• Taylor Montana (Berwick, Pa./Berwick) has been excellent under the basket for the Huskies this season. The junior leads the team in scoring (12.8) this season, and ranks fourth in the PSAC in field goal percentage (53.9%), 11th in rebounding (7.1 per game), and eighth in the total blocked shots (25). Montana has tallied double figures scoring in 10 of her last 13 games, and leads Bloomsburg in double-doubles this season with four.

• Saxton has been a model of efficiency for the Huskies this season. The sophomore ranks third in the PSAC, and 20th in all of Division II in field goal percentage (57.0), and her 12.5 points per game are good for second on the team this season.

SCOUTING THE RAIDERS
• The Raiders enter Saturday's contest at 8-11 in the PSAC, and can clinch the final playoff spot in the East with a win and a loss by East Stroudsburg. Shippensburg is currently tied for the sixth and final spot in the PSAC East, but the Warriors hold the tiebreaker and can clinch the tournament berth with a win at Millersville.

• Shippensburg is in need of a bounce back performance after a heartbreaking 69-68 home loss to West Chester Wednesday night. The Raiders led for much of the contest, but were unable to muster enough points in the game's waning moments to keep the Golden Rams down. Arie Jones led the Raiders with 22 points, and broke the PSAC single-season record for made free throws (226) in the loss.

• Jones has been outstanding for Shippensburg this season. The sophomore leads the PSAC in scoring (25.7 points per game), and ranks fourth in the nation in that category. She enters Saturday's contest just two points shy of the Shippensburg record for points in a single season (670), and has reached double figures scoring in every game this season. Jones leads the Raiders in assists per game (3.5) and steals (48) as well.

• In addition to Jones, the Raiders have been fueled by a pair of talented freshmen in Aunbrielle Green and Lauren Mills. Green is second on the team in scoring (12.5) and third in rebounds (5.1), while Mills chips in 9.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game this season. Lauren Pettis is fourth on the team in scoring at 8.6 points per game.

LOOKING AHEAD
• Bloomsburg has clinched a bye in Monday's first round of the PSAC Tournament, and will host a quarterfinals matchup this Wednesday, March 6. The opponent and start time will be announced Sunday.