Last Week: The Albertus Magnus College women's basketball team returned to action after the holiday break and opened Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) with a pair of games last week. In their first two league contests of the winter the Falcons suffered a pair of losses against defending conference champion Johnson & Wales and Saint Joseph's (Maine). Albertus Magnus opened the week with a 65-52 setback at home versus the Wildcats. In the tilt, JWU blew open a close game as the guests used a 20-point second stanza to build a double digit lead they would not relinquish. On Saturday, the Monks topped Albertus Magnus, 83-71. The back-and-forth tilt saw three ties and three lead changes during the first half, in the second half, SJC built its lead to as many as 17 early in the fourth quarter.
This Week: The Falcons have a pair of GNAC games sandwiched around a non-conference home clash against Purchase State on Thursday. Albertus Magnus begins action with a home league contest against Saint Joseph (Conn.) on Tuesday before hosting Purchase State two days later. On Saturday, the AMC welcomes Mount Ida into the Nest.
Match-up:
Albertus Magnus (6-6, 0-2) vs. Saint Joseph (Conn.) (1-11, 0-1)
Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at 7:00 pm
The Nest inside the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center
New Haven, Conn.
Live Stats: Click here (All links will become active at the start of the contest)
Live Video: Click here
Series History: The Falcons lead the all-time series, 20-8, but the Blue Jays have won two of the last meetings. Last winter, Albertus Magnus scored a 67-52 victory against USJ in West Hartford.
Scouting Saint Joseph: The Blue Jays are coming off an 81-62 GNAC setback on the road versus Rivier. Prior to that game, Saint Joseph earned its first win of the season, a 77-50 thumping of Elms. As a team, the Blue Jays are averaging just under 58 points per game and shooting only 33 percent from the field. USJ pulls down over 38 rebounds a game and dishes out more than 10 assists per tilt. The balanced offensive attack sees four players average in double figures led by Carlee Putnam's 13.8.
Match-up:
Albertus Magnus (6-6) vs. Purchase State (1-12)
Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 7:00 pm
The Nest inside the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center
New Haven, Conn.
Live Stats: Click here
Live Video: Click here
Series History: The Falcons won the first-ever meeting between the two squads, 64-49, in December of last season. In the triumph, three AMC players scored in double figures and Albertus Magnus forced 23 Panther turnovers.
Scouting Purchase: The Panthers enter the week having lost five straight games and are still in search of their first road win this winter. Away from home, Purchase State is 0-8 on the year. For the season, the Panthers having a -14 scoring margin, scoring over 56 points a game while surrendering 70 a contest. As a team, the Panthers are shooting slightly under 34 percent from the field and just 25 percent from three-point range. Three Purchase players average in double figures with Elizabeth Osowiecki pacing the attack with 14 points and 2.5 assists per game.
Match-up:
Albertus Magnus (6-6, 0-2) vs. Mount Ida (2-11, 0-1)
Saturday, January 16 at 1:00 pm
The Nest inside the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center
New Haven, Conn.
Live Stats: Click here
Live Video: Click here
Series History: Albertus Magnus leads the all-time series, 6-5, and the Falcons are riding a three-game winning streak against the Mustangs. Last season, AMC scored a 71-65 win on the road at Mount Ida.
Scouting the Mustangs: Mount Ida begins the week with a 0-1 mark in league play after falling by 16 points on the road at Rivier on Saturday. Away from this winter, the Mustangs are just 1-9 with their lone win coming at Becker to open the calendar year. As a team, Mount Ida is averaging 55 points per game and shooting 33 percent from the field. In their last game, Angelique Martinez led the attack with a double-double courtesy of a 16-point, 14-rebound performance.
Albertus Notes
- Sophomore forward Olivia Bolden averaged over 17 points and eight rebounds per game in pair of GNAC setbacks last week for the Falcons. The 5-10 post player shot 15-of-40 from the field and averaged a steal per contest. In a 13-point home loss against Johnson & Wales, Bolden scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to go along with two steals. The double-double was her third of the season. She ended the week with an 18-point, six rebound performance versus Saint Joseph's (Maine).
- Freshman guard Deja Ward averaged over 12 points a game and shot just under 53 percent from the field in a pair of losses for the Falcons in GNAC play last week. In a 65-52 setback at home against Johnson & Wales, Ward scored a season and career-high 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including hitting a pair of shots from beyond the arc. The speedy wing created space off the dribble and got to the basket with ease against the visiting Wildcats.
-As a team, the Falcons are averaging 71 points per game on the season and 61 points per contest in GNAC tilts. The squad is shooting over 37 percent from the field, highlighted by knocking down 30 percent of their three-point attempts.
- From beyond the arc this season, the team is 53-of-175. Junior guard Liz Falcigno has hit a team-high 23 treys, while Ward has hit 10 and Olivia Sutherland has knocked down nine. In their six wins this season, Albertus Magnus has hit 43 three-pointers. In their six losses, the Falcons have knocked down just 10.
- Senior forward Kelsey Pendagast is averaging 10 points and eight rebound per game this season. The 5-10 post presence has recorded four double-doubles this season.
