Richmond, Va. - The Lincoln University women's basketball team seeks their fifth consecutive win as they take on defending CIAA Tournament champion Virginia Union University on Saturday in Richmond.
The Series:
Saturday's game will be the 22
nd meeting between Virginia Union and Lincoln. The series began in the 2007-08 season. The Panthers won the last meeting between the two teams at the CIAA Tournament semi-finals last season. The lions are 2-8 at Barco-Stevens Hall with their last win at the Panthers gym coming in the 2014-15 season.
About the Lions
Lincoln University enters Saturday's game with an 11-9 overall record and a 5-4 mark in CIAA games. The Lions are also 2-0 in CIAA North division contests. The team is 7-2 in their last nine contests and have won four in a row.
Kwanza Murray (Summerville, S.C./Summerville (Lackawanna College)) has appeared in ten games for the Lions and is averaging 17.9 points per game. She is second on the team with 28 three-point field goals and is shooting 54.9% from beyond the arc and 48.8% from the field. Murray is also averaging 6.8 rebounds per game and is shooting 71.4% from the free throw line.
DeAshia Young (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Public Safety Academy (Labette CC)) is averaging 14.4 points per game. Young is shooting 42.7% from the field and is averaging 5.3 rebounds per game. She is also leads the team with 33 steals and 55 assists.
Kenzie Spencer (Richmond, Va./Henrico) has 15 blocks while averaging 8.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Her 34 assists and 20 steals ranks third on the team. She has made 21 three-point field goals and is shooting 73.6% from the free throw line.
DeeDee Irwin (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area) leads the team with 30 three-point field goals and is shooting 29.7% from beyond the arc. She is second on the team with 21 steals.
Alisia Machado (Brooklyn, N.Y./Medgar Evars Prep (Grambling)) leads the team with 133 rebounds and a 7.4 rebounds per game average. She also has 16 blocks on the season (second highest on team).
Deja Reynolds (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter (Temple)) is second on the team with 54 assists while averaging 7.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
Last time Out
DeAshia Young's (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Public Safety Academy (Labette CC)) driving layup with two seconds left capped off a rally from a double digit deficit as the Lincoln University women's basketball team defeated a regionally ranked opponent for the second consecutive game, knocking off Elizabeth city State University 60-57 at Manuel
Rivero Gym Wednesday night.
The win was the fourth straight for the Lions as they improve to 11-9 overall, 5-4 in Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) games and 2-0 in CIAA North division contests. The Vikings, ranked tenth in the most recent D2SIDA Atlantic region poll fall to 12-8 overall, 4-5 in league contests and 1-1 in CIAA north division games.
The layup by Young capped a rally that saw Lincoln overcome a 15-point deficit with 5:28 left in the third quarter. The junior transfer led the Lions with 16 points while grabbing seven rebounds.
Kenzie Spencer (Richmond, Va./Henrico) came off the bench to toss in 11 points (3 3pt. FG) and grab a team-high eight rebounds.
Alisia Machado (Brooklyn, N.Y./Medgar Evars Prep (Grambling)) continued her steady play, also grabbing eight rebounds while chipping in eight points.
Dominique Allen (Upper Marlboro, Md./Takoma Academy) also had eight points (4-5 FG). Young,
DeeDee Irwin (Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville Area) and
Deja Reynolds (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter (Temple)) each dished out three assists.
Murray Earns Newcomer of the Week Honors
Kwanza Murray (Summerville, S.C./Summerville (Lackawanna College)) (Summerville, S.C./Summerville (Lackawanna College)) has been named the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Women's Basketball Newcomer of the Week for her performance during the Lions two games last week.
Murray scored a total of 43 points in the Lions' two games last week, leading the team to wins over Wilmington University and Shepherd University. She recorded her first double-double of the season vs. Shepherd with 26 points and ten rebounds.
Lions Notch 100
Against Wilmington University on New Year's Eve, the Lions scored 100 points for the first time in program history, defeating the Wildcats 100-65. In recording a 100-point game, the team eclipses their previous high mark of 96 points, achieved twice, most recently against Wilmington in November 2015 and first reached against Christendom College during the 2000-01 season.
Scouting the Panthers
The Panthers are 16-1 overall and 7-1 in CIAA games. VUU is also 2-0 in CIAA North division games, tied with the lions for the top sport in the divisional standings. The Panthers area perfect 5-0 at home this season.
Shereka McNeill leads the Panthers and the CIAA in scoring, averaging 23.0 points per game. She leads the team with 49 three-point field goals and is second on the team with 49 assists and 34 steals
Ifunanya Okoye and Nicole Floyd are also scoring in double figures for the Panthers, averaging 10.7 and 10.2 points per game respectively.
Jasmine Cater is averaging 8.9 rebounds per game and has a 8.2 points per game average. Rejoice Spivey is averaging 6.5 assists per game (111)
Last Time Out for Virginia Union
Shereka McNeill scored the game winning basket as the Panthers edged Bowie State University 52-51. The win gave Panther coach Ann Marie Gilbert her 100
th victory as Virginia Union's Head Coach.
Rejoice Spivey led the Panthers with 16 points while Nicole Floyd added 10 points and grabbed a team high seven rebounds.
