Women's Basketball | 3/1/2023 1:26:00 PM

PITTSFORD, NY – After winning the Empire 8 Championship, the St. John Fisher University women's basketball team has automatically qualified for the 2023 NCAA Tournament. On Friday, Mar. 3, the Cardinals will travel to Smith College, in Northhampton, MA, to take on Marymount University for a 5:45 p.m. start. If Fisher wins this game, they will take on the winner of Smith College vs. SUNY Morrisville, on Saturday, Mar. 4 for a 7:45 p.m. start.
 
Fisher enters the weekend as the Empire 8 champions, holding an overall record of 25-2 and a conference record of 18-0, winning the last 21 games overall. The Saints enter the weekend with an overall record of 23-4 and a conference record of 11-1, winning their previous eight games. Smith College holds an overall record of 26-1 and a conference record of 10-0, winning their previous 20 games. The Mustangs have an overall record of 20-7 and a conference record of 14-2, winning their previous eight games.
 
2022 NCAA Tournament: Just last season, Fisher traveled to Amherst, MA for the NCAA Tournament. In the first round, the Cardinals beat Rhode Island College, 55-52. Advancing to the next round, Fisher fell to Amherst College, 48-56.
 
Scouting The Opponent: The Pioneers, ranked No. 4 in the most recent D3hoops.com Poll, enter the Tournament 26-1 overall and currently holds a 20-game winning streak. Smith claimed their spot in the Tournament after a late run in the NEWMAC Championship game against Babson to win their third-straight conference title by a 67-52 final. Last season, Smith hosted the first two rounds of the Tournament and claimed a pair of victories before falling to the Wisconsin-Whitewater in the "Sweet 16."
 
SUNY Morrisville women's basketball team claimed their second United East Tournament title Saturday in as many years, earning a hard fought victory to continue the season to the national stage, with a 47-42 defeat of second seeded Penn St. Harrisburg in the league's championship final hosted by the Mustangs in Morrisville.
 
Player to Watch: This week's player to watch is Kaitlyn Walker. Last week, in the Empire 8 Tournament, Walker recorded two double-doubles. In the Cardinal's win against Elmira College, Walker scored 17 points and 13 rebounds. In the championship win against Nazareth, Walker scored 18 points and 11 rebounds. Last week's performances earned Walker the Empire 8 Player of the Week, as well as being named the Empire 8 Tournament MVP.
 
The Cardinals have never faced any of the three potential opponents for this weekend, making the NCAA tournament an exciting weekend for Fisher.
 
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