Women's Basketball | 2/5/2024 12:25:00 PM

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher University women's basketball team, still undefeated in Empire 8 play since the 2021-22 season, hosts Utica University this week at Manning & Napier Varsity Gym. Gametime is 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
 
Here's what you need to know:
 
Last Time Out
Playing without the full roster due to injuries, the Cardinals still pulled off a victory against a hot-shooting Alfred University team on Saturday, 72-66. The two teams were tied, 40-40, at halftime, but Fisher pulled away for much of the second half before a late flurry by the Saxons narrowed the lead to four with just under a minute left. The Cardinals put the game away in that final minute, however, with two free throws and a defense that prevented Alfred from scoring again. Four Cardinals scored in double-digits: Junior guard Kate Moravec (13), senior guard Claire Kruszka (12), freshman forward Joleen Lusk (12), and sophomore guard Presleigh Brunner (10). 
 
Know Your Foe
Fisher and Utica have a long history, with the two teams first meeting in the 1975-76 season. The Cardinals hold a 64-17 advantage over the Pioneers, having won every game since an overtime defeat in the 2012-13 season. The Pioneers haven't beaten Fisher in regulation since the 2010-11 campaign. Fisher has already defeated Utica once this season: an 85-44 win at Utica on Jan. 16.
 
Utica enters Tuesday's game with a 6-14 overall record, including a 3-8 mark in the Empire 8. They are led, however, by the Empire 8's top scorer: Vanessa Hall averages 17.4 points a game, just ahead of Fisher's Sidney Tomasso (15.7). 
 
Fun fact: Utica was originally an extension school of Syracuse University, and it didn't become fully independent until the 1990s. 
 
Starting Off Right
Freshman guard Madeline Ramsgard made her first collegiate start on Saturday and made the most of it, scoring nine points while leading the team with five steals. The Skaneateles native also had five rebounds, two assists, and a block while playing a season-high 32 minutes. 
 
Player To Watch
Lusk, who remains one of the favorites for Empire 8 rookie of the year, continues to be one of the Cardinals' top players. She is tops in rebounds in the E8 (9.4 per game), third in blocks per game (1.6), fifth in scoring (14.0 points per game) and fifth in field goal percentage (.455). 
 
What Comes Next
After hosting Utica, the Cardinals travel to Houghton to face the Highlanders on Thursday, Feb. 8, at 5:30 P.M.
 
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