Women's Basketball | 3/2/2024 11:02:00 AM
PROVIDENCE, RI – The St. John Fisher University women's basketball team has made the second round of the NCAA Tournament three consecutive seasons. To finally reach the third round for the first time in years, they'll need to beat one of the best teams in Division III: the host team, the No. 3 Rhode Island College Anchorwomen.
Here's what you need to know:
GAME INFORMATION
SECOND ROUND: Saturday, March 2
St. John Fisher vs. Rhode Island College (7:30 p.m.)
Watch Live
Live Stats
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students.
• Tickets can be purchased in the main Athletic Department office located in The Murray Center or by phone at (401) 456-8007 during regular business hours (9 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
• Tickets will be available at the door (CASH ONLY) prior to the games.
PARKING
Spectators can park in any of the lots surrounding The Murray Center (J, H, & I).
Last Time Out
The Cardinals took an early lead and never trailed against Gettysburg as they took the 55-46 win on Friday, but the game was closer than those facts would suggest, with the Bullets keeping pace with Fisher until the final minute of the game. Up only four with a minute left, the Cardinals were able to put the game away for good thanks to 7-for-10 free throw shooting and excellent defense in the final minute to put away the nine-point win.
Senior guard Claire Kruszka led the Cardinals with 16 points and hit three three-pointers on the night, while also contributing on defense with four steals. Junior Katie Moravec scored 12 points, including going 8-for-11 on free throws, most notably going 4-for-6 in the final minute. Moravec also contributed defensively with four steals. Freshman forward Joleen Lusk had 12 rebounds.
Know Your Foe
Hailing from the Little East conference, the Rhode Island College Anchorwomen are an undefeated 28-0 and champions of their conference. Rated No. 3 by D3Hoops.com ahead of this season's tournament, they reached the Division III Final Four last season before falling to Christopher Newport.
The Anchorwomen, who are hosting this pod of games, opened their NCAA with a 56-37 win over St. Joseph's College of Maine. After taking a 24-7 lead into the end of the first quarter, Rhode Island received a scare when St. Joe's rallied with a 16-5 run in the second quarter and cut it to three early in the third, but the Anchorwomen recovered to pull ahead throughout the rest of the game for the win.
The Anchorwomen have the second-best defense in all of Division III, holding opponents to an average of 44.7 points per game. Senior guard Sophia Guerrier, the Little East Player of the Year, leads them in steals with 87 and is also a major offensive threat who averages 11.7 points per game- one of three Anchorwomen who average in double digits. Fifth-year guard Jeniyah Jones was their conference's defensive player of the year after a season where she had 65 steals, 18 blocks, and 5.6 rebounds per game. Rhode Island's leading scorer is fifth-year forward Izabelle Booth, who averages 11.9 points.
The Cardinals have played Rhode Island College just once before: Fisher beat them, 55-52, in the opening round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Fun fact: Rhode Island College is the alma mater of actress Viola Davis.
What a Steal!
The Cardinals out-stole Gettysburg 15-5 on Friday, with Kruszka and Moravec leading the way with four each. It was the team's seventh-most steals all season, and played a key role in snuffing out Gettysburg scoring opportunities.
Player to Watch
Several players remain from the 2021-2022 team that beat Rhode Island College in the NCAA tournament, including Kruszka (who scored 13 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in that faceoff) and Moravec. Also among the returning players? Junior guard Sidney Tomasso. Just a freshman that year, Tomasso tied Kruszka for the team lead in points that day, with 13. This season, she faces the Anchorwomen again, this time as the Empire 8 Player of the Year Award winner. The Waverly native was a workhorse in the Gettysburg game, playing all 40 minutes while notching 12 points- tied for second on the team for the night.
What Comes Next
A victory over Rhode Island College would send the Cardinals to the Sweet 16 next Friday against the winner of Saturday's game between Catholic and Washington & Lee at a time and place to be determined.
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