DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Nov. 10, 2023) – The Mercy University women's basketball team opens its 2023-24 season on Saturday, November 11th when they face Saint Anselm College at Southern Connecticut State University at 3 p.m. Mercy concludes the weekend with a matchup at Southern Connecticut State on Sunday, November 12th at 3:30 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Saturday, November 11th 3 p.m.
Records: Mercy (0-0), Saint Anselm (0-0)
Location: New Haven, Conn. (Southern Conn. St.)
Date/Time: Sunday, November 12th 3:30 p.m.
Records: Mercy (0-0), Southern Connecticut State (0-0)
Location: New Haven, Conn.
Last Meeting vs. Saint Anselm
Saint Anselm earned a 95-56 win over Mercy on January 2, 2020.
Last Meeting vs. Southern Connecticut State
Southern Connecticut State earned an 87-38 win over Mercy on February 12, 2007.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy enters the 2023-24 season picked fourth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 17-10 last season. The Mavericks recorded their most overall wins in a season since 1989 and had their most ECC wins since 1997. Mercy's third-place finish in the ECC standings was the highest in program history. The Mavericks also had their highest winning percentage since 1986 and hosted their first-ever ECC Championship Game. Mercy looks to qualify for the ECC Championship for the fourth straight year and win their first-ever ECC Championship. Graduate student Katie Wall returns for sixth-year Head Coach Scott Lagas after being named First Team All-ECC and First Team All-Met last season. The guard was named ECC Player of the Week once last season after averaging a team-high 14.0 points per game with 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. Wall had a team-high 54 steals and ranked third in the ECC in points per game last season. Also, returning is sophomore Angelina Barrera who was named to the ECC Honor Roll twice last season after averaging 7.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and had a team-high 21 blocks in 26 games. Junior Jaclyn Stanavich also returns after averaging 6.1 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in 24 games a year ago. Senior Maria Tedesco returns after recording 4.2 points and a team-high 5.3 rebounds per game. Also returning for Lagas are junior Kayla Halvorsen and sophomores Megan Marcotte and Kyla Nembach. Lagas will also look to freshmen Paige Fourtin, Mary McClintock, Layla Greene, Victoria Pfeffer, Molly Boek, Amani Abuhatab and Grace Lesko to help get the Mavericks back to the ECC Championship.
Scouting the Hawks
Saint Anselm was picked ninth in the NE10 Preseason Poll after going 12-15 last season, falling in the First Round of the NE10 Championship. The Hawks are 6-0 in their last six meetings against Mercy, and all have been decided by 20 points or more. Leading the returners for Saint Anselm is junior Melanie Hoyt who was second on the team last season with 11.7 points per game and had 5.1 rebounds per game. Fifth-year senior Liv Robles also returns after posting 11.1 points and a team-high 7.7 rebounds per game in 2022-23.
Scouting the Owls
Southern Connecticut State was picked fourth in the NE10 Preseason Poll after going 17-11 last season, falling in the NE10 Championship Quarterfinals. The Owls were ranked seventh in the D2CSC East Region Preseason Top 10 Poll. Leading the returners for Southern Connecticut State is senior Katie Williamson who was third on the team last season with 11.3 points per game and had a team-high 6.9 rebounds per game. Senior Ashley Evans also returns after averaging 5.0 points per game a year ago.
Next Game
Mercy plays at Bloomfield on Wednesday, November 15th at 5:30 p.m.
