DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Dec. 12, 2024) – The Mercy University women's basketball team plays at ECC foe D'Youville University on Friday, December 13th at 5:30 p.m. before playing at ECC foe Daemen University on Sunday, December 15th at 11 a.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Friday, December 13th 5:30 p.m.
Records: Mercy (5-4, 1-0 ECC), D'Youville (2-7, 0-2 ECC)
Location: Buffalo, N.Y.
Date/Time: Sunday, December 15th 11 a.m.
Records: Mercy (5-4, 1-0 ECC), Daemen (6-3, 2-0 ECC)
Location: Amherst, N.Y.
Last Meeting vs. D'Youville
Mercy earned a 70-65 win over D'Youville on February 16, 2024.
Last Meeting vs. Daemen
Daemen earned a 55-50 win over Mercy on March 10, 2024.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy enters the 2024-25 season picked first in the ECC Preseason Poll for the first time in program history after going 20-10 last season. The Mavericks recorded their most wins in a season and first NCAA Tournament berth since 1985. Mercy finished with their most ECC wins (12) in program history and advanced to the ECC Championship Final for the first time. Met Basketball Writers Association and ECC Coach of the Year Scott Lagas guided the Mavericks to their fourth straight ECC Championship appearance, oversaw Mercy's first 10-game winning streak since 1985 and led the Mavericks to program-best second place finish in the ECC standings. Mercy has recorded back-to-back seasons with double-digit ECC wins for the first time and the Mavericks have recorded double-digit wins in three straight seasons for the first time since 1987-93. Mercy looks to qualify for the ECC Championship for the fifth straight season and win their first-ever ECC Championship. The Mavericks look to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and for the third time in program history.
Leading the returners for Lagas is ECC Preseason Player of the Year senior Jaclyn Stanavich who was tabbed First Team All-ECC and First Team All-Met last season after averaging 15.7 points per game on a team-best 41.4 percent shooting from the floor with 6.1 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. The senior ranked fifth in the ECC in points per game and was sixth in steals per game. Stanavich was also named to the ECC Championship All-Tournament Team and scored a team-high 18 points against Bentley in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament in 2024. Also, returning for the Mavericks is junior Angelina Barrera who was named ECC Defensive Player of the Year last season after starting all 30 games with 10.4 points per game and a team-high 8.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Barrera had 10 double-doubles and ranked fourth in the ECC in rebounds per game. Junior Kyla Nembach returns after posting 2.5 points and 1.4 assists per game and senior Kayla Halvorsen is back after ranking second on the team with 18 three-pointers last season. Junior Megan Marcotte and sophomore Amani Abuhatab return after averaging 2.3 and 2.1 points per game, respectively. Sophomores Paige Fourtin and Molly Boek also return and sophomores Grace Lesko, Layla Greene and Victoria Pfeffer return after sitting out last season due to injury. Lagas also welcomes a strong four-member recruiting class with freshmen Morgan Miller, Caitlin Leary, Sophia Hoyt and Gabrielle Martin joining the team ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Mercy is coming off a 68-50 win over Goldey-Beacom on Tuesday for their fourth win in five games. The Mavericks were led by senior Jaclyn Stanavich who scored a game-high 16 points. Mercy has been led by Stanavich who is averaging a team-high 14.3 points per game on 47.0 percent shooting with a team-high 2.4 steals per game to go along with 4.9 rebounds per game. Junior Angelina Barrera is averaging 14.1 points per with a team-high 6.1 rebounds per game. Sophomore Molly Boek is averaging 8.8 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game and sophomore Amani Abuhatab is netting 13.0 points per game on a team-best 60.5 percent shooting. Sophomore Grace Lesko was named ECC Rookie of the Week on Monday and Stanavich was tabbed to the Honor Roll. Barrera was named to the ECC Honor Roll last week and Abuhatab and Barrera were named to the ECC Honor Roll on November 25th. Stanavich and Barrera were named to the ECC Honor Roll on November 11th and Abuhatab and Stanavich were tabbed to the Honor Roll on November 18th. Mercy is 4-3 all-time against D'Youville and have won the last two meetings. The Mavericks are 3-20 all-time against Daemen and look to win at Daemen in the regular season for the second straight year.
Scouting the Saints
D'Youville is coming off a 61-54 loss at Staten Island on Sunday for their fifth straight loss. The Saints were picked eighth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 9-18 last season. D'Youville has been led by Anna Jankovic who is averaging a team-high 12.4 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Morgan Giancaterino is second on the team with 9.7 points per game and Sofie Fuglsang is third with 8.2 points per game. One-time ECC Rookie of the Week Aliviya Vallone Russell and Samantha Ruhlman average 5.3 and 5.0 points per game, respectively.
Scouting the Wildcats
Daemen is coming off a 79-64 win at UDC on Sunday for their sixth straight win. The Wildcats will host St. Thomas Aquinas on Friday before hosting Mercy on Sunday. Daemen was picked second in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 23-8 last season, winning their third straight ECC Championship and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats are currently ranked 10th in the latest D2CSC East Region Top 10 Poll. Daemen is led by Danielle DiCintio who is averaging a team-high 11.6 points per game with a team-high 26 made three-pointers. One-time ECC Player of the Week Cecilia Lapertosa posts 10.9 points and a team-high 9.8 rebounds per game and Sophia Auer averages 10.4 points per game. Shyla Montgomery and Claire Pikett average 9.1 and 8.2 points per game, respectively.
Next Game
Mercy plays at Post on Saturday, December 21st at 1 p.m.
