11/22/22
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – The Lackawanna College women's basketball team will open its home portion of the 2022-2023 campaign with a Region XIX clash against the Essex County College Wolverines on Tuesday, November 22^nd in Scranton, PA.
 
Tip-off is set for 5:00pm ET inside the Lackawanna Student Union gymnasium, and will be the first game of a doubleheader, with the men's teams competing at 7:00pm ET. Both games will have individual video livestreams available at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE, for a fee. Steve Young will serve as play-by-play, and Sports Information Director Tom Ferguson will provide the color commentary.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (2-4, 0-1) is coming off a tough loss on the road against Harcum College, 73-55, last Thursday. The Falcons, despite more struggles shooting the ball from downtown, overcame a double-digit deficit to get within a possession of the Bears late in the third quarter, but Harcum got a second wind and the Falcons ran out of gas, as the Bears slowly pulled back away and kept the Falcons at an arm's length the rest of the way. The Falcons had two players in double-figures, including Nya Jackson scoring a team-high 16 points, while Sidney Spence had 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Harcum hit 12 three-point shots, and had 15 steals on 21 Falcon turnovers, while holding Lackawanna College to just 1-for-18 from downtown, and 33% overall from the field.  
 
The Falcons are averaging just over 63 points per game, and are giving up slightly over 70 points per game. The shooting percentage has steadily improved, as the Falcons are hitting around 34.5% from the field, and are holding opponents to 38% on the year. Lackawanna College has struggled from deep, shooting just 13% from downtown this year. Lackawanna is hitting 67% of its free throws this season, nearly making as many (92) as their opponents have attempted (95). The Falcons are -7 in rebounding margin so far this season, but have forced an average of 15 turnovers per game this season, and they average over four blocks per game on the year.
 
The aforementioned Sidney Spence (Bronx, NY) is the team-leader in scoring, averaging 10.7 points per game this year. Spence leads the team in shooting, hitting 49% of her shots this year, and is also the team-leader in free throw percentage, hitting 75% of her shots from the charity stripe this season. She's second on the team in rebound (6.2 per game) and is one of three Falcons with five steals this year. Spence has scored in double-figures for four straight games, all in bench minutes for the Falcons, and had a season-best 19 points in 23 minutes in the win over Jamestown last week. Spence was 7-for-16 form the field, and went 5-for-7 from the free throw line, while tying her season-high with nine rebounds in the win over the Jayhawks. Spence had 12 points and seven rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench against Harcum, going 6-for-9 from the floor. Spence, in her last four games, is averaging 14.5 points and eight rebounds per game in that stretch. Spence did not play against Essex County College last year.
Nya Jackson (Harrisburg, PA), one of a few returners from last year's team, is tied with Cianna Roberts (Brooklyn, NY) for second on the team in scoring, averaging an even ten points per game this year. Jackson averages 3.6 rebounds per game, and leads Lackawanna in assists, putting up ten in five games. Jackson is shooting just 31% from the field, but is 14-for-19 from the free throw line on the season, a 74% average. Jackson has scored in double-figures three times this season, scoring her season-best 16 points in the loss to Harcum. In that game, Nya had six shots from the floor and had five rebounds and three assists. In one game against Essex last year, Jackson had ten points, five rebounds, and four assists in a loss at home in November.
 
The aforementioned Cianna Roberts, who played a majority of bench minutes a year ago, is tied with Jackson for second on the team, averaging ten points per game and pulling down 4.7 rebounds per game, fourth on the squad. Roberts is hitting around 37% of her shots this year, and has been the most accurate of the three-point shooters for the Falcons, going 5-for-21 from deep this year. Roberts is second on the team with seven steals so far this season. She has scored in double-figures three this season, including a season-best 16 points in the loss to Montgomery. In that game, Roberts was 7-for-12 from the field, while grabbing three rebounds, posting two assists, and snagging two steals. Against Monroe CC, Roberts had her first double-double as a Falcon, going for 14 points and ten rebounds in the win. Roberts was 5-for-13 from the field, including 2-for-3 from three-point range. Roberts had eight points and two rebounds against Harcum last week. Roberts had a combined five points and 12 rebounds in two games against Essex last year.
 
Last year's second-leading scorer, and 2^nd Team All-Region selection, Gabrielle Jackson (Darby Twp, PA), is fourth on the team in scoring, averaging an even nine points per game this year. Jackson pulling down just under three rebounds per contest, and has six total assists and five total steals so far this year in four games. Jackson, back for her third year, is second on the team in field goal percentage (43.3%) and has made nine free throws through her four games. Jackson has scored in double-figures twice this season, going for a season-best 18 points in the loss to Monroe College. In that game, Jackson made seven free throws and pulled down four rebounds, while posting three assists and three steals. Jackson had ten points on 4-for-6 shooting in 23 minutes against Montgomery College. After missing two games, Jackson came back against Harcum, scoring a pair of points and dishing out two assists vs. Harcum. Jackson had a combined 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 16 assists in two games against Essex last year, including a 14-point, 10-assist double-double in the first game against Essex last November in Scranton.  
 
Dominique Geiger (Plainfield, NJ) has had a good start to her first season as a Falcon, scoring 8.8 points per game this year. Geiger is hitting 40% of her shots this year, and has hit ten free throws this season. Geiger has five steals on the season, one of three different Falcons with that many. She's gone for double-digits in points in two games, including a season-high 15 points in the win over Jamestown. In that game against the Jayhawks, Geiger scored her 15 on 7-for-12 shooting, pulling down three rebounds as well in 29 minutes of work. Against Harcum, Geiger had seven points and a season-best seven rebounds, as well as four assists.
 
Another third-year returner, McKeyah Duley (Massillon, OH), is averaging 8.7 points per game so far this season. Duley is shooting around 30% overall from the field, and has struggled from downtown, normally her specialty, hitting just four three-pointers in the early going this year. Duley averages 4.8 rebounds per game, and is 18-for-25 from the free throw line, tied with Spence for the team lead in makes. Duley's nine steals this season are a team best. Duley hit double-figures twice already this season, going for her season-high 15 points against Jamestown. She scored her 15 on 4-for-11 shooting, going 6-for-9 from the free throw line, and coming up with five rebounds and five steals in the win over the Jayhawks. Duley had six points and six rebounds in 23 minutes of work against Harcum College last week. In two games against Essex last season, Duley had 27 points and 16 rebounds. She had a career-best 25 points and 12 rebounds in the first game against Essex last November.
 
Mahogony Collins (Harrisburg, PA) doesn't provide much offensive firepower, at least not yet, but is the defensive force in the middle for the Falcons. Collins averages a team-best 9.3 rebounds per game, and has denied a team-best 23 shots in all six of her games this year, good for just under four blocks per game. Collins averages 3.5 points per game, but is shooting just 21% from the field. She also has the most fouls (19) on the team so far this year. Collins got her season-high in points with eight in the win over Monroe CC, pulling down seven rebounds in the win. Against Montgomery, she had a season-high 13 rebounds and six blocks. Against Harcum, she had just two points on 1-for-8 shooting, but crossed double-digit rebounds (11) for the third time this year, and set a season-high in blocks, swatting seven shots. Collins had six points and six rebounds in her lone appearance against Essex last year.  
 
The newest face in the women's basketball program is Monica Spence, entering her first year in charge of the program. Spence follows in the footsteps of Joya Whittington, who was third all-time in wins as a coach and led the Falcons to several stops in the national tournament. Spence joined as an assistant last season, and was elevated to head coach with Whittington's departure. Spence has spent time as a coach at the youth level, as well as the semi-professional men's basketball level.
 
About the Opponents
The Wolverines (4-1, 0-0) dropped their first game of the year to national powerhouse CCBC Essex by a nearly 60-point margin, but have since run off four straight wins, beating RCSJ Cumberland by over 60 points, and then taking down SUNY Sullivan, Monroe CC, and Catonsville, the last two being common opponents with the Falcons. The game with Catonsville was tight throughout, but the Wolverines managed to hang on for the win.
 
The Wolverines are averaging over 63 points per game this year, and have defended very well, holding opponents to just under 50 points per contest. Essex is shooting over 34% from the field, and just a smidge over 28% from three-point range, while their opponents have been slightly better (36%/31%). They average nearly eleven steals per game, and have forced over 14 turnovers per contest. The Wolverines are -2 in rebounding margin, and have put three players in double-figures, on average, this year.
 
At the top is Naomi Lucca, averaging 12 points per game entering the Catonsville contest. She's shooting around 33% overall, and 28% from the three-point line, while hitting nearly 77% of her free throws. Lucca averages a team-high 11.3 rebounds per game, and also finds time to cause two steals per contest, good for fourth on the team. Heading into the Catonsville game, Lucca had three of four games in which she scored in double-figures, going for her season-high 16 points twice, against Cumberland and Sullivan. Her final numbers were 16 points and 17 rebounds against Cumberland, setting her season high for rebounds. Lucca did not play last year against Lackawanna.  
 
Chloe Cassidy, back from last year's team, is second on the squad with 11.5 points per game this year. Cassidy is hitting 39% from the field and just 28% from the three-point line, but is the team-leader in free throw percentage (78%). Cassidy averages 3.5 rebounds per game, and 1.3 assists per game this year. Heading into the game against Catonsville, Cassidy had scored for double-figures twice this season, going for her season-high 18 points in the win over Sullivan. Cassidy had a season-best six rebounds in that win. In two games against Lackawanna last year, Cassidy had 25 points and eight rebounds, and went a combined 13-for-14 from the free throw line, which includes a 17-point showing at home last year against Lackawanna, buoyed by going 10-for-10 from the free throw line.
 
Ja'Laiyah Smith is third on the team, averaging an even eleven points per contest. Smith is shooting 36% from the field, and nearly 70% from the free throw line. Smith is second on the team in rebounding (Seven per game), and is third on the team in assists (2.0). Smith is also first in blocks per game (2.3) and second in steals per game (2.5). Heading into the game against Catonsville, Smith had scored in double-figures on three straight occasions, hitting her season-high of 14 points against Cumberland. Smith set her season-high for rebounds at nine against CCBC Essex.  
 
Ania Martinez returns this year, averaging 9.8 points per game, while shooting 43% from the field and 45% from downtown. Ania leads the team in assists (3.5 per game) and is third in the steal category (2.3). She also averages 4.3 rebounds per game. Ania had two games in double-figures heading into the Catonsville match-up. Her season-high of 19 points came in a nice win against Monroe CC, buoyed by great free throw shooting (5-6). Martinez had 16 points and ten rebounds in two games against the Falcons last year.  
 
Faith Bada is averaging seven points per game this year, hitting 46% of her shots so far this season. She's averaging five rebounds per game, and averages 1.8 steals per game this year. Entering the game against Catonsville, Bada had just one game in double-digits, with a ten-point performance against Monroe CC. She did not play against Lackawanna College last year.
 
The head coach for the Wolverines is Anthony Green, who had previously spent three years as an assistant with the men's basketball team at Essex before stepping into the head coaching role for the women's squad in 2020. Green, a former Felician College standout, has spent the last decade in coaching in New Jersey, coaching numerous AAU teams, while also serving as a freshman basketball coach at Hudson Catholic HS. This is Green's first year in charge, as the Wolverines did not compete last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  
The Match-Up
Tip-off is set for 5:00pm ET inside the Lackawanna Student Union gymnasium, and will be the first game of a doubleheader, with the men's teams competing at 7:00pm ET. Both games will have individual video livestreams available at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE, for a fee. Steve Young will serve as play-by-play, and Sports Information Director Tom Ferguson will provide the color commentary.
 
The next game for the Falcons is not scheduled until December 8^th, when they are scheduled to travel out to take on Raritan Valley CC in a Region XIX match-up.