2/8/22
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – The Lackawanna College Women's Basketball team starts another three-game week on Tuesday, February 8^th, when the Falcons travel to New Rochelle, NY to take on the Monroe College Mustangs in out-of-conference action. The game is set for a 5:00pm ET start, and will be the first game of a doubleheader, with the men's teams to follow. The match-up will be video livestreamed via the Monroe College YouTube channel HERE.
 
This is the first of two games this week between the Falcons and the Mustangs.
 
About The Falcons
The Falcons (7-8) suffered a 66-50 setback on Thursday evening in a home game against Harcum College. Lackawanna College held a nine-point lead late in the second quarter, only to see that shrink to just four at halftime, as the Lady Bears began to find their offense to take the lead. The Falcons would tie things early in the fourth quarter, but an ill-timed scoring drought would help Harcum put it out of reach. Lackawanna College was led by Nya Morris with a game-high 26 points, while Ashanté Amos added 14 points, but the Falcons shot just 24% in the second half, going 1-for-12 from the three-point line. Read the recap HERE.
 
Morris leads the Falcons in scoring this year at 20.6 points per game.  Her 37 points against CCBC-Catonsville was her season-high, and she did it while going 12-for-13 from the free throw line, and hitting 11 field goals in the contest. Morris has scored in double-figures in all eleven of her appearances this year, and has crossed 20+ points on six separate occasions. Morris won her second EPAC Player of the Week award for her efforts against Catonsville and Raritan Valley, scoring 59 points, shooting 17-for-36, and going 21-for-26 from the free throw line combined in both games. Morris also leads the team with 3.1 steals per game, averages 6.3 rebounds per game (second on the team) as a guard, and is hitting on 46% of her shots this year. Morris has hit 17 three-point shots on the year, third-most on the squad. Nya set a season-high for steals with seven at Raritan Valley. Morris has scored 20+ points in five of her last six games. Nya had 26 points, nine rebounds, and five steals against Harcum.
 
Gabrielle Jackson is the second-leading scorer on the squad, averaging 10.6 points per game. She has scored double-figures eight times this season, including her season-high 21 against Union earlier this year. She averages a team-high 3.3 assists per game, and also averages 1.4 steals per contest. Gabby pulls down 3.5 rebounds per game as a guard. Jackson is third on the team with 20 steals this year. Jackson scored 13 points, four rebounds, four steals, and two assists in the win over Raritan Valley. Jackson was held to just two points and two assists against Harcum College.
 
Ashanté Amos is the third-leading scorer at 8.4 points per game this year. Amos has hit double-figures in six games this season, including her season-high 19 points against Mercer County. Amos shot 6-for-10 from the field, including a pair of triples, and was 5-for-6 from the free throw line. She also had four rebounds, four assists, and a steal. Amos had back-to-back seven-assist outings against ASA and Monroe College Bronx, and is second on the team in assists per game (3.1). Amos is second on the team with 22 made three-point shots. Amos was an efficient 6-for-7, including 2-for-3 from downtown, against Harcum College.
 
McKeyah Duley is the fourth-leading scorer, averaging 7.5 points per game this season. Her 19 points against ASA was the first time in six games that she had hit double-figures, and she's now hit double-figures three times this season. Duley had a season-high 25 points in a loss to Essex in November, where she hit four three-pointers. Her season-high from downtown is the five threes she hit against ASA. Duley leads the team in three-point shots made at 23. She also averages 5.8 rebounds per game, third on the squad. Twice she's grabbed her season-high of 12 boards, against both Essex and Catonsville. Duley had two points and six rebounds against Harcum College.
 
Ny Jackson is fifth on the team with 6.7 points per game this year. She's scored in double-figures five times this season, including her season-high 21 points in the win against ASA Brooklyn, when she hit five three-point shots and scored 15 points in the first half alone. Jackson shot 46% from the field, and 44% from beyond-the-arc in her last two games leading up to the CCBC Essex contest. Ny scored seven points, all in the fourth quarter, to help the Falcons knock off Raritan Valley. She was held scoreless against Harcum College in her last game.  
 
Daeja Cromartie will also see significant time for the Falcons. The veteran leader is averaging 6.2 points per game, and scored a season-high 22 points against Union. Cromartie was 10-for-13 from the floor, knocked down just her second three-pointer of the year, and had eight rebounds against the massive front court from Union. Daeja had five points and a season-high 20 rebounds against Monroe Brooklyn. Cromartie is averaging 8.4 rebounds per game, a team-best. She has hit double-figures in rebounds in five games this year, and is averaging 11 rebounds per game in her last seven contests. Daeja scored a bucket and pulled down ten rebounds against Harcum.
 
Thays Torres will also see time, and she's averaging 6.3 points per game this year. Thays has hit double-figures three times this year, and scored a season-high of 13 points against Niagara County CC earlier this season. Torres is averaging 5.4 rebounds per game, and is second on the team with 21 steals this year. Thays had eleven points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals in the win over ASA, and followed that up with five points, seven rebounds, and a season-high five steals against Monroe Bronx. Thays had four points and six rebounds against Harcum College.  
 
Lackawanna College, averaging 67.4 points per game, is shooting at 36.1% as a team this season, and has hit 27.4% from beyond-the-arc. Lackawanna is also shooting at 59.7% from the free-throw line. Lackawanna College is even on rebounding margin this season, and has 51 blocks as a team. The Falcons are holding their opponents to 33.7% shooting so far this year, and teams have only hit 21.8% of their three-point attempts against the Lackawanna College defense, ranking the Falcons 11^th in the NJCAA out of teams that have played at least ten games. Opponents are averaging 65.6 points per game against the Falcon defense. Lackawanna College is averaging a shade over 20 turnovers per game, but has forced just over 20 turnovers per game, as well.
 
Head Coach Joya Whittington enters her eighth season at the helm for the Falcons, winning three district championships and making three NJCAA National Tournament appearances, all within the last five seasons. Whittington is a three-time District Coach of the Year, and has won 156 games in her coaching career at Lackawanna College. Whittington is a Seton Hill University graduate, and a Carbondale, PA native, where she played for Carbondale Area HS.
 
About the Opponents
Monroe College (12-12) has won seven of its last nine games, including its last three games. The Mustangs knocked off the Monroe College Bronx Express and Hostos Community College, both nationally ranked at Division III, before beating Villa Maria College 74-72 in a thriller at home this past Sunday. In that game, the Mustangs overcame a 14-point deficit from early in the fourth quarter, using a 13-0 run to take a three-point lead with over five minutes to play. Eventually, the Mustangs won the game with a pair of free throws with 0.4 seconds to play, giving them the 74-72 win, and capping a wild 33-point fourth quarter rally. Monroe shot 68% in the fourth quarter alone, and dominated the glass in the final period by a 12-4 margin. Five different Mustangs scored in double-figures, with Olivia Medford's 20 points and nine rebounds leading the way.
 
The Mustangs are scoring around 63 points per game this year, while only giving up 55.3. Monroe is shooting around 37% from the field, hitting 27% from downtown this year. Opposing teams, meanwhile, are hitting 36% and 27%, respectively, against the Monroe defense. The Mustangs have an impressive +9 rebounding margin, including around 14.6 offensive boards per contest. Monroe has forced just under 20 turnovers per game, while giving away 23.7 possessions per game. The Mustangs do average around 12.7 steals per game, as a team.
 
Three players are in double-figures on the year for Monroe, and Olivia Medford leads the way with 13.3 points per game this year. Medford is hitting 42% of her shots this year, and is averaging around 6.8 rebounds per game, second on the team. Medford leads the Mustangs in steals per game, at 3.4 so far this year. She's hit double-figures 14 times so far this year, going over 20 points five times. She has scored her season-high of 26 points twice this season, against Monroe CC and ASA Brooklyn. She has three double-doubles on the year, pulling down a season-high 12 rebounds on three separate occasions. Medford also had a season-high 11 steals this season, coming against Erie CC. She's averaging 20 points per game in her last three games, and went for 20 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and five steals against Villa Maria.
 
Daja Wentz is second on the team with 11.8 points per game this year. Wentz is the team-leader in assists, averaging around 2.9 assists per contest, and is fourth on the team in steals at 1.8 steals per contest. Wentz is shooting a team-best 77.8% from the free throw line, and is hitting around 37% from the field this year. Wentz has scored in double-figures 15 times this year, including her season-high of 22 points against Erie CC, where she was 11-for-15 from the floor. Wentz has scored over 20 points three times this year, and had a season-high eight assists come against Hostos Community College. Wentz is averaging 10.0 points per game and 5.3 assists per game in her last three games, including a 13-point, 6-rebound, 5-assist performance against Villa Maria.
 
Naomi Barnwell is third on the team, averaging 10.9 points per game this year. Barnwell is second on the team in shooting percentage at 46.7% from the field, and leads the team in rebounding at 7.8 boards per contest. She's second on the team in steals (2.4 per game), and third in assists (2.3 per game). Barnwell has scored in double-figures 15 times this season, with her season-high 19 points coming against CCBC Catonsville. Barnwell has seven double-doubles on the year, and three times she's hit her season-high of 12 rebounds. Barnwell is averaging 13.3 points per game, 9.3 rebounds per game, and 3.7 steals per game in her last three games, all while shooting 58% from the field. Barnwell had 14 points and six rebounds against Villa Maria.
 
Sara Carvajal-Caro averages 8.9 points per game this year, and is the team leader in shooting, hitting just over 50% from the field this year. Carvajal-Caro is third on the team at 75.9% from the free throw line, and fourth on the team at 5.3 rebounds per contest. She's hit double-figures 12 times this year, hitting her season-high of 14 points on three separate occasions. The latest was a 14-point performance against Hostos Community College. Carvajal-Caro has two double-doubles on the year, pulling down her season-high of 11 rebounds against Erie CC. She has scored in double-figures in her last three games, averaging 12.7 points per game and shooting 56.7% from the floor. Carvajal-Caro had 12 points in the win against Villa Maria.
 
Aysia Pink has appeared in 23 games this year, mostly on the bench, and has scored 8.0 points per game. Pink leads the team in made three-pointers (44) and three-point percentage (31.4%). She's hit double-figures in scoring on eight separate occasions, including her season-high 18 points against Raritan Valley, where she hit five three-pointers, also a season-high. Pink had 11 points, on three made three-pointers, against Villa Maria.
 
Tanae Arnold and Amy Sangare will also see significant time for the Mustangs. Arnold is averaging 4.8 points per game this year, and is second on the team at 2.6 assists per game. Arnold is third on the team with 1.9 steals per game, as well. Arnold has hit double-figures three times this year, including a season-high 14 points against SUNY Orange. Arnold scored just one point, but had seven rebounds and five assists against Villa Maria. Meanwhile, Sangare 4.1 points per game, and is third on the team with 5.5 rebounds per game this year. Sangare has hit double-figures twice, scoring 17 points against Monroe Community College earlier this year. Sangare had three points and two rebounds against Villa Maria.
 
The head coach for Monroe College is Dana Warner, who spent ten years as an assistant, and eventually associate head coach, with the Monroe College men's team, before being hired as the leader for the women's program ahead of the 2018-2019 season. Warner, as a member of the men's staff, helped the Mustangs to four NJCAA National Tournament appearances, along with four District 3 championships and six Region XV championships. Warner, a former Mustang, also spent time at Slippery Rock and CCNY, winning a PSAC POTW with the former in his lone season and helping the Beavers to a CUNYAC championship at the latter. Warner, after spending time in China teaching basketball ahead of the 2008 Olympics, returned to New York to coach basketball, coaching at The Anderson School in NYC and part-time assisting with the Mustangs. Warner went 20-9 in his first season, getting to the District C Championship in his first year, and then earning an NJCAA National Tournament appearance in the 2019-2020 season with a 19-11 record, before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the season down. Warner, in his fourth year and third season, is 51-32 so far as a head coach.
 
Game Information
The match-up is set for a 5:00pm ET tip-off in at the Monroe Athletic Complex, as the first game of a doubleheader, with the men's teams to follow.
 
There is a video livestream available on the Monroe College Athletics YouTube Channel HERE.
 
The Falcons will be back home on Thursday, February 8^th, when they host Delaware Tech CC in a big Region XIX match-up. Game time is set for 7:00pm ET at the Lackawanna Student Union.