1/17/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – The Lackawanna College women's basketball team is set to host the Chesapeake College Skipjacks tonight, Tuesday January 17^th, in non-region action and the final home game of a three-game stretch.  
 
The game is set for a 5:00pm ET tip-off inside the Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium, and will be the first game of a doubleheader, with the Lackawanna men's team playing the Chesapeake men's team at 7:00pm ET. The games are open to the public, with tickets sold at the door for students ($3) and adults ($5). There will be a pay-per-view video livestream available for those who cannot attend via the Lackawanna College Falcons Athletic Network and the Region XIX Sports Network. You can access that at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE, or via the Region 19 Sports Network mobile app. Steve Young will handle the play-by-play, and Sports Information Director Tom Ferguson will have the color commentary.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (6-5) had its four-game win streak snapped at the hands of the #10 DIII team in the nation this past weekend, when Monroe College Bronx escaped the Student Union with a 54-37 victory on Saturday afternoon. The Falcons shot 18% from the field for the afternoon, missing a variety of shots that, to this point in the season, had been falling. Neither team was shooting well, with the Express clinging to a 17-16 lead at the break, but Monroe opened the third quarter on a 16-1 run over the first six minutes, all but securing the win against a Lackawanna team that couldn't hit shots to come back. Read the full recap HERE.
 
The Falcons are averaging 64 points per game, and are giving up slightly over 60 points per game through their first eleven contests. The shooting percentage had been steadily improving, as the Falcons are hitting around 36% from the field, and are holding opponents to 33% on the year. Lackawanna College has struggled from deep, shooting just 17% from downtown this year. Lackawanna is hitting 65% of its free throws this season, going 127-for-196 on the season. The Falcons hold a +2 rebounding margin so far this season, and have forced an average of 16.4 turnovers per game this season, while also averaging 4.8 blocks per game on the year. Lackawanna College averages 16.8 turnovers per game itself, and its opponents average ten steals per game.
 
The Falcons are balanced, with five players averaging eight points or more per game this season. Last year's second-leading scorer, and 2^nd Team All-Region selection, Gabrielle Jackson (Darby Twp, PA), is first on the team in scoring, averaging 10.6 points per game. Jackson is pulling down 4.2 rebounds per contest, and has 26 total assists, tops on the team, while putting up eleven total steals so far this year in nine games. Jackson, back for her third year, is second on the team in field goal percentage (46%) and has made 15 free throws through her nine games. Jackson has scored in double-figures six times this season, going for a season-best 20 points in the win vs. Morris. Jackson hit a season-high ten shots from the floor, and set a season-high in rebounds (9), while tying season-highs in steals (3) and assists (5). Jackson had a streak of four games in double-figures snapped against Monroe Bronx, where she scored just seven points on 3-for-13 shooting for the afternoon. She still managed to be productive, pulling down five rebounds and dishing out five assists, the third time she's done that this season.    
 
Nya Jackson (Harrisburg, PA), a returner from last year, is second on the team, averaging ten points per game. Jackson averages four rebounds per game, and is second on the team in assists, putting up 24 in ten games of work. Jackson is shooting 30% from the field, but is 25-for-32 from the free throw line on the season, a team-best 78% average. Jackson has 13 steals in ten games, second on the Falcons. Jackson has scored in double-figures six times this season, scoring her season-best 16 points twice this year, once in the loss to Harcum and then again in the win over Union. In the Harcum game, Nya had six shots from the floor and had five rebounds and three assists. Jackson had 16 points on 5-for-10 shooting with two rebounds and three assists in the win over Union, while also going 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Against Monroe Bronx, Jackson had eleven points on 4-for-16 shooting, while grabbing three rebounds.
 
Dominique Geiger (Plainfield, NJ) has had a good start to her first season as a Falcon, as she's third on the team in scoring at 9.4 points per game this year. Geiger is hitting 38% of her shots this year, and has hit ten free throws this season. She also has seven makes from downtown, third on the team. Geiger has ten steals on the season and has eleven assists. She's gone for double-digits in points in four games, and had her season-high against Morrs, where she scored 25 points on 11-for-22 shooting from the floor, and hit three three-point shots, while grabbing four rebounds and setting her season-high in steals with three swipes on the evening. Against Monroe Bronx, Geiger struggled from the floor, scoring just two points on a 1-for-13 afternoon.     
 
Sidney Spence (Bronx, NY) is averaging 8.7 points per game on the year. Spence leads the team in shooting, hitting 47.4% of her shots this year, and is second on the team in free throw percentage, hitting 73% of her shots from the charity stripe this season, where she is second on the team in makes (22). She's third on the team in rebounds (5.6 per game) and has eleven steals this year. Spence has scored in double-figures six times this year, all in bench minutes for the Falcons, and had a season-best 19 points in 23 minutes in the win over Jamestown. 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 also struggled from the field against the Express, scoring just two points on 1-for-10 shooting. She did pull down nine rebounds, the third time this year Sidney has hit her season-high in boards.   
 
Cianna Roberts (Brooklyn, NY), who played a majority of bench minutes a year ago, is fifth on the team, averaging 8.5 points per game and pulling down 4.6 rebounds per game, third on the squad among players who have played more than seven games this year. Roberts is hitting around 36% of her shots this year, and has been the most accurate of the three-point shooters for the Falcons, going 8-for-33 from deep this year. Roberts leads the Falcons in steals, accumulating 15 total steals so far this year. She's also third on the team with 19 total assists this year. Roberts has scored in double-figures four times this season, including a season-best 17 points in the win over Union in December. Roberts was 7-for-9 from the field, and had five rebounds and two assists to help the Falcons to victory. 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. Cianna hit a three-pointer early against Monroe Bronx, but that would be her only make and only points of the game, as she was 1-for-10 from the field, pulling down three rebounds, dishing out three assists, and swiping three steals in the loss for the Falcons.
 
Mahogony Collins (Harrisburg, PA) is up to 5.1 points per game this year, and is now just under eleven rebounds per game, tops on the team. Collins has also denied a team-best 50 shots in all eleven of her games this year, good for 4.5 blocks per game. That rate has Collins ranked among the best in the country, second in all of the NJCAA Division II players. Collins is now shooting 35% from the field this year, and has 33 offensive rebounds on the year. Collins got her season and career-high in points against Essex, where she scored 18 points and had 13 rebounds, along with six blocks.  She's crossed double-digits in rebounds six times this year, already. She set a season-high with seven blocks in the loss to Harcum earlier this season, then tied that season-high with seven more against Union. She tied it one more time in the game against Morris, where she also scored four points and had nine rebounds in the win on Wednesday. Mahogony had just three points against Monroe Bronx, but set her season-high with 21 rebounds against the Express. She also had six rejections in the loss.   
 
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 Chesapeake College Skipjacks (8-6) have lost two of their first three games to start the new year, including their latest game, a 75-67 setback on the road at Garrett College. In that game, the Lakers from Garrett raced to a 48-31 advantage at the break, then held on as the Skipjacks tried to mount a comeback in the second half. Chesapeake put three players in double-figures, and shot just under 40% for the game. The Skipjacks committed just five turnovers, but were outrebounded 52-40 for the game. They did, however, manage 16 offensive rebounds. Ayanni Brown led Chesapeake with eleven points on 3-for-9 shooting, while pulling down eight boards. Kendall Moxey added ten points and a team-high twelve rebounds, while Taiylor Bussey added ten points off the bench.  
 
Chesapeake College averages just under 69 points per game, while giving up around 61 on the year. The Skipjacks usually shoot around 40% on their shots for the season, while holding their opponents to 34% overall. Chesapeake also hold their opponents to 27% shooting from downtown, and hold a +8 rebounding margin on the season. The Skipjacks force over 16 turnovers per game, while turning it over themselves just under 16 times per game. They average just over ten steals per contest.  
 
Kendal Moxey is one of three players in double-figures scoring this season, averaging a team-best 15.6 points per game this year. Moxey is shooting just under 52% from the field this season, and is a 66% free throw shooter on the year. Her eleven rebounds per game is first on the squad, which includes a team-high six offensive rebounds per game. Moxey is also the team-leader in blocks per contest, just over one rejection per game this season. Moxey has scored in double-figures eleven times this season, putting up a season-high 32 points in a 94-67 win over Anne Arundel CC back on December 1^st. In that game, Moxey was 15-for-25 from the floor, and also secured her season-best 21 rebounds, which included 16 offensive rebounds. Moxey has hit double-figures in rebounding nine times this year, and has put up eight double-doubles on the year. She had ten points and twelve rebounds for her latest double-double in the loss to Garrett.   
 
Ayanni Brown is second on the team at 11.3 points per game so far this season. She's a 41% shooter from the field, and is the team-leader at 74% from the line on the season. Brown leads the team at six assists per game, and is second on the squad with 2.2 rebounds per contest this year. She averages 4.6 rebounds per game, tied for fourth on the team. Brown has put up double-figures in scoring on eight separate occasions, posting a season-high 22 points in a 72-66 win against Prince George's CC back on December 5^th. In that game, Brown was 10-for-16 from the field, while putting up six rebounds and five assists in the win. Brown has two double-doubles this year, one coming thanks to a season-high in rebounds (ten) vs. Brookdale, and another coming thanks to eleven assists in the win over Anne Arundel CC. She set her season-high of 12 assists in the 83-53 win over Southern Maryland back on November 16^th. Brown has scored in double-figures in her last four games, including eleven points on 3-for-9 shooting in the loss to Garrett, where she had eight rebounds and two assists.  
 
Sharon Brown is third on the team, averaging 10.5 points per game this year. Brown is shooting 41% from the field and is the most accurate of the three-point shooters for the Skipjacks, hitting just over 35% of her shots from deep. Brown is third on the team in rebounds (4.8) and leads the team in steals (3.0 per game) this season. Sharon has scored in double-figures seven times this season, twice going for her season-high 18 points this year. The first came in the win over Anne Arundel, where she was 6-for-17 from the floor, converting on three three-point shots and securing ten rebounds, while posting her season-high six steals. The second time going for 18 happened against Harford CC on December 10^th, where she was 6-for-13 from the floor, was 4-for-5 from the free throw line, while posting seven rebounds. Against Garrett, Brown had eight points on 3-for-9 shooting, while posting two steals in the loss.
 
Aniyah Quow averages 9.4 points per game so far this season, shooting around 40% from the field. Quow is second on the team at 3.7 assists per contest, and averages just over four rebounds per game. She's also third on the team at 1.8 steals per contest this season. Quow has scored in double-figures eight times this year, going for her season-high of 22 points in a 67-47 win over SUNY Westchester on January 10^th. Quow was 11-for-17 for the game, while posting four steals and three rebounds. Against Howard, Quow recorded her lone double-double, scoring ten points and pulling down a season-high eleven rebounds in a loss against the Dragons. She also posted her season-best seven assists against Anne Arundel CC. Quow was held scoreless in the loss to Garrett.
 
Deliayh Mohamed is averaging 9.2 points per game so far this season, shooting 41.2% from the field on the year. Mohamed is tied with Ayanni Brown for fourth on the team in rebounds per game (4.6), and averages just over one assist and one steal per game this year. Mohamed is a 65% free throw shooter this year, good for fourth on the team. She has scored in double-figures six times this year, reaching a season-high 16 points on two occasions. The first came against Brookdale, where she had 16 on 7-for-14 shooting, grabbing five rebounds. The other time came in a 72-60 loss to Harcum back on December 13^th, where she had 16 on 6-for-9 shooting, and 4-for-6 free throws, while grabbing six boards and doling out three assists. Against Garrett, she had eight points on 4-for-8 shooting, grabbing a pair of rebounds in the process.
 
The head coach for Chesapeake is Gwen Barnes, in her ninth season leading the Skipjacks. Coach Barnes started at Chesapeake in the 2014-2015 season, where she had immediate success, winning the Region XX championship and taking the Skipjacks to the NJCAA DII tournament. Apart from a 9-15 mark in her second year, the Skipjacks have consistently been in the Region XX championship picture, winning a pair of championships in 2017 and 2019. Both of those times, the Skipjacks moved on to the NJCAA Division II Championships. Barnes has won 16 or more games in a year on five separate occasions. She has an overall 124-71 mark at Chesapeake.
 
  
The Match-Up
The game is set for a 5:00pm ET tip-off inside the Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium, and will be the first game of a doubleheader, with the Lackawanna men's team playing the Chesapeake men's team at 7:00pm ET. The games are open to the public, with tickets sold at the door for students ($3) and adults ($5). There will be a pay-per-view video livestream available for those who cannot attend via the Lackawanna College Falcons Athletic Network and the Region XIX Sports Network. You can access that at lackawannafalcons.com/LIVE, or via the Region 19 Sports Network mobile app. Steve Young will handle the play-by-play, and Sports Information Director Tom Ferguson will have the color commentary.
 
The next game for the Falcons is their first road game of 2023, when Lackawanna College travels to New Rochelle, NY to take on the Division I Monroe College Mustangs. That game is set for a 1:00pm ET tip-off inside the Monroe Athletic Complex on Saturday, January 21^st. It'll be the first game of a doubleheader, with the men's teams tipping afterwards at 3:00pm ET.