1/31/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College women's basketball ended last week with a win, and now sets its sights on trying to star this week the same way. Standing in the way, as usual, are the Falcons' rivals for Region 19 supremacy, the Union County College Owls, who will welcome Lackawanna to Cranford, NJ on Tuesday, January 31^st in a battle between the second and third place teams in the Region XIX DII standings.
 
The game is set for a 6:00pm ET tip-off inside the Union County College gymnasium. There will be a video livestream available via the Union Owls Athletics YouTube Channel, which you can access HERE.
 
The Falcons earned their first win over Union in two years earlier this season, beating the then-#10 Owls 74-50 in a match-up in Scranton. You can read the recap HERE.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (8-7, 4-2) enters the match-up after a 75-51 win over Northampton CC this past Thursday. Lackawanna College shot 46% in the second half, including 50% in the fourth quarter, where the Falcons outscored the Spartans 24-11. Lackawanna put four players in double-figures, getting a game-high 20 points from Sidney Spence, who was 8-for-14 from the floor and pulled down five rebounds. Dominique Geiger had 17 points on 8-for-17 shooting, along with a team-high six assists. Cianna Roberts 12 points and five rebounds off the bench. Mahogony Collins had 15 rebounds and nine blocks, as well as four points. Read the recap HERE.
 
The Falcons are averaging 63 points per game, and are giving up 60.8 points per game on the year. The Falcons are hitting around 35% from the field, and are holding opponents to 32% on the year. Lackawanna College has struggled from deep, shooting just 19% from downtown this year. Lackawanna is hitting 65% of its free throws this season, going 166-for-254 on the year. The Falcons hold a +2 rebounding margin so far this season, and have forced an average of 16 turnovers per game this season, while giving the ball up around 17 times per game. The Falcons average just over five blocks per game, defensively, and they average around eight steals per game, while their opponents are up to nine swipes per contest.  
 
The Falcons are balanced, with five players averaging eight points or more per game this season. Nya Jackson (Harrisburg, PA), a returner from last year, is first on the team, averaging 9.7 points per game. Jackson averages just under four rebounds per game, and is second on the team in assists, putting up 30 on the year. Jackson is shooting 29% from the field, but is 32-for-40 from the free throw line on the season, a team-best 80% average. Jackson has 16 steals, tied for third on the team this season. Jackson has scored in double-figures seven times this season, and had her season-best performance against Essex last week, where she scored a season-high 18 points on 7-for-17 shooting, knocking down two three-pointers and pulling down four rebounds. Jackson had ten points, three boards, and two assists in the win over Northampton on Thursday. Against Union earlier this year, Nya had 16 points on 5-for-10 shooting, hitting a pair of three-pointers and going 4-for-4 from the free throw line.       
 
Last year's second-leading scorer, and 2^nd Team All-Region selection, Gabrielle Jackson (Darby Twp, PA), is second on the team in scoring, averaging 9.6 points per game. Jackson is pulling down 4.5 rebounds per contest, and has 35 total assists, first on the team, while putting up 16 total steals so far this year, tied with Nya Jackson for third on the team. Jackson, back for her third year, is second on the team in field goal percentage (39%) and has made 22 free throws on the year for a 58% clip. Jackson has scored in double-figures seven 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). Gabby has scored in double-figures just once in her last five games. She had two points on 1-for-8 shooting in the win over Northampton, but also posted four assists, two steals, and two rebounds. Against Union earlier this year, Gabby had eleven points, five rebounds, and three assists in the win.     
 
Sidney Spence (Bronx, NY) is third on the squad, averaging 9.5 points per game on the year. Spence leads the team in shooting, hitting 46% of her shots this year, and is fourth on the team in free throw percentage, hitting 68% of her shots from the charity stripe this season, where she is tied for first on the team with Nya Jackson in makes (32). She's third on the team in rebounds (5.5 per game) and has 18 steals this year, second on the team this year. Spence has scored in double-figures nine times this year, including four of her six games in the spring semester. Spence set her season-high in the win against Northampton, going for 20 points on 8-for-14 shooting, while pulling down five rebounds against the Spartans. Against Union earlier this year, Spence had ten points and four rebounds in the win.  
 
Dominique Geiger (Plainfield, NJ) has had a good start to her first season as a Falcon, averaging 8.5 points per game this year, tied for fourth on the team. Geiger is hitting 35% of her shots this year, and has made eight three-point shots, which is tied with Nya Jackson for third on the team this year. Geiger has 15 steals on the season and also has 23 assists. She's gone for double-digits in points in five games, including against Morris, where she set her season-high with 25 points. Geiger was 11-for-22 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. Dominique bounced back from a rough game against Essex with a great game against Northampton, going for 17 points and six assists, a season-high, in the win over the Spartans. Dominique was held scoreless in 20 minutes against Union earlier this year, picking up a pair of assists in the win.   
 
Cianna Roberts (Brooklyn, NY), who played a majority of bench minutes a year ago, is tied with Geiger for fourth on the team, averaging 8.5 points per game and pulling down just under four rebounds per game. 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 13-for-47 from deep this year. Cianna's 13 makes from deep are tied for the team lead with Seanlajah Smith. Roberts leads the Falcons with 19 steals on the year. She's also third on the team with 24 total assists this year. Roberts has scored in double-figures six 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. Against Northampton on Thursday, Cianna had 12 points for the second time in her last three games, going 5-for-9 from the field and hitting a pair of three-point shots. Roberts also had two steals and two assists, as well as five rebounds.  
 
Mahogony Collins (Harrisburg, PA) is up to 5.5 points per game this year, and averages 11.1 rebounds per game, tops on the team. Collins has also denied a team-best 72 shots this year, good for 5.1 blocks per game. That rate has Collins tied with Palm Beach State's Keri Cooper for first among all NJCAA Division II players. Collins is now shooting 38% from the field this year, and has 40 offensive rebounds on the year. Collins got her season and career-high in points against Essex in November, where she scored 18 points and had 13 rebounds, along with six blocks.  She's crossed double-digits in rebounds eight times this year, already. Collins set her season-high in rebounding with 21 boards against Monroe College Bronx. She also had eight points and nine rebounds in the win. Against Northampton, Collins had 15 rebounds and nine blocks, setting a season-high for rejections this year. Against Union earlier this season, Collins had seven rebounds and seven blocks in the win.  
 
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 Union County College Owls (16-4, 3-2) come into the contest after their first loss in 12 games, dropping a 77-48 decision to the #2 CCBC Essex Knights. In that game, Union shot 29% from the floor, and just 21% from downtown, while Essex made ten three-point shots and outscored the Owls 46-18 in the first half, on their way to the win. Nia Mallette and Ashley Phillip each scored a team-high nine points off the bench. Mallette also led the squad in rebounds, pulling down nine boards. The Owls had 20 turnovers, which the Knights turned into 13 steals. Prior to that game, Union had won eleven straight games, with their last loss coming to, coincidentally, Lackawanna College, back on December 10^th. Union is currently receiving votes in the latest NJCAA Division II rankings.
 
The Owls are averaging 77.5 points per game, while their opponents are averaging 57.5 this year. They shoot at a solid 41% clip for the year, and are hitting around 27% of their three-point tries this year. Meanwhile, Union opponents are hitting around 38% and 29%, respectively. Union has a +7 rebounding margin this year, and averages 17 steals per game, while their opponents are around eight per contest. The Owls average 15 turnovers per contest, while forcing over 24 per game.  
 
The Owls are balanced, with six players averaging over seven points per game in scoring, and they are led by Khila Morris, who is averaging a team-best 16.4 points per game this year. Morris is shooting 51% from the field, and has hit around 32% of her three-point shots this year. Morris is a 79.4% free throw shooter, and is 54-for-68 from the charity stripe on the year, a team-high for percentage, attempts, and makes. Morris averages 6.1 rebounds per game, tops on the team, and averages a team-best 5.3 assists and team-high three steals per game. Morris has 15 games where she's gone over double-digits in points this year, and has gone for 20 or more in six games this season. Her season-high came in an 89-85 win over Montgomery College in the season opener, scoring 32 points on 11 made shots, and going 9-for-10 from the free throw line. Her best all-around game came against SUNY Herkimer back on January 14^th, where she had 17 points and season-highs in rebounds (10) and assists (10) for her only triple-double of the year. She set a season-high for steals against SUNY Westchester earlier last month, going for eight swipes in the win. Against CCBC Essex this past weekend, she had eight points, eight rebounds, and six assists in the loss to the Knights. She had 17 points, five rebounds, four steals, and three assists in the loss to Lackawanna back in December.   
 
Nia Mallette is second on the team with 13.5 points per game so far this season. Mallette is shooting around 36% from the field this year, and has made a team-high 32 shots from downtown on the season. She leads the squad, shooting 38% from beyond-the-arc this year. She's a 74.5% free throw shooter, and is averaging six rebounds per game this year. Mallette averages 2.6 assists per game on the year, and 1.6 steals per game. Mallette has scored in double-figures 13 times this season, and twice scored her season-high of 31 points. The first time came in the win over Monroe Bronx back in November, where she scored 31 points on 11-for-15 shooting, making five three-point shots on the day. The second time was when she scored 31 points in a win over Onondaga, going 10-for-17 from the floor and 8-for-8 from the free throw line. Mallette set her season-high in rebounds with 18 boards, along with 14 rebounds, in a win over Harford CC back on January 21^st, her second double-double of the year. Against CCBC Essex, she had nine points on just 3-for-15 shooting, and had nine rebounds in the loss. Against Lackawanna, she scored ten points and had six rebounds, as well as four assists and three steals, in the loss in December.   
 
Third on the team in scoring is Ahjanae Young, averaging 11.3 points per game this year. Young is shooting 42.9% from the field this season, and has made ten three-point shots. Young averages 3.8 rebounds per game, and has 2.7 assists per game on the year. Young averages 2.4 steals per contest this year. Young has scored in double-figures 13 times this year, going for her season-best 22 points twice this season. The first time she got 22 was against CC of Philadelphia, scoring 22 on 10-for-16 shooting, putting up five steals and a pair of rebounds in the win back in December. The second time she went for 22 was against CC of Rhode Island, going 10-for-16 from the floor, and posting five rebounds and three assists in the win two weeks ago. She set her season-high in rebounds with eight boards in a win over Essex County College back on December 1^st. In her last game, against CCBC Essex, she had six points, four assists, and three rebounds in the loss to the Knights. Young had nine points and three boards in the loss to Lackawanna back on December 10^th.  
 
Myoshi Ellis is averaging 7.7 points per game this year, shooting 43% from the field and hitting over 34% of her shots from three-point range for the Owls. Ellis averages around two steals per game, and just under two assists per contest, while pulling down 3.4 rebounds per game. Ellis has scored in double-figures seven times this year, going for her season-best 15 points against Berkeley College back on January 11^th. In that game, she was 5-for-10 from the field, and made another five free throws. Ellis has twice achieved a season-high six steals on the year, and got her season-best eight rebounds in a win over Prince George's CC on January 19^th. Against CCBC Essex, she scored six points with three rebounds in the loss. She did not score in seven minutes of action against Lackawanna back on December 10^th.
 
Dalgenis Martinez is averaging 7.6 points per game this season, shooting 50% from the field and hitting 29% from downtown this season. Martinez averages 4.2 rebounds per game this year, and has 20 steals total on the year. Martinez has scored in double-figures six times this year, going for her season-high of 18 points on December 17^th against Morris, where she put up 18 points on 8-for-11 shooting. She also posted her season-high in rebounds (7) in the dominant win. Against CCBC Essex, Martinez scored six points and had six rebounds in the loss to the Knights. The first time around, against Lackawanna, Martinez had four points and three rebounds in the loss.
 
Kiara Huggins is averaging 7.2 points per game this year, shooting 44% from the field and just over 21% from downtown. Huggins averages around two assists per game, and leads the Owls in steals at 3.4 per contest this year. Huggins also averages 2.5 rebounds per game this season. Seven times this season, Huggins scored in double-figures, including a season-best 20 points against Morris, going 9-for-12 from the floor in the victory. Huggins had a season-best seven steals in a win over SUNY Westchester back on January 7^th, and posted her season-best six assists against CC of Rhode Island back on January 17^th. She was held scoreless in the game against CCBC Essex, and had two points, three rebounds, and three steals in the loss to Lackawanna back in December.
 
The head coach for Union County is Marbely Montas, in her sixth season at the helm of the Owls. A former Union County player herself, Montas, previously an assistant for the program since 2011, has continued the success she helped coach, guiding the Owls to multiple NJCAA National Basketball Tournament appearances, including a school record 30 wins in the 2018-2019 season, which culminated in a national championship game appearance. Montas, a Union County graduate, played for the Owls before earning a full-ride to Monmouth University to finish her career. She played basketball for the Dominican Republic National Team, and earned a master's in School Business Administration at Kean University. Montas is 133-36 in her six years in charge at Union County. Last year, she led the Owls to a 26-6 record, a Region XIX championship, and a national tournament appearance, where they went 1-2.
  
The Match-Up
The game between the Falcons and the Owls is set for a 6:00pm ET tip-off inside the Union County College gymnasium on Tuesday, January 31^st. There will be a video livestream available via the Union Owls Athletics YouTube Channel, which you can access HERE.
 
The next game for the Falcons will be another massive Region XIX Division II game, when the 10^th ranked Harcum Bears come to town on Saturday, February 4^th for a division clash. The Falcons fell to the Bears back in November in their first meeting in Bryn Mawr, PA.