2/23/23
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – The regular season is over and done with, and the postseason is underway for Lackawanna College women's basketball. So, with that, it makes sense that Thursday's opponent is Union County College.
 
The Falcons and the Owls are set for a Region XIX Division II semi-final clash on Thursday, February 23^rd, at 6:00pm ET at Union County College in Cranford, NJ. It'll be the third time the two teams have met this season, with both teams winning by 20+ points on their respective home floors. The Owls have beaten the Falcons in the postseason five straight times in the last four years, including 2019 where Union beat Lackawanna three times in the playoffs, knocking off the Falcons in the region championship, the district playoffs, and the NJCAA DII national tournament, all in one year. The Falcons have also struggled at Union, last winning a game in Cranford back in 2019.
 
The game will have a video livestream available via the Union County College Athletics YouTube Channel, which can be accessed HERE.
 
About The Falcons
Lackawanna College (11-10, 4-4) comes into the postseason after what was an up-and-down regular season. The Falcons, buoyed by wins at home against Essex and Union in the regular season, are the three-seed in the Region XIX DII tournament, while Union is the two-seed. On the other side of the playoff bracket, top-seeded Harcum College is hosting fourth-seed Essex.
 
In their last game, Lackawanna College overcame a sloppy first quarter by scoring over 20 points in each of the second, third, and fourth quarters, shooting 50% from the field the rest of the way for an 81-49 win over SUNY Westchester this past Sunday afternoon. Nya Jackson led the way with her career-high 28 points, going 9-for-17 from the floor and hitting 8-of-10 free throws. Meanwhile, Seanlajah Smith came off the bench to score ten points, and Gabrielle Jackson put up five points, five boards, five assists, and a team-best six steals. Read the recap HERE.
 
The Falcons are averaging 63.6 points per game, and are giving up 58 points per game on the year. The Falcons are hitting around 35.9% from the field, and are holding opponents to 31.8% on the year. Lackawanna College has struggled from deep, shooting just 22.1% from downtown this year. Lackawanna is hitting 66.5% of its free throws this season, going 224-for-337 on the year. The Falcons are +2.4 on rebounding margin so far this season, and have forced an average of 17.3 turnovers per game this season, while giving the ball up around 17.7 times per game. The Falcons average 6.3 blocks per game, defensively, and they average a little over nine steals per game, while their opponents are up to ten swipes per contest.  
 
The Falcons are balanced, with four players averaging around eight points or more per game this season. Last year's second-leading scorer, and now a two-time 2^nd Team All-Region selection, Gabrielle Jackson (Darby Twp, PA), is first on the team in scoring, averaging 11 points per game. Jackson is pulling down 5.3 rebounds per contest, third on the team, and has 57 total assists, first on the team, while putting up 34 total steals so far this year. Jackson, back for her third year, is third on the team in field goal percentage (40.5%) and has made 17 three-point shots on the year, third on the team. Jackson has scored in double-figures 12 times this season, going for her season-best 21 points earlier this month against Montco. Jackson was 9-for-14 from the floor and hit three three-point shots, while pulling down seven rebounds and doling out two assists in the win. Before the Westchester game, Jackson had scored in double-figures in five straight games. She has hit 12 three-point shots in her last six games, after hitting just five in her first 13 games this year. Jackson is also averaging 6.8 rebounds per game in her last six contests. Against Union this year, Jackson has scored a combined 27 points, with eleven rebounds and six assists. She had 16 points, six rebounds, and three assists in the loss at Union back on January 31^st.
 
Nya Jackson (Harrisburg, PA), a returner from last year, is second on the team, averaging 10.7 points per game. Jackson averages 3.7 rebounds per game, and is second on the team in assists, putting up 47 on the year. Jackson is shooting 30.8% from the field, but is 46-for-60 from the free throw line on the season, a 76.7% average. Jackson has 26 steals, tied for third on the team this season. Jackson has scored in double-figures eleven times this season, and had her season-best performance in her last game, going for 28 on a season-high nine makes in the win over Westchester. Jackson was also 8-for-10 from the free throw line in the win. Against Union this year, Jackson had a combined 24 points in two games, posting six rebounds and six assists. Jackson had 16 points in the home win against Union back in December.  
 
Cianna Roberts (Brooklyn, NY) is averaging 8.3 points per game and pulling down just under four rebounds per game. Roberts is hitting around 35.9% of her shots this year, and is second on the team in makes from deep with 18. Roberts is second on the team in steals (30) this season, and is also third on the team with 33 total assists this year. Roberts has scored in double-figures eight 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. She had nine points and six rebounds in the win over Westchester on the weekend. On the road at Union in January, she had just two points on 1-for-6 shooting, grabbing four rebounds in the loss for the Falcons.
 
Sidney Spence (Bronx, NY) is fourth on the squad, averaging 8.2 points per game on the year. Spence leads the team in shooting, hitting 43.4% of her shots this year, and is third on the team in free throw percentage, hitting 72.2% of her shots from the charity stripe this season. She's fourth on the team in rebounds (4.9 per game) and has 26 steals this year, tied with Nya Jackson for third on the team. Spence has scored in double-figures ten times this year, including five times 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 in January. Spence had two points, four rebounds, and two steals in the win against Westchester on Sunday. In two games against Union, she had a combined 14 points and five rebounds. Spence had ten points and four boards in the win at home back in December.
 
Dominique Geiger (Plainfield, NJ) is averaging 7.8 points per game this year, fifth on the team. Geiger is hitting 35.2% of her shots this year, and has made eleven three-point shots, which is fifth on the team this year. Geiger has 23 steals on the season (Fifth on the team) and also has 31 assists. She's gone for double-digits in points in six games, including against Morris in January, 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 posting three steals on the evening. Geiger has scored 19 points in her last two games, going for nine points in the win over Westchester on Sunday. In two games against Union this year, Geiger has a combined five points, two rebounds, and three assists. She had five points in the loss at Union in January.
 
Mahogony Collins (Harrisburg, PA) is up to 6.6 points per game this year, and averages 11.7 rebounds per game, tops on the team. Collins has also denied a team-best 119 shots this year, good for 5.9 blocks per game. That rate has Collins as the #1 shot-blocker among all NJCAA Division II players. In fact, Collins has more blocks and averages more blocks per game than any player in NJCAA women's basketball, regardless of division. Collins, a second-team All-Region XIX selection this year, is shooting 41.4% from the field this year, and has 64 offensive rebounds on the year. Collins got her season and career-high in points against Raritan two weeks ago, scoring 20 points and pulling down 20 rebounds, along with four blocks.  She's crossed double-digits in rebounds 13 times this year. Collins set her season-high in rebounding with 21 boards against Monroe College Bronx. Against Northampton, Collins had 15 rebounds and nine blocks, setting a season-high for rejections this year, a number she has achieved three times this season. Collins has three double-doubles on the year, and has reached double-digit rebounds in eight of eleven games this spring semester, including her last seven of her last eight appearances. Mahogony had six points, eight rebounds, and nine blocks against Westchester on Sunday. In two games against Union, Collins has a combined ten points, 19 rebounds, and 15 blocks. At Union in January, she had eight points, 12 rebounds, and eight blocks for the Falcons.
 
Monica Spence is the head coach for Lackawanna College, 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 Union County College
The Union County College Owls (22-5, 6-2) are the second-seed in the Region 19 playoffs, and come in with a ton of momentum. The Owls have won 17 of their last 19 games, with losses to CCBC Essex and Monroe College Bronx as the only blemishes in that run. They also earned a massive 26-point win at home against Harcum two weeks ago. In their last game on February 18^th, the Owls beat up on CCBC Catonsville at home, 109-61. Union scored over 25 points in every quarter, setting a pace that the Cardinals couldn't keep up with. Union had four players in double-figures, and shot 48% from the floor, while hitting 12 three-pointers. The Owls had 21 steals on 31 turnovers, and held Catonsville to 38% shooting for the game. Nia Mallette led the way with 19 points on four made three-pointers, while Khila Morris and Ahjanae Young each added 17 points. Cianna McQuiller added 17 points and ten boards. 
 
The Owls are averaging 79.1 points per game, while their opponents are averaging 56.6 this year. They shoot at a solid 41.4% clip for the year, and are hitting around 28.8% of their three-point tries this year. Meanwhile, Union opponents are hitting around 37% and 28%, respectively. The Owls shoot 67% from the free throw line, and average about three more makes and attempts per game than their opponents. Union has a +7.6 rebounding margin this year, and averages 17 steals per game, while their opponents are around eight per contest. The Owls average 15.7 turnovers per contest, while forcing nearly 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 16.1 points per game this year. Morris is shooting nearly 51% from the field, and has hit around 32% of her three-point shots this year. Morris is an 81.9% free throw shooter, and is 83-for-102 from the charity stripe on the year, a team-high for percentage, attempts, and makes. Morris averages 6.9 rebounds per game, tops on the team, and averages a team-best 5.3 assists and team-high 3.1 steals per game. Morris has 22 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 ten rebounds, while setting a season-high in assists (10) for her only triple-double of the year. She set a season-high for rebounds with 15 boards in a February 5^th win over Montgomery College, and she set her season-high for steals against SUNY Westchester in January, going for eight swipes in the win. Against Catonsville, she had 17 points, three rebounds, three assists, and four steals. In two games against Lackawanna, Morris has a combined 30 points, 18 rebounds, ten assists, and six steals. She had 13 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists in the win at home against Lackawanna last month. She has scored in double-figures in her last seven games.   
 
Nia Mallette is second on the team with 14.2 points per game so far this season. Mallette is shooting around 36.7% from the field this year, and has made a team-high 52 shots from downtown on the season. She leads the squad, shooting 40.3% from beyond-the-arc this year. She's a 78.8% free throw shooter, and is averaging around six rebounds per game this year. Mallette averages 2.8 assists per game on the year, and 1.9 steals per game. Mallette has scored in double-figures 20 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 Catonsville, she had 19 points, three rebounds, and four assists in the win over the Cardinals. Against Lackawanna this year, she scored has scored a combined 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and seven steals in two games. Mallette had ten points and four steals in the win at home against Lackawanna last month.   
 
Third on the team in scoring is Ahjanae Young, averaging 11.6 points per game this year. Young is shooting 45.8% from the field this season, and has made 15 three-point shots. Young averages 3.8 rebounds per game, and has 2.7 assists per game on the year. Young averages 2.2 steals per contest this year. Young has scored in double-figures 18 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 back in January. She set her season-high in rebounds with eight boards in a win over Essex County College back on December 1^st. She had 17 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in the win over Catonsville this past weekend. Young has a combined 19 points, four rebounds, and six assists in two games against Lackawanna. She had 13 points and six assists in the win over Lackawanna last month.   
 
Myoshi Ellis is averaging 7.8 points per game this year, shooting 41.8% from the field and hitting over 31% of her shots from three-point range for the Owls. Ellis averages 1.7 steals per game, and just over two assists per contest, while pulling down 3.3 rebounds per game. Ellis has scored in double-figures ten 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. She set her season-high with seven assists in the game against Catonsville, where she was held scoreless. She didn't score in the first game against Lackawanna, but had a much better game at home, scoring 14 points, grabbing five rebounds, and posting four assists in the win in January.  
 
Dalgenis Martinez is averaging 7.6 points per game this season, shooting 43.1% from the field and hitting 30.9% from downtown this season. Martinez is a 76.7% free throw shooter this season, going 23-for-30 from the free throw line. Martinez averages 4.2 rebounds per game this year, and has 27 steals total on the year. Martinez has scored in double-figures nine 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 posted her season-high in rebounds (10) in a February 7^th win at Raritan Valley CC, where she had 16 points for a double-double. Against Catonsville, Martinez had 15 points on three made three-pointers, while posting six rebounds. The first time around, against Lackawanna this year, Martinez has a combined four points, five rebounds, and an assist. She battled through foul-trouble in the win at home back in January, only playing seven minutes and not scoring.  
 
Amyah Mars is averaging 6.7 points per game this season, shooting 37.5% from the field this year. She's made 16 three-pointers, and is a 68.5% free throw shooter. Mars averages 6.2 rebounds per game, and has 57 assists and 56 steals this season. Mars has scored in double-figures nine times this season, putting up her season-high 18 points in a win over Raritan Valley back in November, where she was 7-for-14 from the floor and had her season-high seven steals in the win. Mars set her season-high in rebounds twice this year, with eleven boards against both CC of Philadelphia and Brookdale CC in December. Against Brookdale, she also set her season-high with six assists. Mars had nine points, ten rebounds, four assists, and five steals in the win over Catonsville on Saturday. In two games against Lackawanna, she has eleven combined points, 15 rebounds, three assists, and three steals. She had eleven points and ten rebounds in the win over Lackawanna in January at home.
 
Kiara Huggins is averaging 6.6 points per game this year, shooting 43.3% from the field and just under 23% from downtown. Huggins averages around just under two assists per game, and averages three steals per contest this year, second on the team. Huggins also averages 2.4 rebounds per game this season. Eight 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 had ten points and two rebounds in the win over Catonsville this past weekend. In two games against Lackawanna this year, Huggins had a combined five points, seven rebounds, two assists, and six steals.  
 
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 139-37 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 Falcons and the Owls are set for their Region XIX Division II semi-final clash on Thursday, February 23^rd, at 6:00pm ET at Union County College in Cranford, NJ. It'll be the third time the two teams have met this season, with both teams winning by 20+ points on their respective home floors. The Owls have beaten the Falcons in the postseason five straight times in the last four years, including 2019 where Union beat Lackawanna three times in the playoffs, knocking off the Falcons in the region championship, the district playoffs, and the NJCAA DII national tournament, all in one year. The Falcons have also struggled at Union, last winning a game in Cranford back in 2019.
 
The game will have a video livestream available via the Union County College Athletics YouTube Channel, which can be accessed HERE.
 
The winner of this game will face the winner of the Harcum/Essex match-up on Saturday, February 25^th, at a time TBD at the highest remaining seed.