The Red Flash women’s basketball team will try to run their win streak to five games on Saturday when they travel to the defending NEC regular-season champion Central Connecticut State Blue Devils on Saturday.
Tip time is set for 1 p.m. from Detrick Gymnasium.
Saint Francis will try to win their fifth in a row for the first time since January-February 2014 when the Flash were winners of six straight. The Flash are coming off a pair of convincing home victories over Mount Saint Mary’s (87-57) and Fairleigh Dickinson (87-67) and at 5-1, sit in second-place in the Northeast Conference. The Flash’s offense has been rolling, leading the NEC with an average of 85 points per game in conference. Jess Kovatch continues to lead the scoring, averaging over 24 points per game in NEC play and 23 points per game overall. However, it has been the scoring balance that has helped lead the Flash, Katie Reese (Boonton Township, N.J./Mountain Lakes) is in the top-10 in NEC scoring at over 15 per game and Maya Wynn (Reisterstown, Md./McDonogh) gives the Flash three-players in double figures, averaging near 12 points per game in conference. Defensively, the Flash are allowing 72 points per game in conference but lead the NEC in three-point defense, allowing teams to shoot just 25 percent from beyond the arc. Central Connecticut shoots only 30 percent from deep on the season, so the Flash will have to try to stop their post game led by Tejahne Malone and slashing guard Camden Musgrave who each average over 10 points per game. Neither team has been strong on the glass, ranked ninth and tenth, repsectfully. Turnovers will play a big role on Saturday, CCSU has averaged just 14 turnovers per game in NEC play and sits third overall with a +3.3 turnover margin. The Flash have forced an average of 23 turnovers per game and lead the league at a +5 turnover margin.
The Blue Devils dropped a heartbreaker to Sacred Heart 61-57 in double overtime on Monday night. Prior to that setback, CCSU had won two straight, knocking off FDU and Wagner. The Blue Devils sit at 2-3 in the NEC and 5-12 overall. A disciplined team, as mentioned previously, CCSU surrenders only 14 turnovers a game while allowing just 62 points per NEC contest. Camden Musgrave leads the team at nearly 12 points per contest whille Tejahne Malone averages 10 points, seven rebounds and a pair of steals on the post. Malone and Emma Stroyan are also very efficient on the block, shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor this season. CCSU is 3-3 so far this season at home, while the Flash will look to win their third straight away from DeGol Arena.
The Flash own a 25-9 advantage all time in the series. The teams split last year with each holding serve on their home court. The Flash handed CCSU one of just four NEC losses with a 61-48 triumph at DeGol Arena. A week later, CCSU returned the favor with a 72-59 win in New Britain. Coach Joe Haigh is 4-2 all time against the Blue Devils while Beryl Piper is 5-12 versus the Red Flash.