Women's Basketball To Face Queens in ECC Quarterfinal at 6 p.m. Wednesday Evening
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (March 1, 2011) – The C.W. Post women's basketball team enters the post-season winning four of the last five games and holding home-court advantage in the ECC quarterfinal against Queens on Wednesday night. The Pioneers represent the fourth seed in the conference, with the Knights holding onto the fifth seed.
The Pioneers come in winning the four of the last five games of the season, including the last two against Queens and Bridgeport on home court. The Bridgeport win was the season-finale, as the Pioneers pulled out a 60-53 victory, ending the regular-season with a 14-12 overall mark and 12-9 in the conference.
Janea Aiken (St. Albans, N.Y.) led the way with 18 points to help secure the win, going along with three assists and three steals. The senior also went eight for ten from the charity stripe. The Pioneers as a team shot 81.3 percent from the line, compared to Bridgeport only converting 69.2 percent. Anthia Smith (Elmira, N.Y.) controlled the glass for the Pioneers with nine rebounds during the game.
C.W. Post grew its lead as large as 13 during the second half, however, the Purple Knights cut that lead down to two points with just under two minutes remaining. Aiken connected on three free throws down the stretch and the Pioneer defense forced four turnovers under two minutes to help pull out the win.
The Pioneer defense has been one of the top reasons for success this season. Coach Deirdre Moore has directed a defense that has only allowed opponents to shoot 28.6 percent from beyond the arc for the best mark in the conference. Coach Moore's team also ranks second in both scoring defense (59.7 points a game) and opponent field goal percentage (36.6 percent). The Pioneers have also controlled the glass all season against opponents, with an average rebounding margin of +3.4 to put them first in the conference in that category. Alyssa Lombardi (New Fairfield, Conn.) has been the main contributor to that statistic with 8.2 rebounds per game to rank her third in the conference.
Aiken has led the offense for the Pioneers with her fourth ranked 17.0 points per game. Felicia Joyner (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) is the only other Pioneer in double-figures with Aiken, joining her backcourt mate with an 11th ranked 11.6 points per game. Nicolette Marciniak (Brooklyn, N.Y.) has contributed a second ranked 46.0 field goal shooting percentage to give the team a low post scoring threat.
Queens enters the post-season on a down stride, losing six of the last eight games including the last four played. The Knights ended the season at 9-12 in the conference with a 10-18 overall record. The regular-season ended this past Saturday as well for the Knights, losing at conference leading St. Thomas Aquinas, 62-43.
Despite recent struggles, the Knights still were able to end the season atop some of the ECC team statistical categories. Queens has established a three-point shooting reputation with a conference leading 9.00 three-point attempts made per game, while also leading in three-point field goal percentage at 32.5 percent on the year. The squad has also taken advantage of opportunities from the free-throw line with a second best 70.7 percent made from the line. The Knights have struggled to outrebound opponents though, with a conference worst -11.3 average rebounding margin.
The Knights' struggles could be contributed to the loss of conference leading scorer, Amanda Bartlett. The red-shirt junior has missed the last four games, with the team missing her 20.1 point per game output. Bartlett also was aiding the free throw percentage for Queens with her own conference leading 85.1 percent from the line. She also was leading the conference in three-pointers made per game before her injury, averaging 2.80 made a game.
The scoring lead has now been taken by senior guard Christine Harnishfeger, who was second on the team behind Bartlett with a 10.5 point per game average. Harnishfeger is also leading the team in assists with 3.43 per game, while also leading the conference with a 1.66 assist-to-turnover ratio. Her 82.4 free throw percentage is also ranked only behind Bartlett for lead in the conference.
Sophomore Chloe Johnson also remains a threat beyond the arc for the Knights, as she ranks second in the conference with a 40.4 three-point field goal percentage.
The two squads have met three times already this season, with the most recent game coming last Wednesday, February 23. The game proved to be a crucial one for the Pioneers, as the team clinched the fourth seed in the conference with a 59-53 win over the Knights in the Pratt Recreation Center. Aiken scored 16 of her 24 points in the second half to help secure the win, while tallying four steals on the defensive end. Marciniak put together a double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds, helping to give the Pioneers a 44-35 rebounding edge. The Pioneers also used 14 fastbreak points to push the tempo, compared to zero for the Knights.
Johnson kept the Knights close throughout with 21 points and seven rebounds in the effort. Harnishfeger also contributed with a 13-16 night from the free throw line, concluding the game with 16 points.
The Pioneers also won the previous two match-ups this season, with an 82-46 win at home on January 8 and then going on the road on January 29 for a 76-67 victory. In the two victories, Joyner averaged 21 points a game, including a season-high 25 in the second game. Combined in the two games, the Pioneers have controlled the glass over the Knights with a 106-60 rebounding edge.
The game is set for 6 p.m. on Wednesday night in the Pratt Recreation Center, as the winner of the game will move onto the ECC semi-finals on Saturday. The Saturday game will put the winner of Wednesday night against number one seed St. Thomas Aquinas at 12 p.m. on the campus of Bridgeport.