Nov. 19, 2007

THE MATCHUPS: Mercyhurst plays three games this week, including a home game Tuesday. The Lakers host No. 18 Northern Kentucky Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. Following that contest, Mercyhurst heads on the road to play at Tiffin Saturday and at Slippery Rock Monday.
LAST MEETINGS: Northern Kentucky rolled to a 76-50 win in the first ever meeting between the two schools a year ago in a game played in Lakeland, Fla. In that contest, Julie Anderson was the only Mercyhurst player to score in double-figures, finishing with 23 points and 11 rebounds. When the Lakers play Tiffin Saturday, it will be the first meeting between the two programs. Mercyhurst is 5-7 all-time against Slippery Rock and the Lakers were dominated in a 99-53 loss last year. Anderson had 17 points and Rachel Divosevic added 15 in the loss.
THE COACHES: Mercyhurst head coach Deanna Richard is in her first season at the helm. She has a career mark of 62-93, including a record of 61-92 in six seasons at Division III Olivet College. Northern Kentucky head coach Nancy Winstel has a career record of 560-217 in 28 seasons, including 521-176 in 25 years at NKU. She led Northern Kentucky to the Division II National Championship in 1999-00 and was named WBCA National Coach of the Year. Like Richard, Tiffin coach Pam Oswald is beginning her first year. She spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach at Wheeling Jesuit. Laurel Heilman is beginning her fourth season at Slippery Rock and has a career record of 151-135 in 12 years overall. She is 42-40 at Slippery Rock.
THE PRESEASON POLLS: Mercyhurst was picked to finish last in the six-team GLIAC South Division in 2007-08. Northern Kentucky was picked to finish second in the GLVC after graduating a pair of 1,000-point scorers from last year's 21-8 team. Tiffin is a Division II independent for this year before joining the GLIAC next year. Slippery Rock was picked to finish sixth out of seven teams in the PSAC West Division.
SCOUTING MERCYHURST: Mercyhurst has survived a rocky start in the turnover category by outshooting and outrebounding its opponents. The Lakers are averaging 26 turnovers per game in the first two contests but have shot 47 percent from the field, while holding opponents to only 38 percent. Mercyhurst also holds a 3.5 rebound advantage and has three players shooting at least 38 percent from behind the three-point arc.
SCOUTING NORTHERN KENTUCKY: Northern Kentucky lost five seniors from a year ago, including a pair of 1,000 point scorers, but the Norse still have plenty of firepower. In the team's 71-53 win over Brescia to start the season, Karen Brackman had 17 points, followed by Angela Healy with 16 and 13 rebounds. Northern Kentucky won the battle on the boards 46-39 and gave up just 12 turnovers, while holding Brescia to only 34 percent shooting.
SCOUTING TIFFIN: Although the Dragons have started the season 0-2, four different players are averaging at least 11 points per game, led by Alexis Karel at 13.5. Leanne Lucius is averaging 11.5 points and 9.5 rebounds and Kylene Spiegel is at 12.5 points and 6.0 assists. Each of Tiffin's first two opponents shot at least 52 percent from the field and the Dragons will need to improve on the defensive side of the ball.
SCOUTING SLIPPERY ROCK: In The Rock's 61-57 loss to Pitt-Johnstown, Amanda Nero had 20 points but Slippery Rock was outscored 8-4 over the final five minutes to come away with a loss. The team bounced back with a solid 63-53 win over Davis and Elkins behind a 43-33 rebounding advantage. KellyAnn Staudinger had 12 points and eight rebounds in the win.

QUICK HITS
• Mercyhurst is playing its final season as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (GLIAC) before moving to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) next year. Mercyhurst is already 1-0 against PSAC schools this year and will face another one this week in Slippery Rock.
• Freshman Amy Achesinski is the first Mercyhurst player to debut with a double-double in 16 years, finishing with 17 points and 16 rebounds. The last player to post a double-double in her first game at Mercyhurst was Karin Salem, who had 12 points and 12 rebounds Nov. 16, 1990.
• Stephanie Prischak's 87.9 career free-throw percentage would rank second in school history but she needs one more attempt to qualify.
• Prischak is averaging 20.5 points per game in the early going. No Mercyhurst player has finished a season with a scoring average that high since Teresa Szumigala averaged 21.6 points per game during the 1992-93 season.
• Mercyhurst is looking to improve to 2-1 for the first time since 2000-01.

Pregame Notes in PDF Format