LORETTO, Pa. – Saint Francis University women's basketball is set to finish its non-conference season with a trip to Jacksonville State on Tuesday for a 2 p.m. tip-off. The Red Flash seek their first non-conference win of the season after an 0-10 start, most recently off a loss to No. 17 Georgia.   
 
Saint Francis Quick Hits
» Jada Dapaa recorded her sixth double-digit rebound game with 10 against Georgia and she continues to pace the Northeast Conference with 9.2 rebounds per game.
» After she was 4-of-8 from the field, Kaitlyn Maxwell produced her sixth game of shooting at least 50 percent from the field.
» Jordan McLemore is off a 10-point game, her most with the Red Flash, as she continues to carve out a larger role in the rotation. She went 2-of-4 from three-point territory after she converted only three three-point shots through the first nine games.
 
Scouting Jacksonville State
The Gamecocks enter Tuesday's contest with a 7-3 record and are 4-0 at home. They have won five of their last six games, with their only loss at Houston. NeKiyah Thompson leads Jacksonville State with 11 points per game and 4.5 assists per game, tied-third in the ASUN Conference. Kennedy Gavin has a team-leading 7.3 rebounds per game, seventh in the ASUN. Kiana Johnson, who averages 9.2 points per game, has averaged 16.3 points over the team's last three games. Thompson, Gavin, Johnson, Imari Martin and Keiara Griffin have started all-10 games for the Gamecocks. Currently a member of the ASUN, Jacksonville State has accepted an invitation to join Conference USA, along with Liberty, New Mexico State and Sam Houston, starting in the 2023-24 academic year.
 
Last Time Out
The Red Flash fell to their second Associated Press ranked opponent of the season when they lost 82-45 at No. 17 Georgia. The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 17-6 lead before an 8-0 run by Saint Francis, led by two three-point shots from Jordan McLemore. After they trailed 22-16 at the end of the first quarter, the Red Flash could not keep pace with the Bulldogs, as Georgia was staked to a 47-30 lead at the half. In the third and fourth quarter, Georgia outscored Saint Francis 17-6 and 18-9, respectively, to secure its 82-45 victory. McLemore led the Red Flash scoring with 10 points, while Jada Dapaa grabbed 10 rebounds and fell two points short of her third double-double this season. Georgia's Jenna Staiti had a game-high 16 points. The Bulldogs narrowly led in rebounds, 33-32, and both teams shot 60 percent from the free-throw line.
 
All-Time vs. Jacksonville State
Tuesday's meeting between the Gamecocks and Red Flash will mark the first-ever game between the programs. Against current ASUN member schools, Saint Francis is 1-6 with its only win coming against Stetson in 2019.
 
Melendez Rounds Out the Red Flash Coaching Staff
Tayra Melendez was hired as an assistant coach to round out head coach Keila Whittington's coaching staff. Melendez is part of the Puerto Rican National Team since 2014 and was one of 12 players selected to represent Puerto Rico at the summer 2020 Olympics. She played professionally in the PR-Baloncesto Superior Nacional Femenino, where she was a two-time league champion, two-time Defensive Player of the League and one-time Finals MVP. Melendez joins the Red Flash after she spent two seasons with Bryant as the director of operations.
 
Dapaa Named a Northeast Conference Prime Performer
Jada Dapaa earned the first weekly honor for the Red Flash this season when she was selected as an NEC Prime Performer on Dec. 6. The senior grabbed 26 rebounds in two games against La Salle and Bucknell and recorded a double-double against La Salle. The selection was the second weekly honor of Dapaa's career, her first a Prime Performer selection on Feb. 8, 2021. 
 
The Red Flash Welcome Five Players in 2022 Signing Class
Saint Francis adds five players, guards Katie Ambrose, Semaya Turner and Destini Ward and forwards Jade Campbell and Julianna Gibson, in the 2022 signing class. Ambose accumulated 1,222 points, 665 assists, 428 rebounds and 363 steals in her first three seasons. In 64 career games, Turner amassed 584 points, 501 rebounds, 119 steals and 99 blocks. Ward is a two-time Baltimore County All-Division Team selection. Campbell has over 700 points in her career and has a single-game high of 33 points and 23 rebounds. Lastly, Gibson scored 79 points and grabbed 79 rebounds in 13 games during her junior season.
 
"We found five players who will fill in the gaps, along with the players we have returning next season," said head coach Keila Whittington. "Each player brings passion and a love for the game, athleticism, and a desire to join a program that works hard to fight for and win championships."
 
Red Flash Picked Third in NEC Preseason Poll
Saint Francis was picked to finish third in the 2021-22 NEC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll. The Red Flash trail Mount St. Mary's, unanimously selected to win the conference, and Wagner. Sacred Heart and Fairleigh Dickinson rounded out the top-five voting. Mount St. Mary's won the NEC in 2020-21 after defeating Wagner, 70-38.
 
Dapaa, McLemore Named Team Captains
Seniors Jada Dapaa and Jordan McLemore were named captains, selected by their teammates. Both will serve as captain for the first time, McLemore serving her captaincy in her first season with the Red Flash. "We opened up voting this year to our players," said head coach Keila Whittington. "She [McLemore] earned that respect from the work she put in during the summer."
 
2021-22 Non-Conference Schedule Highlighted by Two Power Five Opponents
The Red Flash non-conference schedule features marquee matchups against Georgia and West Virginia. Georgia finished the 2020-21 season ranked 10th, while West Virginia finished 17th in the Associated Press Poll. MAC opponents Toledo and Kent State and AAC opponent Temple join the group of notable non-conference opponents.
 
Taylor Returns to Saint Francis as Assistant Coach
Former Red Flash forward Brooklyn Taylor rejoined the program as an assistant coach in May 2021. She previously spent the past three seasons with Akron and two seasons at Mercer after her 2016 graduation from Saint Francis. As a player, Taylor appeared in 70 games across four seasons with the Red Flash.
 
Brown Named to Red Flash Coaching Staff
Assistant coach Erika Brown joined the Red Flash staff in May 2021 after previously coaching at Harcum College, Stony Brook and Florida International. During her time with Stony Brook in 2019-20, she assisted a team that went 28-3 and won the America East Championship. They were poised for a NCAA Tournament run before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a player at Delaware, Brown ranked 10th in program history with 1,402 career points.
 
The Red Flash Return Two Starters, Three Others with Saint Francis Starting Experience
Kaitlyn Maxwell and Lili Benzel return after starting 22 and 18 games, respectively. Jenna Mastellone (six), Jada Dapaa (three) and Sam Miller (one) also bring starting experience to the 2021-22 season. Benzel, Mastellone and Dapaa all averaged more than 22 minutes per game. Dapaa led the team with 8.6 rebounds-per-game, which ranked second in the NEC. Benzel had an NEC-leading 48 made three-point shots and team-leading 36.1 percent from three. She has a chance to reach the Saint Francis top-10 rankings in just three seasons with the team. Mastellone's 105-career appearances with Saint Francis is 47 more than second-most on the team (Dapaa, 58). Maxwell and Miller will fill larger roles with three key departures after averaging 18.6 and 15.8 minutes-per-game, respectively.
 
Five Newcomers Added
The Red Flash welcomed five new members, one transfer, Jordan McLemore, and four freshman, Layla Laws, Maria McConnell, Adison Novosel and Nyla Rozier. McLemore, a senior, comes from Hartford where she was fifth in the America East with 95 assists in 2019-20. The four freshman all stand 5-foot-11 or taller and have two forwards and two guards. McConnell grew up in Nanty Glo, Pa. and played basketball at Blacklick Valley, 20 minutes away from Saint Francis.
 
Next
Saint Francis' non-conference slate will conclude after Tuesday's game and conference play is set to begin on Wednesday, Dec. 29 for a 4 p.m. tip-off.