LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis women's basketball team (11-5, 9-1 NEC) host Sacred Heart (7-5, 7-3 NEC) on Tuesday and Wednesday inside DeGol Arena. Tuesday's tip-off on senior night is scheduled for 6 p.m. while Wednesday's tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. Both games will be broadcast live on NEC Front Row.
 
The Matchup: Saint Francis (11-5, 9-1 NEC) vs. Sacred Heart (7-5, 7-3 NEC)
Location: DeGol Arena (Loretto, Pa.)
Date and Time: Tuesday at 6 p.m. and Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Watch: NEC Front Row (Game 1) (Game 2)
Live Stats: sfuathletics.com
Game Notes: Saint Francis
Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
 
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
Sacred Heart was selected to finish second in the Northeast Conference, according to the preseason coaches' poll. Since then, the Pioneers are 7-5 overall and 7-3 in NEC play.
 
Sacred Heart enters the series on a five-game win streak after sweeping Bryant on Feb. 13 and 14 in the Pioneers' most recent action. In the 58-44 win on Feb. 14, SHU had a trio of double-figure scorers led by senior Jayla Davis with 17 points. Sophomore Carly Stroemel posted a double-double with 12 points and a game-leading 11 rebounds.
 
Senior Adrianne Hagood leads the Sacred Heart offense as the only player averaging double figures with 12.4 points per game and has elevated her play to average 14.2 ppg against NEC opponents. Freshman Kelsey Wood leads the team in rebounding, averaging 7.5 rebounds per game off the bench.
 
SENIOR NIGHT
Prior to Tuesday's game, the Red Flash will honor its three seniors – Jenna Mastellone, Karson Swogger and Haley Thomas. The senior class began its journey by capturing an NEC Tournament Championship as freshmen in 2017-18 and have contributed to 62 total and 45 conference wins throughout the past four seasons. The trio has scored a combined 2,223 points throughout their time in a Red Flash uniform.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Sacred Heart leads 25-18 in the all-time series against Saint Francis, though the Red Flash hold the 12-9 advantage when playing in Loretto. Last season, SFU won both of the regular-season meetings between the two teams, earning the 60-58 victory on Jan. 18 at home and the 48-39 win on the road on Feb. 10. The two teams met in the first round of the NEC Tournament, where Sacred Heart won by a 73-70 margin. The Red Flash couldn't complete the comeback as the Pioneers had four players score in double figures. Lili Benzel led the SFU offense with 15 points, while Swogger had 14 and Mastellone 10. Thomas and Jada Dapaa each had eight rebounds to lead the game.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Red Flash saw its win streak come to a close on Sunday at St. Franis Brooklyn after winning its first nine NEC contests and 11 games in a row, earning a split in the series. SFU fell to SFBK by a 63-55 margin after winning 56-55 on Saturday.
 
On Saturday, Swogger and Sam Miller led the Saint Francis offense with 11 points apiece while Dapaa pulled down 11 rebounds.
 
On Sunday, Swogger led a trio of double-figure scorers with 16 points while Benzel and Dapaa also scored in double figures with 14 and 11 points, respectively. Dapaa added 11 rebounds to tally her third double-double of the season.
 
 
Follow Saint Francis Women's Basketball on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to get up-to-date information and a behind-the-scenes look at the Red Flash program.
 
To learn more about Saint Francis University, visit francis.edu.