LORETTO, Pa. – Saint Francis University women's basketball is set to face Merrimack on Saturday, Feb. 11 for a 3 p.m. tip-off on ESPN3. This marks the second meeting between the programs in the past three games after Merrimack defeated Saint Francis 67-65 on Feb. 4.
 
Saint Francis Quick Hits
Aaliyah Moore recorded 14 rebounds against Sacred Heart and has nine double-digit rebounding games this season. She ranked 40th in the NCAA Division I with an NEC-high 9.3 rebounds per game and leads Saint Francis with 9.3 points per game. Filippa Goula is second on the team with 7.3 points per game and is seventh in the conference with 2.7 assists per game. Jade Campbell has recorded back-to-back double-digit rebounding games and is third on the team with 4.4 rebounds in just 13.4 minutes per game. Saint Francis is second in the NEC with a 2.4 rebounding margin and has outrebounded its opponent in 13 of 23 games this season.
 
Last Time Out
Saint Francis dropped its second game in a row with a 68-34 loss to Sacred Heart. The Pioneers started the game with an 11-2 run in the first three and a half minutes and ended the first quarter with a 23-10 lead. The Pioneers produced a 17-4 run in the second quarter until Adison Novosel hit a buzzer-beater three to end the half down 40-17. In the third quarter, Sacred Heart built up to a 30-point, 51-21, least with six minutes remaining before Saint Francis produced five straight points. After a 6-1 run to end the third frame, the Pioneers led 57-27 after three quarters. In the fourth, Sacred Heart outscored Saint Francis 11-7 to clinch its victory.
 
Scouting Merrimack
Merrimack holds a 6-5 conference and 8-14 record in the NEC and current sits in fifth place in the standings. The Warriors are on a three-game winning streak and have won six of their last seven games. Marissa Hamilton ranks second in the NEC with 15.2 points per game and fifth amongst qualified players with a 39.1 field goal percentage. Both Hamilton and DeCesare rank top 10 in the conference in three-point field goals per game with 1.4 and 1.7, respectively, and DeCesare is fourth in the conference with 3.0 assists per game. Amaya Staton is fourth in the conference with 1.0 blocks per game and eighth with 5.4rebounds per game.  
 
All-Time vs. Merrimack
Saint Francis and Merrimack own an even 3-3 split of the all-time series, but Merrimack has won the last two meetings. On Feb. 4, Merrimack defeated Saint Francis 67-65 behind 22 points from Thomas. In the game, both Goula and Destini Ward scored a career-high 15 points and Ward recorded her first double-double with 12 rebounds. Merrimack has won the only meeting at their home gym 69-64 last season.
 
Around the NEC
Fairleigh Dickinson defeated LIU 69-53 to remain in first place with a 9-1 record and dropped the Sharks to 1-10. Sacred Heart kept pace near the top of the standings with a 68-34 win over Saint Francis that moved the Pioneers to 9-2 and dropped the Red Flash to 4-7. St. Francis Brooklyn handed Wagner its fourth loss in a row, 82-74, and improved to 8-3 while the Seahawks fell to 6-4. Merrimack improved to 6-5 in conference play with a 78-71 win over Stonehill that dropped the Skyhawks to 2-9. The weekend of NEC action concludes with Fairleigh Dickinson at Central Connecticut, Stonehill at St. Francis Brooklyn, Wagner at LIU and Saint Francis at Merrimack.
 
Next
Saint Francis returns home for its final two games of the season at DeGol Arena starting Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. against St. Francis Brooklyn.