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LORETTO, Pa. – Saint Francis University women's basketball tips off its 2023-24 conference schedule on Saturday, Jan. 6 at home at 4 p.m.
 
Saint Francis Quick Hits
Heading into conference play, Kendall Carruthers ranks eighth overall in the Northeast Conference with 11 points per game and leads all freshmen. Yanessa Boyd is second among freshmen and 14th overall with 9.0 points per game, follow by Destini Ward 16th with 8.8. Julianna Gibson (4.9), Marina Artero (4.5) and Ward (4.4) are all top-15 in the NEC in rebounds per game. Kameryn Dorsey ranks 10th in the conference with 2.2 assists per game and Carruthers adds a 12th-best 2.1 per game. As a team, Saint Francis ranks second in the conference with a 26.5 three-point field goal percentage.
 
Last Time Out
Saint Francis ended the non-conference schedule with an 85-53 loss at UMBC. The Retrievers led the game 8-6 midway through the first quarter and opened a 17-11 lead at the end of the frame. UMBC led 23-16 in the second before a 20-0 run in the final 5:31 of the quarter opened a 43-16 lead at the half. UMBC increased its lead to 31 points, 66-35, at the end of the third behind a 23-19 advantage in the frame. After a one-point, 19-18, advantage in the fourth quarter, UMBC clinched its victory. Boyd set a career-high with 16 points, while Gibson had a career-high 14 in the game.
 
Scouting Wagner
The Seahawks went 3-9 overall and 2-9 against NCAA Division I programs in the non-conference schedule. Its victories came 69-67 over Navy and Saint Peter's in back-to-back games. Semie Brar leads Wagner with 12.0 points per game, which is sixth in the NEC. Kiera Edmonds is fifth in the conference with a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game, while Rakisha Ballinger (2.7), Paige Lyons (1.8) and Brar (1.7) are all top-eight in steals per game. Taleah Washington is second on the team with 8.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
 
All-Time vs. Wagner
Saint Francis holds a 49-28 all-time advantage over Wagner, which includes a 27-11 record at home. The Seahawks, however, are on a six-game winning streak dating back to the 2019-20 season. This season marks the third straight that Wagner and Saint Francis open conference play against each other, and the Seahawks earned a 65-56 victory in 2022 and a 76-25 victory in 2023.
 
Around the NEC
The 2023-24 conference schedule is set to open on Jan. 6 with Stonehill at LIU, Merrimack at Sacred Heart, FDU at Le Moyne and Wagner at Saint Francis. Central Connecticut will be the only NEC program not in action for the opening day. Heading into conference play, Sacred Heart leads the standings with six wins followed By Wagner and Merrimack with three each. Stonehill was the only program without a victory heading into conference play at 0-13.
 
Next
Saint Francis hosts reigning NEC Champion Sacred Heart on Monday, Jan. 8 for a 7 p.m. tip-off.