LIU Game Notes by Tim Lonas
| Saint Francis Probable Starters |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
FG% |
Note |
| G |
0 |
Yanessa Boyd |
5-9 |
So. |
7.7 |
3.4 |
34.5 |
Team is 5-2 when Boyd records 3 or more assists |
| G |
4 |
Marissa Shelton |
5-8 |
Jr. |
6.5 |
2.1 |
33.9 |
Has scored double-digit points in four straight games |
| G |
10 |
Ineivi Plata |
5-3 |
Fr. |
4.3 |
3.4 |
34.9 |
Recorded a career-high 13 points versus Wagner |
| F |
12 |
Julianna Gibson |
5-11 |
Jr. |
5.1 |
2.8 |
49.4 |
Has scored double-digit points in two of the last four games |
| F |
23 |
Marina Artero |
6-2 |
So. |
1.5 |
4.1 |
29.5 |
Notched 11 rebounds against Le Moyne |
| Top Players Off the Bench |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
FG% |
Note |
| G |
1 |
Kameryn Dorsey |
5-6 |
So. |
7.0 |
5.0 |
60.0 |
Out for season due to an injury |
| F |
3 |
Jade Campbell |
6-0 |
Jr. |
6.5 |
5.3 |
45.7 |
Has registered five or more rebounds in six games |
| G |
5 |
Natalie Johnson |
5-8 |
Jr. |
8.2 |
1.9 |
49.2 |
Averaged 16.5 ppg during the last road trip |
| G |
11 |
Harris Robinson |
5-8 |
Sr. |
3.5 |
2.5 |
36.8 |
Has tallied eight points in three different games |
| G |
20 |
Airah Lavy |
5-10 |
Fr. |
6.4 |
1.2 |
33.0 |
Two 10+ point games in Red Flash wins |
| F |
34 |
Alary Bell |
6-2 |
So. |
5.7 |
4.9 |
56.9 |
Tallied a career-high 13 rebounds versus Wagner |
| G |
21 |
Gemma Walker |
5-10 |
Fr. |
1.2 |
0.3 |
23.5 |
Played in 10 games this season |
| G |
24 |
Destini Ward |
5-8 |
Jr. |
--- |
--- |
--- |
Team captain in 2024-25 |
| F |
32 |
Fanta Daffe |
5-10 |
Sr. |
0.0 |
0.6 |
0.0 |
Playing her second season in Loretto |
| F |
33 |
Giselle Eke |
6-3 |
Fr. |
2.0 |
2.0 |
30.6 |
Tied for most blocks on the team |
SELECT GAME NOTES VS. LIU (FULL GAME NOTES PDF)
FRANKIE TIDBITS IN A FLASH
• Thursday's game between Saint Francis and LIU marks the 79th meeting in the all-time series dating back to the 1985-86 season. The Red Flash lead the series 56-22 and hold a 20-15 advantage at LIU. Saint Francis won the first matchup of the 2024-25 campaign at DeGol Area, 63-54, on Jan. 18.
• The Red Flash will be looking to sweep the season series for the third time in the last five years dating back to the 2020-21 season. It would mark the third straight victory against the Sharks and the eighth win in the last 10 matchups overall.
• Saint Francis improved to 4-2 in NEC play with their 51-47 win over Wagner on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 20). It is the best start of their conference slate since starting off 9-0 during the 2020-21 season. Their three-game winning streak is also the highest winning streak by a Red Flash team since the 2021-22 squad won five games in a row between January 8-23.
• The last three times that the Red Flash have started 4-2 in their NEC slate was during the 1998-99, 2009-10 and 2012-13 seasons. All three teams made it to the NEC Championship game. Out of the three, the 1998-99 and 2009-10 squads were able to win the NEC title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 64.
• Saint Francis is 1-1 on the road against the NEC, averaging 69 points per game and allowing 68 per game. The first win came in their conference opener on Jan. 2 when they defeated CCSU, 79-63. The Red Flash's 79 points, 58.6 field goal percentage, and 34 field goals made are all season bests for the team.
• With a win on Thursday, Saint Francis can move to 5-2 in the NEC. The team currently sits third in the NEC behind FDU (5-0) and Stonehill (4-1). With the Red Flash set to be on their bye week between Jan. 26-Feb. 1, two wins against LIU and Wagner could help the team move to second going into February if Stonehill loses to FDU (Jan. 23) and Chicago State (Jan. 25).
• The three straight road games at LIU, at Wagner on Jan. 25, and at Le Moyne on Feb. 6 will be the first of two three-game road trips the Red Flash will have to endure. The second will be between February 22-March 6 (Feb. 22: FDU, March 1: Chicago State, and March 6: Mercyhurst) to close out the regular season.
• After playing LIU, the Red Flash will travel to Staten Island to complete their season series with Wagner on Jan. 25.
AN SFU WIN WOULD
• Improve to 5-2 for the fourth time in team history
• Notch the team's fourth straight victory
• Claim the squad its second road win in NEC play
• Sweep the season series over LIU for the third time in the last five seasons
• Earn the Red Flash its eighth win in the last 10 meetings with the Sharks
ABOUT THE SHARKS
• LIU enters Thursday's game with a 4-15 overall record and a 1-5 record in NEC play.
• Since winning their conference opener on Jan. 2 against Le Moyne, 59-48, the Sharks are currently on a five-game losing streak dating back to Jan. 4. They were recently beaten by Mercyhurst on the 20th, 51-78.
• Janessa Williams
posted a near double double with 19 points and nine rebounds. Williams added three steals as well. Sirviva Legions
was second in scoring with 15 points.
•
Legions and Williams lead the way for LIU. Legions is the leader in points per game (13.6), assists (48), and steals (37). Williams is first in rebounding per game (7.2), three pointers made (39), and free throw percentage (72.2).
LAST TIME WE MET
• Saint Francis and LIU played their first game of the series at DeGol Arena on Jan. 18. The Red Flash came out victorious, 63-54, to give the team their seventh win in the last nine matchups against the Sharks.
•
Airah Lavy (14),
Marissa Shelton (13), and
Julianna Gibson (12) all scored in double figures. It marked the second time in three games that the Red Flash had three double-digit scorers. Shelton (15), Gibson (10), and junior
Jade Campbell (10) contributed 10 or more points versus FDU on Jan. 9.
• The Saint Francis defense held the Sharks' offense to a field goal percentage of 33.3. It was then the second-lowest margin of the season.
• The Red Flash won their second straight game of the series after winning the second matchup of the 2023-24 series, 61-54, at DeGol Arena on Feb. 3, 2024.
LAST TIME OUT
• Freshman
Ineivi Plata tallied an all-around statline featuring career-highs of 13 points, seven free throws made, three blocks, and added on five rebounds (four offensive) in the Red Flash's 51-47 win over Wagner on Jan. 20.
• Sophomore
Yanessa Boyd's steal and layup with 1:29 left gave Saint Francis a 49-47 lead, and proved to be the go-ahead bucket.
• Plata preserved the win with a steal with five seconds left and proceeding to knock down two free throws in the remaining moments.
• Junior
Marissa Shelton had her fourth-straight game in double-figures with 10 points. Shelton had five points in the final quarter, with all five coming with the Red Flash down 45-41 with 6:49 left. She hit a three at the 5:37 mark and hit two free throws with 1:42 left to even the score at 47.
• Sophomore
Alary Bell posted a career-high 13 rebounds. It was Bell's first career game with double-digit rebounds. Her 11 on the defensive glass is the most by a Red Flash player this season. She joins junior
Jade Campbell and sophomore
Marina Artero as the three Red Flash players to post 10 or more boards in a game this season.
• Saint Francis has won three NEC games for the first time since defeating LIU, Merrimack, and Bryant Jan. 8-17 of the 2021-22 campaign. It was a part of the team's five-game winning streak.
ON THE ROAD
• Saint Francis will be on the road for the next three games. They are currently hold 3-8 record in road game and 1-1 against the NEC this season.
• Their win in NEC play came in a 79-63 win at CCSU on Jan. 2 in the conference opener. The Red Flash dropped the following game to Stonehill, 59-73, on Jan. 4.
• The 79 points scored by Saint Francis U were the most netted by the Red Flash since an 82-72 win against St. Francis Brooklyn on Jan. 11, 2020. They were also the most scored on the road since an 83-72 win at Mount St. Mary's on Feb. 2, 2019.
• The 58.6 percent clip in the CCSU game marked an NEC-best field goal percentage this season, It was the best shooting performance by Saint Francis U since going 60.9 percent (39-of-64) in a win over Wagner on Jan. 28, 2019.
• Junior
Natalie Johnson averaged 16.5 points on a 60% clip in the two games. It included a 20-point performance against the Blue Devils, where Johnson went 8-for-9 from the field and 4-for-5 from the three point line. The second game against the Skyhawks saw the junior post 13 points and a career-high three steals.
• Junior
Jade Campbell notched her second double double of the season at CCSU when she put up a career-high 19 points (8-for-14 from the field) and 11 rebounds. Campbell added on a career-high two steals as well.
• In the Stonehill game, sophomore
Alary Bell registered her first career double-digit scoring game with 10 points. Bell made all five of her field goals and tagged along four rebounds.
