Women's Basketball Opens 2016 With Non-Conference Home Tilt vs. NJCU

The Bear Facts

• The Lady Bears come off a nearly three-week layoff and look to start the new year with a win to build their first streak of the season.
• SJC and NJCU meet for the ninth time since 2004, with the Gothic Knights holding a 5-3 edge, but both squads trading wins and losses in the last five encounters.

Last Time out vs. Yeshiva

• In their last time out vs. Yeshiva, the Lady Bears averted their first loss to the Maccabees since 2001 falling behind by as many as 12 before rallying in the second half for a 76-61 victory in their first Skyline meeting against their long-time HVIAC foes.
• In the victory, Destiny Marino led all scorers with 22 points, shooting 10-for-12 from the free throw line and stuffing the stat sheet with seven boards and five steals. The junior is ranked second in the nation in FT made (63) and third in FT attempted (89)
• Victoria Porcasi comes off a 17-point effort with six rebounds. Draining 4-of-6 from three-point land, the freshman, who earned Rookie of the Week honors on 12/14, leads the Skyline in three pointers made (25)and three-point FG (.391) and free-throw percentage (.860).
• Junior Samantha Simon also enters off a season-high 14 points vs. Yeshiva, knocking down three triples and sinking 5-of-6 from the stripe.
• Junior Kristen Candelaria swiped a career-high seven steals as the Lady Bears had 18 thefts and forced 33 Yeshiva turnovers in the win.

Lady Bears Among the NCAA Leaders

• As a team, the Lady Bears rank second in Division III in three-point FG attempted (329), free throw attempts (269) and free throws made (184). SJC is sixth in three-point FG made (86). 

The Knightly News

• The Gothic Knights play their final non-conference game of the season looking to snap a seven-game skid before returning to the gauntlet of NJAC play.
• With the exception of a 14-point win over Cairn for their lone win of the season, NJCU has suffered all nine losses by 16 points or more and tries to rebound from a 31-point loss at home to Bryn Athyn after trailing by just seven at half.
• In the outing against the Lions, Christine Bizub matched her season high netting a team-leading 11 points and Deseree Johnson had a near double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds.
• Johnson, a 5-foot-10 senior guard/forward, leads the team in scoring and rebounding with 12.1 points and 8.0 boards an outing. She is also the leading deep threat shooting 18-of-58 (.310) from behind-the-arc.
• Jazz Randall adds 8.2 points a game and directs the offense with a team-best 22 assists.