With five games remaining in the 2012–2013 regular season, the Shippensburg University women’s basketball team will look to extend its longest winning streak of the year to eight games when the Bloomsburg University Huskies trot their way into Heiges Field House tomorrow night at 6 p.m.
More importantly, SU can inch its way closer to claiming sole possession of first place with a victory. If SU takes first in the PSAC East it will claim a position that has teetered between the Huskies and Millersville University perpetually throughout the year.
With the Raiders’ seven-game winning streak, SU has thrust itself into the top spot and will look to seize control of the standings behind solid backcourt play and freshman Stehpanie Knauer in the post.
Dana and Shawna Wert will look to lead the SU backcourt in this pivotal game. Dana Wert, recently named PSAC Eastern Division Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, has averaged 13 points per game and 4.5 assists per game in the last two contests against Mansfield University and Kutztown University. Shawna Wert posted similar numbers in SU’s last two victories, averaging nearly nine points a game and recording 3.5 assists per game.
Sarah Strybuc and Caitlyn Deeter will provide SU with the firepower from deep-range. Strybuc, averaged over 10 points in the last two victories and is now eighth in the PSAC in scoring, averaging 13.6 per game. Deeter has continued to impress coaches throughout her short time at SU. Look for the freshman to put up 10 or more points against the Huskies tomorrow night.
The Huskies can counter in a multitude of facets. Led by the second leading scorer in the PSAC Dana Wieller (15.2 ppg), the Huskies boast the No. 1 offense in the PSAC averaging 76.6 points per game. Wieller and forward Lauren Ellis captain a stout BU defense. Wieller’s 2.4 steals per game and Ellis’ 1.5 blocks per game are the main components behind the Huskies’ No. 3 PSAC ranking in total points allowed.
However, despite Wieller and Ellis, BU does not have the punch that is supplied by the Raiders. SU has four players in the Top 20 in points per game while Knauer’s nine rebounds per game put her behind only Hannah Heeter from Clarion University and Marrysa Moyer from Lock Haven University.
With a backcourt of the Wert twins, Strybuc and Deeter off the bench, look for the Raiders to stretch their win streak to eight games. Strybuc will lead the team with 17 points as SU takes the game, and first place with a 73–68 victory.
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