CU Women's Basketball Preview - vs. Rensselaer/Union (1/16-17)

Sophomore Katelyn Curtis

Owners of the top offense in the Liberty League, the Clarkson University Women's Basketball team will face two stiff challenges this weekend when it faces two top defenses in Rensselaer and Union.

The Golden Knights enter the weekend at 9-3 overall and 2-1 in the Liberty League, having seen their seven-game winning streak halted by first-place Skidmore on Tuesday night. Rensselaer has also only suffered one loss in league play and the team is 8-6 overall and 4-1 in conference games, while Union is 8-4 overall with a 2-2 record in the Liberty League.

Clarkson's offense leads the Liberty League in scoring (74.2 ppg), field goal percentage (42.4%) and 3-point field goal percentage (35.4%) as well as assists per game (16.8 apg), but both the Engineers and Dutchwomen have varied ways of stopping teams with strong offenses. Rensselaer is allowing opponents to shoot just 23.4% from beyond the 3-point rac and also leads the conference in blocks (5.4 bpg) and steals (11.0 spg), while the Dutchwomen simply allow opponents to score just 53.4 points per game.

The Engineers are led by Ashley Clough and Amanda Lynch, with the duo combining to score half of Rensselaer's points. Clough ranks third in the league in scoring with 16.0 points per game and Lynch is sixth at 14.1 points per contest. Both average 8.4 rebounds per contest as well. Clough ranks sixth in the conference in field goal percentage (41.0%) while Lynch is shooting 80.8% from the free throw line. Defensively, Shaina Iton is blocking 3.1 shots per game and also chips in 7.4 rebounds per contest.

Union's offense is much more diverse than Rensselaer's as five players average eight points or more per game. Cailin Schmeer is the top scorer for the Dutchwomen at 12.4 points per game (13th in the Liberty League), and Jenni Barra is next at 11.7 ppg. Natalie Leone averages 8.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per contest and Amy FIsher scores 8.1 points per game in less than 20 minutes of action per contest. Kate Thompson produces all-around for the Dutchwomen with 8.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game.

Junior Ashley Loggins (Albany, NY) will very likely score her 1000th career point in just her 61st collegiate game on Friday night, as she is only five points shy of becoming the sixth member of the program's four-digit club. Loggins is averaging 18.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.3 steals per game at the midway points of the 2014-15 season. Senior Cara Manfredi (Glastonbury, CT) is fourth in the conference in scoring at 15.8 points per game and she leads the league in 3-pointers made with 36. Stephanie Grobe (White River Junction, VT) is second in the conference in field goal percentage (45.3%) and is averaging 11.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.

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Players Mentioned

#21 Stephanie Grobe: G; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#11 Ashley Loggins: F; 5' 10"; Junior

#13 Cara Manfredi: G; 5' 6"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#21 Stephanie Grobe
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: G

#11 Ashley Loggins
: 5' 10"; Junior
: F

#13 Cara Manfredi
: 5' 6"; Senior
: G

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

#21 Stephanie Grobe

#11 Ashley Loggins

#13 Cara Manfredi

Players Mentioned

#21 Stephanie Grobe

#11 Ashley Loggins

#13 Cara Manfredi