CU Women's Basketball Preview - at Vassar/Bard (1/29-30)

Women's Basketball 1/27/2016 1:59:00 PM January 27, 2016

CU Women's Basketball Preview - at Vassar/Bard (1/29-30)

With two wins at Alumni Gymnasium back in early January the Clarkson University Women's Basketball team began its current eight-game winning streak and the Golden Knights look to close out the month with two more wins against whom the streak started, Vassar College and Bard College.

The Golden Knights, 13-4 overall and 6-2 in the Liberty League, have won six straight conference games and eight overall, the team's longest such streak in 25 years. The first time around, the Knights defeated Bard handily, 73-46, but barely escaped with a six-point win, 67-61, over Vassar.

The Golden Knights' full-court pressure has caused fits for several teams this year and Clarkson leads the Liberty League in turnover margin (+6.00), turnovers caused (23.4 tpg) and steals per game (13.76) by significant amounts in each category. Clarkson's defense is also allowing just 57.8 points per game while the team is scoring 66.9 per contest. Senior Ashley Loggins had one of the best games of her career on Tuesday, producing a career-high 35 points to go along with 12 boards and eight steals, pushing her season averages to 17.2 ppg, 10.2 rpg, and 4.3 spg. More impressively, Loggins is averaging 18.9 ppg in conference games with five double-doubles. Sophomore Devin Sorell is also averagign 15.9 ppg and has made 49 3-pointers, and with one more long distance shot she will become only the sixth player in program history to make 50 3-pointers in a season.

Clarkson will face the Brewers on Friday night, and Vassar has surprisingly struggled in 2015-16. The Brewers are just 4-12 overall and 2-6 in the Liberty League despite a solid stable of talent. Vassar's six conference losses have come by a combined 26 points (4.33 ppg), matching its margin of victory in its two wins (26 points). Ariella Rosenthal had a great game against the Knights the first time around with 24 points, and she is averaging 14.7 ppg, good enough for eighth in the conference. Conversely, Caitlin Drakeley, who is averaging 12.4 points per contest, struggled mightily in the first meeting between the Brewers and Knights, going just 1-for-9 from the field.

The Knights had little trouble with Bard the first time around, forcing the Raptors to committ 30 turnovers. Devin Sorell buried five 3-pointers and had five steals in the first meeting for Clarkson as the Knights had 21 steals in the game. Bianka Bell and Tytravia Riley combined for 31 points and 21 rebounds in the game for Bard, but the duo also collectively had 17 turnovers. Bell is leading the conference in scoring at 17.4 points per game, but that largely comes from her volume of shots. She is shooting only 29.2% from the field and has taken 315 shots overall, including 100 of Bard's 155 3-point attempts. Riley continues to dominate on the glass, averaging 15.7 boards per game. Bell and Riley have combined to score 65.7% of the Raptors' points this season.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

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

#24 Devin Sorell: G; 5' 3"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

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

#24 Devin Sorell
: 5' 3"; Sophomore
: G

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

#11 Ashley Loggins

#24 Devin Sorell

Players Mentioned

#11 Ashley Loggins

#24 Devin Sorell