Emmitsburg, MD - The Wagner women's basketball travels to Mount St. Mary's on Saturday for a Noon Northeast Conference (NEC) matchup vs. the Mountaineers at Knott Arena.
 
About the Seahawks
Wagner (1-11) is under the direction of first-year head coach Heather Jacobs, who arrived on Grymes Hill in April after building championship programs at Division III Daniel Webster College, and most recently, Division II Adelphi College. The Seahawks are led in scoring by 5-8 junior guard Tanasia Russell (Vineland, NJ / Vineland) who averages 12.5 points per game in rebounding by 5-8 sophomore guard Julia McClure (Secaucus, NJ / Secaucus), who averages 5.6 caroms per game. Freshman Kerstie Phills (Charlotte, NC / Charlotte Christian), the reigning NEC Rookie of the Week following a career-high 16-point outing at Princeton (12/21), which she topped with a 20-point effort last time out vs. Central Connecticut (12/29), and averages 9.2 points per game while freshman Kellie Crouch (North Brunswick, NJ / St. John Vianney) and McClure check in at 7.5 and 7.3 ppg., respectively.

Russell Last Two Games
In the last two games, at Princeton and at Central Connecticut, junior Tanasia Russell is averaging 17.5 points on 15-of-31 (48.4%) shooting and 3.0 rebounds per game.
                              TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
                       FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP    A BLK S MIN
at Princeton (12/21)....7-16   0-0    3-6    0  1  1   2  17    2  0  0  40
at Central Ct(12/29)....8-15   0-0    2-2    1  4  5   2  18    0  1  1  39
                        15-31  0-0    5-7    1  5  3.0 4  17.5  2  1  1  39.5

Phills Last Two Games
In the last two games, at Princeton and at Central Connecticut, freshman Kerstie Phillsis averaging 18.0 points on 14-of-28 (50.0%) shooting and 9.5 rebounds per game.
                                        TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
                       FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP    A BLK S MIN
at Princeton (12/21)....8-14   0-1    4-5    5  7 12   4  20    0  1  2  40
at Central Ct(12/29)....6-14   1-3    3-4    1  6  7   3  16    1  0  0  40
                        14-28  1-4    7-9    6  13 9.5 7  18.0  1  1  2  40.0

About the Mountaineers
Senior Alexis Carter posted a career day in the NEC opener on Thursday at LIU Brooklyn, tying her career highs in both points (23) and rebounds (15), but it wasn't enough as the Mount (2-10) was edged by the Blackbirds, 63-60. Trailing by nine with just over three and a half minutes remaining, the Mount went on a 10-2 run to cut the deficit to one with 1:43 left. LIU scored the next five points before Carter's third three-pointer of the game pulled the Mont within three, 63-60. Mikal Johnson had a chance to tie it on the Mount's next possession, but her three-pointer came up just short as LIU escaped with the victory. The double-double for Carter was the sixth of her career and first of the 2016-17 campaign. Last season, the Mount posted a 3-2 record in games that Carter recorded a double-double, and eight of the team's nine wins came when she scored in double figures. Caroline Hummell dropped 13 points and recorded seven rebounds on Thursday as the junior registered her eighth double-digit scoring performance of the season. Hummell continues to lead the squad in scoring (12.0 ppg), while Carter took over the team-lead in rebounding (6.4 rpg) following the 15-rebound performance.
 
Wagner Last Time Out
Despite a career night by freshman Kerstie Phills (Charlotte, NC / Charlotte Christian), who scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, the Wagner women's basketball team dropped a 66-53 decision at Central Connecticut State in the Northeast Conference (NEC) opener at Detrick Gym on Thursday. This marked the second straight game that Phills, who is the reigning NEC Rookie of the Week, has had a career-high scoring night as she was coming off of a 16-point outing at Ivy League power Princeton last time out on December 21. In addition to posting career bests in both points and rebounds tonight, the 5-9 Phills also recorded her second career double-double as she totaled 10 points and 11 rebounds vs. Towson back on November 17. Junior guard Tanasia Russell (Vineland, NJ / Vineland) had the range for the second consecutive game as the 5-8 guard followed a 17-point effort vs. Princeton with a season-high 18-point outing. For the game, Phills and Russell combined to shoot 16-of-29, with Phills going 8-of-14 from the field and Russell converting 8-of-15 attempts. Sophomore guard Julia McClure (Secaucus, NJ / Secaucus) played a solid all-around floor game with eight points, to go with a career-high 12 rebounds and a career-tying four assists.For Central Connecticut, the Blue Devils placed three players in double figures with Cebria Outlow's 18-point, 17-rebound affair leading the way while Kiana Patterson and Aleah Epps added 14 and 10 points, respectively. The Seahawks made Outlow work hard for her points as the 5-9 freshman forward was just 6-of-20 from the floor.
 
Wagner vs. The Mount
Wagner and Mount St. Mary's meet for the 57^th all-time meeting on Saturday with the Mount holding a 41-15 advantage. The Mountaineers have won 12 straight over the Seahawks, including a 64-55 win in Emmitsburg and a 59-50 victory in Staten Island last season.