Loretto, PA – The Wagner women's basketball team concludes its two-game western Pennsylvania swing at Saint Francis U to meet a Red Flash team that is tied atop the Northeast Conference (NEC) standings with a 10-3 record on Monday night in a 7:00 p.m. tip at DeGol Arena.
All-Time Series
This is the 66th all-time meeting between the schools as SFU holds a 44-21 lead in the all-time series which includes a 67-46 victory at the Spiro Sports Center back on January 28.
Six-Time NEC Rookie of the Week Kerstie Phills Leads the Way
The Seahawks (3-21, 1-11 NEC), coming off a 74-41 loss at defending NEC champion Robert Morris on Saturday, are led by six-time NEC Rookie of the Week
Kerstie Phills (Charlotte, NC / Charlotte Christian), who leads Wagner and all NEC freshmen with a 15.9 ppg. scoring scoring mark and a 12.3 ppg. overall average. In recording her third double-double of the season at RMU last time out, the 5-9 Phills has now scored in double digits in 13 straight games, including all 12 NEC contests, and 15 of her last 16 overall.
Last Time OutSix-time Northeast Conference (NEC) Rookie of the Week
Kerstie Phills (Charlotte, NC / Charlotte Christian) recorded her third double-double of her young career with 13 points and 11 rebounds, but Robert Morris was able to use a big third quarter to pull away for a 74-41 victory this afternoon at the Sewall Center. With the win, the defending NEC champion Colonials, who entered the day tied for second place in the Northeast Conference (NEC) standings, won their seventh straight game in improving to 15-9 on the season and 10-3 in league play while the Seahawks fall to 3-21 overall, 2-11 in conference. Wagner trailed by just a 17-16 count midway through the second quarter following a pair of free throws from junior guard
Tanasia Russell (Vineland, NJ / Vineland) before RMU outscored the Seahawks 20-9 in building a 37-25 lead at the intermission. Robert Morris then opened the second half on a quick 9-2 run, capped by a three-point play from Megan Smith, to make it a 46-27 game on their way to outscoring the Seahawks 22-11 in the third quarter. The Colonials' big third quarter increased their lead to 59-34 entering the fourth and RMU never looked back. Deep-shooting freshman guard
Kellie Crouch (North Brunswick, NJ / St. John Vianney) finished with 11 points, reaching double figures for the fourth consecutive game and 11th time overall, while sophomore guard
Julia McClure (Secaucus, NJ / Secaucus) added eight for the visitors. Rebeca Navarro led three Colonials in double figures with 17 points while Anna Niki Stamolamprou and Smith added 16 and 12 points, respectively.
Last Time vs. SFU – Jan. 28, 2017: SFU 67, Wagner 46, Staten Island, NYFreshman forward
Kerstie Phills (Charlotte, NC / Charlotte Christian) scored 16 points and junior guard
Tanasia Russell (Vineland, NJ / Vineland) recorded her first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, but streaking Saint Francis U's fullcourt pressure defense forced 23 turnovers, as the Red Flash recorded a 67-46 win at the Spiro Sports Center. In front of a season-high 1,117 fans on hand for Alumni Day, along with a national audience watching on ESPN3, SFU won its seventh straight game to maintain a share of the Northeast Conference (NEC) lead at 8-1, while moving to 11-9 overall. With the loss, the Seahawks fall to 1-19 on the season, 0-9 in league play. Coming into the game as the NEC's top scoring unit at 79.2 points per game, Wagner was able to hold the Red Flash 12 points below that season average. SFU sophomore guard Jessica Kovatch, the league's top scorer at 22.4 ppg. entering the day, led the way with 16 points for the Red Flash, while Ace Harrison and Maya Wynn added 14 and 13 points, respectively. SFU held a slim 12-10 lead after one quarter before outscoring the Seahawks 25-12 in the second quarter en route to seizing a 37-22 halftime bulge. Wagner was within 15 points following a layup by freshman guard
Corinn Baggs (Staten Island, NY / Staten Island Academy), at 52-37 with 7:59 to play, before the Red Flash went on a 13-0 run to put the game away. In addition to notching her first career double-double, the slashing 5-9 Russell set a career high with those 10 rebounds, eclipsing her previous career best of nine. Baggs wound up with six points, while coming up with four steals and grabbing three rebounds. Helped by sophomore guard
Julia McClure's (Secaucus, NJ / Secaucus) nine rebounds, the Seahawks held a 38-32 advantage on the boards, while points in the paint were dead even at 22 apiece. SFU outshot Wagner, 45.1 percent to 34.0 percent and held a 26-11 edge in points off turnovers.
Youth MovementThe Seahawks have a trio of freshmen who have combined for 52 starts. In these 52 starts,
Kerstie Phills,
Kellie Crouch and
Corinn Baggs have combined for 655 points, 34 double-digit scoring games, 297 rebounds, 83 assists and 79 steals.
Freshman Kerstie Phills Overall/NEC Stats
|---TOTAL---| |---3-PTS---| |----REBOUNDS----|
## Player GP-GS Min--Avg FG-FGA Pct 3FG-FGA Pct FT-FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO A TO Blk Stl Pts Avg
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13 PHILLS, Kerstie.... 24-23 749 31.2 113-269 .420 6-27 .222 65-96 .677 48 97 145 6.0 82 4 23 68 8 32 297 12.4
Conference-Only.. 13-13 433 33.3 79-162 .488 2-6 .333 47-70 .671 24 68 92 7.1 46 2 17 41 7 16 207 15.9
Freshman Kellie Crouch Overall/NEC Stats
|---TOTAL---| |---3-PTS---| |----REBOUNDS----|
## Player GP-GS Min--Avg FG-FGA Pct 3FG-FGA Pct FT-FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO A TO Blk Stl Pts Avg
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
05 CROUCH, Kellie..... 24-12 684 28.5 68-183 .372 54-142 .380 18-20 .900 5 38 43 1.8 41 2 28 68 0 8 208 8.7
Conference-Only.. 13-5 377 29.0 40-100 .400 33-85 .388 12-14 .857 2 24 26 2.0 31 2 15 30 0 5 125 9.6
Freshman Corinn Baggs Overall/NEC Stats
|---TOTAL---| |---3-PTS---| |----REBOUNDS----|
## Player GP-GS Min--Avg FG-FGA Pct 3FG-FGA Pct FT-FTA Pct Off Def Tot Avg PF FO A TO Blk Stl Pts Avg
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 BAGGS, Corinn...... 24-17 753 31.4 59-165 .358 10-35 .286 22-47 .468 39 70 109 4.5 71 3 32 54 15 39 150 6.3
Conference-Only.. 13-12 418 32.2 46-97 .474 7-16 .438 13-27 .481 11 36 47 3.6 39 2 14 24 9 24 112 8.6
