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Staten Island. NY - The Wagner College women's basketball team will welcome Merrimack on Friday afternoon, tip-off is scheduled for 12:00 pm.

Last Time Out
Wagner dropped a conference contest at Stonehill, 67-44 on Monday, January 15.

Junior Semie Brar led the way offensively with 14 points on 4-7 shooting from the field and 2-4 shooting from three-point range. Brar also went 4-4 from the free-throw line while tallying a team-high three steals.

Freshman Kiera Edmonds tallied a career-high 12 points against Stonehill on a career-high five made field goals. Edmonds shot 5-7 from the floor while bringing in seven rebounds.

Taleah Washington Continues To Impress
Washington's 29 points in Wagner's lone Northeast Conference (NEC) win against LIU was the most for Wagner since former Seahawk Emilija Krista Grava scored 32 points on March 5, 2021.

The District Heights, MD native connected on five three-pointers for the second time this season. It was the second time Washington scored over 20 points in a game this season.

Washington tallied 23 points and the game-winning shot with two seconds remaining at Saint Peter's on December 6. Washington shot 5-10 from distance in Wagner's second victory of the season.

Washington has shot 8-13 from three-point range through NEC play and is averaging 14.7 points per game through conference play, good for fifth in the circuit. Washington ranks fourth in the NEC with 3.3 assists per game.

Home Sweet Home
Wagner will look to win its third consecutive game at home and its third in the last four tries. The Seahawks are 3-2 this season at the Spiro Sports Center.

Stealing History
Wagner tallied a program-best 30 steals in its final non-conference against Saint Elizabeth on December 30, a record that stood since Wagner tallied 2w against Mount St. Mary's on February 9, 1883.

Along with 30 steals as a team, junior Rakisha Ballinger tallied 12 steals, a single game program record. Ballinger's 12 steals is the highest steal total in a game this season across the country. Wagner's 30 steals as a team is tied for the fifth-most in a game this season.

Ballinger broke a record that stood since former Seahawk Shawn Martin tallied 11 steals against Hartford on December 28, 1987.

Defensive DNA
Wagner ranks 45th in the nation with 19.64 turnovers forced per game and 66th in the nation with 9.86 steals per contest.

The Seahawks rank first in the NEC in steals and turnovers forced per game. Wagner has recorded double-digit steals in five games this season.

Wagner has also forced double-digit turnovers in every game this season and has forced 20 turnovers in five games this season.

The Arrival Of Semie Brar
Semie Brar had her first double-digit scoring effort of conference play with 14 points at Stonehill. Brar's team-high 14 points at Stonehill was the sixth time this season the Fresno, CA native has led the Seahawks in scoring in a contest.

Brar has eclipsed 20 points on three separate occasions this season, including her 26 point effort against Iona on November 27. Brar has scored in double figures six times this season and ranks eighth in the NEC with 11.1 points per game.

The Emergence of Kiera Edmonds
Kiera Edmonds recorded a career-best effort at Stonehill with 12 points and seven rebounds. Edmonds' 12 points while her five made field goals was also a career-best effort.

Edmonds also recorded seven rebounds at Stonehill, four of which were offensive boards. Over the last two games, Edmonds is averaging 10 points and six rebounds.

Scouting Merrimack
Merrimack enters the Spiro Sports Center with a 4-13 overall record and a 1-3 mark in NEC play. Merrimack picked up its first conference win of the season on Monday, January 15 with a 71-57 win over CCSU.

The win over CCSU snapped a seven-game losing streak for Merrimack. Along with the Seahawks, the Warriors also fell to NJIT and Northeastern in non-conference play.

Amaya Staton leads Merrimack with 11.2 points per game and 7.1 rebounds per game.

The Series
Wagner is 5-2 all-time against Merrimack and 1-1 at the Spiro Sports Center.

The Seahawks are currently riding a three-game winning streak against the Warriors. Wagner has also won five out of the last six games against Merrimack.

Last Season Against Merrimack
Wagner enjoyed a 2-0 record against Merrimack last season.

At home, Wagner earned a 63-61 victory before earning a 69-63 win on the road in the second match up of the season.

What's Next
Wagner will continue its three-game home stand when they welcome Sacred Heart to the Spiro Sports Center on Sunday, January 21. Tip-off is scheduled is scheduled for 4:00 pm.