Women's Basketball Hosts Wagner, 7 PM
The Central Connecticut women's basketball team must win to remain in the hunt for a playoff spot.
The Central Connecticut women's basketball team will host Wagner College on Monday night at Detrick Gymnasium. The Blue Devils (10-15, 4-11 NEC) must defeat the Seahawks (8-17, 7-8 NEC) to remain in the hunt for a Northeast Conference Tournament berth.
Blue Devil Notes...
Tonight • The Blue Devils (10-15, 4-11 NEC) face the Seahawks of Wagner (8-17, 7-8 NEC) at Detrick Gymnasium in a game CCSU must win to remain in the hunt for a playoff spot. The Blue Devils and Seahawks met on Staten Island earlier this season with CCSU earning an 80-71 victory.
NEC Tournament on the Line • The Blue Devils are currently ninth in the NEC standings behind seventh place Wagner and eighth place LIU Brooklyn. Six of the eight NEC Tournament spots have already been clinched with the Seahawks, Blackbirds and Blue Devils all fighting for the final two berths. CCSU is currently three games behind Wagner in the standings and two behind LIU Brooklyn. Due to the tiebreaker procedures, to make the NEC Tournament the Blue Devils must win their remaining three games and hope that Wagner or LIU lose their final three contests.
Series History • The Blue Devils hold a 21-13 advantage in the all-time Division I series with the Seahawks. CCSU has been even better in the seven seasons under head coach Beryl Piper with a 10-1 record over that span, including a 4-1 mark at Detrick Gym.
Rebounds vs. Wagner • In the last three meetings between these programs the Blue Devils have outrebounded the Seahawks 180-88, which works out to a 60-29 advantage on the glass per contest. CCSU grabbed 58 rebounds in the meeting earlier this season and secured 61 boards in both games last season.
Victory on Senior Day • The Blue Devils earned a 63-53 victory over Sacred Heart in Saturday's senior day game. The Blue Devils were led by 20 points, nine rebounds and six assists from senior Jessica Babe and 15 points and 13 rebounds from senior Jaleen Thomas. The 15 points by Thomas matched her career-high as she posted her first double-double of the season. It was also the second straight home victory over Sacred Heart for the Blue Devils, prior to last seasons win over SHU at Detrick CCSU had not won at home vs. the Pioneers since Feb. 3, 2001.
Double-Digit Victories • Saturday's win gave the Blue Devils 10 victories on the season. CCSU has now posted double-digit wins in six straight seasons for the first time in program history. Last year's 16 wins gave the Blue Devils five straight double-digit win seasons for the first time in the Division I era. The program also had a five-year run at the Division II level between 1975 and 1980.
Closing in on 1,000 • Senior Jessica Babe has been known for her passing and rebounding more than her scoring in her career, but Babe's 323 points this season have her at 945 for her career with three regular season games remaining. A strong performance by Babe over the final three games, and possibly playoffs, would get her over 1,000 for her career.
*Climbing the Career List • Senior Jessica Babe - already third on the CCSU career steals list at 229 - passed Sethe Thompson (343) for fourth on the career assist list on Monday (1/27). With 363 career assists, Babe is 30 shy of the all-time CCSU record of 393 by Nikki Flocco and two behind Kerrianne Dugan's 365 for third place.
*This release originally listed Kerrianne Dugan as being second on CCSU's career assists list, which was incorrect.