LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University women's basketball team will complete the back half of a season-long four-game Atlantic Sun Conference road swing when the Knights head to the Sunshine State for a 6:30 p.m. (ET) contest Thursday at FGCU and a 2 p.m. matchup Saturday at Stetson.
Reigning ASUN champion FGCU (15-3, 6-0 ASUN) and Stetson (9-9, 3-3) were the top two seeds in last year's ASUN Tournament. Bellarmine (12-7, 3-3) will be meeting both for the first of two times this season, as the Knights will host each in February.
ABOUT FGCU
Defending champion FGCU once again sits atop the ASUN standings at 6-0 and just completed a four-game road stretch where it won three of the games by 33 points or more and another by 22. While still a high-scoring team (71.6, fourth in ASUN), it's the Eagles' defensive prowess that has truly stood out this season. FGCU is allowing a mere 52.5 points per game, which is tied for fifth in the country and is roughly nine points less than the ASUN's second-stingiest defense. In addition to leading the conference, FGCU's 19.1 scoring margin is 28th in the nation and its 6.50 turnover margin is 24th. But FGCU remains balanced as the Eagles rank second in the ASUN in field-goal percentage (43.2) and third in total 3-pointers made (157). They're also third in rebounding margin (+4.7). Emani Jefferson leads the conference in FG percentage (60.7) while ranking fifth in scoring (14.0) and assists (3.8). Lauryn Taylor is the league's second-leading rebounder (8.4).
ABOUT STETSON
Stetson will host Eastern Kentucky on Thursday and is coming off four straight road games. The Hatters were swept 75-57 at North Alabama and 85-64 at Central Arkansas last week but did win three of their first four in conference play to sit at 3-3. Stetson's 3-point percentage defense (29.2) and its field-goal percentage defense (39.2) rank second and third, respectively, in the ASUN. Among players who have played in at least three-quarters of their team's games, guard Cameron Thomas tops the conference in scoring (16.6) and is fifth in 3-pointers made (40). Thomas registered 14 points or more in all but one ASUN game. Guard Mary McMillan ranks second in the league in assists (4.4).
LAST WEEK'S ACTION
Bellarmine split a pair of road games, rallying to defeat West Georgia 86-78 in overtime before falling 91-75 at Eastern Kentucky. In the former, the Knights made an eight-point deficit with two minutes left disappear to force OT, and they dominated 12-4 in the extra session. Senior guard
Hayley Harrison broke 30 points for the second time in ASUN play after posting 30 against the Wolves, and junior guard
Miyah Brown matched a career high with 21 points. In the EKU matchup, senior forward
Skylar Treadwell notched her fourth double-double of the season with a career-high 24 points and 15 rebounds while senior guard
Ashlee Harris' 17 points were one shy of tying a career best.
NATIONAL NUMBERS
As of Tuesday, senior guard
Hope Sivori remained on the national leaderboard in FT percentage (91.2, t-14th), total steals (44, t-49th) and total 3-pointers made (46, t-42nd) while topping the ASUN in each category.
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