Game #28 vs. Wagner (NEC)
Info: Thursday, February 29 | Staten Island, N.Y. | 7 p.m. | Spiro Sports Center
Watch: ESPN+ .... Live Stats: wagnerathletics.com
Listen: wvoaradio.com
Le Moyne WBB Social Media: Twitter | Instagram | Youtube
Wagner Links: Schedule | Roster | News | Stats

Staten Island, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College women's basketball team will play its final road game of the 2023-24 regular season on Thursday evening at Wagner College.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN+ with Craig D'Amico and Pam Roecker on the call. Le Moyne radio play-by-play commentator Tim McCaffrey will also be on site calling the game on 106.3FM/1540 AM The Voice (wvoaradio.com).

With a 70-60 win at previously-third-place FDU on Saturday, the Dolphins guaranteed themselves at least a second-place finish in the NEC Standings. Le Moyne will host a quarterfinal game in the NEC Tournament on March 11, and with a win in the opening round they would also host a semifinal contest at Ted Grant Court on the 14^th.

Sacred Heart (18-9, 12-1 NEC) is currently in first place in the standings with three games remaining on its regular season schedule. Sacred Heart's only loss in NEC play this season came against Le Moyne on January 15 by a score of 60-56 in Fairfield, but the Pioneers have since won nine games in a row, including a 73-55 win over the Dolphins in Syracuse on February 3.

Since that loss to Sacred Heart, the Dolphins have won five consecutive games, which is their longest win streak of the season. Le Moyne has won each of those contests by double-digits, and 10 of the Dolphins' 12 total conference wins this season have been by double-digits.

During their five-game winning streak, the Dolphins are holding their opponents to just 50.8 points per game, and are turning the ball over less than 10 times per game. Through 14 NEC games this season, Le Moyne is allowing just 54.1 points per game, which is the best mark in the conference, and they are averaging a league-low 12.1 turnovers per game.

Le Moyne has the second-best scoring margin (+9.3) during conference play, behind only Sacred Heart (+16.6). Le Moyne is also first in the league in blocked shots (3.86), assists (13.71 per game) and assist to turnover ratio (1.14) during NEC play.

With its win at FDU on Saturday, Le Moyne completed its fifth NEC regular season sweep. Le Moyne has beaten FDU, LIU, Stonehill, CCSU and Merrimack twice each this season. The only NEC side that Le Moyne has not beaten yet this season is Saint Francis, who the Dolphins will play in their regular season finale on March 2 at Ted Grant Court.

During the win over FDU, Le Moyne worked its way back from a 14-point first half deficit and tied the score at 44-44 at the end of the third quarter before outscoring the Knights by a tally of 26-16 in the final 10 minutes, including a 15-0 run between the 4:57 and 0:54 marks of the period.

Le Moyne committed a season-low six turnovers during the road win and scored a season-best 42 points in the paint.

Three Dolphins scored in double figures led by fifth-year senior guard Lytoya Baker (Rochester, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) who tallied her NEC-leading 11^th double-double with a game-high 20 points on 9-15 from the field and a game-high 10 rebounds.

Junior guard Emily Florvil (Brooklyn, N.Y./Nazareth) scored seven of the final 11 total points of the second quarter to help the Dolphins cut their deficit to single digits at halftime, then she finished the game with a career-high 13 points on 5-6 from the field and 3-3 from the line in addition to seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block with zero turnovers in 28 minutes off the bench.

Graduate guard Sydney Lusher (Oneida, N.Y./Oneida) also scored in double figures with 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, one block and zero turnovers in 39 minutes played. Graduate guard Haedyn Roberts (Holland Patent, N.Y./Holland Patent) added eight points and seven rebounds in 27 minutes played off the bench.

Baker, who surpassed 1,000 career points as a Dolphin with 22 points against LIU on February 22, has scored at least 20 points in consecutive games for the first time this season. Baker has scored in double figures in 13 of Le Moyne's 14 conference games this season, and she leads the league in rebounding with 9.1 per conference contest.

During Le Moyne's five-game win streak, Roberts is averaging 10.6 points on 18-31 (58%) from the field, and 13-14 (93%) from the free-throw line. Roberts, a career 84% shooter from the free-throw line, which is the third-best percentage in program history, is currently second among NEC players in free-throw percentage during conference play at 87.9%.

Just like Roberts, Lusher has scored in double figures in four of Le Moyne last five games, and on the season she is second on the team in scoring during conference play at 9.8.

Le Moyne is also averaging over 9.0 points during conference play for the 'Phins. She is fifth in the NEC in made threes per conference game (2.14) and fifth in percentage from beyond the arc (.337).

Florvil (1.5), Lusher (1.5), Kaia Goode (1.4) and Baker (1.4) are each in the top 13 in steals during NEC play. Goode is also sixth in assists with 3.3 per conference game.

The Wagner Seahawks (6-19, 3-10 NEC) are currently on a five-game skid, with their most recent victory coming at home against Stonehill on February 3. Wagner is 5-5 at home this season and 1-12 on the road.

In their most recent outing they suffered a 70-65 overtime loss at LIU. Freshman guard Drew Jordon recorded a team-high 17 points on 7-9 shooting from the field with three steals, but LIU's Mariah Elohim and Ashley Austin combined for 49 points and nine made threes.

Fellow freshman Kiera Edmonds recorded double-doubles in both of Wagner's games last week, which led to her being named NEC Co-Rookie of the Week.

Edmonds tallied a season-best 22 points on 9-12 from the field and 4-5 from the line with 11 rebounds against CCSU, then she contributed 11 points and 12 rebounds against LIU.

During the first-ever meeting between Le Moyne and Wagner on February 1 in Syracuse, the Dolphins came away with a 56-45 win. Le Moyne established a 38-15 lead at halftime, then Wagner outscored the Dolphins by a tally of 30-18 in the final 20 minutes and briefly trimmed their deficit to single digits in the final minute of the game.

Lusher scored a team-high 13 points with five rebounds and two assists during the win, while Linnin also scored in double figures with 10 points. Roberts provided nine points and five rebounds, while Baker narrowly missed out on a double-double with eight points and 12 rebounds, marking the only NEC game this season that Baker has not scored in double figures.

Junior guard Semie Brar scored a game-high 16 points with four made threes during the setback for Wagner. On the year, Brar leads the Seahawks in scoring with 9.7 points per game, followed by Taleah Washington (8.8) and Rakisha Ballinger (8.6). Edmonds leads Wagner in scoring (10.2 points per game) and rebounding (7.4 per game) during conference play.

Wagner is led by third-year head coach Terrell Coburn.

Thursday will mark the eighth time this season that the Dolphins have played a game on ESPN+.

Following Thursday's game, Le Moyne will play its regular-season finale at home on March 2 against Saint Francis, who the Dolphins lost to on January 21 in Loretto, Pa.

The Dolphins will celebrate 'Senior Day' on Saturday, recognizing Baker, Roberts and graduate forward Kaitlyn Walker (Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee/Onondaga C.C./St. John Fisher) with a pregame ceremony on Ted Grant Court.