PIKE CREEK, Del. – The Goldey-Beacom College women's basketball team will host Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference foe Georgian Court at the Joseph West Jones Center Thurs. night at 7 p.m for the annual WBCA Pink Zone Game.
The WBCA Pink Zone initiative is a global, unified effort by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's nation of coaches to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond. The WBCA began the Pink Zone, formerly known as “Think Pink,” in 2007 as a way to raise breast cancer awareness. Kay Yow, former North Carolina State University head women's basketball coach, serves as the catalyst for the initiative after her third reoccurrence of breast cancer in 2006. In 2007, more than 120 schools unified for this effort and helped make the inaugural year a success. In 2008, over 1,200 teams and organizations participated, reaching over 830,000 fans and raising over $930,000 for breast cancer awareness and research. The 2009 campaign raised over $1.3 million, reached over 912,000 fans and saw 56 schools break attendance records at their event.
Fans are encouraged to wear pink to support the WBCA's efforts.
For fans who cannot attend the game, there will be a free live webcast via PennAtlantic. Chris DiGiacomo will announce the play-by-play.
The Lightning (12-10, 8-6 CACC) will look to rebound from a 60-49 defeat against Nyack in their last time out at the Jones Center. Prior to that game, GBC had won four straight, and 11 of its last 13 games.
Meanwhile, Georgian Court (8-14, 6-9 CACC) has won its last two games. The Lions notched their first road win of the season against USP back on Feb. 9 and then were victorious, 46-35 in a defensive struggle at home against Felician this past Saturday. GCU is just 1-8 on the road this season.
GCU is still playing for its playoff lives as a win tomorrow night could certainly begin to shake up the four-team playoff picture in the CACC South Division. The Lions are currently fifth in the standings with a record of 6-9. Right ahead of them are Wilmington (8-6) at No. 4 and GBC (8-6, with the tiebreaker over Wilmington after beating them twice) holding tight at No. 3.
GBC has an 11-5 edge in the series dating back to the 2002-03 season. The Lightning, who have never lost to GCU on its home floor in seven meetings at the Jones Center, have won the last eight overall meetings dating back to the 2005-06 season. GBC has not lost to GCU since Jan. 10, 2006, when the Lightning fell 79-67 at the GCU Wellness Center.
The last time these two met was on Jan. 14, with visiting GBC prevailing, 61-50 in large part because the play of freshmen forwards Devonne Richardson (14 points, 12 rebounds), Akilah Sewell (12 points, five rebounds) and Irene Hudson (11 points, four rebounds). For the game, GBC held a 40-32 rebounding advantage and scored 18 second-chance points as a result of 17 offensive boards. The Lightning outscored GCU in the paint, 24-8 and turned 18 Lion miscues into 15 points.
Neither team shot particularly well, as GBC held a 33 percent to 26 percent edge in field goal shooting, though the Lightning were 0-for-8 from three-point range. The Lions took 18 three-point attempts and made just four.
Leading the Lions in that game were Shawna Wert (17 points, four rebounds, three assists) and Lauren Staats (16 points, three rebounds). Wert came off the bench in that game and shot just 3-for-14 from the field, but 9-for-11 from the free-throw line. Staats scored 16 of the Lion starters' combined total of 22. Wert is currently the team's leading scorer and ranks 11th in the CACC with 14 points per-game. Staats ranks second on the team with 11.3 per contest.
