PHILADELPHIA – The No. 3 seeded Goldey-Beacom College women's basketball team will look to upset No. 2 seed University of the Sciences in Philadelphia at the Bobby Morgan Arena in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament quarterfinals on Mon. night at 7 p.m.
The Lightning (15-11, 13-6 CACC) are looking for a return trip to the CACC semifinals as they knocked off Philadelphia University in the 2-vs.-3 quarterfinal game at the Gallagher Center last season. In order to do that this year, they will again be on the road needing to get past a Lady Devils squad that that has won 15 of its last 16 games to close out the regular season.
These two CACC South Division foes split games during the season with the Lightning claiming a 62-52 victory at the Jones Center in the first meeting on Jan. 6, but the Devils getting the better of GBC, 60-48 at the Morgan Arena in the rematch on Feb. 3.
USciences (21-5, 16-3 CACC), which is ranked No. 7 in the latest East Region poll and features the second-best scoring defense in the league (averaging 55.0 points allowed per-game), went on its crusade of 14 straight wins after the Devils lost the first meeting with GBC. The Lightning looked as though they would end the streak at eight when the two teams met again, but they squandered a nine-point halftime lead. The Devils won their season finale at Post, 75-65.
Meanwhile, GBC also enters the playoffs with a head of steam having won six of its last seven following the loss at USciences on Feb. 3. The Lightning picked up the program's first-ever regular season win at the Hennessy Center over Dominican in the season finale on Fri. night, and come Mon. night, will have enjoyed one more day's rest than the Devils, who just played on Sat. afternoon at Post.
Both of these teams boast impressive victories over nationally-ranked opponents this season. USciences went on the road and knocked off the No. 11 ranked team in the country, Millersville University on Dec. 9 by a score of 68-62. Later in the season, GBC went into the Campus Center and did the unthinkable, ending Holy Family's 110-game regular season conference winning streak and 71-game home winning streak with a stunning, 64-51 victory on Jan. 13.
How well the Lightning defend USciences' Caitlin Shaw, the top scorer in the conference and eighth-leading scorer in the nation at 20.3 points per-game, may dictate the outcome of this game. In the first meeting, Shaw managed to finish with 17 but was 4-of-13 from the field, including 1-of-8 in the first half. The second time around though, she was 6-of-12 shooting and registered 13 points and 19 rebounds. Also, Devils guard Alyssa Hamm was quiet the first meeting (six points) but burned GBC for 18 points in the second meeting.
The Lightning will need solid scoring production from its backcourt, particularly redshirt-junior guard Jacinda Jones (13.2 ppg, 10th CACC) and senior guard Janae Weldon (9.7 ppg). The two of them combined to score 29 points in the Lightning's win over USciences on Jan. 6, then shot a combined 6-of-20 and only scored 15 between them on Feb. 3 in a loss.
GBC, at 9-6 in away games this year and 17-11 as the visitor over the last two seasons, has proven it likes playing on the road. The Lightning's nine road wins this season is tied for the school record with the 2006-07 squad. Meanwhile, USciences is 12-3 on its home court this year.
At stake is a berth in the CACC semifinals on Fri., Mar. 4 hosted this year by Holy Family University. In other women's basketball quarterfinal action, the South Division's No. 4 seed Philadelphia University will visit top-seeded Holy Family, the North Division No. 4 seed Dominican will visit top-seeded Bloomfield, and No. 2 Caldwell will host No. 3 Felician in another battle of North Division foes. All four games will tip at 7 p.m. on Mon. night.
