2012-13 Goldey-Beacom College Women's Basketball
Game 20: at Philadelphia University (9-6, 5-3)
Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2013 | 6 p.m. | Gallagher Center (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Live Stats: Click Here
Complete Goldey-Beacom Game Notes in PDF Format
Opening Tip-Off
Playing for the first time in eight days, the Lightning will look to continue their recent winning surge on Wednesday night when they travel to Philadelphia University for a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference South Division showdown against the Rams at the Gallagher Center. Opening tip-off is set for 6 p.m. in the first game of a CACC doubleheader between the two schools. In addition, live stats will be available via the Rams' official athletics website, www.philaurams.com.
Updating the Lightning
Now 11-8 overall and 8-2 in the CACC, the Lightning enter Wednesday's game in second place in the CACC South Division after picking up a 47-41 victory over Chestnut Hill at the Joseph West Jones College Center on Jan. 15. It marked the Lightning's 8th win in their last 11 games and their seventh straight victory over the Griffins. Senior forward Irene Hudson led the Lightning to the victory with a dominating performance after her 10th career “double double.” The Syracuse, N.Y. native scored 12 points and added a season-high 13 rebounds while contributing a career-high five steals for the Lightning, who allowed a season-low 41 points in the victory. Meanwhile, sophomore forward Chelsea Grover added a season-high 13 points, marking her second 10+ point game in the last three outings. Senior guard Devonne Richardson remains the Lightning's leading scorer with a 12.3 average and enters this week needing just two rebounds to become Goldey-Beacom's all-time leader.
Scouting Philadelphia University
Currently 9-6 overall and 5-3 in the CACC, the Rams enter Wednesday's game in third place in the CACC South Division after posting a 66-44 victory over Washington Adventist in a non-conference game at the Gallagher Center on Sunday afternoon. Sophomore guard Monica Schacker led the Rams to the victory by scoring a career-high 19 point while making 5 of 10 three-point field goal attempts. Meanwhile, junior guard Samantha Morris added 12 points with eight rebounds, three assists and three steals while freshman forward Tori Arnao posted her seventh “double double” of the season with 11 points and 15 rebounds. The Rams, who have won their last two games, are led by senior forward Kristen Blye, who is averaging 11.5 points per game while Arnao is scoring 10.4 points per game with a team-high 11.9 rebounds per outing. The Rams, who are in the middle of a four-game homestand, have won three of their first four games in the month of January.
A Look Back at Last Year's Meetings
The Lightning earned a sweep of the season series over the Rams for the first time in the series' history last year with a pair of overtime victories. After posting an 83-80 triumph in the first meeting at the Gallagher Center on Jan. 26, the Lightning edged the Rams by 71-69 in the second meeting on Feb. 9 at the Joseph West Jones College Center. In the first meeting in Philadelphia, senior forward Irene Hudson scored a career-high 28 points and added six rebounds as the Lightning overcame a strong comeback effort from the Rams to earn the victory. Hudson made 10 of 18 field goal attempts and 8 of 12 free throws to lead Goldey-Beacom, which shot 42.0 per cent from the field. Meanwhile, a jumper from junior guard Briana Richmond-Peters gave the Lightning a two-point victory in the second meeting at the Jones Center. The game featured 10 times and 16 lead changes as the Lightning rallied from a five-point deficit in the second half to force overtime. Hudson posted a “double double” to lead the Lightning, scoring a game-high 19 points with 11 rebounds.
Series Business: Philadelphia University
The Lightning and the Rams will be meeting for the 17th time in a series that Philadelphia University leads by an 11-5 margin when the two teams square off on Wednesday evening. However, the Lightning have won five of the last six affairs, including a sweep of the season series last year. Each of the last three meetings between the two teams have required overtime and have been decided by a total of nine points. In addition, the Lightning earned a 72-64 victory over the Rams in the 2010 CACC quarterfinals at the Gallagher Center. Wednesday's game will mark the fifth time the Rams have hosted the Lightning in the last seven meetings.
Hudson Named as Honorable Mention Selection for CACC Weekly Awards
After leading the Lightning to a 47-41 victory over Chestnut Hill last Tuesday evening, senior forward Irene Hudson was named as an honorable mention selection for the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference weekly awards for the week ending Jan. 20. Hudson posted her 10th career “double double” in the win over Chestnut Hill by scoring 12 points with a season-high 13 rebounds. She made four of five field goal attempts and converted all four of her free throws as the Lightning earned their seventh straight win over the Griffins. Hudson, who also posted a career-high five steals, led a strong Lightning defensive effort that allowed a season-low 41 points.
Sewell Expected to Play in 100th Career Game
Senior forward Akilah Sewell is expected to become the 11th player in Goldey-Beacom College women's basketball history to play in at least 100 career games when the Lightning visit Philadelphia University on Wednesday evening. A starter in 61 of 99 career games, the Baltimore, Md. native ranks second in school history with 156 career blocked shots, including a team-high 29 blocks this season. In addition, she has scored 663 points in her career and ranks seventh on the Lightning's career list with 571 rebounds. Sewell will join fellow Lightning seniors Devonne Richardson, Jacinda Jones, Irene Hudson and Ashley Rosario as players who have appeared in at least 100 games in Goldey-Beacom basketball history.
Grand Theft Basketball
With four steals in the Lightning's 71-44 victory over Wilmington on Jan. 8, senior guard Devonne Richardson became the Lightning's all-time steals leader. Entering Wednesday's game against Philadelphia University, the Baltimore, Md. native has 211 career steals, passing the school record of 205 steals set by Erin Calloway from 2000-04. With 46 steals this season, Richardson ranks second in the CACC through games of Jan. 21 and has posted four or more steals in five games, including a season-high seven takeaways against Assumption on Nov. 17.
Richardson Seeks to Break GBC Rebound Record
After recording five rebounds in the Lightning's 47-41 victory over Chestnut Hill last Tuesday night, senior guard Devonne Richardson enters Wednesday's game against Philadelphia University needing just two rebounds to become the school's career leader. Richardson, who leads the CACC with 180 rebounds this season through games of Jan. 21, joined Kim Rowley (2003-07) as the only players in school history (men's or women's) with 1,000 career rebounds against Bloomfield on Jan. 5. Richardson has posted 10 or more rebounds in eight games this season, including a season-high 16 rebounds against Caldwell on Dec. 8.
Too Close for Comfort
Of the Lightning's 11 victories this season, seven of them have been decided by seven points or less. In addition, the Lightning have won two of their games this year with a field goal in the closing seconds of regulation. On Nov. 12, senior guard Jacinda Jones gave Goldey-Beacom a 67-66 victory at Kutztown with a field goal with two seconds remaining. Senior guard Devonne Richardson scored on a lay-up with 5.8 seconds left in regulation on Dec. 8 to break a 53-53 tie against Caldwell.
What's Ahead for Goldey-Beacom
The Lightning will return home on Saturday afternoon to face CACC North Division opponent Post University at the Joseph West Jones College Center in the first game of a conference doubleheader at 3 p.m. It will be the 16th all-time meeting between the two teams in a series that Goldey-Beacom leads by a 9-6 margin. In addition, the Lightning have won 8 of the last 10 meetings between the two teams, including five in a row.
Be the first to know what's going on with the Lightning -- Follow @GBCLightning on Twitter, become a fan of Goldey-Beacom College Athletics on Facebook! and subscribe to the GBC Athletics e-newsletter to receive the latest news, schedule updates and to interact with GBC Athletics.
