By: Jennifer Jones
Director of Sports Information
jonesj@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
HUNTINGDON, Pa. – There are only two games left in the regular season for Juniata College women's basketball and they could not be more important. Juniata (12-11, 5-7 Landmark) is in a three-way tie for the final Landmark Conference tournament spot with Susquehanna University and Drew University. The Eagles host Susquehanna on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. in their last home game before traveling to face Drew on the road Saturday.
"They're ready," said head coach Danny Young-Uhrich of the Eagles. "They're looking forward to a rematch. It's really just focusing. And I think they understand what we need to do this week. Hoping that our senior leadership and kids with experience can really propel us through this. The good thing is, we control our own destiny."
Juniata trails the all-time series, but has won eight of the last 10 meetings with the Crusaders. Despite falling 66-60 earlier this year on the road at Susquehanna, the Eagles are riding a three-game win streak after pulling out of a funk and are confident their progressive improvement will continue to shoot them into the postseason.
Junior Kelsey Livoti (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) and sophomore Paige Dennison (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs) have led the team in points during the streak. The pair averaged 11.3 points per game with Livoti shooting .500 from the floor and Dennison collecting six steals. Also averaging double-figure points have been seniors Jordan Hileman (Williamsburg, Pa./Williamsburg) and Kate McDonald (Pennsylvania Furnace, Pa./State College Area). Hileman has averaged a team-best 34 minutes per game while McDonald averages over 10 rebounds per game.
Susquehanna's player to watch will be freshman Nikki Komara. She currently leads the team in rebounds and is second in points, averaging 12 per game, shooting over 46 percent from the floor. The guard also leads the team in minutes this season.
"I'm hoping that experience prevails," added Young-Uhrich. "[Komara's] a good player. But one person shouldn't beat us. So I'm not too focused in on stopping one individual. We need to stop their three-point shooting as a team."
Komara and the Crusaders are on a three-game losing skid and, like the Eagles, need a win to keep postseason play possible. Susquehanna is 1-4 on the road against Landmark opponents this season.
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