BALTIMORE – Loyola University Maryland women's basketball is back in action on Wednesday night, traveling to Hackensack, N.J., to take on the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights in the third contest of the regular season for the Greyhounds.
Last Time Out
- Sr. G Stephanie Karcz moved into fifth place all-time at Loyola in career rebounds, and Jr. F Delaney Connolly led the offense with 15 points, but it was not enough for Loyola in a 67-46 defeat at 2019 WNIT runner-up Northwestern on Sunday.
- Karcz had nine rebounds to go along with seven points, four steals and three assists. She upped her career rebound total to 816, moving her past Maria Beam (814, 1986-90) and Peggy Kettles (813, 1989-94) in the Loyola record books.
- Connolly, who added seven rebounds for Loyola, reached double figures for a 16th time in her Greyhound career. She hit 5 of 11 shots, including 3 of 7 attempts from 3-point range.
Scouting Fairleigh Dickinson
- The Knights (0-1) began the year with a 61-29 defeat at Lafayette on Nov. 5. They shot 21.4 percent (12-56) from the field and 13.0 percent (3-23) from long distance in the setback.
- FDU went 8-22 (5-13 NEC) last season, ranking eighth out of 10 teams in the Northeast Conference standings.
- Angelika Szumilo is in the midst of her first season as head coach after spending the previous eight years as an assistant at Fordham.
- Sr. F Lauren Francillon is the team's top returning scorer (9.1 ppg) and rebounder (5.9 rpg) from 2018-19.
Series History
- This will be the first meeting between the teams since Loyola left the NEC (previously known as the ECAC Metro Conference) after the 1988-89 season.
- FDU has a 10-2 lifetime advantage, winning the final eight games between the two teams during the 1980's.
- Loyola's last win over FDU was a 58-43 triumph during the 1978-79 season.
Hot Shooting Start for Hunter
- Gr. F Ashley Hunter, who missed all but four games in 2018-19 after suffering an early-season injury, has hit nine of her first 12 shots from the field this fall.
- Hunter netted a career-high 16 points (7-10 FG, 2-2 FT) in 12 minutes off the bench at Notre Dame, and she added four more points (2-2 FG) prior to fouling out at Northwestern. She contributed 5.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 24 blocks during her last full season of game action in 2017-18.
Freshmen Active Early On
- Loyola's five freshmen (Emma Glezen, Emily McAteer, Bri Rozzi, Ava Therien and Mackenzie Wagner) have all seen playing time in each of the team's first two contests.
- Wagner contributed nine points (2-5 3FG) and two steals in her Loyola debut at Notre Dame, while Rozzi added seven points (2-3 3FG) at Northwestern.
More on Karcz
- Stephanie Karcz has received seven Patriot League postseason awards in her first three collegiate seasons. The 2017-18 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, she is a three-time All-Defensive Team selection, a two-time All-Patriot League performer (first team in 2017-18), and she was also an All-Rookie Team honoree as a freshman.
- Karcz currently has 932 points and 816 rebounds, giving her a chance to become the fourth player in team history to reach 1,000 in both categories.
- Karcz has ranked fourth in DI in steals per game in each of the last two seasons (4.24 spg in 2018-19). Her 318 career steals are 2nd all-time at Loyola, 29 back of the team record.
- Karcz set a new single-game team and Patriot League record with 22 rebounds in last year's playoff game against Navy. She also holds Loyola's single-season rebounding record, grabbing 317 boards as a sophomore in 2017-18.
- Karcz has 292 career assists (9th all-time at Loyola), 19 career double-doubles and two triple doubles.
Looking Ahead
- Loyola will return to Baltimore to take on Howard next Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. in its 2019-20 home opener at Reitz Arena.
