Hatters Begin Critical Road Swing at NJIT Saturday

Stetson Looking to Clinch a Top 2 Seed

Locked in a tie for first place in the ASUN standings with FGCU, Stetson will begin a critical three-game road swing Saturday at NJIT. The Hatters (21-5, 10-1 ASUN) and Highlanders (10-16, 3-8 ASUN) will meet at 1 p.m. at the Fleisher Athletic Center in Newark, N.J. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3 and WSBB radio.

With a victory, the Hatters would clinch a top 2 seed and home court advantage through at least the ASUN semifinals.

Saturday's game will be a homecoming for two Hatters. Senior Breana Bey hails from nearby Jersey City, N.J., while junior Johanna McMillan hails from Mullica Hill, N.J., which is located about 25 miles south of Philadelphia.

Stetson has won 10 games in a row, tying for the third-longest win streak in school history. It is the 10th-longest active streak in the NCAA, and opponents are averaging just 52.0 points per game during the stretch. Over the past 10 games, the Hatters have not trailed by more than six points at any time.

The Hatters have been near-dominant on the defensive end. ASUN opponents are shooting just .371 from the floor against Stetson, and six of the last seven opponents have been held below 50 points. Two opponents (Jacksonville, Kennesaw State) were held without a 3-point field goal. Stetson's scoring defense on the season (57.5) ranks 34th in the NCAA.

Offensively, four Hatters are averaging in double figures, led by Brianti Saunders' mark of 16.4 ppg. Bey (13.1), Brittney Chambers (11.5) and Sarah Sagerer (10.1) are also averaging double digits in scoring.

Point guard McKenna Beach, meanwhile, continues to excel on the offensive end. The Hatter sophomore is averaging 7.5 points and 4.1 assists per game over the past nine games.

In addition to the live broadcasts, live stats, the Stetson women's basketball twitter feed (@StetsonWBB), and the HatCheck text messaging system will provide live updates as well.

After Saturday's matinee, the Hatters will head immediately to South Carolina to prepare for Monday night's game at USC Upstate.

Quest for 100
Brianti Saunders has scored in double figures in 99 career games. She needs one more double-digit performance to make it an even 100. Saturday will be her 125th career game played.

1st Quarter Success
Stetson is outscoring its opponents by 146 points in first quarters this year (463-327). Stetson has led after the first quarter in all 11 ASUN games, and in 20 of the team's 26 games this year (the Hatters are 18-2 in those games). Stetson has not trailed after the first quarter since Tennessee State led 17-16 after one on Dec. 20. The last seven opponents are averaging 8.8 first quarter points (3 vs. UNF, 4 vs. NJIT, 6 vs. Jacksonville).

Free Throw Shooting
While Stetson's free throw percentage has dipped slightly in the past week, the Hatters still rank fourth in the NCAA with a team mark of .788, Saunders ranks third among all individuals with a .930 percentage from the free throw line.

Stetson By the Numbers
This season, the Hatters are:
17-1 when scoring 63 points or more
17-1 when having more points in the paint
17-1 when leading at halftime
20-1 when leading after three quarters
16-2 when outrebounding its opponent

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