The College of Staten Island Women's Basketball team looks to wrap up the season with their 12th straight win when they take on the Bearcats of Baruch College at 5:30 PM. The 16-8 Dolphins have not lost a game since January 5th and the 14-9 Bearcats will be looking to avenge a loss to the Dolphins from earlier this season.
CSI VS BARUCH COLLEGE AT-A-GLANCE
Matchup: College of Staten Island (16-8) vs. Baruch College (14-9)
Where: The Tank - 2800 Victory Boulevard Staten Island, NY
Tickets: Students, Faculty, and Staff Free - $5 General Admission
Live Stats: https://csidolphins.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
Live Video: https://csidolphins.com/sports/2017/7/3/csi-sportsnet-2017-18.aspx
All-Time Series: CSI leads, 34-23
Last Meeting: January 22, 2020, CSI won 74-59
Players to Watch (CSI): Kayla Schmitter had what was arguably her best game of the season on Wednesday night against Hunter finishing with 16 points, 9 rebounds and three assists on 6-10 from the field.
Jada Rogers also shot 6-10 with 14 points in the game and
Diana Todaro registered yet another double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Megan McEwan shot only 6-22 against the Hawks, but her 18 points led the team, and she continues to rank at the top of the Dolphins' list of leading scorers with 14.7 points per game. Rogers and Todaro are tied for second with 10.3 each, and Todaro's 11.2 rebounds per game give her an average of a double-double for the season. Schmitter performance in CSI's last game increased her season scoring average to 9.1 per game, and
Deidre Foster has contributed an impressive freshman campaign as well with 8.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.
Kristina Arvelo is the last of the Dolphins scoring at least 8 per game and is the third freshman to achieve that for CSI this season. She is also the team's leading three-point shooter at 36% from downtown. Look for seniors
Lina Bitar and Elena Demontreaux, who will both be recognized alongside Todaro ahead of tonight's game, to get some minutes in what will be their final game as CSI Dolphins.
Players to Watch (BC): Nia Dawson is Baruch's leading scorer with 18.1 points per game on 36.6% from the floor and 34.4% from beyond the arc. She is also tied for second on the team in rebounding at 7.4 per game with Melinda Spahiu who is the team's second-leading scorer with 11.2 per game on a team-high 45.1% shooting. Frances Snyder is the last of three Bearcats averaging double-figures with 10 per game and Sameera Ahmed is also scoring just shy of the ten-point mark with 9.2 per contest. However, its
Daniela Zirpolo who leads the Bearcats in both field goal and three-point percentage at 48% and 45.5% while scoring 8.8 per game and grabbing a team-best 7.8 rebounds. Milly Ye also has impressive shooting numbers and is second to only Zirpolo at 46.8% from the field and 35.1% from long range.
News & Notes: The Bearcats and Dolphins met in CSI's regular-season finale last year as well in a game played on the road at Baruch. In what was the Dolphins' last game before the CUNYAC Tournament, they were upset by the Bearcats on a buzzer-beating game-winner which set up a #3 seed vs #6 seed meeting between CSI and Baruch just three days later at The Tank. In that CUNYAC Tournament Quarterfinals matchup, the Dolphins picked up a 17-point victory to advance, ending Baruch's season in the process. It also made it CSI wins in six out of the last seven meetings with Baruch dating back to their first matchup in the 2018 season. The last time these two teams faced each other earlier this year, it was CSI's shooting that allowed them to come away with the 15-point victory as they connected on 43.5% of their shot attempts and 35% of their three-pointers. Baruch's shooting percentage from deep in the game exceeded that of the Dolphins, but the Bearcats struggled from the field overall shooting only 34.3% in the defeat. Through 24 games, the Dolphins are shooting just above 40% from the floor and 30% from downtown. The Bearcats are just south of the 39% mark from the field, and have hit 31% of their three-point attempts. In the game won by Baruch last season, it was the shooting numbers that ultimately decided the outcome as the Bearcats hit over 48% of their shots while the Dolphins only hit 36.1% of theirs.
What's Next?: For the Dolphins, tonight's matchup with the Bearcats is their final game of the season, potentially their final matchup against Baruch or any other CUNYAC opponent, and the last game in year one of the NCAA Division II provisional period for the Women's Basketball program. CSI will begin playing a larger share of their schedule against members of their new conference, the East Coast Conference, next season and a greater number of Division II opponents as well. For the latest news and schedule updates throughout the offseason, stay tuned in to csidolphins.com and our various social media platforms for the most up-to-date information.
THE WALK WITH...
