GAMEDAY: WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HOSTS ROBERTS WESLEYAN WITH PLAYOFF HOPES ON THE LINE

2/25/2023 6:00:00 AM

Staten Island, NY - The College of Staten Island Women's Basketball Team will try to lock up a playoff spot one final time this afternoon when they host the Red Hawks of Roberts Wesleyan University at 1 PM. The Dolphins enter today's game 9-18 on the season, and more importantly, they enter today's action 5-10 against the East Coast Conference. The 4-18 Red Hawks are 3-12 against the conference and have been eliminated from postseason contention. They will be looking to play spoiler against a Dolphins team that narrowly defeated them earlier this season, 59-56.

The Dolphins enter today's game tied with the Queens College Knights for the final two playoff spots in the East Coast Conference. The two teams split the season series, but by virtue of CSI's win against #3 seed Mercy College earlier this year, they currently own the tiebreaker. This puts the Dolphins in fifth place in the conference standings, but they still have not clinched a playoff berth. If CSI wins, they make the playoffs regardless of any other results. If the Dolphins lose, and both Queens and Molloy win, the Dolphins are eliminated from the playoffs. If either Molloy or Queens loses, the result of CSI's game will not matter and the Dolphins will make the playoffs.

The Dolphins last played on Tuesday night against Chestnut Hill College in an overtime thriller. In that game, the Dolphins trailed by as many as 17 before storming back to take a two-point lead in the closing seconds. The Griffins would go on to tie the game just ahead of the buzzer and ultimately shut the Dolphins offense down in overtime to win by ten. The Red Hawks last played on Thursday against the University of the District of Columbia and lost by seventeen as they were eliminated from playoff contention.

Ahead of today's tip-off, the Dolphins will recognize their lone senior, Gia Esposito. She has scored a combined 38 points during her last two games and has provided the Dolphins with the clutch outside shooting that the team grew accustomed to last season. CSI's leading scorer and rebounder Jenalyse Alarcon had her best game of the season last time she faced the Red Hawks finishing with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Noemia Massignue finished close to a double-double against Roberts Wesleyan in that game as well, but it was the CSI defense that allowed them to hold off the Red Hawks and pick up the win. Three players come in scoring in double-figures for Roberts Wesleyan led by Georgia Haverlock who registered a 15-point, 12-reboud double-double last time she faced the Dolphins. Both Danielle DiCintio and Grace Galgano are averaging 10.5 points per game for a Red Hawks team that shoots just shy of 38% as a unit. Statistically, the two teams come in very evenly matched, and the three-point result the first time they met reflected how closely matched they are on the stat sheet.

Gametime - 1:00 PM
Location - Staten Island, NY
All-Time Series - CSI leads, 2-1
Last Meeting - 1/21/23: CSI won, 59-56

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