SELINSGROVE, Pa. — After a one-year absence from the postseason, the Susquehanna University women’s basketball team makes its return to the playoffs on Wednesday night as the Crusaders journey to Elizabethtown to battle the Blue Jays in a Commonwealth Conference semifinal.
Game time is 6 p.m. at Thompson Gymnasium, with the winner advancing to Saturday’s championship game between the winner of Wednesday’s other semifinal between Messiah and Juniata. The Commonwealth Conference postseason champion will earn an automatic berth to the 2001 NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championship.
Tickets are $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $3 for students, with children under six admitted free. The game is part of a doubleheader, with the Elizabethtown men hosting Albright at 8 p.m., and can be heard live on WQSU-FM (88.9) in Selinsgrove beginning at 5:45 with Jack Burns calling play-by-play and Jim Wagner providing color commentary.
Susquehanna has not appeared in a conference championship game since a 73-68 loss at Elizabethtown on February 25, 1995. The Crusaders are just 3-23 all-time at Elizabethtown, including nine consecutive losses since an 86-85 win on February 13, 1993.
CRUSADER NOTES
Last season, the Crusaders were on pace for their 11th straight postseason berth before losses in the final four games — including two straight last-second defeats — kept Susquehanna from a playoff berth as the team finished 13-11 overall and 7-7 in the Commonwealth Conference.
While the Crusaders were never in any danger of sitting out the playoffs this year, the team has had an up-and-down season en route to a 16-8 record. After opening the year with seven wins in the first eight games, Susquehanna lost four of the next six contests — averaging just 47.5 points per game in the four losses.
However, the Crusaders rebounded to finish the season with three victories in the last four games, including a 57-45 win over the Blue Jays on February 10 at Houts Gymnasium. Susquehanna went 5-5 in road games and 7-6 away from home during the 2000-2001 season.
Profiling The Starters
SG Alison Ream (5-7 Sophomore, Mifflintown, Pa./Juniata H.S.) —Team’s fastest player who creates off the dribble... Can score, pass and rebound... Averaging 7.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in her first season as a starter... Despite shooting just 32.4 percent from the field, she ranks fourth on the team in scoring... Leads the team in free-throw percentage at 78.8 percent (41-for-52) and in the last 10 games has shot 85.7 percent (18-for-21) from the stripe... Has scored in double figures eight times, with a season and career-high 16 points at Ursinus (November 21) and at Gettysburg (January 6)... Dished out a career-high eight assists in season finale vs. Albright (February 17).
PG Susan Trella (5-4 Senior, Allentown, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic H.S.) — Classic point guard who looks to make plays on offense and play tough defense... Will play in her 100th career game against Elizabethtown, and has not missed a game in her four-year career... A four-year starter who leads the team in assists (3.8 per game) and is fifth in scoring at 4.4 per game... Connected on nine of her last 15 three-point attempts over the last 10 games... Has set career highs in field goals, field goal percentage, three-pointers, three-point percentage and scoring this season... Tallied a career-high 16 points at Moravian (January 30)... Season high for assists is six, on four occasions... Career high in assists is nine, on six occasions.
PF Leslie Clementoni (6-1 Senior, Hughesville, Pa./Hughesville H.S.) — Powerful post player who uses her strength to succeed down low... A Commonwealth Conference first-team All-Star last season, but has struggled at times this season due to a right knee injury and illness... Ranks third on the team in scoring at 9.7 points per game and second in rebounding at 6.7 per contest... Named Commonwealth Conference Player of the Week after averaging 19.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game during the week ending February 11... Scored 22 of her team-high 25 points after halftime in win at Lebanon Valley (February 6)... Over the last four games, is averaging 15.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game... Has scored in double figures 12 times this season and has recorded three double-doubles, but all came in the season’s first six games... Needs 13 rebounds to reach 500 for her career.
SF Amy Harrington (5-10 Junior, Danville, Pa./Danville H.S.) — Team’s top long-range threat... Averages 10.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game... Holds both the Susquehanna single-season and career records for three-pointers, with 43 threes this season and 84 in her career... Nailed four threes in the first half and scored 18 points against Albright (February 17)... Has hit at least one three-pointer in 22 of the team’s 24 games this season... Is a career 81.8 percent shooter from the free-throw line... Has started 48 consecutive games over the last two years and played 75 straight games in her three seasons..
C Karyn Kern (6-2 Senior, Brodheadsville, Pa./Pleasant Valley H.S.) — Should become four-time Commonwealth Conference All-Star this season... Won the Commonwealth Conference scoring title by one point (402 points, 16.8 ppg) over Messiah’s Christina Vouriotis and Albright’s Lauren Finnigan (both at 401 points, 16.7 ppg)... Led conference in rebounding (11.0 rpg), tied for the lead in blocked shots (1.5 pg) and finished second in field-goal percentage (56.1)... Ranks third in school history with 1,760 points and is all-time leader with 1,061 rebounds... Her 60.1 percent career field-goal percentage would be a modern MAC record... Has recorded 13 double-doubles this season and 54 in her career... Has scored 20 or more points nine times this year and grabbed 15 or more rebounds six times... Suffered a knee injury in the fifth game of last season, and was granted a fifth year of eligibility for this season... Has scored in double figures 21 times this season.
Off the Bench
F/G Emily Kurtz (5-7 Sophomore, St. Marys, Pa./St. Marys H.S.) — Leads all bench players in scoring average at 4.4 points per game... Has averaged 6.7 points per game over the last six games... Scored season-best 11 points in season-opening win over Gallaudet (November 18)... Is shooting 47.4 percent from the field over her last four games (9-for-19), and has hit at least one three-pointer in five of the last six games.
PF Kait Gillis (5-8 Sophomore, Mechanicsburg, Pa./Trinity H.S.) — Despite her size, is a feisty rebounder and a solid baseline jumpshooter... Has been hampered by an ankle injury over the last two weeks... Enjoyed a solid month of January, averaging 4.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 10 games... Shot 57.9 percent from the field in Commonwealth Conference games... Committed just seven turnovers in 307 minutes of action this season.
SG Ashley Donmoyer (5-5 Guard, Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove H.S.) — A three-point threat off the bench... Hit 12 threes in 43 attempts (27.9 percent) despite averaging just 8.2 minutes per game... However, has missed last nine shots from behind the arc... Has hit multiple three-pointers in three games this season, including two at Elizabethtown on January 13.
C Courtney Sokol (6-0 Freshman, Falmouth, Mass./Falmouth H.S.) — Has emerged as a scoring threat in the post over the last two weeks of the season... Did not score in nine straight games before recording career highs of eight points and five blocked shots at Moravian (January 30)... Started season 4-for-12 from the line, but has hit 11 of her last 14 attempts (78.6 percent)... Blocked 16 shots in just 207 minutes of action this season.
PG Maggie Endler (5-5 Sophomore, Shillington, Pa./Governor Mifflin H.S.) — Averages 8.3 points per game as backup point guard... Played in all 24 games and dished off 25 assists... Connected on 11-of-17 free throws for the year, including a 9-for-11 performance against Alvernia (November 19).
