The Malone University women's basketball team, now in a two-way tie with Ursuline atop the G-MAC standings, will visit Cedarville University on Thursday, January 19th before making a trip down I-77 on Saturday, January 21st to meet Ohio Valley University in Vienna, West Virginia. Saturday's contest, which was originally scheduled for 6:00 pm, has been moved to 2:00 pm and will be played ahead of the men's game at 4:00.
 
GameDay
(1/19) Malone (11-4) at Cedarville (8-7) – 5:30 pm
Live Video: portal.stretchinternet.com/cedarville
Live Stats: sidearmstats.com/cedarville/wbball
 
(1/21) Malone at Ohio Valley (4-10)* - 2:00 pm**
Live Video: fightingscots.ovu.edu/watch
Live Stats: sidearmstats.com/ovu/wbball
*Record as of January 19th
** Note the time change from the original start time of 6:00 pm
 
All-Time Series
Malone and Cedarville have not met since 2012 but will renew a storied rivalry that dates back to their days in the NAIA. Malone is just 11-28 overall against the Yellow Jackets and have lost 20 straight since the last win in the 2000-01 season. Research need only to go back to last season to find the last win over Ohio Valley. The Pioneers improved to 2-2 against the Fighting Scots with a 71-50 triumph 13 months ago.

Malone Notes - Roster | Schedule | Stats

• With the two wins last weekend, a 62-43 triumph over Trevecca Nazarene and an 82-69 defeat of Kentucky Wesleyan, Malone matched its longest winning streak since 2006. Not including the exhibition win over Bowling Green, the Pioneers have now won eight straight. A ninth consecutive win would give Malone its longest streak since winning 16 in 2001-02.
• The Pioneers continued their winning ways by sticking to the formula of playing great defense and limiting high-percentage shots. Malone continues to lead the G-MAC in scoring defense (60.7 ppg), defensive field goal percentage (35.7%), total rebounds (42.8 rpg), and rebounding margin (+4.4)
• Senior point guard Rachel Goddard scored a team-high 13 points along with seven boards and six assists in the win over Trevecca before collecting 18 points against Kentucky Wesleyan. Goddard has taken over the team-lead in scoring average (14.9 ppg) and now ranks 5th in the conference.
• Goddard remains fourth in the nation with a 3.5 assist-to-turnover ratio and is averaging 4.9 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. She is one of 13 players in NCAA DII with a 14.5 ppg /4.5 rpg /4.5 apg stat line.
• In the win at Kentucky Wesleyan, Baylen Dyrlund tied a season-high with 21 points on 10-of-13 shooting. Dyrlund has climbed into 10th on the G-MAC scoring list with 12.8 ppg. She also ranks 7th in rebounding (6.8 rpg) and 8th in field goal percentage (48.3%). Over the last six games, Dyrlund is shooting 61.4% from the floor.
• In the win at Trevecca Nazarene, senior forward Hannah McCue failed to reach double-digit points for the first time this season, but still managed 11 rebounds and three blocked shots. She bounced back with 14 points, six boards and three more blocks at Kentucky Wesleyan.
• On the season, McCue is posting 14.9 points (6th in the G-MAC) and 9.6 rebounds (2nd in the G-MAC). She is also third in the conference in both steals (1.9 spg) and blocks (1.5 bpg). Along with Cedarville sharpshooter Regina Hochstetler, McCue is one of two players in the league with a made three-pointer in every game.
• Malone sophomore guard Chrissie Vaughan (8.2 ppg) has drained at least one three-pointer 13 times and and at least two three-pointers 12 times this season. The catch-and-shoot specialist has knocked down 33 treys on the year.
• Vaughan collected 19 rebounds in the two games last weekend, setting a career-high with 10 rebounds in her first career double-double (11 points) at Trevecca.
• Freshmen Dani Drayer (seven points, five rebounds) and Holly Groff (seven points, four rebounds) both fared well in spot starts last weekend against Trevecca and Kentucky Wesleyan respectively. Groff is the only Pioneer freshman to play in every game this season.
• Sophomore Naomi Grandison, who played in all 27 games during her freshman season, leads the Pioneer bench with 5.5 points per game.

Cedarville Notes - Roster | Schedule | Stats

• The Yellow Jackets enter Thursday's matchup 2-2 in conference play after splitting a pair of road games last weekend, defeating Alderson Broaddus 81-71 before dropping a 71-62 decision to Davis & Elkins on Saturday.
• Cedarville is 6-2 at home this season and is led by Berlin Hiland grad Regina Hochstetler and her 16.3 points per game.
• The 5'7" guard, who leads the G-MAC in minutes played (36.7 mpg), ranks third in scoring, 6th in assists (3.3 apg) and 6th in made three-pointers (40). She also leads the G-MAC and is 6th nationally with a 91.0% success rate from the free-throw line. Hochstetler averaged 23.5 points across two games last week
• Teammate Baylee Bennett has reached double-digits in points 10 times this season. She is 11th in the league in scoring (12.0 ppg), 8th in assists (3.0 apg), 5th in free throw percentage (77.1%) and is 5th in made threes (41).
• While the Jackets receive superior guard play from Hochstetler and Bennett, a trio of bigs are all averaging over seven rebounds a game and rank among the top-six in the conference.
• Emily Williams (7.7 rpg) leads the squad in boards and blocked shots (25). 6'3" center Breanne Watterworth (11.3 ppg) checks in with 7.3 rebounds a game and reserve Taylor Buckley chips in with 7.1.
• As a team, Cedarville sits just behind Malone in rebounds (40.5 rpg) and rebounding margin (+3.8).
   

Ohio Valley Notes - Roster | Schedule | Stats

• OVU enters the weekend having lost seven straight and nine of the last 10. Prior to Saturday's game with Malone, Ohio Valley will meet Ursuline on Thursday night.
• The Fighting Scots come in scoring just 59.2 ppg while allowing 72.9. While they have struggled to connect on their shots (39.2%), the Scots have been opportunistic on defense and lead the G-MAC with 9.9 steals a game.
• Shicole Watts, who hasn't played in enough games to qualify for G-MAC per game statistical categories, leads the team in scoring (16.9 ppg), rebounding (8.2 rpg), total steals (25) and total blocks (16) through just nine games. Watts is shooting what would be a league-best 58.9% from the field and has scored 22 or more points four times this season.
• Guard Jalyn Gilbert (10.2 ppg) leads the team with 32 assists and is 6th in the conference with 1.7 steals a game. Gilbert scored a game-high 19 points the Scot's loss to Malone last season.
• Forward Ariel Johnson collected a team-high 11 rebounds in that matchup. She is averaging 6.4 rebounds a game this season.
• Reserve forward Anee' Braswell is providing 9.6 points and 7.4 rebounds in 27.0 minutes off the bench
• Ohio Valley is just 1-4 at home..