The Malone University women's basketball team hosts rival Walsh University this Saturday, February 23rd for the 23rd Annual Mayors' Cup at 1:00 pm in Osborne Hall.
More than bragging rights will be on the line Saturday as both teams enter the week on significant win streaks. Malone has won five in a row while the Cavaliers are winners of six straight. The Pioneers can also clinch a postseason berth this week with a win paired with a loss by Lake Erie.
Malone enters the week in sixth place in
Great Midwest Athletic Conference standings. Visiting Walsh, meanwhile, is in second place. The possibility exists that the two teams could meet again in the opening round of the G-MAC Championships come March.
GameDay
2/23 Malone vs. Walsh – 1:00 pm
Live video/stats:
portal.stretchinternet.com/malone
Radio: ESPN 990 AM |
www.espn990.com/listen.php
Team Comparison
| Category |
Malone |
Walsh |
| Record (G-MAC) |
13-12 (11-8) |
19-6 (15-4) |
| Points per game |
60.7 |
77.5 |
| Points allowed |
61.3 |
63.5 |
| Scoring margin |
-0.6 |
+14.0 |
| FG% |
38.0% |
45.2% |
| 3-point% |
32.3% |
33.2% |
| Free throw% |
74.8% |
70.8% |
| FG% defense |
37.7% |
37.9% |
| Rebounds |
36.2 |
42.1 |
| Rebound margin |
-1.8 |
+9.5 |
| Turnover margin |
-1.8 |
-0.8 |
Series History
Malone is 36-45 all-time against Walsh and 9-13 in Mayors' Cup games. Over the last four seasons, the Pioneers are 1-6 against their rivals, the lone win coming in the 2016-17 Mayors' Cup at Walsh. In the most recent matchup, Malone suffered a 76-56 setback in North Canton on January 12th.
Malone Notes
- Since that loss to Walsh, the Pioneers have won eight of their last 10 games overall and seven of their last eight.
- Last week, Malone stopped first-place Kentucky Wesleyan's 15-game win streak in a 75-72 victory on Thursday then scored a season-high in an 81-73 victory over Trevecca Nazarene on Saturday.
- The Pioneers shot 51.1% (24-of-47) from three-point range across the two victories, knocking a dozen treys in each.
- Malone is 8-0 this season when making at least 10 three-pointers and 10-1 when shooting at least 40% from the floor. During the five-game win streak, the Pioneers are shooting 46.3% from the field – a mark that would lead the conference over the course of the season – and have held opponents to 58.8 points per game.
- Malone remains the number one ranked defense in the G-MAC in terms of fewest points allowed and opponent field goal percentage.
- Freshman point guard Robin Campbell leads the G-MAC in assists per game (4.5) and minutes per game (36.5) and ranks fifth in the conference (second among freshmen) in scoring, averaging 14.6 points an outing.
- Campbell, who scored a team-high 20 points in the loss to Walsh, also leads Malone in shooting (44.9%), three-point shooting (44.8%), and steals (28) and is second on the team in rebounding (5.6 rpg). During Malone's win streak, she is averaging 18 points, 7.5 assists, and 2.3 steals while shooting 59.0% from the field and 64.3% from three.
- Junior Sydney Wentling is shooting a team-high 59.4% over the same time frame while scoring 9.2 points per game.
- Senior Chrissie Vaughan has been on a tear for the Pioneers over the last five contests, knocking down 15 three-pointers and scoring 14.6 points per game. She has now made a three-pointer in 30 straight games.
- Vaughan, who is also second on the team with 25 steals, has scored in double digits in six of the last eight games. She enters this Saturday's game needing just 10 points to become the 23rd 1,000-point scorer in the history of Malone women's basketball.
- Junior Ellen Doyle is contributing 9.0 points and a team-leading 6.2 rebounds per game this season. Doyle is coming off of her first collegiate double-double (17 points, 13 rebounds) last Saturday against Trevecca and is averaging 8.3 rebounds over her last eight games.
- Senior forward Naomi Grandison totaled 14 points and tied a season-high with four three-pointers against Trevecca. She is averaging 7.0 points per game this season
- Grandison and classmate Paiten Strother (6.0 ppg) have each made 30 three-pointers on the year. Malone, which ranks 15th in the country in attempted threes, is the only team in the G-MAC with four players who have made at least 30 long balls.
- Freshman guard Mikayla Poole, who has 17 three-pointers in 17 games this season, returned from injury last week to score 16 points in the two home wins.
- Malone is 6-4 at home this season, including wins in five straight. The last time the Pioneers played Walsh on their own floor, in February of 2018, the Cavaliers prevailed 67-54.
Walsh Notes - Roster |
Schedule |
Stats
- The Cavs are 8-4 on the road this season, including four wins in a row. Since the win vs. Malone, Walsh is 8-2 in the last 10 games. Those eight wins have been by an average margin of 21.4 points.
- This season, Walsh is second in the G-MAC in scoring margin, scoring, shooting, field goal defense, and blocked shots. The Cavs shot 50.8% and held Malone to 38.3% shooting in North Canton earlier this season.
- Walsh also leads the G-MAC and ranks 10th in Division II in rebounding margin. The Cavs held a commanding +20 margin (41-21) vs. Malone in January. The 21 boards by the Pioneers were their fewest in the last three seasons.
- Sophomore forward Mayci Sales is averaging 11.8 points and a team-leading 6.3 rebounds per game. She leads the G-MAC in shooting (53.8%) and blocked shots (1.5 bpg).
- Freshman forward Quionche Carter, a 50.5% shooter, leads the team and ranks second in the G-MAC with 16.8 points per game. Carter, the reigning G-MAC Player of the Week, leads all Division II freshmen in scoring
