CANTON, Ohio -- The Malone University women's basketball team heads out on the road tonight looking for a bounce back effort after a close loss at home to the University of Findlay over the weekend.
The Matchup: Malone University Pioneers (7-10, 7-10 G-MAC) at Ohio Valley University Fighting Scots (0-13, 0-13 G-MAC)
Where: Ohio Valley University - Snyder Activity Center
When: 5:30 p.m.
Live Stats: Great Midwest Digital Network
Live Video: Great Midwest Digital Network
MALONE-OHIO VALLEY HARDWOOD SERIES
Tonight will be the second matchup this season between the Pioneers and the Fighting Scots. Malone is looking to complete the season sweep of OVU, having won the earlier meeting played inside Osborne Hall 98-75.
In that matchup Holly Groff played one of her best games of the season. She connected on nine shots from three-point range to finish with a game-high 29 points.
Overall it will be the 13th all-time meeting between the two programs. Malone has dominated the series winning 10 of the previous 12 matchups.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE PIONEERS
- Alexis Hutchison has been the catalyst for the Pioneer offense as of late. In Saturday's game against Findlay she led Malone with 24 points on 8-14 shooting from beyond the three-point line. The sophomore guard has now topped 20 points in three consecutive games, including a career-high 27 in the 78-64 win over Hillsdale College last week.
-
The Pioneers continue to make gains on the defensive end of the floor. They currently sit fifth in the G-MAC allowing just 72.4 points per game, but they have held three of their last four opponents to less than 65 points. They have a +3.76 turnover margin, good enough for third-best in the league. Malone is just one of five teams in the conference to have a positive number in that category. Their assist/turnover ratio of 1.23 is the second-best mark in the G-MAC, and individually Holly Groff ranks fifth with a 2.0. She has dished out 61 assists to just 31 turnovers this season.
-
Malone, who nearly topped the 100 point mark in their last meeting with Ohio Valley, still holds the highest scoring output in the conference this season. The Pioneers scored 112 points in a New Year's Eve win over Lake Erie College.
- Robin Campbell and Holly Groff join Hutchison in averaging double-digit points per game for Malone. Groff's 16.5 points per game is the sixth-best number in the G-MAC.
-
The February 15 update to the Great Midwest Athletic Conference's Point Rating System has the Pioneers sitting in eighth place. The PRS is used to qualify and seed teams for the 2021 Great Midwest Championship Tournament.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT
Ohio Valley enters tonight's contest off of a 96-73 loss at Ohio Dominican on Saturday.
The Fighting Scots are surrendering a league-high 90.9 points per game, and have yet to find their way into the win column this season.
As a team OVU averages a league-low 59.8 points per game. They are led by senior guard Jordan Fox who is averaging 14.1 points per game. The Scots have one other double-digit scorer in their lineup, guard Tanner Esposito. She is scoring an average of 11.5 points per game.
Freshman Marina Garcia is a weapon on the defensive end of the floor. Her 2.5 steals per game lead the G-MAC.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Pioneers will close out the road portion of their 2020-21 schedule later this week with a trip to Trevecca Nazarene University. Thursday's tip-off in Nashville is set for 5:30 p.m.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Malone University athletic programs this year follow the Pioneers on Twitter and Instagram, like Malone University Athletics on Facebook or visit malonepioneers.com.
