Molloy University Athletics

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Nov. 13, 2015) - The 258-day wait is finally over for fans of the Molloy College women's basketball team. Friday (Nov. 13) begins the 2015-16 season as the Lions travel down to Wilmington University for the ECC/CACC Challenge. Led by Head Coach Joe Pellicane, the maroon and white will open the season with a stiff challenge against one of the best teams in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference in the Bloomfield College Bears.

The Lowdown on the Lions:
2014-15 Season: 11-16, 7-13 ECC (missed postseason play)
2015-16 Preseason Outlook: Picked Seventh in East Coast Conference
Returning Letterwinners: 6
Graduated Seniors: 5
New Players on Roster: 6
Leading Returning Scorers: Kimani Jackson (10.8 PPG) & Ally Leftridge (10.4 PPG)
Leading Returning Rebounders: Aaliyah McDonald (5.0 RPG) & Jackson (4.0 RPG)
Returning Assist Leaders: McDonald (3.2 APG) & Alex Hampton (1.6 APG)
Leading Returning Field-Goal Shooters: Jackson (49.6% FG) & Alexia O'Connor (42.9% FG)
Leading Returning Three-Point Shooter: O'Connor (42.6% 3-Point)


The Bears' Background:
2014-15 Season: 17-10, 15-4 CACC (No. 2 seed in the CACC North, lost in conference tournament quarterfinals to Holy Family)
2015-16 Preseason Outlook: Picked to win Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference's North Division
Returning Letterwinners: 7
Returning Members of the Starting Five: 4/5
Graduated Seniors: 4
New Players on Roster: 6
Leading Returning Scorers: Tianna Smith (14.6 PPG) & Ariel Wilson (11.8 PPG)
Leading Returning Rebounders: Wilson (5.1 RPG) & Iman Williams (4.4 RPG)
Returning Assist Leaders: Morgan Taylor (3.9 APG) & Smith (3.4 APG)
Leading Returning Field-Goal Shooters: Williams (51.0% FG) & Smith (43.1% FG)
Leading Returning Three-Point Shooters: Smith (36.0% 3-Point) & Taylor (33.0% 3-Point)

The Last Meeting
Bloomfield and Molloy have not faced off on the hardwood in nearly three years, with the most recent meeting coming on Dec. 17, 2012. In that contest, the then-Lady Deacons (who changed their name after re-branding last season) raced out to a 34-20 lead at halftime and held off a late Lions' charge to win a 65-53 contest at Bloomfield Gym. 

Many players on both sides from that game have since graduated, but several key cogs on both teams this season were freshmen back then. For Molloy, Alex Hampton (Baldwin, N.Y.) started and played 31 minutes while collecting seven points, five rebounds and four assists. Kimani Jackson (Dix Hills, N.Y.) had six points and five boards in 20 minutes off the bench while Alexia O'Connor (Centerport, N.Y.) scored three points and made three steals in 19 solid minutes off the bench. Bloomfield's representation from that 2012 matchup includes Ariel Wilson (Chesapeake, Va.), who had just one point in a 12-minute start, and Iman Williams (Shreveport, La.), who scored three points and pulled down two rebounds in 11 minutes of play.