ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Feb. 9, 2016) – By serendipitous luck, the Molloy College women's basketball team did not lose any position or traction in the East Coast Conference playoff picture in spite of Saturday's loss to UDC. That said, Wednesday (Feb. 10) could prove to be one of the more important matchups of the year as the Lions face a suddenly streaking LIU Post squad that is finding a way back into the conversation for a postseason berth.
The Lowdown on the Lions
A 7-7 first quarter tie and a 23-14 halftime deficit told the story of Molloy's 54-47 loss to the Firebirds of UDC at Quealy Gymnasium back on Feb. 6. The Lions, now 5-8 in East Coast Conference play, were befuddled by 22 turnovers and a 31.4% field goal shooting performance in the home defeat. Seniors Ally Leftridge (Melville, N.Y.) and Kimani Jackson (Dix Hills, N.Y.) combined for 25 points but hit just 33% (8-of-24) of their shots from the field.
40s and 50s
Molloy tied its season high in points scored with a 74-63 win over LIU Post back on Jan. 6. More recently, however, the shooting struggles have been more prevalent. Since Jan. 22, the maroon and white have failed to break the 60-point barrier in four consecutive games despite one of those contests resulting in a 58-55 win over Saint Thomas Aquinas. The Lions have also played just two games in which the squad has taken less than 50 shots in a contest. The high shot total would not be as much of an issue if Molloy consistently hit over 40% of their shots (once in previous five games).
Hanging On By A Thread
Being 5-8 in ECC play may look unappealing but consider the recent trend facing Molloy and two of the teams that are also involved in the East Coast Conference playoff chase. Molloy and Bridgeport are both at 5-8, with the Lions currently holding the season-series lead over the Purple Knights. Saint Thomas Aquinas is at 6-8, which has only happened because the Spartans have gone into a tailspin and lost four straight contests. The gap between STAC (No. 5 seed, 6-8) and Queens (No. 4 seed, 9-4) is substantial enough that a safe assumption that Bridgeport, Molloy and STAC are all fighting for the fifth and sixth spaces in the ECC Tournament. But then again…
Pioneers' Resurgence
…someone forgot to tell LIU Post that starting the year off with a 1-12 record meant that the Pio's would not be involved in East Coast Conference postseason action. Deirdre Moore's club has won three games in a row and currently sits one-half game behind both Molloy and Bridgeport in the conference standings. Granted, LIU Post does not own either tiebreaker but a team on a hot streak is a dangerous proposition to have to deal with.
Foul Line Is Anything But Fair
The Pioneers' offense averages 59.6 points per game, three-tenths of a point less than Molloy's 59.9 PPG average. Yet what causes such concern with the green and gold is a distinct inability to hit free throws. LIU Post ranks last in the league, averaging 58.6% efficiency ratings on their foul shots. The corner may be turned, though, as the squad hit 80% (12-15) of shots from the stripe in the team's 64-62 win over Saint Thomas Aquinas last Saturday.
Downtown Heat Check
Senior guard Jalyn Brown (Riverhead, N.Y.) is averaging just a shade under seven points per contest for LIU Post this year. That's a key stat to remember, considering that in three of her last four performances she has topped 10 points. In a 90-63 win over Dowling on Jan. 30, Brown torched the Golden Lions defense for 24 points hitting 8-of-12 from the field and 4-of-8 from beyond the three-point line. Brown has been having a renaissance season down the stretch, and she should be a player to watch on Wednesday.
Lions' Sweep?
We leave you with this nugget of information. The last time that Molloy swept a season series with LIU Post was the 2009-10 season, in which Molloy won the ECC Tournament and made it to the NCAA Tournament as well. Back then, Molloy and LIU Post played three times in the regular season. The Lions won all three games and added insult to injury by winning in the ECC semifinals.
