The College of Staten Island women’s basketball team recently got back in the win column this past weekend, winning the final home regular season game of the season over Lehman College. Now the Dolphins are getting set for their final regular season away contest, as they travel to face Baruch College in their CUNYAC finale. It will be the first of a home-at-home series against Baruch, as CSI will also face Baruch in the opening round of the CUNYAC Tournament when it kicks off this current weekend with quarterfinal play.
CSI VS. BARUCH COLLEGE AT-A-GLANCE
Matchup: CSI (18-6, 12-3 CUNYAC) vs. Baruch (7-14, 6-9 CUNYAC)
Where: ARC Arena – 55 Lexington, Avenue, New York, NY
Live Stats: https://athletics.baruch.cuny.edu/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
Live Video: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6A-GojLPhtB8wsn8Uel4IQ?view_as=subscriber
All-Time Series: CSI leads, 32-22
Last Meeting: January 16, 2019 – CSI won, 78-49
Players to Watch (CSI): The Dolphins continue to be paced by guard Megan McEwan, who leads all with 14.2 points per contest. McEwan is also leading the team with 48 three-point baskets, 65 assists, and 71 steals, needing five more to crack CSI’s all-time Top 20 in that category in a single season. Next in line is Diana Todaro, who leads the Dolphins with 8.1 rebounds per game while also posting 11.5 points per contest. Todaro is connecting on a team-best 53.2% from the field while placing second on the team with 48 steals. Freshman Kayla Schmitter is the reigning CUNYAC Rookie of the Week, and has brought her scoring total up to 9.5 points per game with 5.8 rebounds per game, averaging 21.7 minutes per contest. Look for Jacquelyn Cali to be a big factor tonight. The last time these two teams hooked up, Cali registered four three-point baskets in just six attempts for 13 points, adding four assists as well in just 21 minutes.
Players to Watch (BC): The Bearcats’ premiere scoring threat this season has been Melinda Spahiu, who through 19 games has produced 15.4 points per contest, averaging a hair over 40% from the floor with a team-leading 8.8 rebounds and 72 total assists per game as well. Sophomore Daniela Zirpolo is next in line, averaging 9.0 points per contest while adding 5.3 rebounds and a 42.3% scorer’s touch from the floor averaging 26.5 minutes per game. Samantha Genco and Frances Snyder hope to get uncorked tonight as well. Both are averaging over eight points a game. Snyder was one of only two Bearcats to register in double-figures the last time these two teams played, but was just 4-16 from the floor, a number she hopes to turn around tonight.
News & Notes: The Dolphins were able to coast to a 78-49 victory the last time these two teams met a few weeks ago in Staten Island. McEwan led a balanced CSI attack with 15 points on 50% shooting from the field. The calling card for CSI in the game was a huge advantage on the boards (46-37) and a +7 advantage in turnovers, forcing 24 Bearcats miscues. Overall the Dolphins have taken six of the last seven meetings against Baruch. The Bearcats last defeated CSI on their home floor four years ago and since then CSI has taken the last three meetings at the ARC Arena but an average of 23.3 points per win. Prior to CSI’s great run over Baruch these last few years, the Bearcats had taken an unprecedented 16 of 17 meetings from 2005-15. All told, however CSI owns a 32-22 record over the Bearcats and are 14-9 all-time on the road over Baruch. Despite this being the final game of the regular season, the Dolphins already know that they will finish as the No. 3 seed in the CUNYAC Postseason Tournament (CSI can finish tied for second in the standings but would lose a tie-breaking scenario with Brooklyn College). While the top two conference teams get a first-round playoff bye, the Nos. 3-6 seeds play in the quarterfinal round on Saturday, February 16. No. 3 CSI will play at 1pm on Saturday against this same Baruch College team, as the Bearcats sit alone in the sixth and final playoff position.
