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Juniata College
Women’s hoops to host two day Juniata Holiday Classic
December 29, 2011

Women’s hoops to host two day Juniata Holiday Classic

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Juniata College women’s basketball will host the annual 2011 Juniata Holiday Classic tonight and Friday in the Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center, as each participating squad returns to the court from the holiday break.

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HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Juniata College women's basketball will host the annual 2011 Juniata Holiday Classic tonight and Friday in the Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center, as each participating squad returns to the court from the holiday break.
Juniata, currently ranked no. 19 in the D3Hoops.com Top 25 Poll, carries a 9-1 record into the tournament and will face the Cougars of Misericordia University (4-4) in tonight's 7:30 p.m. contest. Today's early 5:30 p.m. match-up will feature the Roadrunners of Ramapo College (7-2) and the Bearcats of Saint Vincent College (8-1).

Friday's schedule will tip-off at 2:00 p.m. with a game between the Bearcats and Cougars, followed by a Juniata versus Ramapo dual scheduled for 4:00.

The Eagles currently boast the Landmark Conference's top scoring offense with an average 71.1 points per game, accompanied with the conference's largest scoring margin of +17.6.

Juniata also has the conference's best 3-point shooting effort with an impressive 81 treys drained backed by a .349 percentage, eclipsing second-place Scranton who has posted just 43 3-pointers so far this season. Junior Jordan Speck (Huntingdon, Pa./Southern Huntingdon) has led the 3-point charge with 17, with sophomore Jordan Hileman (Williamsburg, Pa./Williamsburg) close behind at 15. 

Leading the Juniata offense is senior Ashton Bankos (York, Pa./York Catholic), who averages a Landmark Conference high 16.1 points per game and 4.1 assists per game. The Landmark's top rebounder is none other than sophomore Kate McDonald (Pennsylvania Furnace, Pa./State College Area) who has tallied 89 total boards, while also topping the Landmark charts with an average 3.40 steals per game.

The Bearcats who broke for the holiday after an 84-66 win over Capital University (12-9), have only seen one loss this season and it came at the hands of Juniata to the tune of 76-63 (11/26).

Saint Vincent's senior Brittany Sedlock dishes out 22% of a 71.4 points per game Bearcat offense with an average 15.8 points per contest, while simultaneously yanking down 10.0 rebounds per game. Juniors Emily Fenton and Elle Collins, the two biggest Saint Vincent 3-point threats, are grabbing an average 11.6 and 11.3 points respectively. Collins has drained 16 treys this season while Fenton has posted 10.

Ramapo has dominated non-conference action so far in the 2011-12 campaign with seven straight wins, but has struggled to find a victory in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) as they have dropped conference contests to William Paterson and Kean University. However, the Roadrunners are looking to extend their three game winning streak as they enter the weekend coming off a demanding 71-48 win over York College (12/14).

Junior guard Alexa Ryan holds a team-high 16.0 points per game average while also leading the squad in steals (25), rebounds (34) and 3-point field goals (17). Senior Lindsey Gripenburg is second on the team in points with 97 for an average 10.8 points per game as part of a Roadrunner 74.8 contest average.

Misericordia is looking to improve beyond the .500 mark as they hold a 4-4 record. The Cougars broke for the holiday season early and haven't played since December 8, when they defeated Baptist Bible 72-47.

Misericordia's Christine Marks is the lone player in the Holiday Classic that is averaging more than 20 points per game. Marks is backed by junior Tyann McDaniel and Hannah Seely who are netting 12.5 and 11.0 points per contest respectively.

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