BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College women's basketball team has earned the second seed in the 2013 Landmark Conference Tournament and will host third seed The University of Scranton in a semifinal game on Wednesday, February 20th tipping off at 7:00 p.m. in Johnston Hall.
Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for seniors (62 and older) and children. All youth under the age of 10 are admitted free as are all students with a valid ID from any of the eight Landmark Conference institutions. College students without a Landmark school ID are $3.
The Greyhounds are 20-5 overall this season and finished the Landmark regular season with an 11-3 mark. The Royals are 18-7 overall and were 10-4 in Landmark action. During the regular season, the squads each won on their home floor with Moravian posting a 70-62 victory in Johnston Hall on January 23rd, and Scranton earning a 64-57 win at the Long Center on February 13th. Wednesday will be the fourth time the two schools have met in the Landmark Conference Tournament with Scranton holding a 2-1 advantage in the postseason.
Wednesday's other semifinal game has top seed The Catholic University of America hosting fourth seed Juniata College at 5:30 p.m. in Washington, D.C. The top remaining seed will host the 2013 Landmark Conference title game with an automatic berth to the 2013 NCAA Division III Tournament on the line.
Moravian Head Coach Mary Beth Spirk has the Greyhounds heading to the postseason next week for the 12th straight season, and for the 23rd time in her 26 seasons leading the Moravian program. Spirk has a career record of 485-228 and is looking to lead the Greyhounds to their third conference title with a Landmark championship in 2010 and a Middle Atlantic Conference title in 1992. Spirk has led Moravian to the NCAA Division III Tournament seven times in her tenure.
Leading the Greyhounds on the court this season has been sophomore forward Alexis Wright, who was named the 2013 Pete Nevins Lehigh Valley Small College Women's Basketball Player of the Year last week. Wright is averaging 16.0 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, and she has added 50 blocked shots, 47 steals and 36 assists. Wright became the 18th player in school history to reach 500 career rebounds in the Greyhounds regular season finale at Catholic this past Saturday.
Junior guard Katie O'Rourke is the only other Moravian player scoring in double figures this season with an average of 10.8 points per game, and she is adding 5.9 rebounds per contest. O'Rourke leads the Greyhounds with 111 assists and 59 steals while committing just 80 turnovers in a team high 768 minutes played. Junior forward Laura Jordan has contributed a team leading 50 blocked shots along with Wright, and Jordan has averages of 9.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per outing as well as 25 assists and 24 steals.
Senior guard Amanda Kreuder is netting 8.1 points in her final season, and she has added 90 rebounds, 48 assists and 40 steals while junior guard Danielle Brogan has a team high 37 three-pointers in addition to 7.7 points per game, 90 rebounds, 23 steals, 19 assists and ten blocked shots. Freshman forward Alesha Marcks, the only reserve to see action off the bench in all 25 games this season for the Greyhounds, has an average of 6.0 points per contest to go with 85 rebounds, 20 assists, 13 blocked shots and 12 steals. Marcks leads the Greyhounds with a 53.4 (63-for-118) shooting percentage from the field.
Junior guard Alyssa Hann has contributed 51 points, 36 rebounds, 23 assists and 27 steals since returning to the line-up after missing the first nine games of the season with an injury. Freshman guard Karine Polgar has 59 points, 48 rebounds, 26 assists, 28 steals and ten blocked shots in her debut season while junior forward Ericka Blair has added 76 rebounds, 56 points, ten steals, six assists and four blocked shots. Freshman guard Emily MacDonnell has 51 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists as a reserve for the Greyhounds this season while freshman guard Steph Peterson has added 46 points, 28 rebounds. 11 assists and eight steals.
The Royals are coached by Mike Strong, who is in his 33rd season at the school with a career record of 778-176. Scranton has won 18 conference titles under Strong including the first two Landmark Conference championships in 2008 and 2009.
On the court, Scranton is led by sophomore forward Meredith Mesaris, who is averaging 17.0 points and 5.1 rebounds per game to go with 29 assists, 25 steals and five blocked shots. Mesaris has 28 three-pointers on the season and is 105-of-129 at the foul line (81.4 percent). Senior forward Erin Boggan leads the Royals on the boards at 7.2 rebounds per contest, and she is tossing in 11.7 points per game with 33 assists, 21 steals and a team high 29 blocked shots.
Junior guard Alison Sweeney is contributing 7.0 points per game with a team high 33 three-pointers, 70 rebounds, 51 assists, 22 blocked shots and 19 steals. Sophomore guard Lindsay Fluehr leads Scranton with 122 assists and 40 steals with just 79 turnovers while contributing 5.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest.
