POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (January 14, 2014) – The Vassar College women's basketball team returns home after a two-game road swing last week to entertain William Smith College and Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Friday and Saturday. The Brewers are coming off a three-win week, having knocked off Hartwick College, Skidmore College and Union College. Vassar currently is 9-2 overall, while being tied atop the Liberty League standings with a 2-0 record.

Game Details
Opponent: vs. William Smith College (9-2/2-0 Liberty League) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Poughkeepsie, NY
Facility:  Athletics and Fitness Center (1,200)
Date: January 17, 2014
Time: 6 p.m.
Live Video
Live Stats

Game Details
Opponent: vs. Rochester Institute of Technology (5-5/1-0 Liberty League) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Poughkeepsie, NY
Facility:  Athletics and Fitness Center (1,200)
Date: January 18, 2014
Time: 2 p.m.
Live Video
Live Stats

What to Look For
This week presents two completely different challenges for the Brewers, who are winners of their last three. Last week, Vassar played two of the lower scoring teams in the conference in Union College (58.5, 7^th-Liberty) and Skidmore College (56.5, 8^th- Liberty), but this week get William Smith and RIT. The Tigers lead the league in scoring offense, posting 72.8 points a night, while WSC is right behind with a scoring clip of 71.9. Vassar holds the league's best scoring defense, so it'll be interesting to see which tempo wins out and which team adjusts better to the style of play.

A Look At the Herons
William Smith enters this week tied atop the Liberty League standings with a 2-0 record, also posting a 9-2 record this year. The Herons are one of the most balanced teams in the league, as they can score in a multitude of different ways. William Smith holds the League's top shooting percentage, making 42.4 percent of their field goals, while also making a league-high 35.6 percent from downtown. The Herons are 30^th nationally in three-point shooting. William Smith, as expected due to its shooting percentage, is last in offensive rebounds in the conference but leads the conference in defensive boarding.

The Herons have the countries' best three-point shooting guard currently, as Sasha Borenstein has made a national-high of 3.82 trifectas a game. She also is eighth in NCAA Division III in three-point shooting percentage, making 48.3 percent from downtown. She averages 13.6 points per game, as 87 of her 108 shots have come from behind the three-point arc. Chloe Hayter leads WSC in scoring, posting a near double-double of 15.1 and 9.2 rebounds a game. Erin O'Brien leads the squad in minutes per game, scoring 12.5 points per contest. The Herons have started the same five in all but one game this year, as Jacqueline Murphy has started all 11 games and posted a team-best 51.6 shooting percentage to go with 8.4 points and 9.9 rebounds.

Projected Starting Lineup: F - Chloe Hayter (15.1 PPG), F - Lauren Brustein (4.3), G - Sasha Borenstein (13.6), G - Erin O'Brien (12.5), G - Jacqueline Murphy (8.4).

Against William Smith All-Time
The Brewers have struggled against the Herons during the series history, as William Smith College holds a 28-3 edge over Vassar. The Brewers have played taken on WSC five times over the last two years, with the teams alternating victories. William Smith took the last meeting, knocking off VC 69-59 in the Liberty League Tournament last year.

A Look at the Tigers
RIT has only played once within the League thus far, but will take on Vassar's other weekend opponent William Smith on Tuesday evening. The Tigers do a very good job of taking care of the basketball, as they come into the week as the conference leader in assist to turnover ratio at 1.06, while also ranking 18^th nationally in turnovers per game at just 14.3. The Tigers like to get up and down, and though they shoot the League's eighth-best percentage from the field, they do lead the conference in scoring. With their quick page, RIT fouls more than anyone in the league and is 394 out of 420 D-III teams in fouls per game with 21.5 a night.

Surprisingly, RIT only plays nine players more than 13 minutes per game. The Tigers do have four players in double figures, led by Courtney Tennant, who averages a double-double of 16.1 points and 10.1 rebounds. Tennant is a monster on the offensive glass, as nearly half of her boards come on the offensive end. Ashlynn Palmitesso averages 12.8 points per game, while Jess Kramer and Kayla Wheeler each post over 10 points per game. The Tigers have been to the line 261 times this year, averaging 26.1 free throw attempts per game, a league high.

Projected Stating Lineup:  F - Mallory Apperson (6.3 PPG), C - Courtney Tennant (16.1), G - Maria Edwards (4.1), G - Jess Kramer (10.6), G - Ashlynn Palmitesso (12.8).

Against RIT All-Time
Saturday will be the fifth meeting with the Tigers, as RIT joined the Liberty League back in the 2011-12 academic season. Vassar is a perfect 4-0 against the Tigers, with the last win coming last February 9 in Poughkeepsie with a score of 85-75.

Something For Free
The Brewers don't go to the line a bunch, actually being sent to the charity stripe a conference-low 142 times this year. Vassar does take advantage though when at the line, making a Liberty League high 73.9 percent of its free throws.

Return To Sender
The Brewers are currently tied for the most blocks in the Liberty League, rejecting 40 shot attempts over their 11 games. Sophomore Rose Serafini (Milton, Ontario, Canada/Milton Area) paces the team with 17, while all but one player on the team has at least one block.

Open The Gates
The Brewers are one the brink of seeing another 1,000 point scorer here at Vassar, as senior forward Hannah Senftleber (Burlington, VT/Burlington) currently sits with 979 points. She would be the fourth player over the last five seasons to accomplish the feat.

Move Over Parks
Senior Cydni Matsuoka (Sacramento, CA/John F. Kennedy) is on the precipice of Vassar history, as she sits 31 points shot of the all-time points record, currently held by Brittany Parks with 1,582 points.

Why Thank You
Vassar leads the conference in total assists this year with 156 helpers. The Brewers are second in assists per game with 14.18, while Cydni Matsuoka leads the conference with 6.2 per game.

Dynamic Duo
Cydni Matsuoka and Hannah Senftleber currently compose the Liberty League's second highest scoring tandem, as the two combine for 30.3 points per game. Only Clarkson's pairing of Cara Manfredi (18.9) and Ashley Loggins (14.8) average more a game.

Double Double Trouble
VC senior Hannah Senftleber is one of only four players in the league averaging a double-double, joining Tytravia Riley (Bard), Angela Botiba (Skidmore) and Courtney Tennant (RIT).

Helping The Cause
This season, sophomore guard Caitlin Drakeley (Woodbury, CT/Nonnewaug) has the best plus-minus on the squad, as VC is 122 points better than its opponent when Drakeley is on the floor.

Career High Crew
This season, three Brewer players have set career-highs in points in a game. Junior Michaela Janowski (Stratham, NH/Exeter Area) posted 10 last Saturday at Union, Allyson Pemberton (Weston, MA/Weston) chalked up 16 against St. Joseph's-Long Island and Michelle Foreman (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) scored 11 against Montclair State.

I'll Take 38 For The Win
The Vassar College women's basketball team has lost twice, and in both games the Brewers shot under 38 percent from the floor. In all of the nine wins, VC has shot above 38 percent.

Up Next
Vassar College will host three games next week, starting with Bard College Tuesday before entertaining Clarkson University Friday, January 24 and St. Lawrence University January 25. All games will be held in the Athletics and Fitness Center.