POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (December 2, 2015) – Over 10 days since the Vassar College women's basketball team took to the floor in a loss to then No. 20 Geneseo, the Brewers will head down into Hoboken, NJ to take on the Ducks of Stevens Institute of Technology in another tough non-conference tussle. The Brewers are 1-3 coming into the affair with the Ducks, but have lost their last two games by a combined nine points.

Game Details
Opponent: at Stevens Institute of Technology (1-2, 0-0 Empire 8)
Links:
(Vassar's Women's Basketball Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
(Stevens Women's Basketball Home Page) (Roster) (Stats) (Schedule)
Site: Hoboken, NJ
Facility: Canavan Arena
Date: December 5, 2015
Time: 2 p.m.
Coverage: (Live Stats)
 
What To Look For
Last year when these two teams met, the Brewers struggled to defend the very long Ducks, as Stevens shot 46.6 percent from the field en route to a 72-55 win over Vassar in Poughkeepsie. Stevens does not shoot a high volume from behind the arc, but instead likes to lean on its stable of solid and active wing and post players. The Ducks have shot above 40 percent in all three of their games this season, so it will be key for VC to keep the ball on the perimeter and also be quick to slide on post help, making sure the Ducks don't get easy buckets in the paint.
 
A Look At The Ducks (1-2, 0-0 Empire 8)
Stevens Institute of Technology is 1-2 on the season, having knocked off Guilford College while playing Brooklyn College tonight in non-conference play. The Ducks opened the year with losses to No. 5 New York University and Lynchburg College, as turnovers and poor three-point shooting plagued the Ducks in the pair of defeats. Stevens is coming off a season in 2014-15 that finished with a 22-5 record, losing in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament to Baruch College 70-59. Stevens is fourth in the Empire 8 in scoring offense, averaging 69.7 points per game, but is last in points allowed surrendering 77.7 points nightly. Part of that is due to the fact that teams are shooting 46.9 percent against the Ducks this year, including knocking down over 46 percent from downtown.
 
Empire 8 Reigning Player of the Year Kaitlyn Astel returns as the focal point of the offense for the Ducks, as she is pouring in 15.7 points per game, also grabbing 5.3 rebounds a night. Senior Miranda Ripken, who is the daughter of former Baltimore Orioles' second baseman Bill Ripken, is averaging 12.7 points on 46.2 percent shooting from the floor. Junior Erica Guketlov leads the team in made three pointers and minutes played, averaging 11.7 points per night, while Megan brown is shooting 51.9 percent en route to 12.3 points per contest. Dylan Krause has started all four games for the Ducks, working as a defensive specialist, and sophomore Anna Toke averages 7.7 points, 5.7 boards and 62.5 percent from the field.
 
Against Stevens All-Time
Vassar College has played the Ducks seven previous times, with Stevens earning wins in five of those contests. The Ducks have earned wins in each of the last three meetings, as VC has averaged just 45.3 points in those losses.
 
What Can Brown Do For You?
Head coach Candice Brown recently earned her 100^th win as the head coach of the Vassar College women's basketball team with a 62-56 win over Mount Saint Vincent November 20.
 
Compliments To The Cook
Sophomore guard Samarah Cook (Redding, CT/Joel Barlow) has played strong for VC lately, posting double figures in her last three games, and now is averaging 11.5 points per game for the Brewers.
 
Get To The Glass
The Brewers were outrebounded by 12 boards in their last loss to Geneseo, which was the biggest rebounding differential against VC since a 14-rebound spread against St. Lawrence University last year.
 
Teta Shot
Freshman Nicole Teta (Maspeth, NY/Archbishop Molloy) rattled home a career-high 11 points last Tuesday against Geneseo, and has not committed just eight turnovers all season, including just one in her last two games.
 
Captain Coll
Senior Colleen O'Connell (Maywood, NJ/Immaculate Heart Academy) has seen her production increase each game, as she posted nine points on 3-of-3 shooting against Geneseo. She also has dished out five assists over her last two games in just 16 minutes per game.
 
Not Up In Here!
Senior Rose Serafini (Milton, ON/Milton Area) is sixth nationally in blocks per game with 4.25, and currently ranks 15^th on the active career leader list in blocks per game with 1.93 per game.
 
Assists Yup, Turnovers Nope
Vassar College currently paces the Liberty League in assist to turnover ratio with a 0.94 clip, which is 94^th nationally. VC also gives the ball away just 16 times per game on average, 82^nd in Division III out of 420 teams.
 
Time To Score
Vassar comes into the weekend ninth in the Liberty League in scoring average, averaging 55 points per game.
 
Ball Control
The Brewers are currently first in the Liberty League in blocked shots per game with 5.50, while their 14.50 assists per contest also is the best in the conference.  
 
Love The Drake
Senior Caitlin Drakeley (Woodbury, CT/Nonnewaug) leads the team with two double-doubles this season, and is second on the team in scoring average with 11 points per game. She is also 40^th on the career active points list in Division III with her 1,056 points for her tenure at VC.
 
On The Road Again
Vassar starts a month long road trip this weekend, as Vassar will play its next six games away from the AFC.
 
Up Next
Vassar will play its final game before the exam break on Tuesday evening, December 8 at 6 p.m. at local rival New Paltz in non-conference action.