THE OPENING TIP
*    The Leopards open Patriot League play at American on Friday. This will be the first contest for the Leopards in nine days.

*    In the last meeting on Mar 4, 2022, the Eagles defeated Lafayette 54-48 in the PLT Quarterfinal.  American holds the 45-9 advantage in the series which dates back to 1982.

*    In the Leopards' last game on Dec. 21, they defeated St. Francis Brooklyn, 53-52 at Kirby Sports Center. Sophomore Kylie Favours exploded with a career-high 18 points and senior Jess Booth also tallied 18. Junior Makayla Andrews chipped in eight points including the game-winning layup.

*    Favours started her first contest of the 2022 season last time out. The guard exploded for a career-high 18 points, shooting 50 percent (4-for-8) from three-point range and 58 percent (5-for-12) from the floor. 

*    Lafayette will open up the New Year with a trip to West Point to take on Army on Jan. 2.

SCOUTING AMERICAN
    The Eagles are 1-10 on the season. They lost against Marist (59-41) and defeated UMBC (70-68). American finished 23-9 last season, and are the defending Patriot League champions. 
    Lafayette was edged by American and former head coach Megan Gebbia three times last season. The Eagles head into Friday's game 1-10 on the season under first-year head coach Tiffany Coll.
    Emily Johns is the leading scorer, averaging 14.7 ppg and 5.0 rpg. Ivy Bales leads the Eagles in rebounds and assists with 6.0 and 3.2, respectively.

LAST TIME OUT
     An electric second half lifted the Leopards over St. Francis Brooklyn 53-52 on Dec. 21 at Kirby Sports Center.    
    Sophomore Kylie Favours exploded with a career-high 18 points, shooting 50% (4-for-8) from three-point range. Senior Jess Booth joined Favours in double figures also with 18 points, shooting 50% (7-for-14) from the floor. Junior Makayla Andrews chipped in eight points including the game-winning layup. 
    St. Francis Brooklyn's Alyssa Fisher knocked down 30 points, with 21 occurring in the first half.
     The Terriers controlled the first quarter, shooting 71% from beyond the arc. Fisher drained 18 points to give St. Francis the 25-7 lead heading into the second quarter.
     Lafayette stepped up in the second quarter, shooting 50% (5-for-10) from the field. The Leopards also stepped up their defense as the Terriers went 1-for-15 from the field compared to 10-for-15 in the first quarter. St. Francis led 31-19 at the half.
     St. Francis' Fisher and Tyra Myers drained a pair of three-pointers to open up the third. The Leopards responded by going on an 18-4 run to put them down 41-37 heading into the fourth. 
     Booth and Favours hit back-to-back three-pointers to open up the fourth quarter, giving the Leopards their first lead of the game at 43-41.
     St. Francis regained the lead after going on a 9-0 spurt, with Fisher draining one three and three foul shots as Myers chipped in a three of her own.
     With 5:45 remaining, Booth hit a jumper to put the Leopards within five, down 50-45. Freshman Sauda Ntaconayigize netted her first basket of the game as her three-pointer from the corner put Lafayette within two.
     The Terriers' Bella Green went 2-for-2 from the free throw line, giving St. Francis the 52-48 lead with 2:23 remaining. Favours responded by hitting her fourth three-pointer of the game to put the Leopards down one with just over two minutes left. 
     Andrews put up a layup to give Lafayette the 53-52 lead within 14 seconds remaining. Ntaconaygizie picked up a steal with six seconds left to seal the Leopards' final non-conference victory.

COMEBACK WIN
    The Leopards came back from a 20 point deficit, to defeat the Terriers 53-52. St. Francis Brooklyn led 25-7 at the end of the first quarter, but Lafayette's defensive shut down the Terriers as they climbed offensively during the second half.

THIRD TIME'S A CHARM
    Coach Kia Damon-Olson used her third lineup of the season last game, as sophomore guards Abby Antognoli and Halee Smith missed their first starts of the season. The new lineup pushed on a comeback win from a 20 point deficit to St. Francis.

FAVOURS FIRST START 
    Sophomore guard Kylie Favours started for the first time in her career last time out, putting up a career-high 18 points in the 53-53 win. The Old Bridge, N.J. native stepped into the starting role with confidence as she drained multiple momentum changing threes, going 50 percent (4-for-8) from beyond the arc.