ANTOGNOLI AVERAGES
    Junior guard Abby Antognoli currently leads the Leopards in scoring, assists and field goal percentage (40 or more attempts taken), posting 13.0 ppg, 4.5 apg and 38.0 percent from the field. The Bay Head, N.J. native also has been an active defender, averaging two steals per game. Antognoli currently ranks 10th amongst the top scorers in the Patriot League.

SCOUTING LIU
    The Highlanders finished the 2022-23 season with a 13-16 record. They earned an America East Conference Tournament berth last season, but fell to UMBC 82-71 in the first round.
    Lafayette has beaten NJIT in their last six meetings. The most recent encounter of the two teams was on Nov. 11, 2022, with the Leopards winning 62-58. 
    Alejandra Zuniga was the leading scorer for NJIT in its last game. Zuniga finished with a team-high 11 points, while adding two boards and two assists. She also shot 50 percent from the floor (eight attempts). 
    Trinity Williams, Lyzi Litwinko and Reese Vaughan all finished with 10 points against Wagner.  As a team, NJIT shot 49.2 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from downtown and 60 percent from the charity stripe.  

LAST TIME OUT
     Lafayette women's basketball beat LIU 54-51 on Saturday afternoon for the Leopards' first win of the season. Senior guard Makayla Andrews and junior guard Abby Antognoli propelled the Leopards on offense. Andrews finished with 13 points, three assists and six rebounds. Her backcourt partner Antognoli scored eight points, dished five assists and grabbed two rebounds.
    Andrews got the ball rolling for Lafayette with a tough and-one finish with 7:04 left in the first quarter. Junior guard Kylie Favours then found Antognoli, who nailed a three-pointer to give the Leopards a 10-7 lead with 5:13 left. Mariah Elohim and Nigeria Harkless quickly responded with two buckets for the Sharks. The score was tied at 14 before sophomore forward Emma Shields gave the Leopards a 16-14 lead. 
    Antognoli knocked down a three-pointer to start the second quarter. After a scoreless two minutes, senior forward Kayla Drummond extended the Leopards' lead to five points with 6:59 left in the half. Lafayette held a 25-20 lead before going on a six-point run courtesy of field goals from junior guard Halee Smith, sophomore guard Kay Donahue and free throws from Andrews. Lafayette led 31-22 at halftime.
    The Sharks scored two quick buckets out of halftime, but Favours stopped their run with a three-pointer at the 5:45 mark. Two more free throws from Andrews with just over four minutes to go in the third gave Lafayette a 38-31 lead. After Andrews scored a quick layup, LIU went on a 7-0 run to tie the game at 40 apiece with 54 seconds to play in the period. Donahue dropped in another layup shortly thereafter to give Lafayette a 42-40 advantage at the end of the third quarter.
    In the fourth, Harkless gave the Sharks a two-point lead, but Smith responded with her own mid-range jumper. Two scoreless minutes later, Sydni Smith and Ashley Austin provided LIU with a four-point lead. Sophomore guard Sauda Ntaconayigize responded by knocking down back-to-back triples to put Lafayette back in front with 2:34 to go. Austin responded with a three of her own, giving the advantage back to LIU 51-50. Another clutch bucket from Ntaconayigize and free throws from Andrews sealed the 54-51 victory for the Leopards.

KEY RETURNERS
    Coach Kia Damon-Olson has nine players returning to College Hill after losing just one team member to graduation. Senior guard Makayla Andrews and junior guard Abby Antognoli are among Damon-Olson's top key returners. Andrews averaged 14.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg and 1.0 apg last season. Antognoli posted 12.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg and 3.0 apg in her second year at Lafayette. Sophomore Kay Donaue will also add depth to the Leopards back court after averaging 3.5 ppg and 2.0 rpg in 2022-23. 

SHOOTING FROM DEEP
    Junior guard Abby Antognoli currently sits atop of the Patriot League in three-point percentage at 35.7 percent and three-point field goals per game averaging 2.5. Senior guard Makayla Andrews, sophomore guard Kay Donahue and junior guard Halee Smith are all shooting over 30 percent from deep this season. As a team, Lafayette is shooting 34.5 percent from downtown.

NEW FACES 
    Kia Damon-Olson and her staff added four new members to the Lafayette women's basketball team in freshmen Tasha Chudy, Grace Montgomery, Teresa Kiewiet and Brynn Beffert. Chudy and Beffert both stand over six feet tall and are new additions to the front court. Both possess physical attributes that will aid them at the college level. Montgomery and Kiewiet will add depth and scoring for the Maroon and White's back court. Both provide shooting and crafty play-making to the depth chart.

SILENT SMITH
    Junior guard Halee Smith has been putting up solid numbers to begin the 2023-24 campaign. The Alexandria, Pa. native is averaging 7.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 1.3 apg. Smith is also an active defender, averaging 1.3 spg. She is shooting 43.3 percent from the field this season as well as 36.4 percent from beyond the arc.