SHOOTERS SHOOT
    Leopard guards Sauda Ntaconayigize, Rosie Scognamiglio and Haylie Adamski are all shooting 40 percent or better from downtown this season. Adamski leads the pack, shooting at a career-high 46.3 percent clip and Scognamiglio is right behind her with 44.4 percent. Ntconayigize has made 42.1 percent of her attempts this season and led the conference last year at 42.0 percent.

SCOUTING NJIT
    The Highlanders have started the 2025-26 season with a 6-2 record, but suffered a loss to FDU (71-43) last time out to end a three-game winning streak. NJIT posted a 3-11 record in non-conference play last season and an 8-8 mark in the America East. 
    Sunday marks the 10th meeting between the Leopards and Highlanders in their respective histories. Lafayette has never lost to NJIT since head coach Kia Damon-Olson has been at the helm. In last year's matchup, the Leopards came out on top in a close contest (71-69).
    Looking at the visitors' eight-game sample size, Olivia Kulyk and Marissa Gingrich were the leaders on offense in their loss vs. FDU. Kulyk finished the outing with nine points and two rebounds, on 4-10 shooting from the floor and 1-4 from deep in 28 minutes. Gingrich only logged 17 minutes for the Highlanders, netting nine points on 4-7 shooting and she grabbed a board. Allison Cannon, Ava Locklear and Madilyn Dogs rounded out NJIT's starters and the trio combined for 18 of its 31 rebounds.
    As a team, NJIT shot 37.3 percent from the floor, 23.1 percent from beyond the arc and 40.0 percent from the charity stripe. The Highlanders rank fourth in the America East in scoring offense (66.0 ppg) and sixth in defensive rating, allowing their opponents to score 63.5 points per outing.

LAST TIME OUT
    Lafayette women's basketball captured its fourth-straight win of the 2025-26 season, defeating ACC foe Pittsburgh 76-59 Tuesday evening at Petersen Events Center. Guards Teresa Kiewiet, Haylie Adamski and Talia Zurinskas combined for 56 points. The Leopards shot a season-high 49.2 percent from the floor, 44.4 percent from downtown and 85.7 percent from the line in the victory.

PATRIOT LEAGUE AWARDS
    Guard Talia Zurinskas received all-league recognition in 2024-25.  The Allentown, Pa. native claimed a spot on the conference's all-rookie team, posting averages of 4.4 ppg and 1.0 apg in 30 games played for the Leopards. The Psychology major shot 38.6 percent from the field, 32.4 percent from deep and 77.3 percent at the line in her first season on College Hill. 

UP NEXT
    The Maroon and White are back in action at 7 p.m. on Thursday as they travel to Teaneck, N.J. for a matchup with FDU.

2024-25 RECAP
    As a program, the 2024-25 season highlighted various notable achievements. 
Lafayette posted its best season to date in three-point field goals made, draining 190 attempts in 31 games. It also marked the second-highest season in terms of threes attempted (559) and the fifth best team three-point field goal percentage (34.0 percent).

SENIOR SNIPER
    Senior guard Sauda Ntaconayigize remains Lafayette's largest threat from downtown entering the 2025-26 season. Last year, the Quebec, Canada native led the Patriot League in three-point percentage, shooting at a highly efficient 42.0 percent clip on 119 attempts.

MAKING HISTORY
    The Leopards' home contest vs. No. 6 Notre Dame (Nov. 17) last season was the first time Lafayette women's basketball hosted a nationally-ranked opponent within the Patriot League era.

ONE TO WATCH
    Junior guard Teresa Kiewiet is a Leopard opposing team's scouting reports will hone in on to begin the season. The North Mankato, Minn. native quietly averaged 9.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, while shooting 44.2 percent from the floor and 41.9 percent from beyond the arc last campaign. With the graduation of Abby Antognoli '25, Kiewiet will be relied on greatly to generate offense for the Maroon and White. 

STARTING FIVE
    Lafayette used the same starting lineup for 17 of its 31 contests last season: guards Abby Antognoli, Teresa Kiewiet and Sauda Ntaconayigize, forwards Halee Smith and Tasha Chudy. Junior guard Teresa Kiewiet became a consistent starter after the Army game on Jan. 15. 

NEW STAFF
    The Maroon and White hired assistant coach Imani Watkins in September. Prior to her arrival in Easton, she gained coaching experience at West Guilford High School as an assistant for the boys basketball team. Watkins also had a stellar collegiate and professional playing career. She concluded her college career as Binghamton's all-time leading scorer (2,125 points).

PLAY4KAY CAMPAIGN
    Lafayette women's basketball recently partnered with the Kay Yow Foundation for a season-long three-point challenge. This season, Leopard fans can pledge how much they'd like to donate for every three-pointer made by the team or their favorite player and all proceeds will directly benefit the Kay Yow Fund. To learn more visit tinyurl.com/25sqlzmv. 

EXCELLENCE IN ACADEMICS
    Lafayette's athletic programs stood out among the nation's best this fall in the NCAA's Division I annual Graduation Success Rate (GSR) release. College Hill claimed a 97 percent GSR overall for the third straight year based on the 19 sports measured while 16 Leopard teams, including women's basketball, achieved a graduation success rate of 100 percent.