OPENING TIP
•The Leopards remain on College Hill for the second home game of the season, facing the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Lafayette has previously faced off against the Highlanders 10 times, with the most recent matchup happening last winter on Nov. 30. In the previous series meeting, the Maroon and White fell 71-60 at Kirby Sports Center. Backcourt partners Teresa Kiewiet and Talia Zurinskas combined for 41 points in the loss.

•The Leopards return 11 players from last season, five of whom started in at least 10 contests. Lafayette concluded 2025-26 with an 11-19 (7-11 PL) overall record, advancing to the Patriot League Tournament's quarterfinal round. 

•Tasha Chudy, Teresa Kiewiet and Talia Zurinskas were named team captains on Oct. 31. Chudy competed in over 60 games for the Leopards through her career, heading into her senior season boasting a 75.7 percent free throw average. Kiewiet, a 2026-27 Patriot League Preseason All-League selection, contributed a team-best 16.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg and 1.2 apg. Kiewiet recorded double-digits points in 25 contests, five double-doubles and finished the year in the top 10 of Lafayette's single-season scoring list in 2025-26. Her post-season accolades included the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year (the first Leopard in conference history to win the award since its inception in 1990-91) and All-Conference Second Team. As a Psychology major, Zurinskas started in all 30 games last winter. She averaged 10.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game as a guard while shooting 34.8 percent from the field.

•The Leopards host five non-conference games while traveling to six opponents in the non-conference slate. Patriot League play kicks off prior to the New Year on Dec. 30 when Lafayette hosts Navy at 1 p.m.

•The Leopards travel to Marist next on Sunday for a 2 p.m. tip-off. Coverage for the contest can be viewed live on ESPN+.

SCOUTING NJIT
The Highlanders put together one of the most successful seasons in program history in 2025-26, finishing with a program-record 19 victories and surpassing the previous mark of 18 wins established during the 2004-05 campaign. NJIT also made its first postseason appearance of the Division I era and second overall, advancing to the second round of the WNIT after earning the program's first-ever postseason victory with a win at Merrimack. NJIT has opened the 2026-27 campaign with three consecutive victories, defeating Rider, Merrimack and Marist to remain unbeaten. The Highlanders have started the season 3-0 for the second consecutive year after opening the 2025-26 campaign with victories over Sacred Heart, Fordham and Wagner. Junior forward Allison Cannon enters the season among the nation's elite returning interior finishers, earning the No. 5 ranking among 50 Division I women's basketball players. Lafayette holds an 8-2 advantage in the all-time series.

LAST TIME OUT
Last time out, head coach Ben O'Brien claimed his first career win at the helm of Lafayette women's basketball on Nov. 5 in an 88-34 decision against Wagner at Kirby Sports Center. Haylie Adamski paced the Leopards with 24 points to match her career high in scoring. The Media, Pa. native went 7-for-13 from long range and picked up three steals, three rebounds and one assist. Lafayette shot 47.3 percent from the floor overall and connected on 24-of-30 from the charity stripe. The outcome marked the fewest points allowed by an opponent since 2019-20 and the most points scored by Lafayette since 2016-17.

AT THE HELM
Ben O'Brien takes up the mantle for Lafayette as the eighth head coach since the program's inception in 1972 and the first male. His arrival to College Hill follows a historic head-coaching tenure at Scranton, where he compiled a 117-7 (.943) record over four seasons that included four conference championships (2023-26), two undefeated regular seasons (2023, 2026), four NCAA Tournament appearances (2023-26) and three Elite 8 stints (2024–26). During the 2026 NCAA Tournament run, O'Brien led Scranton to the NCAA Division III National Championship Game after using its Final Four appearance to snap NYU's 91-game winning streak.

ADAMSKI BEYOND THE ARC
Sophomore Haylie Adamski contributed a career-tying 24 points in the win over Wagner. She shot 7-for-13 from long range to move to to second place in the Patriot League and 77th in the nation for 3-pointers this season. Her 3.50 3-pointers per game ranks fourth in the conference and 31st in the NCAA.

HALL ON THE RISE
Freshman forward Johari Hall is one of two Leopards scoring in double figures, averaging 19 minutes per game. Her 12.0 points per game positions her behind Haylie Adamski (14.0). The Edmond Okla. native is 5-for-8 from the floor and 12-for-16 from the charity stripe through two games.

FAMILIAR FACE
NJIT assistant coach John Hannafin spent four seasons at Lafayette (2022-26) prior to joining the Highlanders staff in August 2026. Hannafin began his collegiate coaching career at Lafayette in July 2022 as Director of Women's Basketball Operations before being promoted to assistant coach in July 2023. One year later, he added recruiting coordinator responsibilities to his role.

PROMOTIONAL SLATE
Lafayette will host the seventh annual School Day Game, in partnership with Lafayette's Landis Center for Community Engagement and Easton Area School District, on Jan. 20 at 11 a.m. against Loyola Maryland. On Feb. 13 versus Bucknell, the Leopards will raise funds and awareness for the breast cancer during the Pink Game.