The Wilmington College women's basketball team has a chance to get retribution for a 17-point road loss to Heidelberg on January 6. It marked the first-ever regular season loss to the Student Princes.
Heidelberg is 5-3 since the calendar flipped to 2015, and already has as many OAC wins as in any season since 2009-10. It finished 6-12 in that season.
"Obviously, they are the most improved team in the league, and they are coming off a great win at John Carroll," said Wilmington head coach Jerry Scheve. "They are going to give us all we can handle. They have two quality transfers and they are playing with a bunch of experienced veterans, who have gotten better every year."
Sophomore guard Theresa Jackson, a transfer from Division II Walsh, leads the team in scoring with 11.5 points per game despite coming off the bench. She has started just four games this season, including HU's 78-75 overtime victory over #19 John Carroll Wednesday. They other Division II transfer, junior center Marissa Liburdi, is averaging 9.2 points and 4.2 rebounds. She is one of two 'Berg players in the top five in field goal percentage, ranking fifth with 52.5 percent of her shots.
Sophomore Carli Patrick is the other Heidelberg player in the top five, ranking third with 55.2 percent. She is the only player in the OAC averaging double-figures in rebounding. Patrick is pulling down 12.1 boards to go along with 11.2 points.
Heidelberg shots 49.2 percent and went to the line 31 times in the early January meeting.
"We have to do a better job of guarding them," said Scheve. "We had a lot of defensive breakdowns. But more than that, we have to worry about ourselves. We have to value the basketball. We can't continue to turn the ball over like we have, and expect to beat quality teams like Heidelberg."
In that game, five players reached double figures – led by senior Paige Ricketts. The guard finished with 18 points on 4-for-5 shooing and 10-for-14 from the free throw line.
Liburdi and Jackson each tallied 14 points each, while Allie Hawkins added 12 points and Patrick finished with 11.
Sophomore Mary Moyer leads Wilmington with 10.8 points. Senior Courtney Tucker is second with 10.7 points, while leading the team with 6.4 rebounds.
