Lions Ledger: Basketballs Welcome Embry-Riddle Saturday for SSC Clash

Dec 02, 2021

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RECORDS: Saint Leo 3-4, 1-1 SSC | Embry-Riddle 3-3, 1-0 SSC
Saint Leo came up short at Eckerd after a slow start on the road. Amanda Ulrich led the Lions offense with 12 points followed by a career-high by Triniti Youngblood with 11 points. Off the rim, Ayanna Trigg snagged a game-high seven rebounds while also recording eight points. Tori Lesko was also in the mix with nine points, two steals, two blocks, and three boards.
Ulrich paces the Green and Gold on the early season averaging 17.0 points per game (ppg) shooting a 53.3-percent from the floor (41-116). On the line, she remains dangerous converting 71.9-percent of her free throws (23-32). She is joined in double digits by Ayanna Trigg with 10.9 ppg shooting an impressive 62.5-percent from the field (30-48). A. Trigg enters the week as the team's leading rebounder with 8.9 rebounds per game (rpg). Tori Lesko has joined the fun as the assist leader with 24 in seven games. Lesko averages just shy of double figure scoring with 9.6 ppg and 6.9 rpg followed closely by Kiki McIntyre with 9.4 ppg.
Inside the SSC, Ulrich is the second highest scorer in the league while A. Trigg is the second highest rebounder followed by Lesko the fourth highest off the boards.
Embry-Riddle returned to regular competition after opting out of the 2020-21 season. The Eagles snapped a three-game losing skid on Wednesday at Rollins when then they defeated the Tars 56-43. Embry-Riddle clinched the conference opener in a late fourth quarter surge. The Eagles were led by Nikki Tucker with a game-high 15 points. Tucker went a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe and finished just one rebound shy of a double-double with nine rebounds and three assists.
On the season, Tucker averages 11.5 ppg and 6.8 rpg. She is helped on the offensive side of the ball by teammate Sydney Jones with 11.0 ppg. Jones also leads the Eagles off the iron with 9.0 rpg.
Inside the league standings, Tucker is the SSC's fifth highest rebounder and sits 11th in scoring.
HISTORY: In 2019, Saint Leo swept Embry-Riddle in the two-game series. The Lions cruised to a 79-66 win on Wednesday, Jan. 15 inside the Marion Bowman Activities Center and brought home a 76-69 victory from the ICI Center in Daytona Beach on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Ulrich scored a combined 41 points in the pair of victories, tallying 20 at home and 21 on the road against the Eagles. Alex Button registered 17 points in the first tipoff vs the East coast conference foes and propelled Saint Leo in third quarter at Embry-Riddle with 27 points.

RECORDS: Saint Leo 4-3, 1-1 SSC | No. 18/8 Embry-Riddle 8-1, 1-0 SSC
Saint Leo will look to contend with its third top-25 ranked opponent this season and continue in the win column after an 68-66 win at Eckerd Wednesday night.
In the win, Wade Coomer and Francis Sio paced the team in scoring with 23 and 20 points, respectively. Cantia Rahming chipped in with 14 points while leading the team in rebounding with nine on the night.
On the year, Wade Coomer took over the top spot in scoring as the senior from Glasgow, Ky. Averages a team-best 13.9 points per game (97). Four others average double-figures in Francis Sio, 12.4 ppg, Frank Webb Jr., 12.0 ppg, Grant Disken, 10.7 ppg, and Jared Coomer, 10.0 ppg.
Webb is the team leader in rebounding with 59 on the year, assists with 43, and steals with 32.
No. 18/8 Embry-Riddle is off to a blazing start having won eight of nine games this season including the last two against Florida National and at Rollins. The Eagles have wins over some of the nation's best including four wins over teams either receiving votes or ranked in the top-25 of the NABC or the D2SIDA poll; 83-77 over Missouri Western State (then-RV), 103-96 over then-no. 20 Alabama-Huntsville, 88-77 over West Georgia (then-RV), and 79-66 over then-no. 22 Lee.
In their last outing, ERAU saw a 90-78 win on the road against the Rollins Tars where Elijah Jenkins led all scorers with a game-high 33 points in 36 minutes of action. The red-hot shooter went 9-of-16 from beyond the arc.
Through nine games, Jenkins is the team leading scorer averaging 19.0 points per game just ahead of Romeo Crouch at 18.0 ppg.
History Saint Leo holds an 8-2 record against Embry-Riddle where the Eagles and Lions split the last regular season meeting in 2020 with Saint Leo picking up an 92-85 win at home and ERAU winning at home 108-91. The two teams did not meet in 2020-21 as Embry-Riddle opted not to participate in the CoVID19 abbreviated season.
Games Against Top-25 Opponents No. 20 vs UAH, L 89-86; No. 23 vs GVSU, L 68-67
Upcoming promotions Dec. 8, Men's Basketball SSC Championship ring ceremony, halftime of the women's game | Dec. 9, Canned Food Drive - minimum 4 cans for FREE Admission

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