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opening tip... Saturday's game between Mount St. Mary's and LIU Brooklyn marks the 44th meeting in the all-time series dating back to the 1989-90 season.
• The Mount leads the series 26-16, including a 12-8 mark in Brooklyn. LIU has won four of the six meetings since moving into the Wellness Center.
• The Mount defeated the Blackbirds 44-43 on Dec. 3 to end a four-game losing streak against LIU.
• LIU Brooklyn's last win in the series was a 65-61  decision on Feb. 21, 2011.

about the blackbirds... LIU Brooklyn comes into the contest 13-5 overall and 2-4 in Northeast Conference play after falling 71-65 against Fairleigh Dickinson on Monday.
• Senior F Ashley Palmer paced the Blackbirds with 18 points and 13 rebounds against the Knights. Palmer posted 30 points and 13 rebounds in a 74-64 win against Quinnipiac on Jan. 9. The senior leads the team with 19.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.
• Senior G Marika Sprow added 17 points against Fairleigh Dickinson. The senior registered 11 points against the Bobcats. Sprow is averaging 5.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
• Junior F Ebony Davis posted 13 points in a 67-57 loss against Monmouth on Jan. 14. Davis tallied 11 points and 10 rebounds in a 64-63 win against Oklahoma State on Dec. 30. The junior ranks second on the squad with 9.7 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.
• Senior G Kiara Evans  ranks third with 8.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. Evans scored 11 points in a 78-69 win against William & Mary on Dec. 19.

last time we met... Ashley Christie capped a 16-6 run with a layup with 8.5 seconds left to lift Mount St. Mary's past Long Island 44-43 in a thrilling come-from-behind victory on Dec. 3, 2011. The Mount trailed 37-28 with 10:14 remaining, but scored 16 of the final 24 points to edge one of the NEC's preseason top teams. Christie finished the game with seven points, but her layup was her only field goal of the afternoon. Sydney Henderson paced Mount St. Mary's with 11 points and six rebounds. Jessie Kaufman recorded all nine of her points in the squad's decisive run to end the contest.
Ashley Palmer led the Blackbirds with 17 points and eight rebounds. Kiara Evans added seven points and five rebounds in the losing effort.

quick hits on the central connecticut state game... Central Connecticut State defeated Mount St. Mary's 73-63 on Monday.
• Junior Sydney Henderson paced the Mount with a career-high 25 points. The junior has posted double figures in six-consecutive games and is averaging 14.5 points per game in that stretch. It marks the first time a player has scored 10+ in a game since Mary Dunn last season. Henderson looks to post seven-straight double-figure performances for the first time since Dominique Mazzuchi posted double digits in the final eight games of her collegiate career in 2008.
• Sophomore Ashley Christie added nine points against the Blue Devils. Christie is averaging 9.8 points per game in her last five contests.
• Sophomore Rachel Mathews added eight points on Monday night. The sophomore scored a career-high 11 points, including the go-ahead basket with 47 seconds remaining in a 66-61 win against Bryant on Jan. 14.
• Junior Selina Mann continues to rack up the stats after posting eight rebounds, eight steals and seven assists against the Blue Devils. Mann has recorded 26 steals in her last four games and 35 in her last seven tilts. The junior also has 35 assists and 27 rebounds in her last seven games.
• The Mount started the game by making 2 of its first 17 shot attempts and finished the game 20 of 73 from the field. It was the first time the Mountaineers attempted 70 shots in a game since 71 shot attempts against Fairleigh Dickinson on Feb. 7, 2009.

next on tap... Mount St. Mary's will conclude its two games in Brooklyn on St. Francis (N.Y.) on Monday.
• The squad will then travel to Sacred Heart (Jan. 28) and Quinnipiac (Jan. 30) next weekend. The Mount will return home to host Saint Francis (Pa.) on Feb. 4.
• The Mount will play six of its eight league games in the month of January on the road, but will have five of eight contests at home in February.
state of the mount... Mount St. Mary's is 7-10 overall and 3-3 in Northeast Conference play this season.
• The Mount needs one win to match last year's win total.
• In league play, the squad needs two wins to equal its win mark from 2010-11.
• In addition, the Mountaineers are 6-3 at home this season, marking the most wins at Knott Arena since 2008-09 when the team went 8-7 in Emmitsburg. The squad had five wins at Knott Arena in the previous two seasons.
 
in the nec... The Mount leads the Northeast Conference in 3-point field goals made (6.47) while ranking third in 3-point field goal percentage (.29), fourth in scoring defense (59.3), fourth in turnover margin (+1.12) and fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio (0.74).
 • Junior Sydney Henderson leads the league in minutes played (35.29) and ranks fourth in 3-point field goals made (2.00) while junior Selina Mann ranks second in free throw percentage (.822), second in steals (3.82) and four in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.29).

finding the stroke from behind the arc... Prior to its game against Central Connecticut State, Mount St. Mary's had been hot from behind the arc in the previous three games, converting 34 of 80 attempts (42.5 percent) from 3-point land.
• In conference play, the Mount has converted 46 of 124 shots (37.0 percent) from long distance.
• The Mount tied a program record after making 13 treys against Towson on Nov. 22 and also hit 11 3's against Monmouth on Jan 9, which ranks fourth in team history.
• The squad attempted a program-record 33 shots from behind the arc against the Blue Devils on Jan. 16.
on the road... Junior Sydney Henderson is averaging 10.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game in eight road games this season.
• The junior has registered double figures four times on the road, including a pair of 18-point performances and a 20-point game at Towson on Nov. 22. Henderson is averaging 15.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in her last two games away from Knott Arena.
• Senior Sandra Andresson is averaging 8.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game on the road. Andresson has three double-digit contests on the road this season including a season-high 13 points at American on Nov. 18.
• Junior Selina Mann has three 10-point performances on the road while sophomore Ashley Christie has two 10-point contests away from Knott Arena.
• Sophomores Kayla Grossett and Jessie Kaufman also each have two 10-point games on the road. Grossett notched a career-high 17 points against Fairleigh Dickinson and Kaufman had a career-best 19 points at UMES on Nov. 15.
• Fellow sophomore Rachel Mathews posted 10 points at American on Nov. 22.
• The Mount is averaging 53.1 points per game while allowing 64.8 points per game on the road. The squad is shooting 36.5 from the field away from Knott Arena.
• Mount St. Mary's is 1-7 this season at home and 0-2 in league games.
in the last five... The Mount is 1-4 in its last five games.
• Junior Sydney Henderson is averaging 15.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in her last five contests. Henderson has scored double figures in her last five games, including a career-high 25 points in her last game.
• Sophomore Ashley Christie is averaging 9.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in her last five games while fellow sophomore Kayla Grossett is averaging 9.2 points and 1.6 rebounds per game in that stretch. Christie has registered a pair of 12-point games in her last five contests and Grossett has two double-figure performances in that span including a career-high 17 points at Fairleigh Dickinson on Jan. 7.
• Senior Sandra Andresson posted 11 points against Monmouth on Jan. 9 and sophomore Rachel Mathews had a career-high 11 points against Bryant on Jan. 14 for the squad's other double-digit games in that stretch.

moving in on the all-time charts... Senior Sandra Andresson is making a move on the program's all-time career games started list. The senior sits in ninth place with 93 career starts and will move up a spot with her next start.
• In addition, the senior has played in 104 games and will move into the Top-10 in that category with nine more games played.
• Junior Selina Mann could be thieving her way into the Top-10 for steals. The junior has 194 steals and can crack the program's all-time career Top-10 with 10 thefts.

little women... The Mount's two top rebounders this season are in the squad's starting backcourt.
• Junior Selina Mann, a 5-4 guard, leads the team with 4.4 rebounds per game. The junior has grabbed five caroms in a contest seven times this year including 10 rebounds against American on Nov. 18.
• Junior Sydney Henderson, a 5-6 guard, ranks second on the squad with 4.1 rebounds per game. She has hauled in five boards in a game six times this season, including a career-high 12 rebounds against Rider on Dec. 29. She is averaging 5.1 rebounds per game at home.
• Sophomore Ashley Christie, a 5-8 guard, also has a 10-rebound performance on her resume this season after hauling in 10 boards against American.

defense is back baby... After struggling last season defensively, the Mount has returned to its defensive ways under head coach Bryan Whitten in 2011-12.
• The Mount is allowing 59.3 points per game this season after allowing 64.8 points per game last season.
• The Mount has held its opponent under 60 points nine times this season, including three times under 50 points.
• The Mountaineers have not allowed more than 58 points in a contest in seven of their last 12 games.
• Mount St. Mary's is 6-1 when it keeps an opponent under 60 points this season and 5-0 when the opponents are held under 50 points.

tale of the offensive numbers... Mount St. Mary's has scored 70 point in a game twice, between 60-69 points four times, between 50-59 points six times, between 40-49 points four times and under 40 points once.
• The Mount is 1-1 when reached 70 points in a game, 2-2 when it scores in the 60's, 3-3 when it scores in the 50's and 1-4 when it is held under 50 points.
• The Mount has scored over 60 points in two-straight games after not scoring more than 58 points in the previous seven games.

second-chance points... Mount St. Mary's has been outrebounded in 12 of the 17 games this season.
• The opponent has registered 196second-chance points to the Mount's 129.
• The Mountaineers are 3-1 when it outrebounds an opponent with wins against UMES on Nov. 15, St. Francis (N.Y.) on Dec. 5 and Bucknell on Dec. 31. Mount St. Mary's held a 41-39 edge against the Hawks, a 28-24 margin against the Terriers and a 31-30 edge against the Bison. In those three games, the Mount has posted 37 second-chance points to 25. The Mountaineers lost 53-44 against Rider on Dec. 29 despite holding a 44-43 edge on the boards.  
• The Mount ended the game against Pittsburgh with the same amount of boards (42).
• The game against Towson came down to rebounds. The Tigers outrebounded the Mount by 31 boards and held a 20-7 margin in second-chance points.
• Junior Selina Mann (4.4 rpg.) is the squad's top rebounder.

i'm a weekend kind of girl... Sophomore Ashley Christie is averaging 11.4 points per game in 19 games on the weekend.
• Christie is averaging 10.3 points per game in five weekend games this season. The sophomore posted a season-high 16 points against Navy on Nov. 26, 14 points against Loyola on Dec. 10 and 12 points against Bryant on Jan. 14.
• The sophomore has posted double figures in nine of her last 13 Saturday games and is averaging 12.7 points per game in that stretch.
• Christie is averaging 11.9 points per game in 11 weekend league games.
• The sophomore posted 11 of her 19 double-digit performances on the weekend. Those 10 games also represent her Top-10 performances.  

how sydney got her groove back… Junior Sydney Henderson has registered double figures in six-straight games.
• Henderson posted 18 points against American on Nov. 18, 20 points against Towson on Nov. 22, 18 points against St. Francis (N.Y.) on Dec. 5, 18 points against Monmouth on Jan 9. She notched a career-high 25 points against Central Connecticut State on Jan. 16.
• The junior has grabbed four rebounds in eight of her last 12 games including a career-high 12 rebounds against Rider on Dec. 29. She is averaging 4.6 rebounds in that span.
• Henderson has posted 10 10-point performances this season.
• Henderson scored 17 points against Virginia in her only action last season before suffering a season-ending injury in the contest.

no cough in second year for kaufman... Sophomore Jessie Kaufman ranks third on the team with 6.6 points per game.
• Kaufman notched a career-high 19 points against UMES on Nov. 15.
• She has scored at least nine points six times this season, including three 12-point performances
• The sophomore has six double-digit performances in her career.

career highlights... Junior Sydney Henderson scored a career-high 25 points against Central Connecticut State on Dec. 16.
• Sophomore Rachel Mathews had a career-high 11 points versus Bryant on Jan. 14.
• Sophomore Kayla Grossett scored a career-high 17 points against Fairleigh Dickinson on Jan. 7.
Freshman Mariah Powell scored a career-high nine points against St. Francis (N.Y.) on Dec. 5.
• Sophomore Jessie Kaufman notched a career-best 19 points against UMES on Nov. 15.
• Sophomore Kelly Guerriero had a career-high 13 points against Bingamton on Nov. 11.

man oh mann, selina... Mount St. Mary's can pretty much count on getting five from junior Selina Mann every game. The only question is will it be five points, five rebounds, five assists or five steals.
• This season, Mann has posted at a five spot in two categories five times, three categories four times and in four categories once this season.
• Mann has posted a five spot in one of those categories in 56 of the 71 games.
• The junior has posted a five spot in two of those categories 20 times, six times in three categories and three times in four different categories.
• She has scored five points 38 times in her career, including 17 two-digit performances and a career-high 26 at San Jose State on Dec. 29, 2010.
• The 5-4 guard has posted five rebounds 20 times in her career, including two 10-board performances.
• Mann has dished out five assists 20 times in her career including a career-high eight helpers three times, including twice this season.
• The junior has registered five steals in a game 10 times in her career, including tying a program record with 10 thefts against Sacred Heart on Jan. 24, 2011. She also has eight games of four steal to her credit.
• Mann leads the team with three double-doubles. She has two points-rebounds tricks and one points-steals. She is only the third player in Mount Division I history with a double-double that includes steals. The junior recorded 10 points and 10 rebounds against American on Nov. 18.

henderson gets in the record books... Junior Sydney Henderson hit six 3-pointers against Monmouth on Jan. 9. It was the eighth most in a single game in program history.
• The junior became the fifth player in program history to connect on six or more shots from behind the arc.
• It was the first time a player made more than five 3's in a game since Lauren Howell against Wagner on Jan. 28, 2008.

in the league... The Mount is 249-145 in Northeast Conference play, including 142-59 at Knott Arena and 107-86 on the road.

the need to dial long distance for 1-2-3... The NCAA changed the three-point line for the 2011-12 women's basketball season to 20 feet, nine inches, which is the same distance men's basketball has been using for several years.
• Last season, the Mount led the Northeast Conference in 3-point field goal percentage (.355) and had three players rank in the Top-10 in the category.  
• The Mount is 110-for-334 this season from behind the arc, including 13-for-23 against Towson on Nov. 22. The 13 made 3-pointers tied a program record. The squad also hit 13 treys against North Carolina on Feb. 27, 1989.
• The Mountaineers also made 11 treys against Monmouth on Jan. 9, which ranks fourth best in team history.
• Junior Sydney Henderson leads the team with 34 baskets from behind the arc while sophomore Ashley Christie has 18.

rock the knott... Mount St. Mary's is 6-3 at Knott Arena this season.
• The Mount is 3-2 in non-conference play and 3-1 in league play in Emmitsburg.
• The squad has its first winning record at home in non-conference play since 2008-09 and the third since 1997-98.  The Mountaineers had a winning non-league mark in the first 11 years of the building.
• Prior to the loss against Rider on Dec. 29, Mount St. Mary's won its first four games of the season at Knott Arena for the first time since the 1997-98  season.
• It marked only the fifth time the squad has opened up by winning its first four games at Knott Arena.

in their collegiate debut... Freshman Mariah Powell was the lone freshman to make her collegiate debut in the season opener against Binghamton.
• Powell entered the game with 67 seconds left and registered her first career points on a pair of free throws with 52 seconds left and her first collegiate rebound with 19 ticks on the clock.
• Fellow freshmen Jen Carney and Melanie Mocniak  made their collegiate debut after entering the game against Pittsburgh with 1:50 left on Nov. 29.
• Carney notched her first collegiate basket in the second half against LIU Brooklyn on Dec. 3 and finished with a career-high five points.

would the real jessie kaufman please stand up... There are now to Jessica Kaufman's in the Northeast Conference.
• Sophomore Jessie Kaufman is in her second season at the Mount while freshman Jessica Kaufman joined the St. Francis (N.Y.) team this season.

a new year, a new start... In January, the Mount is 220-96 and 135-88 since switching to Division I.
• The Mountaineers are 70-34 at home and 65-44 on the road since switching to Division I.
• The Mount is 12-29 under head coach Bryan Whitten in the month.
• Mount St. Mary's is 7-13 at home and 5-16 on the road in the month under Whitten.

in the non-conference slate... Mount St. Mary's is 79-122 in non-conference games since joining the Northeast Conference in 1989-90.

home sweet home... In its 25th season at Knott Arena, Mount St. Mary's has posted a 214-106 overall mark, including 73-44 in non-conference play and 141-61 in league play since moving across Route 15 from Memorial Gym.

hearing your name called at the start... Head coach Bryan Whitten has only had 19 players start in his four-year tenure at the Mount.
• Senior Sandra Andresson has started 93 of the 104 games she has played.
• Junior  Sydney Henderson started 32 of the 43 games she has played.
• Junior Tara Lonergan has started 17 games in her career.
• Sophomore Ashley Christie has started the first 46 games of her collegiate career.
• Sophomore Rachel Mathews started 10 games while  Jessie Kaufman ha started nine games while fellow Kayla Grossett has started three contests.

preseason poll... The Mount St. Mary's women's basketball team has been picked 11th in the Northeast Conference (NEC) Preseason Coaches Poll. Five of the 12 teams in the league garnered first place votes with Saint Francis (Pa.) being tabbed the preseason favorite after picking up four first place nods. Robert Morris, LIU Brooklyn, Monmouth and Sacred Heart each picked up two first place votes apiece. The Colonials and Blackbirds placed 2-3 in the poll while the Hawks and Pioneers finished tied for fourth. Quinnipiac, Fairleigh Dickinson, Bryant, Central Connecticut State, Wagner, Mount St. Mary's and St. Francis (N.Y.) rounded out the 12-team poll.

let's play to 60 points... Mount St. Mary's is most successful under head coach Bryan Whitten when it scores 60 points in a game or holds the opponent under that total.
• The Mount is 26-22 when it scores 60 points in a game, but 20-61 when it does not reach 60 points.
• Defensively, the Mountaineers are 36-28 when the opponents are held under 60 points and 10-59 when the opponent reaches 60 points.

three keys to whitten success... The Mount is most successful under head coach Bryan Whitten when the squad leads at halftime, in rebounding or keeps the opponent under 60 points.
• The Mount is 36-16 when he holds the lead at halftime, 2-3 when the game is tied, but just 9-68 when trailing at the break.
• The squad is 21-17 when it holds a rebounding edge in a game, but just 24-65 when the opponent has the advantage and 2-5 when the two teams have equal boards.
• Mount St. Mary's is 36-28 when it holds opponents under 60 points.

hitting 20 points in a game... Senior Sandra Andresson, juniors Sydney Henderson and Selina Mann and sophomore Ashley Christie are the only four players on the roster that has scored 20 points in a game.
• Henderson is the only player this season to reach 20-points in a game. The junior posted a then career-high 20 points against Towson on Nov. 22 and then recorded a career-best 25 points against Central Connecticut State on Jan. 16.
• Mann scored a career-high 26 points against San Jose State on Dec. 29, 2010.
• Christie posted a career-high 21 points against Fairleigh Dickinson on Feb. 5, 2011.
• Andresson registered a career-best 25 points against Monmouth on Feb. 7, 2011.
• The Mount has registered 25 20-point performances and two 30-point games under head coach Bryan Whitten. The squad is 13-12 when a player reaches 20 points and 2-0 when a player scores 30 in a contest.

players on the move... Senior Sandra Andresson ranks 43rd with 650 career points. She can move into 42nd place with 29 points.
• Junior Selina Mann has 430 points for her career to rank 61st and can move into 60th place with five points and 59th place with 19 points.
• Sophomore Ashley Christie has 408 points to rank 62nd in program history. The sophomore needs 12 points to move into 62nd place and 22 points to move into 61st place.
• Junior Sydney Henderson has 347 career points to sit in 63rd place. Henderson needs 53 points for 400.
• Sophomore Jessie Kaufman ranks 79th with 240 career points. She can move into 78h place with two points and 77th place with 16 points.
• Sophomore Kayla Grossett ranks 78th with 242 points. She can move into 77th place 14 points.
• Junior Tara Lonergan ranks 82nd with 218 points. She can move into 81st place with one point, 80th place three points and 79th place with 20 points.
• Sophomore Kelly Guerriero (136 points) will be the next players to crack the program's Top-100, needing eight points.
• Sophomore Rachel Mathews recently went over the 100-point plateau and now stands at 108 points, looking crack the squad's Top-100.

new to the mountain... Head coach Bryan Whitten added four players to his 2011-12 team. Freshmen Jen Carney, Melanie Mocniak, Mariah Powell and Lindsay Williams all joined the team this season.
• Sophomore Jacqueline Brewer also joined the team, but will have to sit out this season due to NCAA transfer regulations. Brewer comes to the Mount after playing at Virginia Commonwealth last year.

northeast conference history... Prior to the last two seasons, the Mount had advanced to 20-straight NEC Tournaments.
• Mount St. Mary's is 17-17 in the NEC Tournament.
• The Mountaineers have not won a tournament game since a 50-45 win against Sacred Heart on Mar. 4, 2001.
• Mount St. Mary's won tournaments in 1992-93, 1993-94 and 1994-95, including earning the league's first two NCAA Division I bids.

the underlining whit... Head coach Bryan Whitten is in his fifth season at the Mount. The Mount is 47-87 overall under Whitten.
• The Mount is 27-37 overall at Knott Arena and 16-24 in NEC play under Whitten.
• The Mountaineers on the road are 22-49 overall mark away from Emmitsburg and 11-23 in league play.
• Whitten picked up his first Mount win with a 55-51 decision at Lafayette on Nov. 17, 2007 and earned his 25th career in at Lafayette on Nov. 30, 2009.
• Whitten earned his 250th win of his career against Quinnipiac on Jan. 30, 2010.

foreign flavor... Mount St. Mary's has two international players on the roster in 2011-12.
• Senior Sandra Andresson (Estonia) became the fourth international player in Emmitsburg and sophomore Kayla Grossett (Canada) became the fifth international player at the Mount.
• The trio follows Katie Walton (Canada, 1998-02), Dita Krumberga (Latvia, 2004-07), and Leah Westbrooks (Ireland, 2007-11.

out of africa... Former women's basketball player Leah Westbrooks was named the recipient of the Shooting Touch Inc. Sabbatical Program grant.
• Westbrooks received $25,000 to help with travel cost and expenses on her 10-month international independent study in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Westbrooks is currently in South Africa to work with the Hoops for Hope group and Western Zimbabwe with the Matilda Project.
• Check out this video of Westbrooks: http://www.nba.com/video/channels/nba_tv/2011/09/24/20110924_shooting_touch.nba