MOUNT ST. MARY'S (5-5) vs. EAST TENNESSEE STATE (11-3)
Thursday, December 22^nd | 7:30 p.m.
Cherokee, North Carolina | Harrah's Cherokee Casino  
 
GAME NOTES (MSM) | WATCH | LIVE STATS | CHEROKEE INVITATIONAL HOMEPAGE
 
EMMITSBURG, Md. (December 18, 2022) – One last non-conference game awaits Mount St. Mary's women's basketball for the 2022-23 season. Traveling to the mountains of North Carolina, the Mount challenges East Tennessee State in a neutral site game at the Cherokee Invitational.
 
MOUNT UPDATE
 
Thanks in large measure to the first career double-double for junior guard Jessica Tomasetti, the Mount won their first game as a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), defeating Siena 65-59 at Knott Arena. The team is now 1-1 in the new league, coupling the win with a loss at Manhattan on December 17^th.
 
Grinding out a 5-5 start, the Mountaineers finds success despite trailing in the overall rebound count nine out of 10 contests, and in field goal percentage for seven of 10 games. A key factor is limiting turnovers to achieve victory – all five of the wins saw the Mount give away fewer possessions than the opposition. During the Siena contest, the turnover margin stood 14 in their favor at the final buzzer.  
 
Michaela Harrison registered a game-high 19 points last Monday, putting the graduate student 23 points behind Becky Lovett (1977-82) for fifth on the all-time scoring list. Natalie Villaflor also averages double figures, tied with Tomasetti at 11.7 per game. Isabella Hunt continues to lead the team in rebounding, assists and steals.
 
SCOUTING THE BUCCANEERS
 
ETSU is enjoying a skyrocketing turnaround. After going 6-22 last year, the Bucs are 11-3 to start 2022-23, giving them the opportunity to double their win total before the calendar year changes. They are winners of seven of the last eight, including a home win over SEC foe Vanderbilt and their most recent victory – a 69-52 triumph over reigning Big South champion Longwood.
 
A strong defensive mindset is key to their success, limiting competition to 53.5 points per game while earning a positive rebound margin of 9.2. Jiselle Thomas leads in scoring at 14 per game, bolstered by an 87.1 percentage at the line over 62 attempts. Two players – Journee McDaniel and Jayla Ruffus-Milner – are pacing seven rebounds a contest.
 
THE ALL-TIME SERIES
 
This is the first meeting between the two schools.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
 
MAAC play resumes one week later with a home game next Thursday (Dec. 29) at 1 p.m. versus Fairfield.