MOUNT ST. MARY'S (3-6) at SAINT FRANCIS U (4-6)
Friday, December 15, 2023 | 7:00 p.m.
Loretto, Pa. | DeGol Arena
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GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | WATCH (NEC Front Row) | LISTEN (WFMD)
MOUNT STORY LINES
- Mount St. Mary's defeated Loyola, 77-64, on Saturday in the 178th all-time meeting between the two schools. Dakota Leffew and Dallas Hobbs each scored 20 points to pace the Mountaineers in the win. Hobbs scored 16 of his 20 points in the opening half as the Mount built a 38-20 lead at the break. The Mount maintained a double-digit advantage the entire second half, with Leffew scoring 18 of his 20 points in the second stanza.
- The Mount will be facing former Northeast Conference rival Saint Francis U for the first time since moving to the MAAC in May of 2022. The Mount has won the past four matchups with SFU, and now holds a 53-34 lead in the all-time series. The Mount is 28-7 against the Red Flash over the past 35 meetings dating back to February of 2005.
- This will be the Mount's first game against a Northeast Conference opponent since moving to the MAAC. The Mountaineers went 327-309 all-time in the NEC (including playoffs) during its 33-year run in the league. The Mount won the NEC title six times (1995, 1999, 2008, 2014, 2017 and 2021) over its 33-year stint in the league.
- Senior guard Dakota Leffew scored 20 points in the Mount's win at Loyola, the fifth time over the past six games that he has scored 20 or more points. Leffew is averaging 20.3 points over the six-game stretch, and he now has 10 career 20-point games as a Mountaineer. Leffew is averaging 17.6 points, 3.9 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game this year.
- Mount St. Mary's has been successful this season at forcing turnovers and generating steals. The Mount is 20th in the nation by forcing a turnover on 22.7 percent of its defensive possessions, while the team is 44th in steal percentage (12.3). Individually, freshman De'Shayne Montgomery is ninth in NCAA Division I with 2.89 steals per game, and he is third in steal percentage (6.8). The Mount is averaging 8.8 steals per game on the year.
- Up next, the Mount will play at Georgia on Wednesday, December 20, in the team's second game against an SEC opponent this year.
