The Niagara Knights women's basketball program (1-0, 1st OCAA West) look to move to 2-0 for the second consecutive season when they visit the Mohawk Mountaineers (0-0, 4th OCAA West) on Saturday afternoon.
The Mountaineers, who won a silver medal at the 2016 OCAA Women's Basketball Championship at Niagara back in March, open their season against the visiting Knights. Niagara is coming off a decisive 77-47 victory against the Sheridan Bruins (0-1, 4th OCAA West) on October 21st.
Niagara is looking to move to 2-0 for the second consecutive season and third time in the past four seasons. It will be tough sledding for the Knights, who have not defeated the Mountaineers in any of their last five tries. The last victory over Mohawk came November 17, 2013. However, a strong pre-season and regular season opener have the Knights will with confidence heading into the matchup.
After averaging nearly 78 points per game during the exhibition season, the Knights kept up the strong offensive output in their season opener and will look to do so against. A much more athletic team than previous years, the Knights have a variety of contributors on the offensive end. Brooke-Lyn Murdoch (Welland), Emily Naccarato (St. Catharines), Alyssa McCabe (Niagara Falls), and Xuan Nguyen-Marshell (Scarborough) all reached double digits in the victory over Sheridan. Add in Courtney McPherson (Welland) to the mix, and the Knights possess and offence that will be difficult to contain.
Tip-off on Saturday is scheduled for 2pm at the David Braley Athletics & Recreation Centre at Mohawk College. The Knights will return home for the 2nd Annual Blue and White Home Opener on November 3rd. The defending OCAA and CCAA Champion Humber Hawks will visit the Welland Campus Athletic Centre in front of what should be a sold out home crowd for the Knights. Tickets for the home opener will be $5 for adults, and free for all Niagara College students and kids under the age of 17.