The Niagara Knights women's basketball program (2-3, 7th OCAA West) will make their Southwestern road trip to Sarnia and Windsor to take on the Lambton Lions and the St. Clair Saints this upcoming weekend.
After snapping a three-game losing streak in their last matchup against the University of Toronto Mississauga Eagles, thanks largely in part to a much better shooting performance, the Knights will look to start a winning streak and possibly get their record back over .500.
The Lambton Lions, whom the Knights will face in their first game on Friday night, enter with a 3-2 record and currently sit immediately above the Knights in the OCAA West standings in 6th place. The Lions are averaging 60.4 points per game compared to the Knights 52.0, while they are only allowing 56.8 points against per game. Niagara is averaging 64.8 points against per game.
Last season, the Knights had the upper-hand against the Lions as they defeated them in both matchups. In program history against one another dating back to 2011, the Knights are 10-4 against Lambton.
After the matchup with the Lions, the Knights will travel down to Windsor to take on the Saints on Saturday afternoon. So far this year, St. Clair has a 3-1 record and sit in 5th place in the OCAA West. They enter in averaging 75.8 points per game while only allowing 64.8 points. They are on a three-game winning streak, although they do have a scheduled matchup against the Mohawk Mountaineers Friday night before they host the Knights.
Between 1975-1987 and 2003-present, the Knights and Saints have a detailed history against one another, one that sees the Saints with a 21-33 record against the Knights.
In their first two road games before this weekend series, the Knights are 0-2 away from the Welland Campus Athletic Centre. They are averaging just 43.5 points and shooting just 22.6% (36-159) from the field.
The Knights offensive charge has been led by three key players so far this year in Bridget Atkinson (Welland), Hannah Baker (Thorold) and Tia Stys (St. Catharines). Atkinson is averaging 15.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game.
Baker, Atkinson's back-court counterpart, is averaging 12.6 points per game and single-handedly ended the Knights long-range deficiencies by shooting 5-11 from deep on her way to a 21-point performance against UTM in the last game. Stys meanwhile is averaging a double-double with 11.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.
On November 16th, the Knights will play their first game of the weekend against the Lambton Lions at 6pm. The game will take place at the Lambton College Main Gymnasium in Sarnia (1457 London Road).
In their second matchup on Saturday, November 17th, the St. Clair Saints will play host to the Knights. This matchup is an afternoon tilt beginning at 1pm at the St. Clair College Sportsplex in Windsor (2000 Talbot Road West).
