HOBOKEN, N.J. (January 30, 2014) – The Stevens Institute of Technology women's basketball team hosts two pivotal Empire 8 Conference games this weekend in Canavan Arena against St. John Fisher College and Nazareth College.

Stevens heads into the Friday-Saturday matchups with an 11-7 overall record and 4-4 mark in the Empire 8, which is currently fifth in the conference standings. Fisher brings a 12-6, 5-3 ledger to Hoboken, while Nazareth is 7-10, 2-5. Fisher is fourth in the conference and Nazareth is sixth.

The Ducks lost their previous meeting against the Cardinals on January 11 in Pittsford, N.Y., 74-58, and Fisher is riding a four-game winning streak into tomorrow evening's game at 8 p.m. Stevens defeated the Golden Flyers, 71-53, on January 10 and take on Nazareth at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Naz has lost five of its last seven games and plays at Hartwick College on Friday.

All three teams stack up fairly well with each other offensively. Stevens is second in the conference in scoring at 67.1 points per game, Fisher is fourth at 63.7 and Nazareth ranks fifth with 62.1. The Cardinals outscores their opponents by 11.3 points per game, the Ducks are at +4.8 and Nazareth is at +0.3.

Defensively, Fisher is first in points allowed (52.4 per game), Nazareth is seventh (61.8) and the Ducks are eighth (62.3). On the boards, Stevens holds a distinct edge at plus-6.7, compared to just -0.1 for the Cardinals and -2.6 for the Golden Flyers.

The Ducks will be led into the weekend by senior Avis Benjamin (Queens, N.Y.), who averages 13.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per outing. Sophomores Kaitlyn Astel (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Miranda Ripken (Fallston, Md.) score 10.2 and 9.1 points per game, respectively. Freshman Erica Guketlov (Spotswood, N.J.) is Stevens' top three-pointer shooter at 37.9-percent (33-for-87).

Fisher's Camaryn Bucker is one of the top players in the Empire 8 with 15.5 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per contest – fifth in scoring and third in rebounds. Portia Velasco nets 13 points a game and Mary Kate Cusack adds 12.4 points for the Cardinals.

Nazareth also boasts one of the conference's top threats in Lindsey Kelly. Kelly is fourth in scoring at 15.6 points and 10th in rebounding at 7.1. Julia Brew leads the Empire 8 in three-point shooting percentage (40.6%) and three-pointers made (54) which equates to 12.4 points per game. Veronica Peck has dished out 69 assists (4.1 per game) which is also tops in the conference.

Both games this weekend will be available via live stats and webcast on Empire8.tv.

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