HOBOKEN, N.J. (January 30, 2015) – The Stevens Institute of Technology women's basketball team will look to stay atop the Empire 8 Conference this weekend with a pair of road games against Houghton College and Alfred University.
 
The Ducks (14-2, 8-1) are percentage points ahead of Ithaca College for first place in the conference, and are currently riding a four game win streak.
 
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
 
Stevens will kick things off tonight with a 6 p.m. match against Houghton (3-13) before traveling to Alfred (4-12) for a 2 p.m. tip on Saturday.
 
SECOND TIME AROUND
 
The Ducks have ousted both opponents already at home this season with a 68-42 win over Houghton and an 80-67 win over Alfred. Stevens shot over 40 percent from the field in both games.
 
ASTEL AWARENESS
 
Junior Kaitlyn Astel has scored in double-figures in 14 of 16 games this season, including the last 12 in-a-row. The Staten Island native enters the weekend as the team leader in points per game (16.5), rebounds per game (7.1), and steals (19).
 
RELIABLE RIPKEN
 
Junior Miranda Ripken is top-three on the team in points, assists and minutes played, and has scored in double-figures in eight games this season. Astel is the only player on the team to play more minutes this season than Ripken.
 
WINDOW WASHERS
 
Astel, sophomore Brittany Washtingon, junior Dylan Krause, and freshman Megan Brown make up the Ducks quartet of players averaging at least five rebounds per game. The Ducks are one of just two teams in the E8 that can stake that claim.
 
LEADERS OF THE EMPIRE
 
As a team, Stevens enters the weekend as the E8 leader in scoring defense (56.2), field goal percentage (43 percent), free throw percentage (71 percent), rebounding margin (6.7), blocks (74), and assists per game (14.4).
 
BENCHMARK
 
Washington (8.5 ppg), Brown (4.3 ppg), sophomore Daphne Ginn (4.3 ppg), and junior Megan Petuskey (4.4 ppg) comprise the Ducks primary bench options who've played in all 16 games this season.
 
Freshman Sydney Darby averages 5.4 ppg in 14 games while freshman Anna Toke has played in 10 straight games since recovering from an injury last season.
 
WHERE TO WATCH
 
Live video will be available for tonight's game while live video and stats are available on Saturday. All links can be found on stevensducks.com.
 
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