LAS VEGAS, Nev. (December 27, 2016)  – Following the holiday break, the Stevens Institute of Technology women's basketball team returns to action for two games at the D3Hoops.com Classic in Las Vegas, Nevada at the South Point Hotel and Events Center. 

"As a team, we are extremely excited to compete at the D3Hoops.com Classic in Las Vegas," said head coach Megan Haughey. "It is a great way for our program to play West Coast teams we do not generally get to compete against in our regular season. It is also a great time for our girls to bond, spend time together and play against top competition!"

Setting the Scene

• The Ducks open the seventh annual event by taking on the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire on December 28 at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time).
• Stevens wraps up play in Las Vegas with a matchup with Lewis and Clark College on December 29 at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time).
• Both contests will be live streamed over the D3Hoops.com YouTube channel. Links for the live stats and video stream are both available at StevensDucks.com. 
• Stevens is currently in a stretch of six consecutive games played away from Castle Point. The Ducks return to the friendly confines of Canavan Arena on January 7, 2017. The team has not played in Hoboken since back-to-back home games to open the 2016-17 season (Nov. 15-19).
• The two games mark the next-to-last non-conference road games of the season. The Ducks will host The College of New Jersey (New Jersey Athletic Conference) on Jan. 23 and close out their non-conference schedule by traveling to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to take on Division I opponent, the University of Pennsylvania, at the legendary Palestra on Jan. 29.

Last Time Out

• Graduate student Kaitlyn Astel missed a potential game-winning basket with time expiring and the Stevens Institute of Technology women's basketball team fell at DeSales University, 54-53, on Dec. 7.
• Astel led all players with 17 points and the guard contributed to a strong Stevens performance on the glass with nine rebounds. Junior Megan Brown recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and 12 boards and classmate Anna Toke grabbed nine rebounds of her own and blocked a pair of shots for the Ducks.

What's Next?

• After the Las Vegas trip, the Ducks will return to action on Jan. 3, taking on Utica College in the Empire 8 conference opener.

On the Town

• Be sure to add Stevens Athletics on SnapChat (Username: ducks_athletics), where the Ducks will share some of their adventures in Las Vegas!
• There will also be a blog on StevensDucks.com where portions of the team's experiences will be documented for fans to enjoy.

From the Pond

• According to D3Hoops.com, the Ducks have played against the toughest schedule out of the 443 NCAA Division III women's basketball programs ranked by the organization.
• Astel's 15.2 points per game leads the team and ranks fifth in the Empire 8 Conference.
• Brown and Toke are each averaging 11.8 rebounds per game, which leads the team and the conference, and places 24th in the NCAA Division III rankings.
• Brown is averaging a double-double on the season with 10 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.

What's the Word on Wisconsin-Eau Claire?

• The Blugolds enter the game at 5-4, and winners of two of their last three games, including a 60-52 victory over Saint Benedict (MN) on Dec. 13.
• Freshman forward Anna Graaskamp leads the team with 12 points per 6.6 rebounds per game. Graaskamp's points-per-game total ranks eighth in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and her rebound total is tied for fourth.
• Sophomore point guard Maggie Dunathan leads the team with 2.6 assists per game, which ranks fifth in the conference. The team averages 11.2 assists per game, however, the Blugolds are also averaging 18.3 turnovers per game.
• Wisconsin Eau-Claire was picked fifth in the WIAC Preseason poll. The team finished 2015-16 with a 14-13 overall record and an 8-6 record in conference play.
• The team opens conference play on Jan. 4.
• "They're a good, young team with a solid inside presence," Haughey said. "We need to come ready to defend, play solid on the defensive end of the floor and make them work to get the shots they want. Offensively, we need to build on what we did at DeSales, and work as a team on the offensive end of the floor."

Exploring Lewis and Clark

• Located in Portland, Oregon, the Pioneers enter play at the D3Hoops.com Classic with a 7-2 record (including a season-opening loss at Division I Portland State). After falling in the program's Division III opener, Lewis and Clark has won seven of its last eight, including a 73-56 victory over Warner Pacific to close the fall semester.
• The Pioneers begin play at the Classic with a Wednesday afternoon matchup against Simpson University.
• Projected to finish ninth in the Northwest Conference, the Pioneers have opened conference play at 2-0, with wins over Pacific Lutheran (93-47) and Linfield (70-56).
• Led by senior guard/forward Ayisat Afolabi, the Pioneers average 74.2 points per game, which ranks third in the NWC and 48th in the NCAA. The team is outscoring its opponents by 19.8 points per game.
• Despite the team's offensive firepower, the Pioneers are only averaging 16.1 assists to 16 turnovers per game.
• Afolabi leads the team with 14.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Her rebounding total leads the NWC and she's currently fifth in points per game.
• "They are an extremely athletic team and play deep into their bench," said assistant coach Tara Flynn. "They play at a fast pace and we are excited to take on a team with so many scoring options as it gives us a chance to face a high-caliber team that will make us grow and get better."

Facebook: "Like" Stevens Athletics         
Twitter: @stevensducks
Instagram: @stevensducks
Snapchat: ducks_athletics