HAMMOND, Ind. - The Purdue University Calumet women’s basketball team is set for one of its biggest games of the season, as the Peregrines will duel No. 17 Cardinal Stritch tomorrow, February 4, in a contest with CCAC regular season title implications. PUC can work its way into a two-way tie for first place in the league, when the action tips-off at 1 p.m. Click here to follow the action live via the Peregrine Sports Network.
What’s On Tap
Today’s game will feature the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference’s top-ranked offense (PUC) matching up against the No. 1 defense (CSU) in the league. The Peregrines can also improve to 9-3 at home this season with a victory.
Series History
Cardinal Stritch holds a commanding 14-2 lead in the series, having won the last seven contests between the schools. Purdue Calumet is 2-4 against the Wolves when playing in Hammond and will look to grab its third win today.
Counting down to 1,000
Purdue Calumet junior Alex Starr is closing in on her 1,000th-career point, as the 5-foot-8 guard is just 15 points shy of the career milestone after a 19-point effort in the Black and Gold’s come-from-behind win over Holy Cross on Wednesday night. Starr can join teammate Stephaine Beck as current members of the 1,000-point club, marking the second-straight year that head coach Tom Megyesi has had multiple 1,000-point scorers on the court.
Charity Effort
The Peregrines have taken the age-old goal of making more free throws than your opponent attempt to heart. The Black and Gold lead the NAIA Div. II in free throws made with 554 on the year, which is also a new school record. PUC is outscoring its opponents by 11.5 points per game from the line, while connecting on 21.3 free throws per game compared to opponents’ 14.7 attempts a night.
Early Bird Gets the Win
One of the keys to Purdue Calumet’s success has been its ability to jump out to an early lead. The Peregrines are 16-0 when leading at halftime this season and 39-4 record over the past three seasons when accomplishing the feat. 27 of those 39 victories have come at the Fitness and Recreation Center.
Scouting Cardinal Stritch
The Wolves enter today’s game ranked No. 17 in the NAIA Div. II Coaches’ Poll, compiling a 20-5 overall record and an 8-0 mark in league play. CSU has rattled off nine-straight wins, including three victories over nationally-ranked opponents during that span. Head Coach John Pfaffl is in his second season at the helm of the Cardinal Stritch women’s basketball program, compiling an impressive 44-13 mark in his short time as head coach. The Wolves did not skip a beat in 2010-11, as Pfaffl helped guide the team to yet another NAIA Tournament berth after the retirement of legendary coach Rich Panella.
Julie Raeder and Lisa Lawrence lead CSU into tonight’s contest. Raeder tops the team with her 13.2 points per game and 42 trifectas on the year, while leading the conference in three-point percentage with 37.8 percent shooting from downtown. Lawrence is arguably the top post player in the league, as the senior is recording 11.3 points and 7.4 boards a night. Michelle Piepenburg and Kayla Chapman are adding 9.8 and 8.3 points per game respectively.
