WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TO TRAVEL FOR MEETING WITH CCSU ON SATURDAY

Le Moyne (4-12, 2-1 NEC) at Central Connecticut State (0-14, 0-3 NEC)

Info: Saturday, Jan. 10 | 1:00 P.M. | New Britain Conn. | Detrick Gymnasium

Watch: NEC Front Row

Listen: WSIV 106.3 FM/1540 AM

Live Stats: https://www.ccsubluedevils.com/sports/wbkb/2025-26/boxscores/20260110_s0aa.xml

CCSU’s Links: Schedule | Roster | News

New Britain, Conn. – The Le Moyne College ladies’s basketball staff will proceed their Connecticut highway journey as they tackle the CCSU Blue Devils at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 10. The matchup will probably be broadcast on NEC Front Row and WSIV 106.3 FM/1540 AM from Detrick Gymnasium.

Season Summary:

The Dolphins are 4-12 general and 2-1 in convention motion following the whole lot of their 2025-26 non-conference slate and three NEC matchups.  

They opened the season towards St. John’s on Nov. 3 and dropped the matchup, 68-53, earlier than downing Lafayette, 82-79, in additional time of their lone win of the season to date on Nov. 9. Le Moyne then fell to seventh-ranked Baylor, 99-43, in Waco, T.X. on Nov. 16 earlier than touring to Pitt and coming away with a 87-65 defeat on Nov. 18. 

To end out November, the Dolphins dropped their home-opener to Cornell, 52-51, in additional time at Ted Grant Court on Nov. 22 and a highway matchup at Bucknell, 65-41, on Nov. 25 earlier than dropping one other highway assembly towards Illinois, 100-28, on Nov. 30.

Through December, Le Moyne dropped a house set towards St. Bonaventure on Dec. 6 with the Bonnies popping out on prime, 66-57, earlier than hitting the highway for 2 video games at Marquette (89-42) and Bowling Green (74-46) on Dec. 14 and 16. 

The squad then dropped a pair of video games within the Hawk Classic from Dec. 21-21 towards host St. Joe’s, 100-40, and Akron, 94-68 earlier than closing out their non-conference schedule with a house win over SUNY Geneseo, 67-55, on Tuesday, Dec. 30.

The Dolphins earned a win of their NEC opener towards Saint Francis, 73-69, additionally at house on Friday, Jan. 2 earlier than falling brief of their assembly with Mercyhurst, 89-72, at Ted Grant Court two days later. 

This previous Thursday, the staff traveled to New Haven for his or her first highway convention recreation of the season and got here away with a 48-40 win over the Chargers.

Stat Leaders:

Through 15 video games performed, junior ahead Ashley Buragas and senior guard Sierra Linnin lead all Dolphins in scoring with 9.7 factors per recreation. 

Buragas is taking pictures a team-best 64-124 (.516) from the sphere and leads the squad with 6.0 rebounds per recreation whereas sitting tied for first in steals with 15 (Linnin and Eli Clark), tied for second in blocks with 5 (Kayden Clark), third in assists with 30, and third in minutes performed per recreation with 24.3 this season.

Linnin leads the Dolphins with 27 made three-pointers via 16 video games performed, is taking pictures 14-15 (.933) from the road, and is second on the staff with 28.3 minutes on the hardwood peer recreation.

Sophomore guard Eli Clark (9.6) sits simply behind Buragas and Linnin in scoring for Le Moyne. Clark leads the staff in complete assists (47) and minutes performed (30.2) whereas having began each recreation this season. 

NEC Stat Rankings:

Through three convention video games, Linnin ranks seventh within the NEC in scoring with 16.3 factors per recreation whereas Buragas sits simply outdoors the top-10 with 13.3 factors per contest.

Buragas sits third in field-goal proportion (.556), sixth in rebounding per recreation (6.7), and eleventh in free-throw fee on 15 makes an attempt (.667), simply behind E. Clark and Jessica Wangolo. 

Linnin sits second in threes made per recreation (3.3), third in three-point proportion (.357), fourth in steals (2.3), eighth in field-goal proportion (.447), and 18th in minutes performed (30.7).

Eli Clark ranks second in assists (4.7), tied for seventh in free-throw fee (.750), eighth in help to turnover ratio (14-11), and sixteenth in minutes performed (31.3).

Last Time Out:

Le Moyne traveled to New Haven for his or her opening highway NEC recreation of the season on Thursday night time and got here away with a 48-40 victory over the Chargers. 

Senior guard Sierra Linnin led all gamers in scoring for the second consecutive recreation, tallying 17 factors on 5-13 (38.5%) taking pictures from the sphere, a 4-12 (33.3%) fee from past the arc, and a 3-4 mark from the free-throw line. 

Linnin added three rebounds and tied her career-high in steals with 4 (12/31/23 vs Princeton) in 32 minutes on the hardwood.

Sophomore guard Eli Clark completed simply behind Linnin with 13 factors on 4-6 (66.7%) taking pictures general, a 1-3 three-point fee, and an ideal 4-4 mark from the charity stripe. E. Clark registered a team-leading 5 assists to associate with 4 boards and one steal in a team-high 34 minutes.

Juniors Ashley Buragas and Jessica Wangolo completed tied for the team-lead in rebounds with 5.

Le Moyne shot 38.5% (15-39) from the sphere however held New Haven to a 33.3% (17-51) mark in the identical class. The Dolphins’ 31.6% (6-19) fee from three and 75.0% (12-16) night time on the line additionally ranked greater than the Chargers. 

Series History:

Le Moyne presently holds a 3-1 file towards CCSU after enjoying the Blue Devils twice per 12 months since becoming a member of the NEC previous to the 2023-24 season. 

The Dolphins swept the season sequence in 2023-24 earlier than falling of their highway matchup final January, 67-50, and popping out on prime at house, 75-64, one month later. 

In their most up-to-date assembly final season, 4 present ‘Phins noticed time on the hardwood with three getting the beginning nod. Sierra Linnin, Michelina Lombardi, and Eli Clark all began for Le Moyne and noticed greater than quarter-hour whereas Sydney Postell additionally got here off the bench.

Clark and Postell tallied eight factors apiece whereas Linnin completed with six on a pair of threes-pointers and Lombardi added three factors and a pair of rebounds, as properly. 

Common Opponents:

Aside from their NEC rivals, the Dolphins and Blue Devils each met St. John’s and Pitt earlier this season.

Le Moyne opened the season in Queens on Nov. 3 towards the Red Storm and fell, 68-53, earlier than CCSU met an identical destiny towards the Johnnies, dropping their Nov. 24 assembly, 71-46.

The Dolphins and Blue Devils each then fell brief at Pitt later within the season, with Le Moyne falling  87-65 and CCSU coming away with a 68-43 defeat. 

Year #3:

Le Moyne is in its third 12 months transitioning to the Division I degree and is the one establishment within the nation in its transition “class.” The Dolphins went 18-15 of their first season on the Division I degree in 2023-24, together with 14-2 in NEC motion to earn the second seed within the postseason match earlier than advancing to the convention title recreation. The staff then posted a 7-24 general file final season, together with going 6-10 in convention play, en path to their second straight NEC match, this time because the fifth seed. 

Returners:

The 2025-26 Dolphins will characteristic six returners; senior guards Sierra Linnin (Valley Cottage, N.Y. / Albertus Magnus) and Michelina Lombardi (Wynantskill, N.Y. / Averill Park), juniors guard Jessica Wangolo (Ottawa, O.N. / Capital Courts Academy / Buffalo) and ahead Sydney Postell (Churchville, N.Y. / Churchville-Chili), sophomore guard Eli Clark (Oakhurst, N.J. / Ocean Township), and redshirt sophomore guard Amya McLeod (Rome, N.Y. / Rome Free Academy / Youngstown State).

Newcomers:

The Dolphins welcomed eight new gamers to this system this 12 months, together with six freshman, one sophomore, and one junior. Guards Peyton Dincher (Jersey Shore, Pa. / Jersey Shore), Ava Lucarotti (Erie, Pa. / Cathedral Prep), and Kayden Clark (Oakhurst, N.J. / Manasquan) be a part of forwards Ava Johnson (Richmond, Va. / The Steward School), Rachel Lynch (Cork, Ireland / Putnam Science Academy (Conn.)), and Praise Matthews (Red Lion, Pa. / Dallastown) as ‘Phins freshmen this season. Junior ahead Ashley Buragas (Hopewell Junction, N.Y. / John Jay / Mineral Area College) joins Le Moyne’s program after a two-year stint at NJCAA Mineral Area College in Park Hills, M.O. whereas sophomore guard Sophia Bonnell (Horseheads, N.Y. / Horseheads / SUNY New Paltz) performed one season in NCAA Division-III for the New Paltz Hawks.

NEC Outlook:

Le Moyne’s squad was chosen to complete fourth within the common season standings within the NEC preseason coaches’ ballot, simply behind unanimous favourite FDU, Stonehill, and Chicago State. CCSU, Mercyhurst, Wagner, LIU, New Haven, and Saint Francis rounded out the ballot behind the Dolphins. 

Eli Clark was named to the preseason All-NEC staff, as properly, after recording averages of 8.2 factors (third on the staff), 3.3 rebounds (fifth on the staff) and a team-best 2.9 assists over a team-high 31.5 minutes per recreation as a starter in 27 of 30 video games performed. During NEC motion, she elevated her averages to eight.5 factors and three.5 assists to go along with 3.1 rebounds as a starter in 12 of 15 video games.

2025-26 NEC Weekly Award Winners & Prime Performers:

Dolphins gamers have earned one NEC Weekly Award and 6 NEC Prime Performer honors up to now this season.

Weekly Award Winners: 

Rookie of the Week – Kayden Clark (Nov. 10)

Prime Performers:

Ashley Buragas (Nov. 10, Dec. 31, Jan. 6)

Kayden Clark (Nov. 10)

Eli Clark (Nov. 24)

Sierra Linnin (Jan. 6)

Coach DiPillo:

Nick DiPillo was named the seventh head coach in Le Moyne ladies’s basketball program historical past on May 23, 2024 after stints as an assistant coach at Bowling Green State University, University of Pittsburgh, Seton Hall University and with the New York Liberty, along with a profitable head teaching stint on the University of Scranton. 

The Dolphins earned the fifth seed within the 2024-25 NEC match in coach Dipillo’s first season, finally taking down #4 Saint Francis, 62-51, within the opening spherical earlier than falling to #2 Stonehill, 60-41, within the semifinals. 

Scouting CCSU:

The Blue Devils have struggled to start the 2025-26 season and enter Saturday’s contest with an 0-14 file general and 0-3 mark in NEC motion. Head coach Kristin Caruso is in her first season because the everlasting chief of this system after spending the 2024-25 season as performing head coach.

During the primary three NEC video games of the season, CCSU has fallen to LIU, 72-56, at house and each New Haven (70-51) and Stonehill (71-53) on the highway. 

In their newest loss to Stonehill, freshman ahead Kiyah Lewis led all gamers with 21 factors to associate with a team-best six rebounds. Sophomore guard Jessica Farrell (11) and senior ahead  Lucia Noin (10) each additionally completed within the double-digits in scoring for the Blue Devils. 

Through 12 video games performed, Lewis leads the staff in scoring with 11.8 factors per recreation, simply forward of Noin (11.0) and Farrell (9.8) who’ve every performed in all 14 staff video games.

Noin brings in a team-best 6.3 rebounds and dishes out a team-leading 2.4 assists per contest this season. 

CCSU returns 5 gamers from their 2024-25 staff that went 11-19 general and fell within the quarterfinal spherical of the NEC Tournament towards Chicago State. They are joined by one switch, senior guard Trinity Barnes, and 7 freshman newcomers this season.

The Blue Devils have been voted to complete fifth within the NEC’s Preseason Coaches Poll after going 10-6 in convention play a season in the past.

What’s Next:

Le Moyne will head to LIU for an additional highway NEC matchup at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15.