FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University women's basketball team begins its first-ever Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) schedule on Thursday, Dec. 19, at 6 p.m. with a road bout at Iona at the Gaels' Hynes Athletics Center in New Rochelle, N.Y.

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OPENING TIP

• The Pioneers kick off their first MAAC slate on Thursday with a road tilt at Iona at 6 p.m. in New Rochelle, N.Y.
• SHU played five games against MAAC competition last season, going 3-2 in those contests. 
• Sacred Heart last earned a convincing 63-46 home win over Post this past Saturday at the Pitt Center. 
• SHU led by 20 at halftime against the Eagles and saw its advantage balloon to as high as 32 points, 55-23, in the third. 
• The Pios held Post to 46 points on .296 shooting from the floor, both of which were season-lows by a Sacred Heart opponent. 
• Ny'Ceara Pryor led all players with 21 points in 22 minutes against Post. 
• The standout guard also chipped in seven rebounds, four steals, three assists and a block while hitting both of her 3-point attempts. 
• Emma Kirby was next on the team with 10 points, while Amelia Wood posted a stellar stat line of seven points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. 
• Sierra Johnson and Carmen Williams also contributed seven points against the Eagles.  

LAST TIME OUT
At the Pitt Center, the Pioneers rolled to a 63-46 home win over Post on Saturday, Dec. 14. SHU led by 20 going into halftime against the Eagles, leading by as much as 32 points, 55-23, in the third. Post chipped away at the lead but were still held to 46 points, a season-low by a Pioneers' opponent. Sacred Heart also held the Eagles to a .296 field goal percentage, a season-low for a SHU foe. Ny'Ceara Pryor had a great outing against Post, pacing all scorers with 21 points in 22 minutes. Emma Kirby was next on the team with 10 points, while Amelia Wood posted a stellar stat line of seven points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals.

OPENING MAAC PLAY
Thursday's contest opens the Pioneers' first-ever MAAC season. SHU played five games against MAAC competition last year, going 3-2. The Pios' three wins all came against Merrimack, who also joined the conference this season. The two losses came against Fairfield and Iona. SHU fell to the Stags in overtime, 66-61, the third game of Fairfield's historic 29-game win streak, while the Pios saw a second-half comeback fall just short in a 60-50 road loss to Iona.

SCOUTING IONA

• The Gaels, who were picked eighth in the preseason MAAC Coaches' Poll, are 2-7 overall before their first conference game of the year. 
• Iona owns wins over Wagner and Stetson this season, while they have lost to UMass Lowell, UMBC, Akron, Charleston, Rutgers, Navy and Central Florida. 
• Both of the Gaels' wins have come at the Hynes Athletics Center, where they are 2-2 on the year. 
• Sophomore forward Zoey Ward leads a balanced offense with 7.6 points per game. 
• She also paces the team with 4.4 rebounds per game. 
• Senior guard Judith Gomez is next on the team at 6.9 points per game. 
• On defense, senior forward Erin Leary has been a force in the paint, as she is second in the MAAC with 17 blocks and 1.89 blocks per game.  

SERIES HISTORY

• The Pioneers and Gaels will meet for the 13th time on Thursday, with Iona holding a 9-3 lead in the all-time series. 
• The Gaels have won three straight against the Pios, taking last year's contest 60-50 in New Rochelle, N.Y.
• The Pioneers' last win in the series was an 82-80 classic in the 2014 season. 
• SHU will eye its third win on the road against the Gaels, as it is 2-4 on the road against Iona.