Sacred Heart University Department of Athletics
Saint Peter's
Valentine's Date with Saint Peter's Awaits Women's Basketball Saturday
2/13/2026 1:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
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THE LEAD
A first, and only, meeting of the season between MAAC foes awaits on Saturday as the Pioneers head to the Garden State to take on the Saint Peter's Peacocks. Another outcome that will play a big role in the standings heading into the final two weeks of the regular season. With Sacred Heart having clinched a postseason berth and currently tied for fourth place, Saint Peter's is coming off of a last-second win over Rider and is currently tied for ninth with 10 team making the postseason championship. Tip off in the MAAC battle from Jersey City, NJ is set for 2:00 p.m. with all of the action in the MAAC contest available live on ESPN+.
SCOUTING SACRED HEART
After closing out their non-conference schedule with a 2-7 record, the Pioneers reset and stand at 9-6 in MAAC play and currently stand tied for fourth in the league standings which would present a first-round bye in the upcoming MAAC Championship. Leading the Pioneers is senior guard Amelia Wood who has scored double figures in 20 of the 24 games this season. For the season she is one of two players to average double figures at 14.0 ppg. In addition to her double figure scoring, Wood has recorded a team-high five doubles doubles which has lifted her average on the boards to 6.4 per game, while she also leads the way with 53 assists, 54 steals and 25 blocks. After increasing her career-high in scoring to 22 in the road win over Niagara, junior forward Nalyce Dudley is second in scoring average at 12.5 ppg while shooting 44.7 percent (110-of-246) with that average increased to 49.2 percent when shooting from inside the arc. Freshman point guard Sophie Nascimento has also been a big factor to the success of late with her 9.3 per game scoring average in MAAC games, while she is averaging 10.7 points over the last 11 games. As a team, the Pioneers are shooting 38.9 percent from the field (480-of-1,233) with 106 of the 480 baskets from outside the arc. Despite a season-low 11 turnovers in the January 3 meeting against Canisius, the biggest area of improvement for the Pioneers needs to come in ball control as they are currently turning the ball over at a clip of 18.5 turnovers per game.
SCOUTING SAINT PETER'S
Three games back in the win column from Sacred Heart, Saint Peter's picked up its sixth MAAC win on Thursday night with a two-point road decision over Rider. Averaging 52.6 points per game, Saint Peter's is led by junior forward De'Naya Rippey who is averaging 12.8 points per game. Rippey is the only player to average double figures, with junior center Carys Roy following at 7.7 ppg. Rippey also leads the team with an 8.2 rebound per game average. As a team, Saint Peter's averages 56.2 points per game, while surrendering 63.3 ppg to their opponents. For the season, the Peacocks are shooting at a 346 percent clip (450-of-1,302), including 28.1 percent from three (136-of-484).
SERIES HISTORY vs SAINT PETER'S
· In a series that dates back to the 1981-82 season, the Pioneers and Peacocks will meet for the 14th time on Saturday.
· Overall, Saint Peter's holds a 7-6 record in the previous 13 meetings.
· The series began during the 1981-82 campaign with Saint Peter's taking the opening game 101-42.
· After a 10-year hiatus, the Pioneers and Peacocks restarted the series last season when Sacred Heart transitioned into the MAAC.
· Saint Peter's won both meetings last season, a three-point win in Jersey City and a 10-point victory in Fairfield.
NEXT TIME OUT
A pair of home games await the Pioneers next week, the final two games scheduled for the Pitt Center in the 2025-26 season. First up will be a visit from Merrimack, a rematch of the first game in the month of February which the Warriors took 69-47. The penultimate home game of the year is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start on Thursday, February 19 with all of the action in the MAAC battle available live on ESPN+.
