Sacred Heart University Department of Athletics
Mount St. Mary's (Md.)
Women's Basketball Heads to Mount St. Mary's Thursday for Crucial MAAC Match-up
2/25/2026 3:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
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THE LEAD
Sixteen weeks since the opening tip off, the Pioneers have reached the final week of the regular season and will spend both games away from the friendly confines of the Pitt Center. The penultimate game of the regular season will take SHU to western Maryland for a date with the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers on Thursday night. Tip off in the MAAC battle from Knott Arena is set for 7:00 p.m. with all of the action available live on ESPN+.
SCOUTING SACRED HEART
Having secured its first postseason berth since joining the MAAC, Sacred Heart stands at 10-8 in league action currently in fifth place, one game ahead of Mount St. Mary's, Siena and Manhattan who all stand at 9-9. Leading the Pioneers is senior guard Amelia Wood who has scored double figures in 21 of the 27 games this season. For the season she is one of two players to average double figures at 13.5 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 56 assists, 59 steals and 26 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 44.8 percent (126-of-281) with that average increased to 49.5 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 8.2 per game scoring average in MAAC games. As a team, the Pioneers are shooting 39.1 percent from the field (543-of-1,390) with 119 of the 543 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 18.8 turnovers per game.
SCOUTING MOUNT
One games behind Sacred Heart in the league standings, Mount suffered an overtime setback last time out at Canisius on Saturday afternoon. That was the Mountaineers second OT game in its last four, with the first coming against SHU in the first meeting between the two squads. Averaging 60.6 points pe game, The Mount is led by redshirt sophomore Gabrielle Kennerly who is averaging 15.1 points per game, however has been missing from the lineup since mid-January. Kennerly is the only player to average double figures, with junior center Amber Bullard following at 9.0 ppg, while leading the team with 6.0 rebounds per outing and 26 blocks. Bullard is also leading the team from the field at 53.9 percent with all 89 of her field goals coming inside the arc. As a team, The Mount averages 60.6 points per game, while surrendering 63.1 ppg to their opponents. For the season, Mount is shooting at a 37.9 percent clip (603-of-1,590), including 28.4 percent from three (145-of-511).
SERIES HISTORY vs MOUNT
· In a series that dates back to the 1999-00 season, the Pioneers and Mount will meet for the 47th time on Saturday.
· Overall, SHU holds a 33-13 record in the previous 46 meetings.
· The series began when the Sacred Heart transitioned into the Northeast Conference of which Mount St. Mary's was a member.
· After two seasons apart, the Pioneers and The Mount once again met as conference foes, this time in the MAAC last season.
· In just one meeting last season, Mount St. Mary's scored a 75-41 decision in the early weeks of conference action on January 11, with that game taking place at The Pitt.
NEXT TIME OUT
The regular season finale awaits the Pioneers and what better way to close out the regular season than a date with crosstown rival Fairfield. One of two teams tied atop the MAAC standings, the Stags look to secure a regular season championship in their final home game of the season. The crosstown battle is set for Saturday, February 28 at 7:00 p.m. with all of the action from Mahoney Arena scheduled to air live on ESPN+.
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