Game Notes
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- The final game of 2017 for the Christopher Newport Department of Athletics will be played by the nationally-ranked CNU women's basketball team on New Year's Eve, as the Captains (9-1) travel to Virginia Wesleyan University (3-7) for a 1:00 pm tip.
The Marlins will provide live stats and a live video webcast from the Batten Center in VIrginia Beach. In one of the longest-standing series for both teams, the Captains own a 43-20 advantage, including eight straight victories coming into Sunday's bout.
This season, Christopher Newport has won nine of their first ten games powered by a stout defense that has held opponents to under 60 points eight times already this year. CNU's foes have collectively averaged 50.3 points per game while shooting just 35.1% from the field this season. It is a defense that ranks third nationally in steals per game (18.9) and turnovers forced (32.78) per game.
Offensively, senior guard
Makenzie Fancher has taken care of the ball exceptionally well so far this season, ranking fourth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.38). She and junior
Zhara Tannor have started all 10 games in the backcourt, combining for 56 assists this season. Tannor is also a team leader defensively, with a team-best 30 steals.
The offense has been balanced all season, with no Captain averaging double figures through the first 10 games. Senior
Sam Porter is leading the way with 9.3 points per game, while
Bailey Dufrene (7.7) and
Jessica Daguilh (7.3) have helped pace the rounded attack.
Conversely, the Virginia Wesleyan offense has been powered by junior Jayla Harris, averaging 18.1 points per game. Harris also averages 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game this season. Junior Amanda Germi ranks second on the team in scoring with 8.9 points per game and is a dangerous three-point threat averaging 2.0 three-pointers per contest.
The Marlins have played a pair of Capital Athletic Conference opponents this season as they dropped the season opener to Salisbury (61-48) before traveling to Mary Washington and capturing a 58-53 victory against the Eagles. Since that victory, VWU has picked up wins at Ferrum and against Newport News Apprentice School while compiling an overall record of 3-7.
The game will also serve as the non-conference finale for the Captains as they close out the 2017 calendar year. Following the matchup with Virginia Wesleyan, the Captains will return home for the first time since December 10 with a conference matchup on January 3 against Penn State Harrisburg.
