Game Notes  ||  vs. Santa Cruz: Live Stats / Video  ||  vs. Pratt: Live Stats / Video

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- The top-ranked Christopher Newport women's basketball team will close out the road portion of it's regular season this weekend as they take on a pair of neutral site matchups on the campus of Mary Washington. The Captains (19-0) will first face UC Santa Cruz, receiving votes in the national rankings, on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. before taking on the Pratt Institute at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday. 

One of four teams without a loss on their ledger this season, the CNU women's basketball team is riding a 36-game winning streak with a perfect 19-0 start to the year. The Captains will take on the Banana Slugs with a 13-2 overall record and a Pratt squad that is 5-10 on the year. It will be the first matchup for CNU against either team. 

Christopher Newport is ranked fourth nationally with 87.6 points per game and boast the second highest scoring margin (+34.1) in the country. The veteran Captains have taken care of the basketball with a 1.14 assist-to-turnover ratio with the second-best turnover margin in the nation (+14.0). 

Offensively, junior Anaya Simmons has been on a tear for the Captains, shooting 75% (21-28) from the field over the last three games. She has moved up to second in the country in field-goal percentage, hitting nearly 63% from the field this season. The Williamsburg, Va. native ranks second on the team with 12.8 points per game and second in rebounding with 4.3 boards per contest. 

The Captains' feature three seniors among the program's all-time elite in three-point shooting. Both Jessica Foster and Sondra Fan rank in the top five in career triples made including 148 for Foster to rank third in program history. Fan is joined by Phylicia McInnis in the top five in career 3pt FG% as McInnis is third with a .399 mark and Fan is right behind with a .398 percentage. 

CNU will take on UC Santa Cruz, riding a five-game winning streak with a marquee win over then-No. 2 Whitman College on December 20, 72-63. With a defense holding opponents to just 59.3 points per game, the Banana Slugs also do a great job protecting the ball, ranked fifth nationally in fewest turnovers. Ashley Kowack leads a trio of double-figure scorers and all five starters are averaging 9.0 points or more. Kowack pours in 17.9 points per game while Kaylee Murphy (13.7) and Amanda Inserra (12.1) round out the top-three. 

Pratt comes into the matchup this weekend featuring one of the league's top players statistically in three-time Conference Player of the Week Katy O'Connor. This year, O'Connor leads the league in scoring and rebounding with 20.3 points and 19.4 rebounds per game. She averages nearly 37 minutes per game to lead the Cannoneers. Freshman guard Kylie Grant is also averaging 14.1 points per game for Pratt heading into the weekend. 

Live stats and a live video webcast will be provided from Ron Rosner Arena at the Anderson Center in Fredericksburg, Va., courtesy of Mary Washington Athletics. 

Following the weekend's action, Christopher Newport will close out the regular season at home against Salisbury on Saturday, February 19.