HEAD COACH: Sue Syljebeck is in her 20th season as the head coach of the Saints women's basketball program. She is the program's winningest coach with a career record of 377-230. Syljebeck currently ranks 20th on the NAIA Women's basketball active coach wins list. She will be assisted this year by Deb Ray, Sara Chrenko, Niesha Lowe, Mo Rammuny, Dan Brooks and Tee Watters.

 

 

18-GAME WIN STREAK: Siena Heights has won 18 straight contests -- the second-longest winning streak in program history. The record is a 23-game streak by the 1978-79 squad that finished 27-2 under SHU Hall of Fame coach Sr. Mary Alice Murnen.

 

Last week, the Saints defeated Lourdes at home, 71-53, before winning at Madonna, 74-42.

Olivia DeLong and Jakarri Alven scored 12 points apiece in the win over Lourdes. DeLong also had eight rebounds and two blocks for the Saints. Jillian Gelso, Madison Vice and Kayla Hinton added 11 points apiece. Hinton made eight assists and E'Anna Won totaled seven rebounds and four assists.

Against Madonna, Hinton scored 25 points and DeLong recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Hinton also had seven rebounds and six assists. Alven finished with 12 points and seven rebounds. Won grabbed eight rebounds.

 

WHAC RANKINGS

Defense - 1st - 46.8 ppg (1st in NAIA)

Offense - 3rd - 70.0 ppg

Rebounds - 1st - 44.4 rpg (10th in NAIA)

Blocks - 5th - 3.1 bpg

Steals - 4th - 9.1 spg

Assists - 5th - 13.7 apg

FG Pct. - 2nd - .413

3-pt Pct. - 1st - .349 (16th in NAIA)

FT Pct. - 9th - .643

 

SAINTS LEADERS

Hinton: Team-high 13.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg, team-high 4.5 apg (2nd in WHAC), 1.6 spg

Won: 8.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.5 apg (8th in WHAC), team-high 1.9 spg (T6th in WHAC)

Gelso: 8.8 ppg

Vice: team-high .431 three-point percentage (1st in WHAC), 6.0 ppg, 1.8 apg

DeLong: 8.2 ppg, team-high 7.1 rpg, team-high 2.1 bpg (2nd in WHAC), 1.4 spg, team-high .504 field-goal percentage (6th in WHAC)

Alven: 7.3 ppg

 

RECENT MEETINGS

Siena Heights vs. Indiana Tech

SHU lost its home opener to Indiana Tech. 48-41. on Nov. 11. Hinton led the Saints with a double-double, finishing with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Won added nine points and seven rebounds while leading rebounder DeLong grabbed nine boards.

Season sweeps have highlighted the SHU/Tech rivalry the past two seasons. The Saints won both meetings between the schools in 2022-23. Before that, Indiana Tech went 2-0 against SH in 2021-22.

 

Siena Heights vs. Cleary

Gelso scored 15 points to lead the Siena Heights women's basketball team in its first-ever matchup with Cleary -- an 89-39 WHAC victory -- on Dec. 2

Gelso connected on 5 of 11 three-pointers -- all in the first half -- as the Saints built a 50-17 halftime lead. Won added 14 points while Hinton finished with eight points, six assists and six rebounds.

Also for SHU, Julia Gilbert had six rebounds and Madison Vice dished six assists.

 

INDIANA TECH'S LEADERS

Erika Foy: 18.3 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.0 bpg

Genevieve Decker: 10.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg

Taylor Covington: 10.2 ppg, 4.1 apb

 

CLEARY'S LEADERS

Taedom Stein: 12.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.9 spg

Amy Jackson: 11.3 ppg

Mileisha Rodriguez: 10.9 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.9 bpg