WINTER HATS – The first 200 fans in attendance during Friday's game between Northeastern and Elon will receive a free winter hat.
 

Game-day Information: Game 19 vs. Elon
When	Friday, Jan. 29  |  2 p.m.
Where	Boston, Mass.  |  Cabot Center  |  Directions
Broadcast and stats	Stats  |  Video  |  Audio
Notes	Northeastern (PDF)
Media Guide	2015-16 Northeastern Women's Basketball Media Guide
Social media	Twitter: @GoNUwbasketball Facebook: GoNUwbasketball Instagram: GoNUwbasketball Use #GoNU

BOSTON – Looking to close out the final CAA weekend of January on a winning note, the Northeastern women's basketball team will first welcome Elon to Cabot Center on Friday, Jan. 29, as the Huskies and Phoenix meet in a 2 p.m. conference game. An NU win would cap off the Huskies' two-game home stand nicely as Northeastern will hit the road for four of its next five games.
 
ALL-TIME AGAINST ELON
 
Northeastern had never faced Elon prior to the two team's CAA home-and-home series last year. Although the Huskies went 0-2 against the Phoenix during the 2014-15 campaign, NU lost both games by just one possession, dropping an 80-77 overtime decision on the road (Jan. 25) and a 74-73 regulation game at home (Feb. 19).
 
SCOUTING THE PHOENIX
 
Led by sharp-shooters Jenifer Rhodes (47.7 field goal percentage) and Essence Baucom (44.4), who both average 9.2 points per game, Elon boasts the fourth best offense in the CAA with a scoring average of 65.1 points per game. Like Northeastern, the Phoenix can rebound exceptionally well and are ranked second in the league in rebounding (41.4 per game). Shay Burnett, a member of the 2014-15 CAA All-Rookie Team, is ranked among the conference's top 10 this year in scoring (12.8), rebounding (7.6), and assists (2.9).
 
LAST TIME OUT
 
With leads following the first, second, and third quarters on Jan. 25 against Drexel, the Huskies were unable to bring home the victory as the Dragons utilized a 16-7 run during the fourth to earn a four-point victory, 53-49. Northeastern led Drexel, 27-17 at the half, but a -12 turnover margin allowed the Dragons to avoid being swept by the Huskies.
 
NU SETS FIRST HALF LOW
 
On Jan. 25, NU limited Drexel to just 17 points in the first half, the lowest the Huskies have allowed during the entire 2015-16 season. Northeastern's previous first-half defensive low was 22 points against New Hampshire on Dec. 2.
 
MONTAGNE HEATING UP
 
Senior co-captain Tiffany Montagne has hit two 3-pointers during three of her last four games, bringing her ever closer to the Huskies' 100-career club. Montagne has started each of Northeastern's last two games and enters Friday's contest with 92 career 3-point makes.
 
T.G.I.F.
 
NU has earned four of its wins this season on Fridays, more than any other day of the week. The Huskies are also 2-1 in CAA games held on Fridays, having defeated both Drexel (Jan. 8) and William & Mary (Jan. 15) in overtime.
 
ON THE ROAD TO 1,000
 
With 14 points on Jan. 25 against Drexel, Samantha DeFreese now has 943 career points (57 shy of joining Northeastern's 1,000-point club).
 
DEFREESE AMONG THE NU SHOOTING GREATS
 
Senior forward Samantha DeFreese enters Friday's game with a career field-goal percentage of 50.3 percent (369-of-734). With 11 games remaining in the regular season, the Bergenfield, New Jersey, native looks to join Jewel Tunstull (54.9 percent, 2010-14), and Carla Singleton (51.9 percent, 1983-87) as the only Northeastern players to shoot 50 percent or better during their careers, given at least 450 field-goal attempts.
 
GENCO ON PACE TO BREAK NU ASSIST RECORDS
 
Freshman point guard Jess Genco has dished out 64 assists during her first 18 career games, averaging 3.6 assists per game during her rookie season. Only three Northeastern players have averaged more assists during their entire careers: Tesha Tinsley (4.0, 1996-00), Jody Burrows (3.9, 2003-07), and Desiree Clagon (3.9, 1981-85). Genco is also just 33 assists shy of tying the NU record for most assists in a season by a freshman (Jody Burrows, 97, 2003-04).
 
BOARDS, BOARDS, BOARDS
 
Northeastern's 56 rebounds on Jan. 8 against Drexel were two less than the program record, 58, which was set on Nov. 30, 2003 against Quinnipiac. They were the most NU had recorded in a single game since the Huskies grabbed 57 in an overtime loss against William & Mary on Feb. 1, 2015.
 
AT THE LINE FOR NORTHEASTERN... 
 
The Huskies knocked down a season high, 17 free throws, on Jan. 17 against James Madison. Gabriella Giacone (four-of-four), Claudia Ortiz (four-of-four), Te'Erica Eason (two-of-two), and Francesca Sally (two-of-two) each finished the game perfect at the foul line.
 
During its last three games, NU is shooting better than 85 percent from the line (39-of-45). The Huskies converted on 14 of their 16 attempts on Jan. 22 against Hofstra, before shooting eight-of-nine on Jan. 25 against Drexel.
 
GIACONE WITH TWO ROOKE DOUBLE-DOUBLES
 
Gabriella Giacone achieved the second double-double of her freshman season (16 points, 10 rebounds) on Jan. 15 against William & Mary. Giacone's first double-double was on Dec. 9 against Quinnipiac (12 points, 10 rebounds). She also has 10 double-digit scoring games this season.
 
CLEANING UP THE GLASS
 
As of Jan. 28, Northeastern is sixth in the CAA in rebounding offense (38.8 rebounds per game), third in rebounding defense (37.4), and fourth in rebounding margin (+1.4). James Madison and Hofstra are the only schools in the conference that rank higher than the Huskies in all three statistical categories. However, Elon does rank above Northeastern in both rebounding offense (41.4, second) and rebounding margin (+2.1, third).
 
NU CREATING SECOND CHANCES
 
On the offensive glass, Northeastern is ranked third in the CAA with an average of 14.2 boards per game. The Huskies' offensive rebounding percentage of 36.1 is also ranked third best in the league.
 
ORTIZ SHOOTS THE LIGHTS OUT
 
Sophomore shooting guard Claudia Ortiz celebrated a career day on Jan. 10 against Delaware, setting new career highs in points (27), field goals made (10), 3-point field goals made (five), and field-goal percentage (.714). Although the Carolina, Puerto Rico native was kept scoreless during the first quarter against the Blue Hens, she went on to score six points during the second, 12 points during the third, and nine points during the fourth on a combined 10-of-14 shooting. Ortiz's previous scoring high was 19 points against Siena on Nov. 15, 2015.
 
SHARING THE WEALTH
 
Since Dec. 4 against Maine, the Huskies have seen seven different leading scorers during 12 games, with Samantha DeFreese leading the team four times during the stretch. This season, Northeastern has also seen eight different players lead the team in scoring at least once, including all four freshmen.

CLEAN & TIDY DEFENSE
 
Northeastern limited Drexel to six free-throw attempts on Jan. 25. During the 2015-16 season, the Huskies have held three opponents (in four games) to under 10 free-throw attempts in a game: UMES (eight), Drexel (six and eight), and Maine (zero).

DRAININ' THE MONEY BALL 

NU successfully knocked down ten 3-pointers during two of its last four games. Seven different Northeastern players made 3-pointers against Canisius on Dec. 21 as the Huskies shot 37.0 percent from behind the arc (10-of-27). On Jan. 3, NU made ten 3-pointers again during its CAA-opening game against Towson, shooting a season best, 38.5 percent, from long range. Claudia Ortiz also drilled a career high, four 3-pointers, that day against the Tigers.
 
GENCO LEADS NCAA ROOKIES IN MINUTES
 
As of Jan. 28, freshman Jess Genco leads all Division I freshmen in minutes per game with an average court time of 38.4 minutes per game. Genco is also ranked third in the nation in the same category among all Division I student-athletes, trailing only Hampton's Malia Tate-DeFreitas (39.1 minutes per game), and UNCG's Lucy Mason (38.7).