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The Game
Stonehill opens a three game homestand to conclude its inaugural NCAA Division I season as it hosts Central Connecticut State University for a Northeast Conference matchup for its Play 4 Kay Game on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon. The Skyhawks are aiming to finish strong at home and rebound from a 78-72 setback at LIU on Thursday, while the Blue Devils have lost their last two after a 62-52 loss at Wagner on Thursday.

Play 4 Kay
This afternoon marks the Stonehill women's basketball program's annual Play 4 Kay Game. The Skyhawks are joining women's basketball programs at every level nationwide in supporting the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA) Play 4 Kay Week, February 10-20. The Skyhawks are wearing pink uniforms through the remainder of the month of February. Play4Kay is the largest fundraising initiative of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and the vision of its founder Olympic gold medal-winning and Naismith Hall of Fame Coach Kay Yow. For Coach Yow it was simple, to unite people through sport in the fight against cancer. Join the fight, choose a game on your schedule to Play4Kay, fundraise for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, and help deliver Coach Yow's vision of a future without cancer. Through Play4Kay, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund has national impact, extending hope to survivors, raising money to aid in the fight against all cancers affecting women and serving the under-served. As a result of Play4Kay and your participation, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund has been able to award $7.88M toward this fight. Fans wearing pink to today's game will be admitted free of charge, with donation locations in the ticket area to benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

Media Information
This afternoon's game will be broadcast live via SkyhawksVision on NEC Front Row. Charlie Bergeron (play-by-play) and Brian Buckley (analyst) have the call of the action for the 24th-straight year. The broadcast can be accessed via stonehillskyhawks.com through its NEC Front Row portal (necfrontrow.com/schools/SC) or through Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku via the NEC On the Run App. Radio coverage locally is provided by WSHL 91.3 FM with Anthony Bellomo on the call.

Last Time Out
Long Island University shot over 53-percent from the field and took advantage of turnovers to secure a 78-72 victory over Stonehill in Northeast Conference action at Steinberg Wellness Center. Junior Ashley Austin led LIU to a second-straight win with 25 points, including 17 in the first half, on 10-of-18 shooting, with four assists. Sophomore Emaia O'Brien added 17 points off the bench on 5-of-7 shooting, canning both three-pointers and all five free-throw attempts off the bench, while senior Cristina Bermejo contributed 16 points, three rebounds, four assists and six steals. Fifth-year Sophie Glidden (Scarborough, Maine) scored 20 of her career-high 26 points in the second half, finishing 11-for-16 from the floor, with nine rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots. She was 8-for-10 from the floor in the second half to lead a Stonehill team that shot 50-percent (15-for-30) after halftime. Postgrad Maddie Loder (Independence, Minn.) added 15 points, connecting on 3-of-6 three-pointers, with a season-high six assists, while freshman Melissa Whitmore (Hanover, N.H.) scored a season-best 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting, marking her third-straight double-figure scoring game, to go with two assists. LIU finished shooting 53.6-percent from the field and took advantage of a 22-10 scoring margin in points off turnovers.

Against the Blue Devils
This afternoon marks the fifth meeting all-time between Stonehill and Central Connecticut State. Stonehill has won each of the first four meetings between the two programs in a series that dates back to the 1981-82 season, including a 73-66 triumph in its Northeast Conference debut in New Britain, Conn., on January 2. The Skyhawks are 2-0 all-time here at Merkert Gym all-time against the Blue Devils, who are making their first visit to Easton since Stonehill notched a 106-74 triumph here during the 1983-84 season. Stonehill head coach Trisha Brown is now 1-0 in her career against CCSU, while Kerri Reaves is 0-1 against the Skyhawks.

Last Time They Met
Stonehill jumped out to a 17-point lead in the first half behind 56-percent shooting in the frame on its way to a 73-66 victory over Central Connecticut State in its NEC debut in New Britain, Conn., on January 2. Fifth-years Sophie Glidden (Scarborough, Maine) and Emily Bramanti (Chelmsford, Mass.) combined for 39 points to lead four from Stonehill in double-figures. Glidden scored a then career-high 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting, with five rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot, while Bramanti scored all 19 of her points in the first half, while adding a season-high six assists, two rebounds and a block. Dejah Jenkins led three from CCSU in double-figures with 18 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals, while Lara Rohkohl added 13 points eight rebounds and two blocked shots.

Stonehill Ties
Central Connecticut State director of athletics Tom Pincince is a 1997 Stonehill graduate, where he was a four-year letterwinner on the football program. The former Stonehill quarterback still ranks among several single-season and career passing lists during his time in Easton. Pincince was named AD at CCSU last January after three years in an interim capacity. He is currently in his 21st year at the University overall.

Prime Performer
Postgrad Maddie Loder (Independence, Minn.) was named a Northeast Conference Prime Performer for the third time this season on Monday. Loder averaged 16.0 points on 50-percent (13-for-26) shooting, with 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in a 1-1 week for Stonehill. She posted back-to-back 16 point games, adding three assists and two rebounds in Saturday's 69-61 win at St. Francis Brooklyn in which she made 7-of-14 shots from the floor, including a pair of three-pointers. Loder also netted 16 points against Merrimack on Thursday on 6-of-12 shooting (3-8 three-pointers), with two boards. Fifth-year Emily Bramanti (Chelmsford, Mass.) has collected all nine of her team-leading Prime Performer selections, as well as a pair of NEC Player of the Week honors, in the last 11 weeks. Loder and Bramanti are among four Skyhawks to be named an NEC Prime Performer in Stonehill's first season in the Conference, along with fifth-year Sophie Glidden (Scarborough, Maine) and senior Mia Kelly (South Hadley, Mass.) with two selections apiece.

NEC Prime Performers:
Nov. 14: Maddie Loder
Nov. 28: Sophie Glidden
Dec. 5: Emily Bramanti & Mia Kelly
Dec. 12: Emily Bramanti
Dec. 19: Emily Bramanti
Dec. 26: Emily Bramanti & Mia Kelly
Jan. 3: Emily Bramanti & Sophie Glidden
Jan. 9: Emily Bramanti
Jan. 18: Maddie Loder
Jan. 23: Emily Bramanti
Jan. 30: Emily Bramanti
Feb. 6: Emily Bramanti
Feb. 13: Maddie Loder

Ten Things
Stonehill first-year assistant coach Jhay Fletcher has been featured in a "10 Things to Know..." article by the College's website this week, where she talks about juggling her new role on campus and shares her many talents. The feature can be accessed here.

In Transition
Stonehill announced it had accepted an invitation to join the Northeast Conference and commence a four-year transition to full NCAA Division I membership on April 5. The Skyhawks started their four-year transition on July 1 and will earn full NCAA Division I membership in 2026-27. At the June NEC meetings, the Conference presidents announced a shift in the waiting period for automatic qualifier sports from competing for NEC postseason championships from four to two years, making Stonehill eligible to compete in the NEC postseason starting in 2024-25.

Getting Social
Fans and media members of Stonehill athletics have multiple social media outlets to get updates on all 21 varsity programs. The department's Facebook page is www.facebook.com/stonehillskyhawks, and you can also follow @GoStonehill on Twitter and @stonehillskyhawks via Instagram!  Stonehill women's basketball is also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StonehillCollegeWomensBasketball, Twitter and Instagram by following @stonehillwbb. You can even follow head coach Trisha Brown on Twitter via @CoachTB_SC.

Up Next
Stonehill continues its three game homestand to wrap up its inaugural Division I season on Thursday, when it hosts Wagner College for an NEC matchup at Merkert Gym at 6 p.m. The Skyhawks will be playing in support of the Autism Speaks Coaches Powering Forward initiative.