GAMBIER, Ohio – Earlier this season, the Kenyon College Ladies hoops team surprised the Denison University Big Red, winning 57-47 at Livingston Gymnasium. On Tuesday, the Ladies get another chance to repeat that outcome with a first round North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament contest at Denison.
 
After attaining a 10-15 overall mark and 6-10 NCAC record, the Ladies earned the tournament's No. 7 seed. As for Denison, it earned the No. 2 seed after posting a 17-8 overall record, including an 11-5 NCAC mark.
 
This is just the third all-time meeting in the quarterfinal round between the two institutions. The first came February 20, 1985 when the Ladies won 67-63. Then on February 23, 1999, Kenyon won on the road, 56-53. In all-time tourney lore, though, the Big Red hold an 8-2 record against the Ladies.
 
This season, senior Paige Matijasich is leading the way for Kenyon. She's the only NCAC player to rank in the top-six in points, assists and rebounds per game, free throw percentage and three-point field goal percentage. In two games this year against the Big Red, Matijasich averaged 19.5 points, hit 55.0 percent from the field and connected on 14-of-15 shots at the foul line.
 
During those two regular-season matchups, only one of Matijasich's teammates scored in double figures. That was Ellie Schaub, who tallied 12 during the road win on December 11. The Ladies hope to fare better at the three-point line, too, as they hit just 23.2 percent in the two contests.
 
The Ladies' defense should be good enough to give them a chance, too. The Big Red connected on 34.7 percent (42-121) and committed 28 turnovers against Kenyon during the regular-season games. Free throws could help play a part in this game, too. Kenyon went 25-of-27 in the two games.
 
On the other sideline, Denison's Alison Schafer and Zyah Beal are the focal points. Both rank in the top-15 in scoring, with Schafer having a team-best average of 12.4 points. Beal, during Denison's win at Kenyon on January 8, scored 17 points and notched four steals. Additionally, Lauren Hofer ranks fifth in the conference in field-goal percentage at 46.9 percent.
 
The Big Red have also done a good job against the Kenyon offense this season. In the regular season, they allowed the Ladies to connect on 37.6 percent of their shots.
 
Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. As mandated by the conference office, ticket prices for all quarterfinal games will be $7 for adults, $5 for fans with an NCAC Guest Pass and $5 for children and students without an NCAC institution ID. Students who present a valid NCAC institution ID at the gate will be admitted free of charge. Live coverage of the event can be found here.