Basketball returns to action with a three-game week in This Week in Blue Angel Athletics for December 13-20, 2021.

Trio of Illinois opponents highlight hoops docket

After two weeks' hiatus, the Mount Mary basketball team returns to action with a busy three-game schedule this week. Tuesday, the Blue Angels will head to Chicago's southside in a rematch with Illinois Tech before hosting Rockford University Thursday at the Bloechl Center. MMU will round out the week with a road game at Blackburn College Saturday evening.

MMU played quite an aggressive November slate, rumbling through eight games in a 16-day period. The much-needed two-week respite came after a pair of opponent cancellations to open December, followed by finals week. The Blue Angels hope the time to regroup pays off, as it looks for its first season victory this week.

Mount Mary (0-8 overall) has yet to dress more than seven for any single game, and that has led to a solid balance of minutes and production—all active players are averaging over 21 minutes per game. Statistically, sophomore Talesa Campbell (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Boyd Anderson) leads the team with 15.1 points per game. Sophomore Brianna Duke (Milwaukee, Wis./Milw. Academy of Science) adds 11.9 points and a team-best 7.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest.

Illinois Tech (2-6) beat Mount Mary 74-55 back in early November before knocking off Blackburn, 81-79, just two days later. The Scarlet Hawks have run into a bit of a skid since, however, most recently dropping three straight to open NACC play. Freshman Julia Bucci (Greenville, S.C./Greenville), who scored 39 against MMU the first time around, leads IIT with 16.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

Despite being picked 12^th of 14 in the preseason NACC poll, Rockford (5-4) has already surged to a 2-2 mark in the league with huge road victories over Marian and Edgewood. The Regents are led by the two-headed attack of freshman Anaya Davis (Shiloh, Ill./Althoff Catholic) and freshman Audrina Terhune (Chicago, Ill./Thornton Township), who score 18 and 14 points per game, respectively. Davis' scoring average leads in the NACC, while her incredible 11.3 rebounds per game average rank third in the league.

Blackburn's (1-9) lone victory of the season came via a 79-69 decision on November 20 at Lincoln Christian, as BC will close out its pre-SLIAC schedule in Saturday's matchup. Junior Aryanna Harris (Springfield, Ill./Calvary Academy) ranks second in the league with 16.6 points per game, also adding 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists. However, the Beavers have shown some balance with 13 players appearing in at least eight games thus far.

On the Calendar

Tuesday, December 14

5:00 p.m. – Basketball at Illinois Tech (Keating Sports Center – Chicago, Ill.)

Thursday, December 16

6:00 p.m. – Basketball v. Rockford (MMU Bloechl Center)

Saturday, December 18

6:00 p.m. – Basketball at Blackburn (Dawes Gynmasium – Carlinville, Ill.)