Purcell and Kelly Named Empire 8 Athletes of the Week
Hartwick junior guard Kate Purcell and Nazareth freshman center Lindsey Kelly were named the Empire 8 Conference Women’s Basketball Player and Rookie of the Week, for the week of Jan 14-20.
Purcell broke the all-time Hartwick program record for three-pointers made on Friday in a win over Houghton. With 5:55 left in the first half, she netted her second three-pointer of the game that not only set the record, but ignited a 20-8 run to close the half. She would finish with 10 points, a season-high nine assists, a career-high six steals, and she tied for a team-high seven rebounds on her record-setting night.
On Saturday, she scored 14 points and added eight rebounds in a win over Nazareth. She added four assists, three steals, and three treys in the game.
Purcell and the Hawks next play on Tuesday night against Stevens Institute of Technology. The two teams tip off at Lambros Arena beginning at 6 p.m.
Kelly averaged 17 points and 7.7 rebounds in three games for the Golden Flyers last week. She scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds in a loss at St. John Fisher last Tuesday, then combined 19 points with nine rebounds last Friday as Nazareth defeated Stevens for the first time ever in women's basketball, 56-53. She also had 11 points and seven rebounds in a loss at Hartwick last Saturday.
Through 17 games overall this season, Kelly ranks fourth in the Empire 8 in scoring at 14.9 points per game and first in field goal percentage at .589 (103-for-175). She also is shooting .758 from the free-throw line (47-for-62). Kelly also was named E8 Rookie of the Week Nov. 19.
Nazareth returns to action Tuesday for a conference game at Utica at 6 p.m. Nazareth also is home Friday against Alfred at 6 p.m.