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University of Massachusets Athletics
Women's Basketball To Take On Xavier
January 13, 2000 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 13, 2000
MINUTEWOMEN KICK OFF OHIO WEEKEND WITH XAVIER : The Minutewomen continue their longest home stand of the season with two games against Atlantic 10 West opponents. UMass, currently tied for first place in the Atlantic 10 East will take on Xavier on Friday at 7:00 p.m. and then face Dayton at noon on Sunday. Sunday?s game will be featured on the award-winning Atlantic 10 network. Larry Rosen (play-by-play) and Sherry Levin (color) will call the action on the broadcast.
SCOUTING THE MUSKETEERS: Xavier enters Friday?s game with a 10-3 overall mark and a 1-2 record in conference play. The Muskateers are led by led by Taru Tuukkannen, the conference?s leading scorer , with 16.6 points per game. Jen Phillips leads Xavier on the boards with 5.8 rebounds per game.
THE SERIES WITH XAVIER: Xavier leads the all-time series between the two teams, 4-2. The Musketeers have beaten UMass in the last two meetings. The last Minutewoman victory was a 49-44 win in the Atlantic 10 semifinals on March 1, 1998 in the Mullins Center.
SCOUTING THE FLYERS: Dayton is led by Christi Hester with 14.3 points and 4.2 assists per game. RaeLynn McIntosh leads the Flyers on the boards, with 7.0 caroms and 10.9 points per game.
THE SERIES WITH DAYTON: UMass leads Dayton, 3-1, in the four meetings since the Flyers joined the Atlantic 10 Conference. The sole UMass loss to Dayton was a 67-55 win on January 31, 1998.
SMITH NAMED WHMP/UMASS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK-LEADS THE WAY AGAINST BONNIES: Sophomore Nekole Smith was named the WHMP/UMass Co-Athlete of the Week at this week?s weekly sports luncheon for her performance in conference action last week. Smith scored 12 points and pulled down seven rebounds in 27 minutes of action against LaSalle and then pulled down her third career double-double (11 points, 15 rebounds) against St. Bonaventure. The 15 rebounds was a new career high for Smith.
SMITH PERFORMS WELL IN ATLANTIC 10 PLAY: Nekole Smith has shown a marked improvement in Atlantic 10 games this season. Smith who is averaging 7.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, has posted a 12.0 point and 8.7 rebound average in Atlantic 10 play.
BUTLER RANKED AMONG THE NATION?S BEST: Freshman Jen Butler has made her presence known on the boards of the Atlantic 10, ranking in either the first or second spot the entire season. The conference?s second leading rebounder, Butler checks in as the nation?s tenth best with her 11.1 rebounds per game.
THE OHIO CONNECTION: The Minutewomen will play host to two Ohio schools this weekend. Although the games will be played in Amherst, there are some Buckeye state bragging rights up for grabs as five members of the UMass contingent hail from Ohio. Freshmen Kristin Cannon (Reynoldsburg), Ebony Pegues (Columbus) and Amber Sneed (Cincinnati), as well as junior Kathy Coyner (Belpre) and head coach Joanie O?Brien (Columbus) are all Ohio natives.
FROM THE FLOOR: Poor shooting and inexperience plagued the Minutewomen at the beginning of the season. In the first seven games (UMass 1-6), the Minutewomen shot 36.1 percent from the field. The win over New Mexico State was the first game the Minutewomen shot over 40 percent (45.6) in the game. In the last seven games the Minutewomen have (UMass, 5-2) shot 38.1 percent, shooting over 40 percent in four games.
COYNER MAKES HEALTHY RETURN TO LINE-UP AGAINST LASALLE: Junior Kathy Coyner has made a healthy return to the UMass line-up after missing three games as a result of ankle surgery to remove a bone chip. Coyner saw 31 minutes of action against LaSalle. She scored eight points, including hitting two threes, while dishing out three assists in her first game since the Rhode Island game on December 14th.
MACFARLAND TAKES ADVANTAGE OF CHARITY DOWN THE STRETCH AGAINST LASALLE: Although she struggled from the field in the game against LaSalle, senior Alison MacFarland made the most of her free throw opportunities down the stretch. MacFarland was 8-for-8 in the second half (9-for-10 in the game) including two to seal the four point win for UMass. MacFarland led all UMass scorers with 15 points in the game.
SNEED STEPS UP AGAINST RUTGERS: Freshman Amber Sneed has been playing well for the Minutewomen as of late. The 6-0 freshman, who has started four games this season, has averaged 5.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Sneed turned in her best performance yet, in her third start this season against Rutgers. In a season-high 29 minutes of action, Sneed scored 15 points (6-of-9 from the field), including two three pointers. Sneed is UMass? second most accurate shooter this year, connecting on 43.9 percent from the field.
UMASS AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS: UMass has definitely taken on a tough non-conference slate this season. The Minutewomen faced three teams ranked in the Top 25 this year. The Minutewomen turned in a 1-2 record against ranked foes, falling to then-No. 18 Boston College 60-45, upsetting then No. 22 Stanford, 74-69, and falling to No. 12 Rutgers, 52-66. The Minutewomen played against Rutgers without the services of starting point guard Kathy Coyner who was forced out of the line-up as a result of recovery from ankle surgery.
UMASS FINISHES RUNNER UP AT BLUE SKY RESTAURANT GROUP TOURNAMENT: UMass earned second place at the Blue Sky Restaurant Group Dartmouth Invitational earlier this week. In the first round UMass defeated Furman 60-54 with strong performances by senior Tonia Thomas and freshman Jennifer Butler. Thomas led the Minutewomen in scoring with 16 points, while Butler had 14 points and 18 rebounds. Caroline Nehls and Alison MacFarland were the other two Minutewomen to register double-figures in the game. Nehls had 12 points (6-of-8) from the field, while MacFarland had 11 points, including four free-throws down the stretch to seal the game. UMass lost to William & Mary, 60-54 in the Championship game the following evening. MacFarland led the way with 14 points, while Thomas had 13 points and Butler 12 points. Butler improved her new career rebound mark from the night before pulling down a school record 25 caroms in the loss. She broke the record held by both Jerrie Bernier and Nadine Jackson who both had a 20 rebound game in their careers (Bernier against Rhode Island on 2/23/84 and Jackson against Souther Connecticut on 2/18/81.
THOMAS AND BUTLER EARN ALL-TOURNEY HONORS: Jennifer Butler and Tonia Thomas were both named the the All-Tournament Team for their efforts at the Blue Sky Group Dartmouth Invitational. Butler was named the Tournament MVP, while Thomas was named to the All-Tournament team. In the two day?s Butler posted two double-doubles, combining for 26 points and 43 rebounds, while Thomas combined for 29 points in the two games.
BUTLER EARNS SECOND ATLANTIC 10 ROOKIE OF THE WEEK HONORS: Jennifer Butler earned her second Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week honors January 1st for her performance at the Blue Sky Group Dartmouth Invitational. Butler earned her first Atlantic 10 Conference Rookie of the Week on December 18th for her double-double (11 points, 11 rebounds) against then No. 22 Stanford. She also had three steals and one block in the win. She had seven points and 13 rebounds in the win over Rhode Island along with three blocks, two steals and one assist in the win over the Rams.
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH: There is no question that this year?s version of the Minutewomen is young. UMass has five freshmen, two sophomores and a junior college transfer on the roster, which adds up to eight first or second year players. Only co-captains junior Kathy Coyner and senior Alison MacFarland have played in every game the last two seasons. Senior Jaywana Bradley is the only other player that has over two seasons of collegiate experience, but she has only played in 19 games in the last two seasons, prior to this year, as a result of various knee injuries.
COYNER IS MONEY IN WIN OVER STANFORD: Junior Kathy Coyner has a career performance in the upset win over Stanford. Coyner scored 20 points, including four threes, dished out 10 assists, pulled down six rebounds and had three steals in 38 minutes of action. Coyner hit a three pointer and hit four free throws down the stretch to help seal the upset win for the Minutewomen.
MAC-ATTACK-CLOSING IN ON A GRAND: Senior co-captain Alison MacFarland has enjoyed an excellent start to her senior season. MacFarland is the Minutewomen?s leading scorer averaging 11.0 points per game. She is fourth on the team in rebounding pulling down 5.0 caroms per game. MacFarland was UMass? leading scorer in the Clemson, Holy Cross, Rice, William and Mary and LaSalle games and was UMass? leading rebounder against UNC-Charlotte. MacFarland is on pace to become the 11th Minutewoman, and the fifth player under current head coach Joanie O?Brien, to record 1,000 points in her career. MacFarland has scored 934 career points and with her current scoring average is on track to record her 1,000th point on the Duquesne and Virginia Tech roadtrip (Feb 11-13).
THE BUTLER DID IT: Jennifer Butler is off to an impressive start in her collegiate career. A starter in the last eleven games, Butler is UMass? second leading scorer with 9.4 points per game and is leading the teams? rebounding effort with 11.2 boards per game. In her collegiate debut, Butler scored eight points and pulled down nine rebounds (seven in the first half) against Clemson. Butler who earned her first collegiate start against Holy Cross, pulled down 15 rebounds in 26 minutes of play. Butler is shooting a team best 50.5 percent from the field (52-of-103) and has led the Minutewomen in rebounding in ten of the last twelve games. Butler also leads the team in blocks (16) and steals (27). She posted double-doubles in five of the last eight games, and has had seven double-digit rebounding performances, including six in the last eight games. Butler has had eight double-digit point performances this season.
BUTLER NAMED TO THE GENE HACKERMAN RICE INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: Jennifer Butler was named to the Gene Hackerman Rice Invitational All-Tournament Team. In the two games in Texas, Butler scored 24 points, while pulling down 19 rebounds and swatting three shots. She posted her first collegiate double-double in the consolation win over New Mexico State, pouring in 15 points and 10 rebounds.
MINUTE...WOMEN: Junior Kathy Coyner and senior Alison MacFarland have certainly logged plenty of minutes this season. MacFarland is averaging a team-high 35.1 minutes while Coyner is right behind her averaging 34.9 minutes per game. The lowest minute total for Coyner this year was 28 minutes against Rhode Island, while MacFarland saw 27 minutes of action against the Rams.
ON THE BOARDS: The Minutewomen have consistently outrebounded their opposition this season on the glass, holding a +7.7 advantage on the glass. UMass has outrebounded its opponents in eleven of the fourteen this season. The only three games the Minutewomen were outrebounded overall were the Boston College and Rutgers games. The Eagles held a 43-35 advantage on the glass over the Minutewomen, the Scarlet Knights held a 34-30 advantage on the glass and the Explorers a 42-37 margin.The Minutewomen have outrebounded the opposition on the offensive glass in thirteen of fourteen games this season, and hold a + 6.2 advantage per game on the offensive boards and have only been outrebounded on the offensive glass once (Rutgers, 14-8).
UMASS SIGNS ONE DURING EARLY SIGNING PERIOD: UMass inked one player during the early signing period. Paige Harris, a 5-9 guard from Rochester, Michigan, has signed a national letter of intent to play at UMass next season. A four year letter winner at Rochester High School, Harris averaged 14.0 points five assists, six steals, and five rebounds per game in her career, while leading Rochester to four district championships. As a senior, Harris was an All-Area, All-League, and Detroit Free Press and Detroit News All-metro selection. She was also a member of the All-Oakland County Dream team and was a finalist for Michigan?s Miss Basketball.
MINUTEWOMEN PICKED TO FINISH SECOND IN THE ATLANTIC 10 EAST: The Minutewomen were picked in second place in the Atlantic 10 preseason coaches poll released at the beginning of the season. The Minutewomen finished the 1998-99 campaign with an 11-5 mark in conference play, taking second place in the East to eventual Atlantic 10 Champion, St. Joseph?s.
COYNER NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL CONFERENCE TEAM: Junior point guard Kathy Coyner was UMass? lone representative on the preseason Atlantic 10 All-Conference team. Coyner was a third-team selection. Coyner, UMass? second leading scorer last season, averaged 11.0 points and 5.9 assists per game during the 1998-99 campaign. Coyner was one of three UMass players last season to start all 30 games.
HEAD COACH JOANIE O? BRIEN: Joanie O?Brien is in her ninth season at the helm of the UMass women?s basketball program. The all-time winningest coach in UMass history, O?Brien has compiled an 127-117 record in her nine years on the sidelines in Amherst. The 1994-95 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, O?Brien has led the UMass women?s basketball program to new heights during her tenure. The architect of the school?s only 20-win season, O?Brien has directed the Minutewomen to their only two NCAA Tournament appearances. A 1986 graduate of Penn State, O?Brien was a four year letterwinner for the Lady Lions, playing for the highly successful Rene Portland. O?Brien was a part of the Lady Lion program that captured four consecutive Atlantic 10 titles and made four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. O?Brien joins former UMass men?s coaches Kid Gore (119), Jack Leaman (231, 217 men?s wins, 14 women?s wins) and John Calipari (193) in the UMass basketball century club. She trails only Leaman and Calipari in the victory column.
