University of Massachusets Athletics
Women's Basketball Notes for the Clemson Game
November 25, 2001 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 25, 2001
AMHERST, Mass. -
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TONIGHT'S MATCHUP...
Tonight's contest between the Minutewomen and the Lady Tigers marks only the second time the two teams have met. The Minutewomen are coming off a 65-60, triple-overtime loss to Rice University on Friday, Nov. 23. The Lady Tigers are 2-0 on the season after a 73-62 win over Illinois on Nov. 19.
THE SERIES...
Massachusetts and Clemson have met once previous to tonight's match up, with the Lady Tigers leading the series, 1-0. In the last meeting between the Lady Tigers and the Minutewomen, Clemson defeated UMass, 67-52, on Nov. 19, 1999, at the Littlejohn Coliseum.
SCOUTING REPORT...
The Lady Tigers return two starters from last season, from a team that went 21-10 on the season and made it through the second round of the NCAA tournament. Senior Chrissy Floyd who averaged 16.9 points per game last season, has picked up where she left off scoring an average of 21.5 points in her first two games this season. Krystal Scott and Maggie Slosser are averaging 15 and 10 points, respectively, while senior Marci Glenney chips in an average of 7 points per contest. Clemson has a 2-0 overall record after defeating East Carolina, 67-53, on November 16 and Illinios, 73-62, on Nov. 19. Head coach Jim Davis recorded his 300th career victory in the win over East Carolina in their season opener. He is the first Clemson basketball coach, male or female, to reach the 300-win level. Erin Batth and Chrissy Floyd were both named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference second-team this season. It marked the second season in a row that Floyd was named All-ACC.
A LOOK BACK AT RICE...
UMass was defeated, 65-60, in triple-overtime by Rice University on friday at the Mullins Center. It was the first triple-overtime game in UMass women's basketball history. With under 10 seconds remaining in regulation, junior Ebony Pegues (Columbus, Ohio) drove the length of the floor and scored on a layup to tie the score, 49-49, and force overtime. The Owls' Johnetta Hayes scored a basket with 1:12 seconds remaining in the first overtime to tie the score, 53-53, and force another period. Junior Jennifer Butler (Brooklyn, N.Y.) scored the final four points in the second overtime, including a basket with under a second left, to tie the game, 60-60, and force the third and final overtime period. Butler finished with a game-high 19 points, 14 rebounds and five steals. Rice outscored Massachusetts 5-0 in the third overtime to earn the victory. Rice led by as many as seven early in the first half, but the Minutewomen battled back to tie the game, 20-20, at the 2:33 mark. Freshman Katie Nelson (Ellicot City, Md.) pushed the ball to Pegues who scored on the fastbreak to spark a run for UMass. The Minutewomen went 3-for-6 in the final three minutes to enter halftime with a one-point lead. After the break, the Minutewomen and Owls exchanged basket for basket. Butler scored 10 of the first 12 points of the second half for UMass, to keep the Minutewomen in contention. With 8:46 remaining in the game, junior Amber Sneed (Cincinatti, Ohio) scored from the elbow to extend the Minutewoman lead to five. Senior Caroline Nehls (Randolph, N.J.) put the Minutewomen up by nine with 6:03 remaining in the game, but UMass could not hold onto the lead. Junior Nekole Smith and Butler each picked up their fourth foul with five minutes to go, forcing them to the bench. The Owls battled back to take the lead with 1:16 left in regulation when LaTonya Sam hit two free throws making the score, 47-46, in favor of the Owls. Sneed finished the game with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Nelson finished with 10 points and six assists. The loss drops the Minutewomen to 0-3 on the season, while the victory improves Rice to 2-0.
THE PRESEASON POLLS...
The University of Massachusetts women's basketball program was predicted to finish third this season in the Atlantic 10 East Division, behind Temple and St. Joseph's. With the addition of Richmond this year, the A-10 has reverted back to a divisional format. Fordham, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure, St. Joseph's and Temple comprise the A-10 East, while Dayton, Duquesne, George Washington, La Salle, Richmond and Xavier make up the A-10 West. Temple took first place for the East with 11 votes, returning five starters from a team that went 19-11 overall last season. George Washington claimed the top spot in the West division with 11 first place votes. The Colonials return four starters from a team that finished 22-10 last season.
BUTLER GARNERS PRESEASON ALL-ATLANTIC 10 HONORS...
For the second year in a row, Jennifer Butler was selected to the Preseason Atlantic 10 All-Conference team. Butler earned second team honors as well as All-Defensive team accolades in a preseason poll conducted by A-10 officials and coaches. Butler averaged 12.7 points per game last season and pulled down an average of 9.6 rebounds each game. She lead the Atlantic 10 in offensive rebounds with 120 last season.
O'BRIEN ENTERS 11TH SEASON...
Head coach Joanie O'Brien is in her 11th season at the helm of the UMass women's basketball program. She is currently the winningest coach in UMass women's basketball history with 147 career victories. The 1994-1995 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year has brought the Minutewomen to new heights durning her tenure. O'Brien has led UMass to its only two NCAA appearances (1996 & 1998) and recorded the program's first 20-win season. In 10 seasons, O'Brien has compiled a 147-142 (.510) record.
BACK IN ACTION...
Junior forward Nekole Smith is back in the line up for the Maroon & White after sitting out the entire 2000-2001 season with a knee injury. In 16 minutes of play against the NWBL USA-Elite, Smith shot 7-for-13 from the field for 15 points and pulled down seven rebounds. The 6-2 center from Ann Arbor, Mich., finished second on the team in scoring and rebounding with 9.0 points and 5.9 boards per game as a sophomore. Her offensive presence in exhibition play is a good indicator that she is back to her former self. In the season-opener against Holy Cross on Friday night, Smith played 14 minutes and scored two points and pulled down three rebounds.
FRESHMAN SHARP SHOOTER...
In her exhibition debut for the Minutewomen, freshman point guard Katie Nelson was perfect on four attempts from three-point range and 5-for-7 from the field for 14 points against NWBL USA. The sharp shooter from Ellicott City, Md., averaged 13 points, four assists, and 3.5 steals per game as a senior at the McDonogh School last season.
TO PLAY OR NOT TO PLAY?
Freshman guard Cindy Gonzalez will sit out the first half of the 2001-2002 season after tearing her anterior crucial ligament in an all-star game last March. The 5-8 off guard from Brooklyn, N.Y., will learn from the sidelines during the first half of the season. It will be decided in January whether Gonzalez will play the conference portion of the schedule or opt to medical redshirt for the remainder of the 2001-2002 campaign.
CAPTAINS...
Caroline Nehls, Jennifer Butler and Nekole Smith were named captains for the 2001-2002 season. It is Smith's second season serving as a co-captain.
GO TO GIRL...
In terms of returning players, junior Amber Sneed ranked second in almost all statistical catergories last season, including second in points (8.9), rebounds (5.3), minutes (866), assists (44), turnovers (80) and steals (31).
UP NEXT...
James Madison University * November 29, 2001 * 7:00 p.m. * Harrisburg, Va.
The matchup between James Madison and UMass on Nov. 29, marks only the second contest between the two teams. The Minutewomen and the Dukes last met on Dec. 8, 2000, and James Madison emerged with a 72-65 victory.
