University of Massachusets Athletics
Women's Basketball Notes For The James Madison Game
November 26, 2001 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 26, 2001
AMHERST, Mass. -
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THE MATCHUP...
Tonight's contest between the Minutewomen and the Dukes marks only the second time the two teams have met. The Minutewomen are coming off a 54-51, victory over Clemson University on Sunday, Nov 25. On Saturday, Nov. 24, the Dukes defeated Stony Brook, 80-58 to improve to 3-1.
THE SERIES...
Massachusetts and James Madison have met once previous to tonight's match up, with the Dukes leading the series, 1-0. In the last meeting between the Dukes and the Minutewomen, James Madison defeated UMass, 72-65, on Dec. 8, 2000, at the Mullins Center.
SCOUTING REPORT...
The Dukes return four starters from a team that went 23-10 overall and were WNIT semifinalist last season. Seniors Hollee Franklin and Allyson Keener, averaged 6.6 and 11.4 points per game respectively, while juniors Jess Cichowicz and Nadine Morgan chippped in 5.7 and 13.1 ppg. This season the Dukes have scheduled a difficult mix of NCAA tournament teams and 20-game winners from last season. James Madison got a jump start on the 2001-2002 season with a preseason trip to Europe. The Dukes had the opportunity to practice and play well before most other college teams took to the court.
Thus far, the Dukes have gone 3-1 on season, defeating Gardner-Webb (92-65), East Tennessee State (76-58), and Stony Brook (80-58). The lone loss came at the hands of Illinois (85-45). Leading all scorers for the Dukes is junior Allyson Keener with 16.3 points per game. Also chipping in double figures for JMU are Nadine Morgan (10.8) and Hollee Franklin (10).
A LOOK BACK AT CLEMSON...
Freshman Katie Nelson (Ellicot City, Md.) scored 10 points, including two free throws with 19 seconds remaining in the game to lead UMass to a 54-51 victory over Clemson University at the Mullins Center on Sunday. UMass took a five point lead at the five minute mark of the first half, behind a three-pointer by junior Paige Harris (Rochester, Mich.), but Clemson regained the lead with 1:46 remaining in the half, when Krystal Scott hit a three-pointer. With less than a second remaining, junior Jennifer Butler (Brooklyn, N.Y.) scored down low to give the Minutewomen a 32-31 advantage going into halftime. The Minutewomen came out strong after the break. Junior Amber Sneed (Cincinatti, Ohio) scored five straight points to extend the UMass lead to six points. Scott brought Clemson back, tying the game at 43 with 11:20 remaining in the game on a jump shot in the paint. She scored a game high 16 points in the losing effort. The Lady tigers clawed back to within one point, 52-51, with only 42 seconds on the clock, but consistent foul shooting kept UMass on top. Nelson stepped up to the line for a one-and-one with 19 seconds remaining in the game, and drained both to secure the Minutewomen's first victory of the season. Junior Nekole Smith (Ann Arbor, Mich.) had a team-high 11 points and seven rebounds, while Sneed chipped in nine for the Minutewomen. Butler finished with seven points, seven rebounds and a season high three blocks for UMass. Senior Caroline Nehls (Randolf, N.J.) had a solid game off the bench, going 3-for-4 from the field in only 13 minutes of play. Junior Siiri Liivandi (Rapla, Estonia) had a career high six assists in the victory.
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 IS TWO AWAY...
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 148 career victories, just two shy of the 150 mark. 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 148-144 (.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. On Sunday's victory over Clemson, Smith recorded a team-high 11 points to help the Minutewomen notch their first victory of the season.
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. In the past two games for the Minutewomen, Nelson has averaged 10 points per contest, including 7-for-9 (.778) shooting from the free throw line, and was on the floor for an average of 41 minutes for the Minutewomen.
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.
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). Thus far, Sneed ranks second in scoring (10 ppg) and rebounding (6 rpg).
UP NEXT...
Vermont * Dec. 2, 2001 * 4:00 p.m. * Burlington, Vt.
The matchup between Vermont and UMass on Dec. 2, marks the 22nd contest between the two teams, with the Minutewomen holding the all-time series lead at 18-4. The Minutewomen and the Catamounts last met on Jan. 3, 1995, and UMass emerged with a 65-46 victory.