University of Massachusets Athletics
Women's Basketball Notes For The Vermont Game
December 01, 2001 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 1, 2001
AMHERST, Mass. -
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TONIGHT'S MATCHUP...
Tonight's contest between the Minutewomen and the Catamounts marks the 23rd time the two teams have met. The Minutewomen are coming off a 56-49, loss to James Madison University on Thursday, Nov. 29. On Nov. 28, Vermont defeated Dartmouth by a score of 80-60.
THE SERIES...
Massachusetts and Vermont have me have met 22 times previous to tonight's match up, with the Minutewomen leading the series, 18-4. In the last meeting between the Catamounts and the Minutewomen, UMass defeated Vermont, 65-46, on Jan. 3, 1995. UMass has only lost one game at Patrick Gymnasium, it came on Nov. 25, 1990. The Catamounts defeated the Minutewomen, 82-61 that season.
SCOUTING REPORT...
The Catamounts return all five starters from a team that went 19-11 overall and 13-5 in the America East last season. Junior Dawn Cressman led all Catamount scorers last seson, averaging 11.2 points per game, while seniors Libby Smith and Rachel Ryan each chipped in 9 points per game.
Thus far, the Catamounts have gone 4-1 on season, defeating St. Bonaventure (55-50), Canisius (92-52), Siena (80-63), and Dartmouth (80-60). The lone loss of the season came against St. Peter's (61-54). Junior Morgan Hall leads all Catamount scorers with 15.4 points per game. Lani Bordman is averaging 10.2 points per game, while senior Libby Smith chips in 9.8.
A LOOK BACK AT JAMES MADISON...
James Madison defeated UMass, 56-49, at the JMU Convocation Center on Thursday, Nov. 29. Junior Shanna Price scored a game high 16 points, including eight points in the final three minutes to improve the Dukes to 4-1 on the season. The Minutewomen came out strong on the defensive end, holding JMU to only 18 points in the first half. Junior Jennifer Butler scored eight points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the first half to give the Minutewomen a 24-18 advantage. The Dukes scored seven unanswered points to start the second half, giving JMU it's first lead since the 15 minute mark of the first half. Freshman Katie Nelson connected on a three-pointer with 10 minutes remaining to tie the game for the Minutewomen, 33-33. The Minutewomen and the Dukes battled basket for basket until the six minute mark, when JMU went on a 5-0 run. Junior Amber Sneed hit a three-pointer with 36 seconds remaining in the game to put UMass with in two points, but it was not enough. Price hit three free throws and a layup in the final 15 seconds to secure the victory for the Dukes. Junior Siiri Liivandi scored eight points, while junior Nekole Smith chipped in seven for the Minutewomen.
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 148-145 (.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...
Arkansas-Little Rock * Dec. 7, 2001 * 7,00 p.m. * Trojan Fieldhouse
The matchup between Arkansas-Little Rock and UMass on Dec. 7, marks the first contest between the two teams. Arkansas-Little Rock went 6-22 last season and 0-16 in the Sun Belt Conference.