University of Massachusets Athletics
Women's Hoop To Battle Xavier Tonight
January 24, 2003 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 24, 2003
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Game Day Information
What: Massachusetts (11-5, 3-2) at Xavier (11-5, 3-2)
Where: Cintas Center (10,250) * Cincinnati, Ohio
When: Friday, Jan. 24, 2003 * 7:00 p.m.
TV: None
Radio: WMUA, 91.1 FM in Amherst
Regan McKendry (play-by-play) & Andy Merritt (color)
Series: Xavier leads, 8-2
Streak: Xavier has won the last six meetings, including all three games in Cincinnati
Game Day... Massachusetts, coming off two A-10 home wins this past week over Temple and St. Bonaventure, make its bi-annual trip to Ohio this weekend. Up first will be the Xavier Musketeers tonight in Cincinnati. The Minutewomen are now 11-5 overall and 3-2 in the A-10 East, good for second-place. Xavier is also 11-5 overall and 3-2 in the A-10, tied for second-place in the West with Richmond. Tonight will be a match-up of the conference's two leading scorers. Xavier's Amy Waugh currently tops the A-10 averaging 18.8 points a game. Jen Butler is right behind Waugh in second-place with a 17.8 point per game average. Her 14.9 rebounds per game average leads the nation. The Musketeers lead the all-time series 8-2 and have won the last six meetings. UMass is 0-3 lifetime in the Cintas Center. In the latest womenscollegehoops.com poll, UMass is ranked 47th.
Scouting The Musketeers ... Xavier enters this evening's game with an identical record to that of UMass, 11-5 overall and 3-2 in the A-10 West. As of Jan. 22, it was tied for second-place with Richmond. Senior guard Amy Waugh leads the Musketeers and A-10 averaging 18.8 ppg. Tara Boothe is second on the team in both scoring (15.9 ppg) and rebounds (6.4 rpg), while Reeta Piipari is third in scoring (13.9 ppg) and first with 5.5 apg. Sophomore forward Alexis Henderson leads the squad pulling down 7.1 rpg. As a team, Xavier is shooting .435 (370-850) from the field, .359 (93-259) from three-point range and .784 (257-328) at the free throw line. Its three-point average is fourth in the league, while it is fifth in the nation at the charity stripe. The Musketeers are averaging 68.1 ppg and allowing 61.9 ppg. They are even with their opponents on the boards, each pulling down 33.9 rpg.
The Series ... Xavier leads the all-time series between these two schools, 8-2, including the last six games. UMass has never won in Cincinnati in three tries.
Last Game Against the Musketeers ... Xavier took a 10-point lead into the locker room and never looked back, handing the Minutewomen a 68-55 set-back Feb. 2, 2002, at the Mullins Center. Amy Waugh lit up UMass for a then-Mullins Center woman's record 32 points, including 6-for-9 from behind the arc. Ebony Pegues led the Minutewomen with 13 points, while Katie Nelson scored 12. Jen Butler pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds.
The Next 1,000-Point Scorer ... When senior Nekole Smith converted a lay-up, her ninth point of the game, at the 3:58 mark of the first half Jan. 18 against St. Bonaventure, she became the 14th Minutewoman to eclipse the 1,000-point plateau. Smith finished with 12 points in UMass' 70-48 win over the Bonnies and now has 1,003 for her career. The Ann Arbor, Mich., native is enjoying a break-out season as she is second on the team and 13th in the conference in scoring with a 13.7 ppg average. Smith entered the season averaging 8.9 ppg. She is also second on the team in field goal shooting, connecting at a .476 (90-189) clip from the floor. She currently sits in seventh-place all-time with a career .478 (416-871) field goal percentage. On Jan. 12 at Fordham, Smith scored a career-high 23 points to lead all scorers.
30/20 Vision ... With a 17-point, 12-rebound effort in last Saturday's 70-48 home victory over St. Bonaventure, Jen Butler posted her Atlantic 10-leading 14th double-double in 16 games. In the previous game, an 89-80 overtime win over Temple at the Mullins Center, Butler recorded 31 points and 21 rebounds. The All-America candidate has already recorded three 30-plus point games and has grabbed at least 20 rebounds on four separate occasions. She was the recipient of the latest A-10 Player of the Week, award, an honor she has claimed three times.
Love Those Turnovers ...In its 11 wins this season, Massachusetts averages nearly 19 turnovers a game. In their five losses, however, the Minutewomen turn the ball over just 14 times. Massachusetts committed a season-high 25 turnovers against Temple last Thursday night, but came away with an 89-80 overtime win. It was the most times that UMass turned the ball over since committing 26 twice last season (11/27 vs. Rice and 1/28 vs. Rhode Island). Opponents are committing 16.3 turnovers against UMass thus far.
Oh What A Night ... Despite the heart-breaking 78-70 double-overtime loss to host-school Florida in the first round of the State Farm Classic Dec. 28, senior center Jen Butler enjoyed a dream game. The All-American candidate tied a career-high with 30 points and hauled in a school-record 30 rebounds. Her rebounding tally was the fifth-best in NCAA Division I history and most by an Atlantic 10 player. In addition, it was the most rebounds by a Florida opponent and also established a new Stephen C. O'Connell Center individual record (men or women) for boards. She sits higher on the list than Charles Barkley (Auburn) and Shaquille O'Neal (Louisiana State). Butler finished with 42 rebounds in the two-day tournament, the most in the events' history en route to an All-Tournament team selection. Butler was also recognized as the A-10 Player of the Week and Dinn Brothers/UMass co-Athlete of the Week. The 30 rebounds are also the highest single-game output in the nation this season and most since New Orleans' Kayone Hankins grabbed 30 boards Nov. 26, 1994, against Nicholls State.
Shattering Records Part I ... In addition to all of Butler's individual records vs. Florida Dec. 28, there were several team records established throughout the night. Massachusetts attempted a school-record 92 field goals, 34 three-point field goals and hauled in a school-best 64 rebounds. Senior Ebony Pegues set a new individual record with 28 field goal attempts and 16 three-point field goals attempted.
Shattering Records Part II ... Three weeks later on Jan. 16, Massachusetts and Temple combined to set more than a half dozen Mullins Center records on Feb. 23. The 89 points tied for the most points in the building's history. On Feb. 2, 1995, the Minutewomen also reached the 89-point mark against West Virginia. The 169 combined points established a new women's building record as did the nine three-pointers by Temples' Stacey Smalls and the 75 field goal attempts by the Owls. Smalls' 35 points set a new Mullins Center women's mark and her 15 three-point attempts tied the previous mark set by Courtney Banghart of Dartmouth and Vanessa Nygaard of Stanford. Her nine trays also set a school-record, while her 28 total field goal attempts set a building record for a women's game. The 31 points by Jen Butler set a new individual record, surpassing her previous individual-best she set in back-to-back games against Northeastern and Florida. Butler also tied a Mullins Center women's record with 15 trips to the free throw line and 15 defensive rebounds. Her 31 points are the most by a Minutewoman in the Mullins Center as well.
Floor General ... Sophomore guard Katie Nelson has started in each of her 46 career games since arriving in Amherst. The Ellicott City, Md., native averages 38.6 minutes this year and was the only member of either team to play in all 50 minutes of the Minutewomen's 78-70 double-overtime loss to Florida in the State Farm Classic Dec. 28. Nelson, whose father William is the head men's basketball coach at Johns Hopkins (Md.) University, is more than halfway through her second season and has already cracked the top five in three-point field goals made and attempted. Nelson currently ranks third all-time in school history with 286 attempts, while her 88 trifectas are good for fourth. Nelson also ranks 10th with a .308 percentage from behind the arc.
Passing's The Name Of The Game ... Massachusetts currently ranks third in the conference averaging 15.88 assists per game. The Minutewomen, who average 23.9 field goals per game, record an assist nearly 67 percent of the time. Two Minutewomen rank in the top eight for assists in the conference as Ebony Pegues is sixth with a 4.31 apg average, while Katie Nelson is right behind her in eighth-place at 4.00 apg. In addition, the Minutewomen are second in the conference with a 0.97 assist to turnover ratio. Nelson leads the league with a 2.46 ratio, while Pegues is 14th at 1.10. Nelson has the fewest turnovers (26) of any player currently in the top 15.
Five For Fighting ... In the 89-80 overtime win over Temple on Jan. 16, five Minutewomen scored in double figures for the first time since an 85-73 win against Richmond in last year's A-10 Quarterfinal game March 2. Ironically, the five players were the same in both games. Jen Butler had 31 against Temple and 15 vs. Richmond, while Nekole Smith (16, 12), Ebony Pegues (20,13), Katie Nelson (13,12) and Amber Sneed (10,14) also joined in the fun. The game against the Owls also marked the first time that two Minutewomen scored 20-plus points since Octavia Thomas and Melissa Gurile each netted 26 against Rhode Island, Feb. 27, 1996. Massachusetts has seen at least four players reach double-figures in three of its last four games.
RPI/Strength of Schedule ... In the latest WBCA/Summerville RPI ranking released Jan. 15, the Minutewomen are ranked 58th out of 324 Division I institutions. It is the fourth-highest in the conference. Only Xavier (28), Saint Joseph's (38) and George Washington (52) have a better RPI than Massachusetts. In addition, the Maroon and White schedule has been rated as the nation's 95th-toughest, but this only factors in games that have been played and does not take future opponents into consideration. UMass has been ranked as high as No. 1 and spent much of the non-conference season among the top 10.
Last Time Out ... The University of Massachusetts women's basketball team (11-5, 3-2) defeated St. Bonaventure (4-12, 1-4), 70-48, Jan. 18 in an Atlantic 10 game at the Mullins Center. With her ninth point at the 3:58 mark of the first half, senior Nekole Smith became the 14th Minutewoman to eclipse the 1,000-point plateau.
Massachusetts, which led 30-21 at the half, saw the Bonnies go on a 14-2 run over the first 7:12 to take their first lead since mid-way through the first half. On the next trip down the floor, senior Jen Butler converted on an old-fashioned three-point play to put the Minutewomen back up a point at 35-34. After St. Bonaventure's Eva Kadlecova made one of two free throws to tie the game for the fourth time, UMass sophomore Monique Govan slashed through the lane and hit a runner to put it up for good. Caitlin Crist hit a jumper at the other end to tie the game again, but that would be the last Bonnies field goal for 8:44. After calling a 30-second timeout, Massachusetts went on a 28-7 run before Courtney Mattingly finally hit a fade-away jumper to end the drought at 2:35.
Butler had just four points at the half as the Bonnies were constantly double- and triple-teaming her, but was able to get it going in the second half to finish with a team-high 17. She also grabbed 12 rebounds for her 14th double-double of the season. Smith and sophomore Katie Nelson each finished with 12 points. Smith hauled in six rebounds, while Nelson dished out three assists and did not commit a turnover. Govan made the most of her 13 minutes posting a career-high 10 points, including a perfect 2-for-2 from behind the arc. She also dished out four assists and had four rebounds. Junior Cleo Foster had five points, seven rebounds and three steals. All 13 Minutewomen played at least two minutes in the game.
Massachusetts shot .400 (24-60) from the field and out-rebounded the Bonnies, 44-33. St. Bonaventure was .347 (17-49) from the field and .435 (10-23) from the free throw line. UMass recorded 20 assists on its 24 baskets and committed just 10 turnovers. The Minutewomen were .360 (9-25) from three-point range and .619 (13-21) at the charity stripe. Massachusetts held a 37-16 edge in the paint.
Courtney Mattingly led the Bonnies with a game-high 20 points, but was held to just four in the second half.
Butler Movin' On Up ... With her 48 points in the two-day State Farm Classic in Gainesville, Fla., senior Jen Butler moved into seventh-place on the school's all-time scoring list. The preseason All-Conference selection now has 1,286 career points to go along with her school record 1,154 rebounds. Butler's name is all over the school's record book as she is fifth in free throws made (334), first in free throws attempted (607), third in blocks (117) and second in steals (201). Next up on the scoring list is Crystal Carroll. The 1997 graduate is in sixth-place with 1,405 career points.
1,000 / 1,000 Club ... When Jen Butler grabbed her sixth rebound in the Dec. 9, 2002 win over Rhode Island, she became the first Minutewoman to score 1,000 points and pull down 1,000 rebounds. Butler scored her 1,000th point in Massachusetts' 67-61 overtime loss to Temple in the Atlantic 10 Tournament semifinal last season and now has 1,286 points in her career. The preseason first team All-Conference selection has also pulled down a UMass record 1,154 boards in her illustrious career. She is the 13th player in A-10 history to join the 1,000/1,000 club. She currently leads the nation, pulling down 14.9 boards a game and is second in the conference with a 17.8 ppg average. Butler has recorded a double-double in 14 of 16 games this season and now has 54 in her standout career.
In addition, Butler has grabbed 568 rebounds in 54 career A-10 contests (10.5 per game). This places her fourth on the all-time conference chart. She needs just 138 more boards, or 12.5 per game in the regular season, to take over the top spot from Rutgers' Sue Wicks (1985-88).
Steppin' Up The D ... In 15 games this year, the Minutewomen are yielding a mere 59.2 points per contest, good for second in the Atlantic 10. They have held the opposition at or under 50 points on eight occasions (Sacred Heart 48, Saint Peter's 49, Vermont 48, New Hampshire 50, Rhode Island 45, Villanova 50, Memphis 46 and St. Bonaventure 48), winning each game. The Minutewomen have held five schools to their season-low for points at the time of the game (Villanova, Saint Peter's, Sacred Heart, Vermont and Rhode Island).
Tops On The Boards ... Through Jan. 23, the Minutewomen lead the conference in rebounding, pulling down 42.2 boards per game (15.2 off.; 26.9 def.). Massachusetts' +7.8 rebounding margin is also tops in the A-10 and ranks 20th nationally. The only other school in the A-10 averaging over 40 boards a game is Fordham, and the Minutewomen out-rebounded it, 46-40 Jan. 12 in the battle for conference supremacy on the glass.
Marnie's Army Leader ... At 8-1, Massachusetts Head Coach Marnie Dacko enjoyed the best start of any UMass coach in their first season at the helm, not to mention the second-best start of any UMass team in the program's history as the 1968-69 team which started 9-0 did not have a coach. The 1978 Southern Connecticut State University graduate is currently 11-5 (.688) at UMass and 91-109 (.455) overall in seven-plus seasons as a head coach. As a Head Coach, Dacko has never faced Xavier.
Impressive Beginning ... The 8-1 start for UMass Head Coach Marnie Dacko was the best start by a UMass coach in their first year at the helm. When the Minutewomen downed Sacred Heart, 74-48 on Nov. 22, Dacko became the seventh head coach out of nine in the program's history to win their first game on the UMass bench. Of the seven, five went on to win at least their next game. Jane Farr (1972-73), Carol Albert (1974-75) and Jack Leaman (1986-87) all started 3-0, while Kathy Hewelt led the Minutewomen to a 5-0 start in the 1988-89 season.
Everyone's Involved ... In last Saturday's 70-48 rout of St. Bonaventure all 13 active Minutewomen saw at least two minutes of playing time and eight recorded at least one basket. Sophomore Monique Govan benefitted the most, tallying a career-high 10 points in 13 minutes of play. She acted as a spark plug for the Minutewomen in the second half and helped them turn a 37-37 game into a blowout within a matter of minutes.
What's On Tap ... The Minutewomen travel up the road to take on the A-10's other Ohio entrant, Dayton on Sunday, Jan. 26. Tip-off at the UD Arena is set for 2:00 p.m. and will be shown locally in the Dayton area on Time Warner Television. Massachusetts then returns home for a pair of games against Rhode Island and La Salle., Jan. 30 and Feb. 2.