University of Massachusets Athletics
Women's Basketball Hosts Saint Joseph's Wednesday
January 07, 2003 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 7, 2003
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Game Day Information
What: Saint Joseph's (5-6, 1-0 A-10) at Massachusetts (9-3, 1-0 A-10)
Where: Mullins Center (9,493) * Amherst, Mass.
When: Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2003 * 7:00 p.m.
TV: None.
Radio: WMUA, 91.1 FM in Amherst
Regan McKendry (play-by-play) & Matt DeNoble (color)
Rankings: SJU none; Massachusetts, 40th (AP)
Series: SJU leads, 35-5
Last Time Out: SJU, 73-50; Feb. 17, 2002, in Philadelphia
Last UMass Win: 55-46, Feb. 14, 1998, in Philadelphia
Streak: SJU-7; 10 of 11.
Game Day... Massachusetts rebounded from two tough losses in Florida to start the New Year with a 51-46 come-from-behind win over Memphis last Saturday at the Mullins Center. Although the Minutewomen did defeat Atlantic 10 Conference foe Rhode Island, 59-45 on Dec. 9, 2002, at the Ryan Center, tonight marks the true beginning of conference play. Massachusetts welcomes 2001-02 co-A-10 Eastern division champion Saint Joseph's to the Mullins Center. No one in Maroon and White has ever beaten the Hawks and the Philadelphia school boasts a 35-5 lead in the all-time series. Saint Joseph's is 5-6 overall and 1-0 in the A-10. The Minutewomen are currently riding a seven-game home winning streak and are receiving votes (2) in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll, the only A-10 school to do so. This is the team's best start after 12 games since 1977-78, when the Minutewomen also began the season 9-3.
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.
Scouting The Hawks ... Saint Joseph's is 5-6 overall heading into tonight's game, but three of those losses have been to top 11 teams (No. 1 AP/1 ESPN/USA Today Duke, No. 11/12 Penn State and No. 3/2 Connecticut). The Hawks began the season with a 59-44 homecourt loss to No. 22 (AP) Villanova, a team the Minutewomen downed 55-50 on Dec. 11 at the Cage. The Hawks beat cross-town rival Temple, 73-68, Sunday on Hawk Hill and currently sit tied atop the A-10 East with the Minutewomen and St. Bonaventure at 1-0. They are led by junior center Irina Krasnoshiok. The 6-5 Moldova native averages 13.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Junior forward Stephanie Graff is pulling down a team-high 8.0 boards, while chipping in 12.5 points per game. All five Saint Joseph starters are juniors.
The Series ... Tonight will be the 41st meeting between these two schools. Saint Joseph's holds a commanding 35-5 lead and has won seven consecutive games and 10 of the last 11. There is no one dressing in Maroon and White tonight who can say that they have beaten the Hawks. The last Massachusetts win was a 55-46 decision on Feb. 14, 1998, in Philadelphia. UMass' last win in Amherst was a 67-50 victory on Jan. 25, 1996, the first season the Minutewomen advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
Last Game Against the Hawks ... Saint Joseph's went on a 15-2 run late in the first half and cruised to a 73-50 win over UMass at Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse on Feb. 17, 2002. Jen Butler and Nekole Smith each had 10 points for the Minutewomen, while Butler added 13 rebounds for her 17th double-double to date. The Hawks were 22-25 from the free throw line, while the Minutewomen were just 5-10. Irina Krasnoshiok led SJU with 14 points off the bench, while Jane Meade added 13 points and five assists. The Hawks also defeated the Minutewomen, 54-48, Jan. 8, 2002, at the Mullins Center. Complete box scores from both of those games can be found at the end of these pre-game notes package.
Going to the Polls ... For the fourth consecutive week, Massachusetts is receiving votes in the Associated Press poll. UMass currently has two AP votes, good for 40th in the nation. The last time prior to this season the Minutewomen were ranked was Jan. 2, 1996, when they had 13 AP votes and one coaches poll vote. The highest a UMass team has ever been ranked is 30th in the AP poll (31 votes) and 33rd in the coaches poll (39 votes), both in the Dec. 1, 1995 releases. The 1995-96 season is the only other campaign in which a UMass team has been ranked. UMass is also ranked 34th according to the latest womenscollegehoops.com poll.
A Much Better Start ... The 8-1 start for the Minutewomen was the best beginning since the 1968-69 squad reeled off nine straight wins en route to a 13-2 record. At this point last season, UMass was 2-10. It was Feb. 21 before the Minutewomen posted their ninth win, a 60-46 triumph over A-10 foe St. Bonaventure at the Mullins Center. Dating back to the end of last season, UMass has now won 13 of its last 17 games, including seven in a row at home. The 9-3 mark is the best start after 12 games since the 1977-78 team also began the year 9-3.
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 ... In addition to all of Butler's individual records vs. Florida, 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.
Home Cookin' ... After the Jan. 4 win over Memphis at the Mullins Center, the Minutewomen have now won seven consecutive home games. The streak began with a 60-46 win at Mullins over St. Bonaventure, Feb. 10, 2002, and has carried into the first four home contests this season. Included in the streak was last year's Senior Day upset of previously undefeated and A-10 regular-season champion George Washington, 62-53, on Feb. 24, 2002. This is the longest home winning streak since the Minutewomen ran off nine straight from Feb. 6, 1998 until Nov. 14, 1998. UMass will play three of its next four games in the Mullins Center including tonight's appearance.
A Look Back At Memphis Win ... The University of Massachusetts women's basketball team survived a 10:04 scoring drought in the first half as it came back to defeat the University of Memphis, Jan. 4 in a non-conference game at the Mullins Center. Massachusetts, which trailed 14-0 midway through the first half, is now 9-3 on the season heading back into Atlantic 10 Conference play, while Memphis falls to 6-5.
Massachusetts senior center Jennifer Butler made four consecutive baskets for the Minutewomen to start the second half. Her fourth basket at the 14:58 mark sparked a 7-0 spurt by the Minutewomen which gave them the lead for the first time in the game. Sophomore guard Katie Nelson drained a three-pointer to tie the game at 30 and junior Judit Zsedenyi hit a baseline jumper on the next possession to give UMass a 32-30 advantage and force Memphis to spend a timeout. The rest of the second half was nip and tuck as there were three ties and five lead changes. After the Lady Tigers' Tamika Butler finished on a back-door screen at the 2:12 mark, UMass junior Cleo Foster hit a jumper on the ensuing Minutewoman possession giving them the lead for good. Butler and Nelson each hit two free throws down the stretch giving UMass the non-conference win and upping its current homecourt winning streak to seven games, the longest since it ran off nine straight victories in the Mullins Center Feb. 6, 1998 until Nov. 14, 1998.
Memphis opened up the game in a full-court press which gave the Minutewomen headaches. It was 10:04 into the contest before Massachusetts got on the scoreboard courtesy of a Foster free throw, but the Lady Tigers had shooting difficulty as well and were only up 14-0. Foster then connected on UMass' first field goal 51 seconds later and the Minutewomen chipped away for the remainder of the opening stanza. The Minutewomen pulled to within four points (23-19) at the half thanks to a fadeaway jumper by sophomore Monique Govan as the buzzer went off signaling the end of the first half. Butler tied for a game-high 15 points and pulled down 14 rebounds, recording her 10th double-double in 12 games this season. Nelson contributed with 12 points and four rebounds, while senior Nekole Smith added eight points, six boards, three assists and two steals. Govan chipped in with seven points and three rebounds off the bench.
Injury Update ... Senior forward Siiri Liivandi suffered an injury during the road trip to Michigan and Toledo last November. Due to the Health Information Privacy Act (HIPA), the University of Massachusetts does not reveal injury information about its student-athletes. She will be returning to action in the next couple of weeks.
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 semifinals last season and now has 1,212 points in her career. The preseason first team All-Conference selection now has a UMass record 1,093 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 14.8 boards a game.
RPI/Strength of Schedule ... In the latest WBCA/Summerville RPI ranking released Jan. 6, the Minutewomen are ranked 21st out of 324 Division I institutions. Massachusetts' schedule has been rated as the nation's 34th toughest, but this only factors in games that have been played and does not take future opponents into consideration. The RPI is a measure of strength of schedule and how a team does against that schedule. It does not consider things like margin of victory or where a game is played, only whether or not a team won. It is used by the NCAA as one of their factors in deciding which teams to invite to the NCAA Tournament and where to seed them. The basic formula is 25% team winning percentage (WP), 50% opponents' average winning percentage (OWP), and 25% opponents' opponents' average winning percentage (OOWP).
Solid At The Line ... Dating back to the Dec. 4 win over Vermont, senior Nekole Smith has connected on 24 of her last 26 (.923) freebies. She had a string of 20 consecutive snapped in the second half of the Northeastern game, Dec. 14. For the season, Smith is shooting at a .744 (29-39) clip. Fellow classmate Jen Butler has made the most of her team-leading 87 free throw attempts, converting on 57 (.655) of them. Just a career .528 free throw shooter heading into the season, the 2003 All-America candidate has helped the Minutewomen improve to seventh in the conference (.668, 147-220) after finishing last a year ago (.586, 364-621). UMass has made (147) nearly as many free throws as opponents have taken (174).
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 1,212 career points to go along with her school record 1,093 rebounds. Butler's name is all over the school's record book as she is fifth in free throws made (306), second in free throws attempted (563), third in blocks (113) and second in steals (194). Next up on the scoring list is Crystal Carroll. The 1997 graduate is in sixth-place with 1,405 career points. Butler has recorded a double-double in 10 of 12 games this season and now has 51 in her standout career. She currently leads the country, pulling down 14.8 rpg, and is second in the conference, pouring in 17.6 ppg.
Break-Out Time ... In her fifth year, senior Nekole Smith is having a breakout season. Coming into the season, Smith was averaging 8.9 ppg in 88 career contests. Through 12 games in 2002-03, the Ann Arbor, Mich., native is averaging 13.5 ppg, good for second on the team and 14th in the A-10. Smith now has 946 career points, just 54 shy of becoming the 14th Minutewoman to score 1,000 points. She is shooting at a .482 (66-137) clip from the field. For her career, Smith is shooting .479 (388-811) from the floor, ranking seventh on the school's all-time chart. Smith, though, is not the only senior enjoying a good beginning to the 2002-03 season. Ebony Pegues entered the year averaging 4.7 points per game, but has turned that into a 10.9 average through 12 games in 2002-03, good for 26th in the A-10. In addition, she is pulling down 3.3 rebounds per game, handing out 4.0 assists per game, as well as tallying 13 steals. After making just 15 starts through her first three years, Pegues has been a part of the Marnie's Army starting five each game in 2002-03.
Steppin' Up The D ... In 12 games this year, the Minutewomen are yielding a mere 57.6 points per contest, good for second in the Atlantic 10. They have held the opposition at or under 50 points on seven occasions (Sacred Heart 48, Saint Peter's 49, Vermont 48, New Hampshire 50, Rhode Island 45, Villanova 50 and Memphis 46), winning each game. In UMass' nine wins, opponents are averaging 50.9 points. Villanova came into the Cage on Dec. 11 averaging 65.8 points, but was held to a season-low 50 by the aggressive Minutewoman defense. In addition, the Minutewomen have held four other schools to their season-low for points (Saint Peter's, Sacred Heart Vermont and Rhode Island). UMass is also forcing its opponents to turn the ball over 16.8 times per game, but that number balloons to 17.2 per game in its nine victories. Massachusetts is currently tied with Ohio State for 20th in the nation with a rebounding margin of +7.8 (42.3-34.5).
They Can Dish It Out ... Sophomore guard Katie Nelson is currently third in the conference with a 1.92 assist to turnover ratio. She has already dished out a career-high seven assists against both Sacred Heart and Michigan. Last year, she averaged 3.07 assists per game, good for 13th in the A-10. Through 12 games in 2002-03, Nelson sits in eighth-place in the A-10, averaging 4.00 assists per game. Tied with her is senior teammate Ebony Pegues. The Columbus, Ohio, product is also handing out 4.00 helpers per game, including as career-high nine at URI.
Trends To Consider Tonight ... UMass is 4-0 when trailing by six or fewer points at the half ... UMass is 6-1 when scoring 35 or more points in a half ... UMass 8-0 when outscoring the opposition in the second half ... UMass has made fewer free throws than the opposition in all three losses ... UMass is 8-2 when outscoring its opponents in the paint.
Marnie's Army General ... 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. The reason for that is because the 1968-69 team, which started the season 9-0, did not have a coach. The 1978 Southern Connecticut State University graduate is currently 9-3 (.750) at UMass and 89-107 (.454) overall in seven-plus seasons as a head coach. She is coaching against the Hawks for the first time.
What's On Tap ... Massachusetts travels to the Bronx, N.Y. for a 2:00 p.m. battle with Fordham on Sunday, Jan. 12. The Minutewomen then return home for a pair of A-10 tilts with Temple (Jan. 16) and St. Bonaventure (Jan. 18), before hitting the road again Jan. 24-26, against Xavier and Dayton, respectively.