Nov. 18, 2011
OXFORD, Ohio -
The UMass women's basketball team will be playing its first road game of the season this Saturday, Nov. 19, as the squad will travel to Oxford, Ohio, to play Miami University. Looking to bounce back after an overtime loss to Central Connecticut, the Minutewomen are 1-1 on the year, while the RedHawks enter their home opener at 1-1, as well. Game time is set for 2 p.m. at Millett Hall.
Scouting Miami
The Miami RedHawks are coming off an 11-9 record last season after losing in the first round of the MAC Tournament.
Miami returns two seniors and two juniors and was selected to finish second in the MAC East Division pre-season coaches' poll.
Among those returning are juniors Courtney Osborn and Kirsten Olowinski who were each selected as members of the Preseason All-MAC East Division Team. Osborn is averaging a team-best 12.5 points per-game, while Hannah Robertson follows with 9.5 points per-game.
The RedHawks are currently 1-1, with their win coming against Marshall (56-49) and their loss to another Atlantic 10 school, Temple (70-36). Saturday's game against the Minutewomen marks the squad's home opener.
Series History
The Minutewomen and RedHawks have met once before, a 78-72 victory for UMass in the Mullins Center last December. However, the teams could be facing each other more frequently in the future. As per UMass' agreement with the MAC, the Minutemen's new conference for football, the school's basketball teams will play four non-conference games (two home and two away) against MAC schools each season as long as UMass is a football member of the MAC.
Last Time Against The RedHawks
For a second straight game, the UMass women's basketball team overcame a 17-point deficit, rallying for a 78-72 victory over Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 21, 2010 at the Mullins Center. The win, which was the second in a row for the Minutewomen (3-9), snapped a streak of six consecutive victories by the RedHawks (7-4).
For the first time since Dec. 10, 2005 at Syracuse, five UMass players finished in double figures, paced by senior Cerie Mosgrove's 18 points, aided by 5-for-8 shooting from three-point range. Sophomore Dee Montgomery followed with a career high 16 points, which included an 8-for-11 performance at the free throw line, while also handing out six assists. Her classmate, Jasmine Watson, also shot well at the charity stripe, making 6-of-7. Watson logged her third career double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds and registered four blocks. Sophomore Shakia Robinson had 11 points and senior Megan Zullo chipped in 10 to go along with six helpers. Behind Watson's 11 boards, Mosgrove had seven, while Robinson and junior Emilie Teuscher grabbed six apiece.
Miami scored the first seven points of the game and built a 17-point advantage, capped off by a three-pointer from Courtney Osborn with 9:53 on the clock in the opening period that brought the score to 26-9. The Minutewomen slowly chipped away and eventually used a late 8-0 run over a span of 1:35 to bring the deficit back to single digits at 35-28. Then, the RedHawks closed out the period with one final basket, a jumper by Hannah Robertson, to lead by nine at the intermission, 37-28. Miami finished the opening half shooting 48.5% (16-for-33) and 5-for-12 (41.7%) from beyond the arc, compared to a 9-for-24 (37.5%) showing by the Minutewomen, 4-for-11 (36.4%) from three-point range.
In the second half, however, UMass came storming back, registering 50 points in a period for the first time since November 17, 2007. After neither side managed to score in the first two minutes coming out of the break, Teuscher hit a three at 17:54 that started off a 14-4 run by the Minutewomen. Completing that stretch, Montgomery drove to the basket at 14:03 for two points and the free throw that gave UMass its first lead of the game, 42-41. The RedHawks refused to go quietly, however, quickly responding with a trey from Maggie Boyer to climb back on top. Miami went on to extend its advantage back out to seven with a basket and free throw by Rachael Hencke at the eight-minute mark, 58-51.
Coming out of a timeout with 6:59 to play, Zullo fed Watson in the post for a layup that began a 15-2 stretch for the Minutewomen. UMass regained the lead for good on a three from Mosgrove with 5:01 on the clock. After the run that put the Minutewomen up by seven, six points by Robertson made it a one-point game, 69-68 with 1:36 remaining, but that was as close as the RedHawks would come. UMass made seven clutch free throws before time expired to put the game away.
The Minutewomen shot 15-for-30 (50%) following the intermission to finish the game at 44.4% (24-for-54) overall, made 8-of-22 (36.4%) from three and 22-of-28 (78.%) at the charity stripe. After a hot start, Miami was limited to just 29.7% (11-for-37) from the field in the second half and finished at 38.6% (27-for-70). The RedHawks were 9-for-25 (60%) from beyond the arc and 69.2% (9-for-13) at the free throw line.
Last Time: Minutewomen Edged By Central Connecticut In OT, 58-55
Despite shooting 39.7% from the field, compared to Central Connecticut's 30.7%, and out-rebounding CCSU, 50-41, UMass fell to the Blue Devils, 58-55, in overtime on Wednesday evening in the Mullins Center.
Junior Jasmine Watson logged her 10th career double-double, pacing the squad with 15 points and 14 rebounds to go along with five blocks.
Watson registered her fourth career game with five or more blocks. Her previous three game vs. Xavier (5; 1/16/11), Wagner (6; 12/19/10) and Dayton (6; 2/13/10).
Two more UMass players finished just shy of double-doubles as junior Shakia Robinson totaled 12 points and nine rebounds and redshirt-sophomore Carolann Cloutier added eight points, nine boards, five assists and two steals.
Cloutier recorded her second straight game with 5+ rebounds, her third of her career (combined UMass and Old Dominion). She also handed out 5+ assists for a second consecutive game, following up her career-high six against BU.
The contest was UMass' 43rd overtime game, last going to an extra period on Feb. 2, 2011, vs. Duquesne (84-79 loss). The Minutewomen are 20-23 all-time in OT.
UMass followed up its first 50-rebound game for the program since posting 50 at Rhode Island on Feb. 2, 2006 by grabbing 50 boards in a second straight contest. This marks the first time since 2001-02 that the Minutewomen have logged two or more 50+ rebound games in a season.
Freshman Emily Mital had her first career assist in the contest and logged her first career five-rebound game. Freshman Aisha Rodney scored her first career points.
Many Happy Returns
The Minutewomen have just five members of their 12-player squad that saw action at UMass in 2010-11. However, four out of the five (Dee Montgomery, Emilie Teuscher, Jasmine Watson and Megan Zullo) were starters for the Minutewomen last season.
UMass brings back five of its top-six returning scorers or 65% of the team's point production from a year ago. Those five were also five of the top-six rebounders, accounting for 594 of the team's 1091 boards in 2010-11 or 54%.
Zullo Back For More
Guard Megan Zullo returns for the Minutewomen in 2011-12 after being granted a sixth year by the NCAA. Zullo was awarded the additional year of eligibility due to the injuries she sustained as a freshman at North Carolina State and as a junior.
Zullo played all 30 games last season and averaged 10.5 points per-game, good for fourth on the squad and was third in the Atlantic 10 win an average of 4.5 assists per-game. Her total of 135 helpers was the ninth-best single season total of all time in program history, while her tally of 70 three-pointers is second-most on the single season list. She set UMass records for minutes played in a season in 2010-11 with 1,136 and minutes average (37.9).
Through two seasons and counting with the Minutewomen after coming from N.C. State, Zullo has totaled 560 career points, 214 assists and is 131-for-347 (.378) beyond the arc. She is currently ranked fifth on the UMass career list in three-point percentage and assist average (3.5), and three-point field goals made (131) and sixth in minutes average (32.0).
Zullo recorded a remarkable 13 assists on 21 UMass baskets (19 possible assist opportunities since two field goals in the contest were her own), setting a new women's Mullins Center record for a single game on Nov. 12, 2010 vs. George Mason, last year's season opener.
The total is second all-time in program history for a single game, trailing only her aunt, the late Christel Zullo, who dished 15 assists against Temple on Feb. 14, 1986.
Earlier this fall, Zullo was named to the College Sports Madness Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference second team.
All That Jas
Junior Jasmine Watson, UMass' top returning scorer, has been named to the preseason Atlantic 10 third team for a second straight year.
After missing the first eight games of 2010-11, Watson came back from injury to lead the team in scoring and rebounding with averages of 14.4 and 7.6, respectively, while also contributing 1.7 blocks per-game.
She posted seven double-doubles on the year and was the team's top scorer in seven games. In conference play, Watson averaged 14.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest, good for 12th and sixth in the league, respectively.
Through two seasons at UMass, Watson has totaled 639 career points (11.8 ppg), 363 rebounds (6.7 rpg) and 84 blocks. At Rhode Island this past January, Watson scored a career-best 27 points.
Watson, the 2009-10 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, begins her junior season seventh on the program's all-time list for career blocks and ranks third in blocked shots average.
From Near And Far
UMass' 12-player roster is comprised of individuals from 11 different states and provinces, including three international players.
Megan Zullo and Millie Niggeling are the first Minutewomen in program history from their respective home states of North Carolina and Iowa.
New Faces
The Minutewomen have six new players that will see the floor for the first time this season: freshman guard Emily Mital, freshman forwards Ronni Grandison, Kim Pierre-Louis and Aisha Rodney and two players who sat out as redshirts in 2010-11, center Millie Niggeling and guard Carolann Cloutier.
Among the high school accomplishments of the freshman group, Rodney was a four-time all-state selection at Grosse Pointe South High School in Michigan and Mital was an all-state honoree as a senior and as a junior out of Frisco Liberty High School in Texas.
Cloutier, a transfer from Old Dominion, played with Team Canada at the World University games before college. Niggeling was a four-time all-state selection at Bishop Heelan and helped the team to two Iowa state titles.
Pair Of Telecasts To Air Live in Boston
Nelligan Sports Marketing has reached an agreement with WBIN-TV that will allow UMass fans in the greater Boston area to watch approximately a dozen live broadcasts of UMass games, including two women's basketball games. The contests will be produced by the UMass Sports Network.
In addition to every home game airing locally on CBS 3 Now, the Minutewomen's matchups against Maine on Dec. 11 and Saint Joseph's on Jan. 7 will air on WBIN-TV.
WBIN-TV, the only locally owned and operated TV station in the Boston/Manchester market, reaches 2.4 million households and over 5 million people in 500 towns in eastern and central Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is available on Comcast channel 18 (811 in HD), FiOS channel 6 (506 in HD), DirecTV channel 50/950 and Dish Network channel 50/8777.
UMass Women's Basketball Radio Show On WMUA
Throughout the 2011-12 season, catch up on what's going on with the Minutewomen as WMUA broadcasters Ryan Murray and Pat O'Neil talk with head coach Sharon Dawley and other special guests from the UMass women's basketball team on the UMass Women's Basketball Coach's Show, Mondays from 5 to 5:30 p.m. on WMUA 91.1 FM and www.wmua.org.
Mosgrove Playing Overseas
Recent graduate Cerie Mosgrove is continuing her basketball career overseas. The 6-0 guard, who completed her fourth year with the Minutewomen in 2010-11, signed with T71 Dudelange of the Luxembourg-Diekirch League this past summer.
Mosgrove led the nation in three-point percentage in 2010-11, finishing her senior campaign 78-of-157 from beyond the arc for a 49.7% clip, and won the National Women's 3-Point Shooting Championship in Houston, Texas.
She set UMass records for threes made, three-point percentage and free throw percentage (.864) in 2010-2011 and ranks third all-time for career three-point field goals made (171) and career three-point percentage (.390).
The guard set career highs in every statistical category in her final campaign with the Minutewomen, including points (408) and rebounds (195). She finished second on the squad in scoring (14.4 ppg) and rebounding average (6.5 rpg). In her four-year career at UMass, Mosgrove totaled 758 points and 336 rebounds.
Tatham Sisters Help Canada To Bronze At FIBA Americas
UMass women's basketball alums Tamara and Alisha Tatham recently helped Team Canada to a bronze medal at the FIBA Americas Tournamen this fall. Canada will now move on to the World Olympic Qualifier in June for a chance to secure a position in the 2012 Olympics.
Canada defeated Cuba, 59-46, in the bronze medal game, aided by six rebounds from Tamara Tatham. She also contributed five points, while Alisha Tatham played five minutes and recorded one blocked shot.
Alisha Tatham has been a member of the Canadian National Team for eight years and has played in 64 international contests. Tamara Tatham has been with Team Canada for six years, appearing in 59 games.
A 2007 graduate, Tamara Tatham plays professionally with the Halle Lions in Halle, Germany. The 6-1 forward finished her career with the Minutewomen 10th all-time in scoring (1,186 points) and ranks in the top-10 for career steals (4th, 190), rebounds (5th, 755), blocks (8th, 115) and free throws (8th, 282), as well.
Tamara's younger sister, Alisha, graduated from UMass in 2008 and appeared in 116 career games with the Minutewomen. She totaled 524 points with 281 rebounds and 147 assists. She currently plays for Point Chaud Sprimont in Belgium. 
