University of Massachusets Athletics
Three-Game Women's Basketball Homestand Ends With Davidson
February 16, 2015 | Women's Basketball
| University of Massachusetts Women's Basketball Game Notes | |
| Game 25 | Massachusetts (9-15 Overall, 3-9 Atlantic 10) vs. Davidson (5-20, 1-11) |
| Date | Time | Wednesday, February 18, 2015 | 7:00 p.m. |
| Location | Mullins Center (9,493) | Amherst, Mass. |
| Live Statistics | GameTracker |
| Watch | Atlantic 10 Digital Network |
| Radio Broadcast | WMUA 91.1 FM | Available on mobile devices through TuneIn Radio app |
| Series History | This is the first meeting between the teams. |
| Game Notes | Massachusetts  | Davidson (available shortly) |
| Team Records | Massachusetts | Davidson |
| Social Media | @UMassAthletics  | @UMassWBB
|
| Buy Tickets | Available through UMass Athletics Ticket Central |
Scouting Davidson Women's Basketball
Davidson women's basketball has struggled in its first season as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference as the Wildcats are 5-20 overall and 1-11 in league play ahead of a Wednesday, Feb. 18 game at the Mullins Center. Davidson previously competed in the Southern Conference, where the squad reached the league's 2014 championship game under now-fifth-year head coach Michele Savage. Last season, the Wildcats went 16-16 overall and 11-7 in Southern Conference games while Savage is 79-76 overall as the program leader.
Hannah Early's 14.2 points per game paces the program, but the squad is outscored on average, 68.5-to-56.6 for a -11.9 scoring margin, the worst in the Atlantic 10. Mackenzie Latt, a freshman, has made an immediate impact alongside Early, who is junior. Latt chips in 11.3 points and a team-high 8.4 rebounds per game.
Turnovers have hurt the Wildcats in 2014-15, as the squad has coughed up possession 483 times - the most in the Atlantic 10 and 26 more than the next league team. Davidson also sports the worst turnover margin at -4.48 per game with 14.8 forced versus 19.3 given up.
Davidson's lone A-10 win came at Saint Louis, 53-50 on Jan. 18 while the side is 2-18 since a three-game win streak in November. The Wildcats have shown flashes of success despite the difficult stretch, as Davidson won at Virginia, 67-57 on Dec. 28 while eight of the losses were by nine or fewer points.
Home, Conference Contests Available On A-10 Digital Network
UMass women's basketball will have 12 of its 13 home games broadcast online through the Atlantic 10 Digital Network, with Cody Chrusciel handling play-by-play and Nef Walker providing color commentary. A link will be accessible in each game preview to direct fans to the subscription page, where viewers can select from one-day ($6.95), monthly ($14.95), four-month ($39.95) and yearly ($99.95) subscription packages. The lone game that was not broadcast on the A-10 platform was available on TV through the CBS Sports Network as CBSSN aired the UMass-George Washington tilt on Jan. 18, 2015.
WMUA 91.1 FM To Broadcast Women's Basketball
Each Massachusetts women's basketball contest during the 2014-15 campaign will be broadcast live on WMUA 91.1 FM. Fans can listen in through the FM radio station locally or catch the game via the online live streaming app, which is free of charge and linked in each game preview as well as on the interactive team schedule.
On Top Of The Tweet Game
Instant information about the University of Massachusetts women's basketball program, including an inside look at key possessions and statistics in each game as well as updates from practice and other team events can be found through the Twitter handle @UMassWBB. Follow the Minutewomen there and catch information about each UMass Athletic Department program through @UMassAthletics.
Mark Me Down For 200-A-Season
Rashida Timbilla's eclipsed 200 rebounds during the 2014-15 season at Rhode Island on Wednesday, Feb. 4. That board marked Timbilla's third consecutive season at UMass with at least 200 and made her one of only five Minutewomen in the history of the program with at least 200 rebounds in three consecutive seasons.
The last UMass women's basketball player to earn 200 rebounds in three consecutive campaigns was Jennifer Butler (1999-2003).
Butler surpassed 200 rebounds in each of her four seasons with the Minutewomen and finished with a UMass all-time high of 1,328 boards. Octavia Thomas and Melissa Gurile, who both played from 1992-1996, also had at least 200 rebounds during all four of their competitive seasons. Julie Ready (1977-81) accomplished the feat of 200 boards in three consecutive seasons from 1978-79 through 1980-81.
Pierre-Louis 1,000-Point Watch
Kim Pierre-Louis has 978 career points entering play against Duquesne. Needing 22 more to reach 1,000 with the Minutewomen, Pierre-Louis must average at least 5.5 points per game over the last five guaranteed games - four in the regular season and one in the Atlantic 10 Tournament - to become the 20th member of the UMass Women's Basketball 1,000 Point Club.
Pierre-Louis has scored the vast majority of her points during the previous two seasons. She tallied 140 of her points as an underclassman and 838 during her two years as an upperclassman, which breaks down to more than 85 percent of her career total.
Déjà Vu All Over Again
Kim Pierre-Louis had her second career game with 33 points when she went 14-of-18 on field goals with five free throws in a two-point loss at La Salle, 71-69, on Feb. 7, 2015. Her made field goals total reset her career high. She is only the third Minutewoman with multiple 30-point games, joining Julie Ready (1977-81) and Melissa Gurile (1992-96). Pierre-Louis also scored 33 points during a 78-57 win at Boston University on Dec. 28, 2014.
The senior forward from Ottawa, Ontario, nearly added a third performance with at least 30 points when she finished 12-for-24 from the floor and 5-of-8 at the foul line for 29 points in the 85-79 overtime victory versus George Mason during Field Trip Day at the Mullins Center on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
Back-To-Back With Six Dimes
Freshman point guard Leah McDerment produced the first set of three consecutive games with six or more assists by a Minutewoman in more than three seasons when she had six each at Rhode Island (Feb. 4) and La Salle (Feb. 7) before she dished out a career-high eight in the 85-79 OT victory over George Mason (Feb. 11).
Megan Zullo was the last Minutewoman with at least six assists in three straight games, a feat she accomplished against Rhode Island (six assists; Jan. 26, 2011), St. Bonaventure (six; Jan. 29, 2011) and Duquesne (10; Feb. 2, 2011).
It was a streak of 116 contests played between Zullo's trio and McDerment producing six in back-to-back-to-back contests. McDerment currently averages 2.8 assists per game in league play after she provided 1.1 on average against the 2014-15 non-conference slate.