University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Iona
Saturday Matinee Takes Women's Basketball to Iona
December 20, 2019 | Women's Basketball
Massachusetts tips off with Gaels at noon in final game before holiday break
| University of Massachusetts Women's Basketball Game Notes & Information | |
| Game 12 | Massachusetts (8-3) at Iona (1-7) |
| Date // Time | Saturday, Dec. 21 // Noon |
| Location | New Rochelle, N.Y. // Hynes Athletic Center |
| Tickets | Iona Ticket Central // (914) 633-2491 |
| Live Statistics | SIDEARM Stats |
| Watch | ESPN+ |
| Social Media | Facebook: UMass Women's Basketball Twitter: @UMassWBB // @CoachVerdiUMass Instagram: @UMassWBB |
| Game Notes | Massachusetts // Iona |
The Opening Tip
• Winners in five straight and eight of its last nine, University of Massachusetts women's basketball plays the final game before the holiday break on Sat., Dec. 21 as the Minutewomen visit MAAC foe Iona. Opening tip is scheduled for noon on ESPN+.
• Off to the squad's best start since 2006-07, a win on Saturday would give the Minutewomen their first six-game winning streak since 2015-16. The last time UMass had nine wins before opening Atlantic 10 play was in 2006-07 (10).
• Junior and Penn State transfer Sam Breen is expected to make her UMass debut Saturday after completing a year-in-residence per NCAA transfer rules. Breen played in 26 games at Penn State during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, the last of which was on Nov. 18, 2018 vs. Princeton. Prior to Penn State, the 2017 Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year played scholastically at North Catholic.
• Idle this past week due to final exams, the Minutewomen were last in action on Sun., Dec. 15 taking a 61-55 win over Siena at the Mullins Center. Senior Hailey Leidel recorded a game-high 19 points and was joined in double figures with 10 apiece from sophomore Destiney Philoxy and freshman Maeve Donnelly. Donnelly added eight rebounds and six blocks, and Philoxy's five assists were all game-highs as well.
• Leidel moved up to No. 4 on the Massachusetts all-time career scoring list in the game at Boston University on Dec. 11. The Brownstown, Mich. native (1,546) needs 133 points to tie former Minutewoman Melissa Gurile (1992-96; 1,679) for No. 3 on the list. At the top is Sue Peters (1,858), who reached that mark in a career spanning 1976-80.
• Leidel is also one of 17 players in program history with at least 1,000 points plus 500 rebounds. She has made at least one three-point field goal in 16 straight games since Feb. 24, and 33 of her last 34 games dating back to Dec. 7, 2018.
• Donnelly has made an immediate post impact for the Minutewomen, averaging 3.64 blocks per game which ranks No. 5 in the country and leads freshmen. Donnelly's season block total (40) entered Thursday either matching or above 10 team totals in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
• In the nine games since UMass fell to Providence on Nov. 9, the squad is averaging over 73 points per game with a +15.8 scoring margin. Leidel leads the attack averaging 19.4 points in that span followed up by Philoxy (13.6 ppg).
From the Twittersphere
Squad got the invite to @CoachVerdiUMass ?? for some ?????????????? ?????? tonight!
— UMass Women's Basketball (@UMassWBB) December 20, 2019
Great to enjoy each other's company off the court#FlagshipIsRising | #Flagship?? pic.twitter.com/R2TrbgtO4j
This makes me a proud coach when you get mail like this about the players in your program! #MakingADifference pic.twitter.com/HXFYtNeAkx
— Tory Verdi (@CoachVerdiUMass) December 19, 2019
two more #iykyk pic.twitter.com/iRq3BSefSb
— sam breen (@32_samb) December 19, 2019
We've "??????????" ?????????????? for tomorrow for quite some time
— UMass Women's Basketball (@UMassWBB) December 20, 2019
Less than 2??4?? hours until we see 3??4?? on the hardwood#FlagshipIsRising | #Flagship?? pic.twitter.com/Rr6NRNNDsb
