WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HITS THE ROAD TO FACE STONY BROOK ON JAN. 6
THE MATCHUP
Wednesday's matchup between New Hampshire and
Stony Brook University marks the 20th meeting between both teams.
UNH leads the all-time series 12-7 and has won three of the last
four games against the Seawolves. The Wildcats swept the season
series last year, including their most recent victory, which came
in a 50-49 decision at Lundholm Gymnasium on Feb. 25, 2009. Despite
UNH's recent success, the ‘Cats have struggled on the road
against the Seawolves, posting a 1-3 record over the course of the
last four games in Stony Brook.
SCOUTING STONY BROOK (2-11, 0-1 AE):
Stony Brook University dropped its conference
opener to Hartford in a 65-38 decision at Chase Arena on Jan. 2 ...
With the loss the Seawolves dropped to 2-11 overall and 0-1 in
America East play ... Hartford improved to 10-2 overall and 1-0 in
conference play ... For the Seawolves, the loss comes as the team's
sixth in a row ... SBU's two wins this season have come against Air
Force (11/27) and St. Francis (12/6) ... Kirsten Jeter scored 11
points and Misha Horsey tallied 10 points in the contest ...
Hartford's Diana Delva led all scorers with 20 points and added
eight rebounds to earn America East Player of the Game honors ...
Horsey's ten points and four assists were enough to have her named
America East Player of the Game for Stony Brook ... Hartford
outshot Stony Brook .400 to .250 for the game ... The Hawks also
held the edge in points in the paint, scoring 28 points, while the
Seawolves notched six ... Stony Brook turned the ball over 25 times
in the contest, including 14 in the first half of play ... SBU
connected on just 5-of-31 field goal attempts in the second half
... Kirsten Jeter leads the Seawolves with 13.3 points and 1.8
steals per game this season ... Joia Daniels has chipped in with
8.2 points and 4.2 rebounds ... Destiny Jacobs leads the team with
6.9 rebounds paired with 6.2 points per game ... SBU is tied for
third in the conference in rebounds, with an average of 37.9 per
game ... The Seawolves also rank third in the conference in steals
with 104, averaging 8.0 per game.
SCOUTING NEW HAMPSHIRE (5-8, 0-1 AE):
Last time out the University of New Hampshire
women's basketball team fell short against Vermont, 53-55 on
Saturday afternoon at Lundholm Gymnasium ... With the win, the
Catamounts improved to 11-2 on the season and 1-0 in America East
play, while the Wildcats fell to 5-8 on the year and 0-1 in
conference play ... The ‘Cats held the Catamounts to 33.3
percent shooting in the contest, while shooting a .375 clip from
the floor ... Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.) was named the America
East Player of the Game for UNH, tallying 12 points, nine rebounds,
four blocks and two assists ... McDonald has now tallied a block in
each of the last nine games ... She is averaging 4.3 blocks
per game over the course of the last four outings ... For the
season she is averaging the third-best block total in the
conference with 29 ... She also has the second-best field goal
percentage in the conference with .536 shooting clip ... For
Vermont, Courtnay Pilypaitis took home Player of the Game honors,
notching a game-high 22 points and 17 rebounds ... Denise Beliveau
(Framingham, Mass.) finished the afternoon with 17 points, six
rebounds, two blocks and a steal ... Simpson added two points,
seven rebounds and seven assists ... She currently ranks second in
the conference in assists, with an average of 5.6 per game this
season ... Candace Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) chipped in with seven
points and eight rebounds ... Williams leads the team with an
impressive 7.2 rebounds per game, which currently ranks fifth in
the conference ... She now has 1,038 points and 576 rebounds for
her career, totals that rank 12th and 10th, respectively, all-time
in program history ... The Wildcats currently have three players
averaging in double figure scoring, with Beliveau leading the way
with 12.9 points per game, while Williams and McDonald are
averaging 12.2 and 11.0 points per game ... The last time at least
three Wildcats ended the season averaging double-figures in scoring
was the 2007-08 campaign, when Simpson averaged 11.3 points, Ashley
Cerniglia averaged 10.8 points, Williams averaged 10.5 points and
Beliveau averaged 10.0 points per game ... In the game prior
against No. 23 Syracuse University, the ‘Cats fell to the
Orange 58-48, at Manley Field House on Dec. 30 ... For the Orange,
it was their second lowest offensive output this season ...
The Wildcats knocked down 10 3-pointers in the contest, marking the
first time UNH has achieved the feat since draining 14 trifectas
against Colgate on Dec. 5, 2008 ... Beliveau was named America East
Player of the Game for UNH, scoring 18 points, tallying five
rebounds, three assists and a steal on the night ... Williams added
12 points, nine rebounds and two steals in the contest ... McDonald
chipped in with six points, three boards and a career-high seven
blocks ... Cari Reed (Oswego, N.Y.) provided a major punch off the
bench for the 'Cats, achieving career-highs in points (6), rebounds
(4) and assists (4) in 21 minutes of action ... Against Canisius
College on Dec. 28, the Wildcats earned a 42-40 victory at Koessler
Athletic Center ... The Wildcats held the Golden Griffins to .267
shooting from the floor, marking the lowest shooting percentage the
Wildcats have allowed as a defense this season ... The 40 points
scored by the Golden Griffins was the fewest points the Wildcats
have given up this year.
MAKE ROOM AT THE TOP
Candace Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) pulled in
eight boards against Vermont on Jan. 2, moving her to tenth
all-time in career rebounds with 576. The senior leads the team
with 7.2 rebounds per game, a total that currently ranks fifth in
the conference. Williams has compiled at least eight rebounds in
four of the last five games, including an outing against Canisius
College on Dec. 28, when she tallied a season-high 11 rebounds.
SHE'S HEATING UP
Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass.) scored 17
points, tallied six rebounds and a career-high two blocks against
Vermont on Jan. 2. In the game prior against No. 23 Syracuse on
Dec. 30, the sophomore forward torched the nets for 18 points,
while tallying five boards and three assists. In that outing, she
also finished with a career-high four 3-pointers. In her last two
games she is averaging 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0
block and 1.0 steal per game. On the season, she has scored in
double-figures nine times, including three of the last five
games.
ALL ABOARD
New Hampshire currently ranks third in the
conference with an average of 37.9 rebounds per game. In their most
recent action, the Wildcats drew even with the Catamounts, ripping
down 41 rebounds, including 24 first half boards. The 'Cats have
tallied 40 or more rebounds in six games this season and have lead
in boards six times.
RAINING 3'S
The Wildcats drained a season-high 10 3-pointers
against No. 23 Syracuse University on Dec. 30, making it the first
time UNH has achieved the feat since draining 14 trifectas against
Colgate on Dec. 5, 2008. Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass.) led
the way knocking down a season-high four trifectas, while Candace
Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) and Cari Reed (Oswego, N.Y.) each hit two
apiece and Lauren Wells (West Chester, Pa.) and Amy Simpson
(Waterford, Conn.) each added a trey to the mix. Wells leads the
Wildcats with 15 3-point field goals this season, while shooting a
team best 36.6 percent from down town.
REED IT AND WEEP
Cari Reed (Oswego, N.Y.) provided a major punch
off the bench for the 'Cats against No. 23 Syracuse on Dec. 30,
achieving career-highs in points (6) and assists (4) in 21 minutes
of action. Most recently, the guard scored three points, pulled in
a career-high five rebounds and tallied two assists. On the season,
the freshman is averaging 2.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. She
is shooting an impressive 45.5 percent (5-for-11) from beyond the
arc, while shooting 30.0 percent (6-for-20) from the floor.
BLOCK PARTY
Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.) tallied a
career-high seven blocks against Syracuse on Dec. 30, giving her a
block in each of the last eight games. Earlier this season, she
notched five blocks versus Louisville on Dec. 22, becoming the
first Wildcat to tally five blocks in a game since Ray Williams
reached the mark against Yale on Nov. 19, 2005. On the season she
has 29 blocks, giving her the third-best block total in the
conference, with an average of 2.2 per game. The quick start is
nothing new for the junior, as she is picking up right where she
left off last season, when she tallied the second best
single-season block total in program history with 47. For her
career, she ranks fifth all-time in blocks with 85.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE TROUBLE
Candace Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) notched her
first double-double of the season against Canisius College on Dec.
28 with 12 points and 11 rebounds. For Williams, the impressive
mark comes as her 14th career double-double. Last season, the
forward earned a conference-best 10 double-doubles. As a team, UNH
has had three players notch double-doubles this season. Aside from
Williams, Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.) is the most recent Wildcat
to achieve the feat, notching 10 points and a career-high 11
assists against Holy Cross on Dec. 20. Before that, Denise Beliveau
(Framingham, Mass.) notched her first double-double of the season
on Nov. 24 against Harvard with 14 points and 14 rebounds. For the
forward, it was her third career double-double as she also notched
double digit efforts against Northeastern (22 pts, 10 rbs) on Dec.
15, 2007 and Binghamton (18 pts, 11 rbs) on Jan. 19, 2008.
AGAINST ALL ODDS
With UNH's 42-40 victory over Canisius College
on Dec. 28, the Wildcats snapped a seven-game America East
Conference losing streak against the Golden Griffins. Earlier this
season, Canisius earned a pair of wins against America East
opponents, with victories over Binghamton (49-46) and Albany
(52-41). For New Hampshire, the win comes as the program's second
in its last three meetings against Canisius College.
KC MASTERPIECE
After rounding out non-conference play against
Syracuse on Dec. 30, UNH head coach Kristin Cole is off to her best
start during her tenure at New Hampshire, leading the 'Cats to a
5-7 record in non-conference play to kick off the season. The
impressive total comes as the most non-conference wins the Wildcats
have earned since also tallying five wins during the 2006-07
campaign.
TRIPLE THREAT
Three Wildcats scored in double-figures for the
fourth time this season against Louisville on Dec. 22. Candace
Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) and Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.) each
tallied 18 points, while Lauren Wells (West Chester, Pa.) added 12
points. The last time three Wildcats scored in double-figures was
in UNH's 78-65 overtime victory over Harvard on Nov. 24. In that
contest, Williams (18), McDonald (17) and Denise Beliveau (14)
helped achieve the feat. The trio was at it once again versus UMass
as Williams (17), Beliveau (15), and McDonald (10) all scored in
double-digits. UNH first accomplished the plateau this season
against St. Joseph's, as Beliveau led the way with 21 points, while
Williams and Wells tallied 15 and 12 points, respectively, leading
the 'Cats to a 64-56 victory at Lundholm Gymnasium.
DEFENSIVE SPECIALISTS
So far this season the Wildcats have been
playing stellar defense against some impressive company. They have
held opponents to a conference-best .338 shooting percentage from
the floor this year, while shooting an impressive .379 clip
themselves. The fresh start comes against an A-10 (St. Joseph's,
UMass), an ACC (Maryland) and three Big East (Seton Hall,
Louisville, Syracuse) programs, following a season in which
opponents shot .404 from the field against the ‘Cats. Most
recently against No. 23 Syracuse, the ‘Cats held the Orange
to their second lowest offensive output this season, allowing just
58 points and forcing them to shoot just 31.5 percent from the
floor. Against Canisius College on Dec. 28, the Wildcats held the
Golden Griffins to .267 shooting and just 40 points, marks that are
both team-highs. Against Quinnipiac on Nov. 29, New Hampshire held
the Bobcats to just 29.5 percent shooting. In the game prior versus
Harvard, the Wildcats kicked off the game playing stingy defense
against the Crimson, holding them scoreless for the first 5:16 of
the action and not allowing a field goal until the 8:44 mark. In
UNH's 58-57 win over UMass on Nov. 20, the Wildcats compiled a
season-high 13 steals and forced a season-best 27 turnovers. In
UNH's matchup against No. 21 Maryland on Nov. 16, the ‘Cats
pestered the Terps into shooting just .278 from the field, holding
their offense to just 63 points, which was Maryland's second lowest
point total in the last 29 games dating back to last season. The
only team to hold the Terps to an even lower point total was
Louisville, who defeated Maryland 77-60 in the NCAA Elite Eight on
March 30, 2009. Against St. Joe's, the ‘Cats were just as
impressive, holding the Hawks to just .277 shooting and a total of
56 points.
CAREER NIGHT
Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.) tallied
career-highs in points (18) and rebounds (9) against Louisville on
Dec. 22. McDonald reached the 18-point mark in the game prior
against Holy Cross, when she helped lead the 'Cats to an 80-72
victory. The success is nothing new for the junior center, as she
is off to a stellar start this season, posting 11.0 points, 5.0
rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game this year.
DOING WELLS
Lauren Wells (West Chester, (Pa.) tallied 12
points, one shy of her career high, against the University of
Louisville on Dec. 22. In addition, she also compiled a career-high
four steals in the contest. For Wells, it was the second time this
season she has scored 12 points, as she also reached the mark in a
64-56 win against St. Joseph's on Nov. 13.
TORCHING THE NETS
The Wildcats scored 80 points against Holy Cross
on Dec. 20, marking the largest point total posted by New Hampshire
since it notched 85 points against UMBC on Jan. 10, 2009. The
80-point output not only comes as a season-high in scoring, but it
also marks the first time UNH has shot over 50 percent (54.4;
31-57) from the floor since the ‘Cats did so against Iona on
Dec. 12, 2007, when they finished with a .500 percent (30-60)
shooting clip.
5-HEADED MONSTER
Five Wildcats finished in double-figure scoring
in an 80-72 decision against Holy Cross College on Dec. 22. Denise
Beliveau (Framingham, Mass.) led all scorers with 20 points and was
followed by Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.; 18 points, six
rebounds), Candace Williams (Norfolk, Mass.; 15 points, nine
rebounds), Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.; 10 points, 11 assists)
and Racheal Fowler (Glassboro, N.J.; 10 points). The last time five
Wildcats scored in double-figures was against Colgate on Dec. 5,
2008, when Simpson (24), Abigial LaRosa (Hampton, N.H.) (19),
Williams (13), Chrissy Hall (Northbridge, Mass.) (13) and Fowler
(10) all scored in double-figures.
SPREADING THE FLOOR
The Wildcats currently have three players
averaging in double-figure scoring, with leading the way with
Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass.) 12.9 points per game, while
Candace Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) and Jill McDonald (Middlebury,
Vt.) are averaging 12.2 and 11.0 points per game. Currently, the
'Cats are one of just four teams to have three or more players
averaging in double-figures. The last time at least three Wildcats
ended the season averaging double-figures in scoring was the
2007-08 campaign, when Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.) averaged 11.3
points, Ashley Cerniglia averaged 10.8 points, Williams averaged
10.5 points and Beliveau averaged 10.0 points per game.
STEALING THE SHOW
Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass.) tied her
career-high with five steals against Seton Hall on Dec. 3, marking
the third time she has reached the mark in her UNH career. It was
also the first time a Wildcat compiled five steals in a game since
Candace Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) did so on Dec. 5, 2008 against
Colgate. On the season, Beliveau has tallied multiple steals in a
game eight times for the Wildcats. She currently leads the team
with 26 steals, with an average of 2.0 steals per game.
3-POINT PARADE
Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.) knocked down a
3-pointer on Dec. 30 against Syracuse, giving her 174 3-point field
goals for her career. The impressive total ranks second all-time in
program history, five field goals shy of Heidi Plencner's all-time
mark of 179. This season, Simpson has drilled 13 trifectas,
averaging 4.8 points per game. Last year, she notched 62
3-pointers, which was the best single-season mark in program
history.
RIGHT ON POINT
Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.) scored two points
last time out against Vermont, giving her 63 on the young the
season. She now has 937 points for her career, which ranks 15th
all-time in program history. Her two best offensive outbursts came
against No. 21 Maryland and Holy Cross, when she tallied a
season-high 11 and 10 points, respectively. The point guard came up
in the clutch for the Wildcats against Harvard as she drained the
first of two free throws to send the game into overtime tied at
58-58. Simpson led the charge in the overtime period as the
Wildcats outscored the Crimson 20-7 to earn the 78-65 victory. Last
season she notched a career-high 357 points, averaging 11.5 points
per game. In the season prior, she finished with 315 points, with
an average of 11.3 points per game.
WELCOME TO THE CLUB
After tallying 18 points and pulling down five
rebounds against Louisville on Dec. 22, Candace Williams (Norfolk,
Mass.) became just the eleventh Wildcat to score over 1,000 points
and compile 500 rebounds in program history. For her career she has
compiled 1,038 points and 576 rebounds. The last 'Cat to
achieve the feat was Danielle Clark in 2007, who finished her UNH
career with 1,331 points and 579 rebounds. Kris Kinney tops the
list, finishing her UNH career with 2,231 points and 897 rebounds
after a four-year stint with the 'Cats from 1985-89.
CENTURY CLUB
Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.) tallied a steal
against Syracuse on Dec. 30, giving her 110 steals for her Wildcat
career. The impressive total ranks 22nd all-time in program
history. The last Wildcat to break into the 100-steal club was
Whitney Edwards, who played for the 'Cats from 2003-07 and compiled
229 for her career, which ranks second all-time in program history.
On the season, Simpson ranks second on team with 17 steals,
averaging 1.3 per game.
DOING THE DISHES
Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.) has stepped up in
her new role as point guard this season, notching the second-best
assist total in the conference with 73 through the first 13 games
this year. Most recently, she tallied a game-high seven assists
against Vermont on Jan. 2. Against Louisville on Dec. 22, she
tallied her second best assist total of the season, dishing out
eight assists for the second time this year. In the game prior, she
tied a career-high with 11 assists against Holy Cross College on
Dec. 20. The last time she reached the 11-assist mark came against
UMBC on Feb. 2, 2008. For her career, Simpson has tallied 279
assists, ranking her 11th all-time in program history. To break
into the top-10 all-time, Simpson needs just eight assists, which
at her current pace should be attained in two games. Simpson has
been stellar across the board for the ‘Cats this year,
averaging 4.8 points, 5.6 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per
game.
CONSISTENT 'CAT
Candace Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) netted 12
points against Syracuse on Dec. 30, making it the 15th time in the
last 19 games dating back to last year she has scored in
double-figures. Against Louisville on Dec. 22, she notched a
season-high 18 points for the third time this year. Her two other
18-point outings came in back-to-back efforts against Quinnipiac
(Nov. 29) and Harvard (Nov. 24). During the 19 game span, she has
tallied 22 points on two occasions, the latest coming in a 66-62
win over Albany at the SEFCU Arena on Feb. 28, 2009. Her other
22-point outburst came against defending conference champion
Vermont on Feb. 22, 2009. Last year she posted double-figures in
all 23 games to start the season, including back-to-back 25-plus
point games. She had a career-high 27-point performance at Boston
University (Jan. 17, 2009), then posted 26 at Stony Brook (Jan. 21,
2009). In 1998-99, Orsi Farkas posted double figures in all 31
games for the Wildcats.
IN THE CLUTCH
With UNH's 78-65 overtime victory over Harvard
University on Nov. 24, the Wildcats have now won their last six
decisions in overtime dating back to March 1, 2003, when UNH
defeated Stony Brook 70-67 in the extra frame. Tuesday's win marks
the largest margin of victory in overtime in program history. It is
also UNH's first win against Harvard since Dec. 29, 1999, when the
Wildcats defeated the Crimson 70-58 at Lundholm Gymnasium.
A-10 SPECIAL
UNH's 58-57 win over UMass on Nov. 20 marked the
first time the Wildcats knocked off two Atlantic-10 teams in the
same season since the 1989-90 campaign. The 'Cats earned their
first victory over an Atlantic-10 opponent this season on Nov. 13,
when they defeated St. Joseph's University 64-56 at Lundholm
Gymnasium. During the 1989-90 season, the Wildcats defeated Rhode
Island 67-56 on Nov. 28 and earned a 66-60 win against UMass on
Dec. 9 to complete the A-10 sweep in non-conference play.
PICTURE PERFECT
In addition to her 21 points and nine rebounds
in UNH's 64-56 win over St. Joseph's University on Nov. 13, Denise
Beliveau (Framingham, Mass.) tied her career high in free throws
made, knocking down 10-of-10 shots from the charity stripe.
Included in that total are four tallies which came in the last two
minutes of play to seal the victory for the 'Cats. It was the first
time a Wildcat shot 100 percent from the foul line since Danielle
Clark (12-12) did so on Nov. 26, 2006 against Iona. The last time
Beliveau knocked down 10 free throws in a game came against
Northeastern on Dec. 15, 2007. She finished that night with 22
points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals.
LAST TIME OUT
Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass.) poured in a
team-high 17 points, but the University of New Hampshire dropped a
55-53 decision to the University of Vermont on Saturday afternoon
at Lundholm Gymnasium.
With the win, the Catamounts improve to 11-2 on
the season and 1-0 in America East play. As for the Wildcats, they
fall to 5-8 on the year and 0-1 in conference play.
Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.) was named the
America East Player of the Game for UNH, tallying 12 points, nine
rebounds, four blocks and two assists. For Vermont, Courtnay
Pilypaitis took home Player of the Game honors, notching a
game-high 22 points and 17 rebounds.
With 2:15 remaining in the contest, Amy Simpson
(Waterford, Conn.) set up Beliveau with a jumper to give the
Wildcats a 51-50 lead. On the ensuing possession Pilypaitis fired
back with a 3-pointer, putting the Catamounts on top 53-51 with
1:53 remaining.
Moments later, Beliveau would come up big once
again for the ‘Cats, burying a layup to knot up the score at
53-53 with 33 seconds remaining. After the change in possession,
Pilypaitis came up in the clutch for Vermont, putting back her own
miss for a layup with one second remaining, giving the Catamounts
the 55-53 victory.
After a neck and neck battle in the early going,
Vermont picked up the pace midway through the first stanza, as a
jumper by Sofia Iwobi ignited an 11-4 that gave the visitors their
largest lead of the game, pushing the score to 22-15 at 5:07.
Neither team would find the laces for the next
two minutes of play, but Chrissy Hall (Northbridge, Mass.) would
break the scoreless streak with a trifecta at 3:06, trimming the
score to 22-18 in favor of the visitors.
May Kotsopoulos responded knocking down the
first of two free throw attempts on the ensuing possession, but it
wasn't enough to slow up the ‘Cats, as Beliveau drilled a
pair of free throws cutting the score to 23-20 at 1:31.
However, Tonya Young added one of two free throw
attempts and Iwobi buried a layup in the closing moments of the
half, pushing the score to 26-20 in favor of the visitors at the
intermission.
The second stanza started much the same as the
first half, as both teams continued to exchange baskets, with
Vermont holding a 32-26 advantage after a Kotsopoulos layup at
17:07.
Following the basket, New Hampshire caught fire,
posting an 8-2 run, that featured six unanswered points to knot the
score at 34-34 with 14:40 remaining.
Pilypaitis responded knocking down the first of
two free throws at 12:53 to reclaim the 35-34 lead. However, UNH
was quick to the draw as Lauren Wells (West Chester, Pa.) laced a
3-pointer to give the Wildcats their first lead since scoring the
game's first basket.
The ‘Cats would continue to pile on the
points in the moments that followed, stringing together a 7-3 run
following Wells' basket, giving the home team its largest lead of
the game with score set at 44-39 with 6:26 remaining.
Despite UNH's hot streak, the Catamounts came
back strong with an 11-5 run that was capped off with a Pilypaitis
3-pointer at 3:42, reclaiming the lead with score 50-49.
In addition to scoring 17 points, Beliveau
finished the afternoon with six rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
Simpson added two points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Candace
Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) chipped in with seven points and eight
rebounds.
For the Catamounts, Kotsopoulos notched 16
points, four steals and three assists. Kendra Seto and Iwobi added
six points apiece.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.) a senior guard on
the University of New Hampshire women's basketball team, was
honored as Player of the Week by the America East Conference on
Dec. 21.
Simpson recorded 10 points and a career-high 11
assists to propel the Wildcats to an 80-72 victory Sunday afternoon
against Holy Cross at Lundholm Gymnasium. Simpson also recorded two
steals, two blocks, two rebounds and was one of five Wildcats in
double digit scoring in the contest.
After trailing 37-33 at the half, Simpson
ignited the ‘Cats with 15:37 remaining, sparking a 10-0 run
by setting up Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.) with a layup and
scoring a basket of her own on ensuing possessions in a span of
2:37 to take a 49-39 lead. She then helped UNH build its largest
lead of the game with a steal and a long outlet pass to Racheal
Fowler (Glassboro, N.J.) for a layup, capped off with a 3-pointer
by Simpson on the next possession to push the score to 71-56 in
favor of the home team.
Scoring all of her 10 points in the second
frame, Simpson helped the Wildcats outscore the Crusaders 47 to 35
in the stanza, as the team posted an impressive .615 percent
shooting clip from the floor. Not to mention, the 80-point output
by the ‘Cats is the largest point total posted by New
Hampshire since it notched 85 points against UMBC on Jan. 10,
2009.
WILDCATS PICKED FOURTH IN PRESEASON POLL
The University of New Hampshire women's
basketball team received 38 points to place fourth in the America
East preseason poll that was released this afternoon by the
conference.
The Wildcats finished last season in fifth place
in the conference with an 8-23 record, including a 6-10 mark
against America East opponents, after being picked seventh in last
year's preseason poll. New Hampshire's 38-point total tied with
Boston University, who is coming off an undefeated conference
regular season and its first appearance in the postseason WNIT.
UMBC finished followed closely behind UNH and BU, with 35 points in
the sixth place spot.
Vermont, last year's conference champion, is
predicted to once again capture the title, receiving five first
place votes and tallying 61 points. Hartford is selected to finish
second with 60 points, garnering four first place votes in the
poll. Binghamton is predicted to finish third, with 45 points.
Stony Brook University is slated to finish
seventh (23 points), while the University of Maine (13) and the
University at Albany (11 points) round out the final three spots in
the poll.
