WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SET TO FACE RIVAL MAINE ON JAN. 12
THE MATCHUP
Tuesday's meeting between the Black Bears and
Wildcats marks the 65th meeting between both squads. Maine leads
the all-time series (43-21), however, the Wildcats have earned
victories in four of the last five meetings. The Wildcats, who
defeated the Black Bears in last season's America East opener
(51-47), fell to Maine in their most recent meeting 57-49 at Alfond
Arena on Feb. 12, 2009. In the season prior, the ‘Cats swept
the season series against the Black Bears.
SCOUTING UNIVERSITY OF MAINE (4-11, 0-3 AE):
The University of Maine dropped a 61-52 decision to UMBC on Sunday
at Alfond Arena ... UMBC improved to 7-8 overall and 1-1 in America
East play with the win, while Maine fell to 4-11 overall and 0-3 in
conference action with the loss ... Kristin Baker earned America
East Player of the Game for Maine, tallying 17 points, three
assists and three steals ... Samantha Wheeler added eight points
and seven rebounds in the loss ... Carlee Cassidy took home Player
of the Game honors for UMBC, recording 19 points and 11 rebounds
... Michelle Kurowski and Erin Brown chipped in with 17 and 15
points, respectively, for the Retrievers ... UMBC outshot Maine
47.6 to 32.1 percent in the second frame ... Maine has lost three
straight games since the start of conference play ... Prior to the
three-game skid, the Blacks Bears earned a pair of wins over
Stephen F. Austin (87-84) on Dec. 30 and UMass (65-49) on Jan. 3
... Maine is 1-6 on the road this year, posting a 2-5 record in
Orono ... The Black Bears rank fourth in the conference in rebounds
with 558 ... Wheeler leads the team with 7.1 boards per game, a
total which ranks sixth in the conference ... Baker is second on
the team in rebounds with an average of 6.5 per game, which places
10th in the conference ... Baker leads Maine with 11.5 points per
game ... Wheeler has chipped in with 11.0 points per game ...
Amanda Tewksbury is averaging 9.3 points per game ... In addition
to leading the team in scoring, Baker ranks fifth in the conference
in assists with an average of 3.7 per game.
SCOUTING NEW HAMPSHIRE (5-10, 0-3 AE):
Last time out the University of New Hampshire
women's basketball team fell to the University of Hartford, 72-45,
on Saturday afternoon at Lundholm Gymnasium ... Candace Williams
(Norfolk, Mass.) and Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass.) scored 13
and 10 points, respectively, in the contest ... With the win, the
Hawks improved to 12-3 on the season and 3-0 in America East play,
as for the Wildcats, they fell to 5-10 on the year and 0-3 in
conference action ... Williams leads the team with an impressive
6.8 rebounds per game, which currently ranks eighth in the
conference ... She now has 1,068 points and 585 rebounds for her
career, totals that rank 11th and ninth, respectively, all-time in
program history ... Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.) added eight
points, three assists and two steals for UNH ... Simpson ranks
second in the conference in assists, with an average of 5.3 per
game this season ... Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.) chipped in
with four points and three rebounds.... McDonald has tallied a
block in 10 of the last 11 games ... She currently ranks second in
the conference in blocks with 34 this season, which is good for an
average of 2.3 per game ... She also has the third-best field goal
percentage in the conference with a .516 shooting clip ... The
‘Cats rank second in the conference in blocked shots with 70
... New Hampshire is shooting an impressive .376 clip from the
floor this season, a mark that currently ranks fourth in the
conference ... The Wildcats currently have three players averaging
in double figure scoring, with Williams leading the way with 12.6
points per game, while Beliveau and McDonald are averaging 12.1 and
10.4 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,
the ‘Cats fell short against Stony Brook 69-57 on Jan. 6 ...
Williams scored a team-high 17 points, while also tallying seven
rebounds and a block, earning America East Player of the Game
honors for New Hampshire ... Lauren Wells (West Chester, Pa.)
finished the night with eight points, five rebounds and a steal ...
McDonald added nine points, five blocks and three boards.
CONSISTENT 'CAT
Candace Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) netted 13
points against Hartford on Jan. 9, making it the 17th time in the
last 21 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 21 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.
RAINING 3'S
New Hampshire drilled eight 3-pointers against
Hartford on Jan. 9, marking just the third time this season the
'Cats have knocked down at least eight trifectas. The last time UNH
reached the plateau came against then 23rd-ranked Syracuse when the
Wildcats drained a season-high 10 3-pointers on Dec. 30. For the
Wildcats, it was the first time they drilled at least 10 3-pointers
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 17 3-point field
goals this season, while shooting a team best 37.0 percent from
downtown.
3-POINT PARADE
Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.) knocked down two
3-pointers on Jan. 9 against Hartford, giving her 176 3-point field
goals for her career. The impressive total ranks second all-time in
program history, three field goals shy of Heidi Plencner's all-time
mark of 179. This season, Simpson has drilled 15 trifectas,
averaging 5.1 points per game. Last year, she notched 62
3-pointers, which was the best single-season mark in program
history.
CHARITY DRIVE
Since the start of conference play the Wildcats
rank second in the America East in free throw percentage with a
.775 clip from the free throw line. On the season, UNH ranks fifth
in the conference in free throw percentage, posting a .679 clip
from the line. Candace Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) leads the Wildcats
with a 77.8 shooting percentage from the charity stripe, including
a .882 clip in conference action.
TWO OF A KIND
Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.) is one of just
two Wildcats all-time to tally at least 900 points, 250 assists and
100 steals in a career at UNH. For her career, the senior has
racked up 951 points, 285 assists and 112 steals. The only other
'Cat to reach such milestones is Martha Morrison, who played for
UNH from 1978-82, finishing her career with 914 points, 368 assists
and 167 steals.
WILDCAT BLOCK PARTY
The Wildcats currently rank second in the
conference in blocks with 70, which is good for an average of 4.7
per game. Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.) leads the way for the
‘Cats this season, notching 34 blocks, while Amy Simpson
(Waterford, Conn.) ranks second on the squad with 11.
RE-WRITING THE HISTORY BOOKS
Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.) ranks second in
the conference in blocks with 34 this season, which is good for an
average of 2.3 per game. She has been on an especially hot pace
since the start of conference play, with an average of 3.0 blocks
per game, a mark that ranks first in the America East. The center
has tallied at least four blocks in four of the last six games and
has notched a block in 10 of the last 11 games. Her most impressive
outing came against then 23rd-ranked Syracuse Orange on Dec. 30,
when she set the UNH single-game record for blocks with seven.
Against Stony Brook on Jan. 6 she notched five blocks, marking the
third time this season she has swatted at least five shots. The
first time she reached the 5-block plateau came against Louisville
on Dec. 22, which also marked the first time a Wildcat tallied at
least five blocks in a game since Ray Williams reached the mark
against Yale on Nov. 19, 2005. 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 90.
3-POINT SPECIALIST
Lauren Wells (West Chester, Pa.) has tallied a
team-high 17 3-point field goals this season, while shooting the
sixth-best field goal percentage (.370) in the conference from
beyond the arc. The success from downtown is a pleasant surprise
for the guard, who knocked down just seven treys from 3-point range
last season paired with a .194 shooting percentage. Wells is
averaging 5.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game this
season.
TICKLE THE TWINE
New Hampshire is shooting an impressive .376
clip from the floor this season, a mark that currently ranks fourth
in the conference. UNH's stellar marksmanship from the field comes
after a season in which the ‘Cats shot 35.7 percent from the
floor.
REED IT AND WEEP
Cari Reed (Oswego, N.Y.) has provided a major
punch off the bench for the ‘Cats in the last four games,
averaging 3.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
Against No. 23 Syracuse on Dec. 30, she achieved career-highs in
points (6) and assists (4) in 21 minutes of action. Against Vermont
on Jan. 2, the guard scored three points, pulled in a career-high
five rebounds and tallied two assists. On the season, the freshman
is shooting an impressive 40.0 percent (6-for-15) from beyond the
arc, while shooting 30.8 percent (8-for-26) from the floor.
MAKE ROOM AT THE TOP
Candace Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) pulled in two
boards against Stony Brook on Jan. 6, moving her to ninth all-time
in career rebounds. The senior leads the team with 6.8 rebounds per
game, a total that currently ranks eighth in the conference.
Williams has compiled at least seven rebounds in five of the last
seven games, including an outing against Canisius College on Dec.
28, when she tallied a season-high 11 rebounds. For her career she
has compiled 585 boards.
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.
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 79. 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 285 assists, ranking her 11th all-time
in program history. To break into the top-10 all-time, Simpson
needs just two assists, which at her current pace should be
attained in one game. Simpson has been solid across the board
for the ‘Cats this year, averaging 5.1 points, 5.3 assists,
3.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game.
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.
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.
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 10.9 points, 4.9
rebounds and 2.4 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.
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 .353 shooting percentage from
the floor this year, while shooting an impressive .376 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.
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 Candace Williams (Norfolk,
Mass.) leading the way with 12.6 points per game, while Denise
Beliveau (Framingham, Mass.) and Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.)
are averaging 12.1 and 10.4 points per game. Currently, the 'Cats
are one of just four teams in the conference 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 1.7 steals per game.
CENTURY CLUB
Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.) tallied a pair
of steals against Hartford on Jan. 9, giving her 112 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 19 steals,
averaging 1.3 per game.
RIGHT ON POINT
Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.) scored eight
points last time out against Hartford, giving her 77 on the season.
She now has 951 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 1,068 points and 585 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.
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
Candace Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) and Denise
Beliveau (Framingham, Mass.) scored 13 and 10 points, respectively,
but the University of New Hampshire women's basketball team fell to
the University of Hartford, 72-45, on Saturday afternoon at
Lundholm Gymnasium.
With the win, the Hawks improve to 12-3 on the
season and 3-0 in America East play. As for the Wildcats, they fall
to 5-10 on the year and 0-3 in conference action.
In addition to her 13 points, Williams pulled
in two rebounds, on her way to being named America East Player of
the Game for UNH. Erica Beverly took home Player of the Game honors
for Hartford, finishing the afternoon with a game-high 17 points,
four rebounds, four assists and two steals.
After being down by 23 points at the half, the
Wildcats drew first blood in the second frame, as Amy Simpson
(Waterford, Conn.) kicked off play with a 3-pointer, cutting the
score to 34-14 with 19:31 remaining.
Hartford was quick to respond, stringing off a
9-2 scoring stretch that lasted 3:18, as Beverly spawned the run,
knocking down a jumper at 19:10. Diana Delva delivered the final
basket of the stretch, burying a layup, pushing Hartford's lead to
27, with the score 43-16.
It was Simpson who would once again answer the
call for the ‘Cats, as she nailed a jumper to end the run,
sparking a 12-6 scoring stretch for New Hampshire.
Moments later, Jenna Peterson would knock down
a jumper and Daphne Elliott would add a 3-pointer, giving the Hawks
their largest lead of the afternoon, holding a 48-18 advantage at
14:23.
However, the Wildcats would pick up the pace,
scoring 10 points in the next 2:30 of play, while only allowing one
point by the Hawks. Williams would polish off the stretch, draining
the second of two 3-pointers on the afternoon.
After nearly a minute of scoreless action,
Beverly would knock down a jumper at 11:02 to push Hartford's lead
to 23. Following the change of possession, Beliveau answered back
with a trifecta, setting the score at 51-31 with 10:32 to play.
That would be as close as the Wildcats would
get to making a comeback, as Hartford responded with 10 unanswered
points, capping off the game with a 21-14 run to preserve the
victory.
The Hawks outscored the Wildcats 34 to 11 in
the first half of play, as Hartford shot 46.2 percent and UNH shot
16.7 percent in the stanza.
For the game, Hartford outshot UNH 53.2 to 29.5
percent from the floor, including a second half in which the Hawks
posted a .619 shooting clip.
Simpson added eight points, three assists and
two steals for UNH. Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.) chipped in with
four points and three rebounds.
For Hartford, Peterson finished with 11 points,
one rebound and one assist. Jackie Smith tallied five points, six
assists, five rebounds and three steals.
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.
