WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ROUNDS OUT ROAD TRIP AGAINST BINGHAMTON (JAN. 24)
THE MATCHUP
New Hampshire's meeting
against Binghamton University on Sunday night marks the 18th
meeting between the two squads. The Bearcats have swept the season
series in each of the last two years and hold a 12-5 lead in the
all-time series. Prior to Binghamton's four-game winning streak,
UNH had won three of the previous five meetings, all of which came
in Lundholm Gymnasium.
SCOUTING BINGHAMTON (6-13, 2-4 AE):
Last time out
Binghamton fell to Maine 55-51 on Jan. 21 at Alfond Arena ...
Maine sank five free throws in the final 27 seconds to hold off
Binghamton for the win ... Erica Carter led all scorers with 20
points, five rebounds and two steals ... For the senior guard it
was second time in as many games she has reached the 20-point
plateau ... She now ranks 10th all-time in school history in points
with 1,023 ... Andrea Holmes added 15 points and five boards ...
Viive Rebane finished with 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists
and a pair of steals ... For Binghamton, the loss comes as its
third in the last four games ... The Bearcats rank third in the
America East in rebounds, with an average of 38.1 per game ...
Rebane leads the team with an average of 7.3, a total that ranks
sixth in the conference ... Binghamton is the top 3-point shooting
team in the conference, ranking first in both 3-point field goals
made (143) and 3-point field goal percentage (.359) ...
Carter has knocked down a conference best 69 trifectas this season
... She ranks second in the America East in 3-point field goal
percentage, shooting a .479 clip from beyond the arc ... Andrea
Holmes leads the team with an average of 13.0 points per game, a
total ranks 10th in America East ... She also is the team leader in
assists, dishing out the second best assist total in the conference
with 99.
SCOUTING NEW HAMPSHIRE (7-12, 2-4 AE):
Last time out the
University of New Hampshire women's basketball team earned an 87-77
victory over the University at Albany on Friday night at the SEFCU
Arena ... For the Wildcats, it was the second time this season they
poured in over 80 points ... It was also the second time UNH shot
over 50 percent (57.9; 33-57) from the floor ... Denise Beliveau
(Framingham, Mass.) and Kelley Flynn (Hopkinton, N.H.) led five
Wildcats in double figure scoring, netting 17 and 16 points,
respectively ... Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.) (14), Candace
Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) (12) and Lauren Wells (West Chester, Pa.)
(12) rounded out UNH's double digit scorers ... For New Hampshire,
it was the first time five Wildcats registered in double figures
since Dec. 20 against Holy Cross ... In that game, Beliveau
(20), McDonald (18), Williams (15), Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.)
(10) and Racheal Fowler (Glassboro, N.J.) (10) all reached
double-digit scoring ... Beliveau took home America East Player of
the Game honors for New Hampshire, finishing with eight rebounds
and two steals ... Williams now has 611 rebounds in her career and
is one of just eight Wildcats all-time to tally at least 1,000
points and 600 rebounds in program history ... Simpson now has 992
points in her career and is on pace to become the first Wildcat to
notch over 1,000 points, 300 assists and 100 steals in program
history ... Simpson ranks third in the conference in assists, with
an average of 5.2 per game this season ... McDonald has now tallied
a block in 12 of the last 13 games ... She currently ranks second
in the conference in blocks with 37 this season, which is good for
an average of 2.2 per game ... She also has the third-best field
goal percentage in the conference with a .537 shooting clip ... The
‘Cats rank second in the conference in blocked shots with 89
... New Hampshire is shooting an impressive .392 clip from the
floor this season, a mark that currently ranks fourth in the
conference ... The Wildcats have three players averaging in double
figure scoring, with Williams leading the way with 12.7 points per
game, while Beliveau and McDonald are averaging 12.3 and 10.2
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 Wildcats
were edged by Dartmouth 49-48 on Jan. 19 at the Leede Arena ...
Williams tallied 13 points, nine rebounds and a steal on her way to
being named the America East Player of the Game for New Hampshire
... Flynn added seven points and a career-high 13 rebounds in the
contest ... Beliveau chipped in with eight points, five
boards and three steals ... Simpson finished the night with five
points and seven assists.
TORCHING THE NETS
The Wildcats scored
over 80 points for the second time this season when they poured in
87 points against Albany on Jan. 22. For UNH, it was also the
second time this season it shot over 50 percent, posting a
season-high .579 clip from the floor. UNH scored 80 points against
Holy Cross on Dec. 20, marking the largest point total the 'Cats
had posted since they notched 85 points against UMBC on Jan. 10,
2009. New Hampshire shot an impressive 54.4 percent from the floor
against the Crusaders, marking the first time it shot over 50
percent from the floor since Dec. 12, 2007 against Iona (50.0;
30-60).
SETTING NEW HIGHS
Kelley Flynn
(Hopkinton, N.H.) has set career highs in both points and rebounds
in each of the last two games. In her most recent action against
Albany, she poured in a career-high 16 points along with eight
rebounds and two blocks. Against Dartmouth on Jan. 19, she set a
career-high with 13 rebounds, adding seven points and two blocks.
Prior to her stellar outing against the Big Green, Flynn had
reached her previous high of eight rebounds just once against
Maryland on Dec. 29, 2007. This season only Denise Beliveau
(Framingham, Mass.) has pulled in more rebounds in a game than
Flynn, as she tallied 14 boards against Harvard on Nov. 24. In the
last two games, Flynn is averaging 11.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and
two blocks per game.
PARTY OF FIVE
For the second time
this season five Wildcats finished in double-figure scoring, as
Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass.) and Kelley Flynn (Hopkinton,
N.H.) led the way, netting 17 and 16 points, respectively, against
Albany on Jan. 22. Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.) (14), Candace
Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) (12) and Lauren Wells (West Chester, Pa.)
(12) rounded out UNH's double digit scorers. The last time the
'Cats had five players in double figures came in an 80-72 decision
against Holy Cross College on Dec. 22. In that game, Beliveau led
all scorers with 20 points and was followed by McDonald (18 points,
six rebounds), Williams (15 points, nine rebounds), Amy Simpson
(Waterford, Conn.; 10 points, 11 assists) and Racheal Fowler
(Glassboro, N.J.; 10 points).
600-CLUB
Candace Williams
(Norfolk, Mass.) pulled in nine rebounds against Dartmouth on Jan.
19, giving her 604 rebounds in her career, becoming one of just
eight Wildcats all-time to tally at least 1,000 points and 600
rebounds in program history. Williams has tallied at least seven
boards in seven of the last nine games and currently leads the team
with average of 6.7 rebounds per game.
NOW BOARDING
New Hampshire has
outrebounded its opponents in each of the last three games, holding
a 123 to 98 advantage on the glass. In their most recent action,
the 'Cats pulled in 43 rebounds and the Great Danes tallied 35
boards. In the game prior against intrastate rival Dartmouth on
Jan. 19, UNH held a 41 to 38 advantage on the glass. Against UMBC
on Jan. 16, the Wildcats were even more impressive, holding a 39 to
25 advantage in rebounds.
RIGHT ON POINT
Amy Simpson (Waterford,
Conn.) scored five points against Dartmouth on Jan. 19, giving her
118 on the season. She now has 992 points for her career, which
ranks 15th all-time in program history. Simpson's two best
offensive outbursts came against Maine on Jan. 12 and UMBC on Jan.
16, when she tallied 21 and 15 points, respectively. 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.
TOP OF THE WORLD
Amy Simpson (Waterford,
Conn.) knocked down a 3-pointer on Jan. 16 against UMBC, giving her
a program record 180 3-point field goals for her career. The
impressive total passes Heidi Plencner's all-time mark of 179
trifectas, a record she set in 2002. This season, Simpson has
drilled 20 3-pointers, averaging 6.6 points per game. Last year,
she notched 62 3-pointers, which was the best single-season mark in
program history.
MOVING ON UP
After tallying 15
points against UMBC on Jan. 16, Candace Williams (Norfolk, Mass.),
moved to ninth all-time in program history in scoring. She
currently has 1,120 points in her UNH career and needs 314 points
to break into the top-5, a total that would tie Wildcat great Orsi
Farkas' all-time mark of 1,434 career points.
JUST THE TWO OF US
Amy Simpson (Waterford,
Conn.) is one of just two Wildcats all-time to tally at least 900
points, 300 assists and 100 steals in a career at UNH. For her
career, the senior has racked up 992 points, 304 assists and 116
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.
FOUR OF A KIND
Amy Simpson (Waterford,
Conn.) and Candace Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) led four Wildcats in
double figure scoring, each netting 15 points apiece in UNH's 77-67
win over UMBC on Jan. 16. Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass.) and
Lauren Wells (West Chester, Pa.) rounded out UNH's double digit
scorers, notching 14 and 12 points, respectively. For the Wildcats,
it was the first time four 'Cats registered in double figures since
their last meeting with the Retrievers on Feb. 8, 2009. In that
game, Williams (19), Abigail LaRosa (Hampton, N.H.) (17), Wells
(12) and Simpson (11) all reached double digit scoring.
OFFENSIVE AWAKENING
Amy Simpson (Waterford,
Conn.) dropped in a team-high 15 points, five rebounds, four
assists, two steals and two blocks against UMBC on Jan. 16, marking
the second straight game she has scored in double digits. In the
game prior against Maine on Jan. 12, she torched the nets for a
season-high 21 points, which was the most points the senior has
scored since netting 21 against Stony Brook on Jan. 21, 2009.
In addition to scoring 21 points against the Black Bears, Simpson
also tallied three rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
PASSING THE GREATS
Amy Simpson (Waterford,
Conn.) tallied five assists against Albany on Jan. 22, giving her
304 assists for her career, a mark that ranks 10th all-time in
program history. This season she has compiled 98 assists, breaking
her single-season career-high of 90 assists, which she set last
season. Prior to the 2008-09 campaign, Simpson tallied 77 assists
during the 2007-08 season and 39 assists in 2006-07.
RAINING 3'S
New Hampshire drilled
eight 3-pointers against UMBC on Jan. 16, marking the fourth time
this season the ‘Cats have knocked down at least eight
trifectas. UNH's most impressive outing came against then
23rd-ranked Syracuse on Dec. 30, when the Wildcats drained a
season-high 10 3-pointers. 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. 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.
DOING THE DISHES
Amy Simpson (Waterford,
Conn.) has stepped up in her new role as point guard this season,
notching the third-best assist total in the conference with 98.
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 292 assists, ranking her 10th
all-time in program history. Simpson has been solid across the
board for the ‘Cats this year, averaging 6.2 points, 5.2
assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.
DOING WELLS
Lauren Wells (West
Chester, (Pa.) tallied 12 points, one shy of her career high,
against Albany on Jan. 22. For Wells, it was the fourth time this
season she has scored 12 points, as she also reached the mark
against UMBC (Jan. 16), Louisville, (Dec. 22) and against St.
Joseph's (Nov. 13).
CONSISTENT 'CAT
Candace Williams
(Norfolk, Mass.) netted 12 points against Albany on Jan. 22, making
it the 21st time in the last 25 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 25 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.
THREE'S COMPANY
Three Wildcats scored
in double-figures for the fifth time this season against Maine on
Jan. 12. Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.) led the way with 21 points,
while Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass.) and Candace Williams
(Norfolk, Mass.) tallied 13 and 12 points, respectively. The last
time three 'Cats reached the mark was against Louisville on Dec.
22. In that contest, Williams and Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.)
each tallied 18 points, while Lauren Wells (West Chester, Pa.)
added 12 points. Prior to that, Williams (18), McDonald (17) and
Beliveau (14) helped achieve the feat in UNH's 78-65 overtime
victory over Harvard on Nov. 24. 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.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE TROUBLE
Denise Beliveau
(Framingham, Mass.) notched her second double-double of the season
on Jan. 12 against Maine with 13 points and 11 rebounds. She
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
fourth 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. Prior to Beliveau's
impressive outing, 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. Amy Simpson
(Waterford, Conn.) also notched a double-double this season,
tallying 10 points and a career-high 11 assists against Holy Cross
on Dec. 20.
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 6.7 rebounds per game, a total that currently
ranks ninth in the conference. Williams has compiled at least seven
rebounds in five of the last eight games, including an outing
against Canisius College on Dec. 28, when she tallied a season-high
11 rebounds. For her career she has compiled 611 boards.
CHARITY DRIVE
Since the start of
conference play the Wildcats rank second in the America East in
free throw percentage with a .728 clip from the free throw line. On
the season, UNH ranks fifth in the conference in free throw
percentage, posting a .682 clip from the line. Candace Williams
(Norfolk, Mass.) leads the Wildcats with a 77.4 shooting percentage
from the charity stripe, including a .846 clip in conference
action.
WILDCAT BLOCK PARTY
The Wildcats currently
rank second in the conference in blocks with 89, which is good for
an average of 4.7 per game. Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.)
leads the way for the ‘Cats this season, notching 37 blocks,
while Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.) ranks second on the squad with
19.
SPREADING THE FLOOR
The Wildcats currently
have three players averaging in double figure scoring, with Candace
Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) leading the way with 12.7 points per
game, while Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass.) and Jill McDonald
(Middlebury, Vt.) are averaging 12.2 and 10.2 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.
3-POINT SPECIALIST
Lauren Wells (West
Chester, Pa.) has tallied 21 3-point field goals this season, while
shooting the seventh-best field goal percentage (.350) 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 5.7 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.3
assists per game this season.
RE-WRITING THE HISTORY BOOKS
Jill McDonald
(Middlebury, Vt.) ranks second in the conference in blocks with 37
this season, which is good for an average of 2.2 per game. She has
been on an especially hot pace since the start of conference play,
with an average of 2.4 blocks per game, a mark that ranks second in
the America East. The center has notched a block in 12 of the last
13 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 fourth all-time in blocks with 93.
TICKLE THE TWINE
New Hampshire is
shooting an impressive .392 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. The last time the
Wildcats finished the season with a shooting clip above .380 was
during the 2006-07 campaign, when they finished the year with a
38.3 shooting percentage.
BEAR KILLER
With Amy Simpson's
(Waterford, Conn.) 21-point outburst against Maine on Jan. 12, she
has now scored in double figures in the last five meetings against
the Black Bears. In that span, the guard has led the ‘Cats to
a 4-1 record, while averaging 17.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.8
assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.0 steals per game.
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 Dartmouth on Jan. 19, UNH head coach
Kristin Cole is off to her best start during her tenure at New
Hampshire, leading the 'Cats to a 5-8 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.
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 10.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game this
year.
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 11 times for the
Wildcats. She currently leads the team with 34 steals, with an
average of 1.8 steals per game.
CENTURY CLUB
Amy Simpson (Waterford,
Conn.) tallied a steal against Dartmouth on Jan. 19, giving her 116
steals for her Wildcat career. The impressive total ranks 20th
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 23 steals, averaging 1.2 per game.
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
.359 shooting percentage from the floor this year, while shooting
an impressive .392 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.
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 1,120 points and
611 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
Denise Beliveau
(Framingham, Mass.) and Kelley Flynn (Hopkinton, N.H.) led five
Wildcats in double figure scoring, netting 17 and 16 points,
respectively, propelling the University of New Hampshire women's
basketball team to an 87-77 victory over the University at Albany
on Friday night at the SEFCU Arena.
The Wildcats improve to
7-12 overall and 2-4 in America East play, while the Great Danes
fall to 7-11 overall and 0-5 in conference action.
Jill McDonald
(Middlebury, Vt.) (14), Candace Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) (12) and
Lauren Wells (West Chester, Pa.) (12) rounded out UNH's double
digit scorers. For New Hampshire, it was the first time five
Wildcats registered in double figures since Dec. 5, 2008 against
Colgate University. In that game, Beliveau (20), McDonald (18),
Williams (15), Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.) (10) and Racheal
Fowler (Glassboro, N.J.) (10) all reached double-digit scoring.
In addition to netting
a team-high 17 points, Beliveau took home America East Player of
the Game honors for New Hampshire, finishing with eight rebounds
and two steals. For Albany, Melia Basavand was named Player of the
Game, registering 21 points, two boards and an assist.
The Wildcats started
the game off with an 18-9 run, as Beliveau drew first blood with a
trifecta, on a scoring stretch that last lasted nearly seven
minutes. Beliveau finished off the run with another 3-pointer,
before Charity Iromuanya answered back with a pair of free throws
at 11:48.
UNH didn't slow up,
coming back with seven unanswered points, as Flynn dropped in a
pair of layups and Beliveau fired in a 3-pointer, to push the
‘Cats ahead 25-11 with 10:09 remaining in the frame.
For the next five
minutes both teams would exchange baskets, until the Great Danes
put together an 8-3 run, sparked by a Julie Forster layup and
finished off with a pair of 3-pointers by Basavand, cutting the
score to 40-28 in favor of the visitors at 3:09.
New Hampshire would
continue to pile on the points in the closing moments of the first
stanza, rolling off an 8-2 run to end the frame. Flynn led the way
for the ‘Cats, pouring in all eight points, giving the
visitors a 48-30 lead at the intermission.
The second frame began
with both teams continuing to exchange baskets, until Albany pieced
together an 11-2 run, featuring a flurry of scoring throughout the
lineup, cutting the deficit down to nine points, with the score set
at 57-48 with 14:38 to play.
McDonald would ignite
the ‘Cats with three points the old-fashioned-way, as she set
off a 9-2 run that lasted just over three minutes, pushing UNH's
lead to 66-50.
Led by a pair of
3-pointers by Basavand, Albany fired back with 10 unanswered
points, cutting the lead down to its lowest point since the
14-minute mark in the first half, with the score 66-60 at 9:05.
Beliveau snapped the
run with a jumper, as the ‘Cats netted eight unanswered
points, on their way to a 16-4 run that lasted 4:19, pushing ahead
by as many as 19, with the score 82-64.
Albany came back with a
13-5 scoring stretch to close out the action, but it was too little
too late, as UNH held onto the victory.
In addition to scoring
a career-high 16 points, Flynn also added eight rebounds and two
blocks. Williams finished with seven rebounds and a career-high
four assists. Simpson chipped in with seven boards, five assists
and a career-high four blocks.
For Albany, Forster
finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Iromuanya
added 14 points, six boards, three assists 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.
