Women's Basketball Hosts Albany Wednesday for Education Day (12 p.m.)

STORYLINES:

After five straight road games, UNH returns to Lundholm for its first America East league home game.
The Wildcats beat NJIT, 61-56, in their debut Education Day game last season on Nov. 14.
UNH plays three of its next four games at home.
The Wildcats have had four double-double performances this season. Elizabeth Belanger has three of them and Carlie Pogue has the other.
Belanger (1,164) has moved within 17 points of assistant coach Kelsey Hogan (1,181) and the No. 10 spot on UNH's career scoring list.

THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE: The Wildcats lost their America East opener at Binghamton, 51-50, Saturday to fall to 6-8 overall. It was UNH's sixth straight loss. The Wildcats are 3-3 in Lundholm Gymnasium, have played their last five games on the road and are playing their first home game since Dec. 9.

Senior guard Elizabeth Belanger (Acton, Mass.) had team-leading totals of 15 points and 10 rebounds against Binghamton for her third double-double of the season. Sophomore center Carlie Pogue (Cincinnati, Ohio) added 14 points and seven rebounds. With junior Kristen Anderson (Greene, Maine) and sophomore Aliza Simpson (Londonderry, N.H.) sidelined with injuries, redshirt freshman Emily Peters (Lindstrom, Minn.) scored seven points, her high against a Division I team.

Belanger leads UNH and is seventh in America East in scoring at 16 points a game. She is first on the team and ninth in the league in rebounding at 6.8. Pogue averages 11 points and five rebounds a game. Senior Corinne Coia (North Smithfield, R.I.) is at 10.5 points and 5.1 rebounds.

Belanger and Pogue hold down the third and fourth spots in the league in free throw shooting percentage. Belanger is at 86.8 percent and Pogue at 85.7. UNH makes free throws at a 73.8 percent clip, which is second in the league to only UMass Lowell at 74.3.

SCOUTING UALBANY: UAlbany has been the top team in America East for half a decade. The Great Danes shared the regular season championship with Maine last season and then proceeded to win their fourth straight tournament title. Shereesha Richards, a 6-foot-1 senior forward, is leading the drive for five. Richards put up her third straight double-double with 25 points and 15 assists in a 72-43 home win over Vermont on Saturday.

The 25 points against Vermont lifted Richards over the 2,000 point mark for her career. She's at 2,002 entering Wednesday's game. The Great Danes are 11-3 overall and have rolled in their first two league games. They beat UMBC 77-42. UAlbany's three losses have been to then-No. 4 Tennessee, 63-55, to Army West Point, 65-62, and to Southern California, 68-67.

Richards leads the league in scoring at 23.9 points per game and is third-best with 8.9 rebounds each contest. Zakiya Saunders had a double-double against Vermont as well with 16 points and 10 assists. She averages 10 points and hands out 7.1 assists per game, which leads anybody else in the league by two per contest. Imani Tate averages 18.7 points and 5.7 rebounds a game.

Katie Abrahamson-Henderson is in her sixth year as UAlbany head coach and has compiled a 129-45 record to go with those four consecutive titles. She played at the University of Georgia and at Iowa University. She was an assistant the University of Indiana before UAlbany and has also been an assistant at the University of Washington, the head coach at Missouri State and an assistant at Michigan State, Iowa State, Maine and Duquesne.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. UALBANY: The Great Danes and Wildcats meet for the 32nd time in the all-time series. UAlbany controls the series with a 17-14 record overall. The Wildcats do hold a series lead when playing in Durham, with a home record of 8-6. The Wildcats are aiming to snap their nine game losing streak against the Great Danes, which dates back to the 2010-2011 season.

BELANGER AT THE STRIPE: Elizabeth Belanger, a career 77.2 percent free throw shooter, is having a breakout year from the charity stripe. The senior guard has knocked down 59 of 68 attempts, boasting a .868 free throw percentage. She is third among America East players and ranked 38th in the nation as of Jan. 11.

ROAD WARRIORS: UNH will travel a total of 2,743.4 miles in its season-long five-game road swing. The 'Cats start the road trip at Boston College on Sunday, Dec. 13 (1 p.m.). New Hampshire then treks to Bryant University on Sunday, Dec. 20 (1 p.m.). After a visit to the Tar Heel State on Tuesday, Dec. 29 (2 p.m.) against the University of North Carolina, UNH travels to Yale University to close out its non-conference schedule Saturday, Jan. 2 (2 p.m.). New Hampshire caps off the road trip at Binghamton University to open the America East schedule Saturday, Jan. 9 (4 p.m.).

CLEAN GLASS: UNH pulls down 37.9 rebounds per game this season, tied for third-best in America East. In 14 games this season, New Hampshire has been only outrebounded once. The Wildcats own a +4.2 margin on the glass.

UP FRONT AND PERSONAL: The front court of Elizabeth Belanger, Corinne Coia and Carlie Pogue have backboned the scoring for UNH this season. The trio registers 37.5 points per game this season, accounting for 63 percent of New Hampshire's points. The 'Cats inflict much of their scoring near the rim. New Hampshire is 5-2 this season when outscoring its opponent in the paint. Since the start of the 2013-14 season, the Wildcats are 31-8 when they win the scoring battle in the paint.

LEAD AT HALF AND NEVER LOOK BACK: The Wildcats have led five times entering the locker rooms and won all five of those games this season.

6-OH-E: Senior guard Elizabeth Belanger earned the nod as a member of the America East Preseason First Team this season. An America East All-Conference First Team honoree last season, the guard has scored at least 20 points 14 times in her career and five times this season. She leads the Wildcats in scoring (16.0 points per game) rebounding (6.8 rebounds per game), free throw percentage (.868) and 3-point percentage (.341). The senior tallied 13 points and seven rebounds, including the go-ahead basket to help the Wildcats rally to a 61-57 win at Dartmouth on Nov. 16. Belanger followed with a double-double effort of 22 points and 10 rebounds in an 81-69 win at Sacred Heart (Nov. 18). She exploded for a 23-point, 13-rebound effort in a 67-60 setback against Penn on Nov. 22. Belanger tallied a game-high 17 points in the 64-50 win at CCSU on Nov. 29. She poured in 27 points in the 66-54 loss to Northeastern (Dec. 2). The guard engineered another 20-point performance, dropping 24 against Boston University in a 69-52 rout. Against Siena (Dec. 9), Belanger matched her personal best with four 3-pointers made as part of a 14-point effort in a 57-53 loss. The senior tallied a game-high 15 points as part of a 55-42 setback at Bryant (Dec. 20). Belanger set career-highs in points scored (28) and free throws made (14) in a 65-60 loss at North Carolina. The senior's 1,164 career points ranks third among active America East players and 11th in program history.

COIA IS BACK: Corinne Coia returns to the squad after being sidelined by an injury for the 2014-15 season. In her first full season playing for UNH in 2013-14, the America East All-Conference Second Team honoree played in 30 games with 25 starts. She averaged 11.8 points per game and ranked first on the squad in field goal percentage (.475). The 6-foot-4 forward eclipsed at least 10 points in a team-high 21 of 30 games and paced the Wildcats with six double-doubles. The senior has hit double figures in eight games this season. In her season debut, Coia posted 10 points at home against Colby-Sawyer (Nov. 13) in a 74-41 win. She followed with a 16-point performance on the road at Dartmouth (Nov. 16) in the come-from-behind 61-57 win. Coia notched a season-high 21 points and eight rebounds in an 81-69 win at Sacred Heart on Nov. 18. The senior logged 11 points and six rebounds in the 67-60 loss at home against Penn (Nov. 22). Coia tallied a game-high 19 points to help propel the Wildcats to a 72-57 win over Manhattan on Nov. 24. She poured in 14 points in the 60-44 triumph at Central Connecticut (Nov. 29). Against Boston University (Dec. 5), the senior turned in 13 points in the 69-52 triumph. The forward eclipsed double figures with a 10-point effort in a 57-53 loss against Siena on Dec .9. Coia averages 10.5 points per game, third best on the squad.

CP32: A member of the America East All-Rookie Team in 2014-15, Carlie Pogue is putting together a strong sophomore campaign. The 6-foot-2 center has registered at least 10 points in eight games this season. In the second game of the 2015-16 slate, she chalked up a season-high 19-point performance on 9 of 10 shooting in the 61-57 win at Dartmouth (Nov. 16). Pogue followed up by pouring in 15 points in the 81-69 win on the road against Sacred Heart (Nov. 18). She chalked up 14 points in the 67-60 loss against Penn (Nov. 22). Against Manhattan (Nov. 24), Pogue pitched in 10 points in a 72-57 win. She notched her first double-double of the season with a 13-point 11-rebound performance in a 66-54 setback against Northeastern on Dec. 2. The sophomore notched a season-high three blocks in the 69-52 win against BU (Dec. 5). Pogue logged a season-high 22-point performance in a 57-53 setback against Siena (Dec. 9), just two points shy of matching her personal best. She turned in 10 points, three rebounds and a steal at North Carolina on Dec. 29. Pogue registers 11.0 points per game.

GRANITE STATE GROWN: Aliza Simpson (Londonderry, N.H.), a sophomore guard, chose to play collegiate basketball in her home state of New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Gatorade and NHIAA Player of the Year in 2013-14, is off to a good start to her sophomore season. Against Colby-Sawyer (Nov. 13), the sophomore scored 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting in the season debut. On the road at Dartmouth (Nov. 16), the guard was one-point shy of a double-double, posting nine points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Simpson also matched her personal best in steals with four. Against Boston University (Dec. 5), Simpson was one-point shy of a personal best in scoring with a 12-point performance to help the 'Cats forge a 69-52 win. The guard also reached 12 points in a 71-51 setback at Boston College (Dec. 13). The sophomore leads the team with 22 steals.

SPARK OFF THE BENCH: Senior guard/forward Stephanie Spoto (Pittsford, N.Y.) has enjoyed a good start to the 2015-16 season coming off the bench. She has averaged 5.0 points and 3.9 rebounds, setting new personal bests in scoring three times this season. She first hit a career-high in scoring with 10 points in an 81-69 win at Sacred Heart (Nov. 18). She bested her career-high in the scoring column with a 12-point effort against Manhattan (Nov. 24) in a 72-57 victory. In the win against Manhattan she also matched her personal best on the glass with eight rebounds. Spoto has registered 17.1 minutes per game this season.

PASS THE ROCK: Kristen Anderson dished out a career-high nine assists in the 81-69 win at Sacred Heart on Nov. 18. The junior guard leads the team with 45 helpers this season. Anderson ranks sixth among active conference players with 221 assists.

MOVING UP THE LEADERBOARD: Elizabeth Belanger hit the 1,000-point milestone on a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter at Lundholm Gymnasium against Penn on Nov. 22. She became the 19th player in program history to accomplish the feat and ranks 11th in program history with 1,164 career points.

Below are the UNH all-time scoring records 7 through 11.

7.                  Danielle Clark 2003-07 1,331
8.                  Candance Williams                  2006-10 1,277
9.                  Theresa Redmond                  1979-83 1,252
10. Kelsey Hogan 2008-14 1,181
11. Elizabeth Belanger 2012-Present 1,164

20-20: Elizabeth Belanger and Corinne Coia each scored over 20 points in the win at Sacred Heart on Nov. 18. It marks the first time two UNH players scored 20 or more points in a game since Coia and Kelsey Hogan '14 accomplished the feat on Feb. 22, 2014.

FROM THE 603: Two student-athletes on the 2015-16 roster hail from New Hampshire. They are junior Kat Fogarty (Peterborough) and sophomore Aliza Simpson (Londonderry).

WILDCATS IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Four of New Hampshire's games this season will be televised. UNH and Maine renews its rivalry in Durham on Jan. 18, which will be featured on ESPN3. New Hampshire is back on ESPN3 six days later on Jan. 24 in a rematch of the America East quarterfinals at Hartford. The game between UNH and UMBC at Lundholm Gymnasium on Jan. 30 will be featured on WBIN Classics. In the following game (Feb. 6), New Hampshire and Binghamton will air on Fox College Sports. Additionally, every game of the 2015 America East Women's Basketball Championship will air on the ESPN networks, including the championship game.

MO' WINS MO' YEARS: On April 24, 2014, head coach Maureen Magarity agreed to a five-year extension with the UNH women's basketball team.

In five seasons at New Hampshire, Magarity has led the Wildcats to back-to-back semifinal appearances in the America East tournament in 2013 and 2014. In the 2013-14 season, she guided the Wildcats to a personal-best 19-12 overall record and 12-4 in conference play, the most wins in a single season since the 1998-99 season (19-8, 13-5 AE).

UNH has not had a 20-win season since the 1983-84 season. Here is a look the at the past seasons in program history with at least 19 wins:

1982-83    23-7
1983-84    20-8
1987-88    19-8 (11-3)
1998-99    19-8 (13-5)
2013-14    19-12 (12-4)*

* Coached by Maureen Magarity

TURNING IT AROUND: With the win over Boston University on Dec. 5, head coach Maureen Magarity had an all-time winning percentage above .500 during her tenure at UNH. The sixth year head coach currently owns a 79-84 lifetime record. Magarity has led the Wildcats to four winning seasons during her tenure at UNH. In comparison, New Hampshire was a combined 33-87 the four years prior to her arrival.

LEADER OF THE 'CAT PACK: The 2015-16 season marks the sixth season for head coach Maureen Magarity, who became the sixth head coach in program history in May 2010 and the youngest coach of a Division I team – men's or women's – in the country. Magarity quickly made a positive impact on the program with a 73-76 record in her first five seasons; in comparison, UNH was a combined 33-87 the four years prior to her arrival. In 2014-15, New Hampshire finished the 2014-15 season with an overall record of 17-12 and 9-7 against America East opponents. The Wildcats finished the season fourth in the league standings and reached double digit wins for the fourth consecutive year. Magarity led the Wildcats to a 19-12 record and 12-4 in America East play, the most wins in a single season since the 1998-99 season. Additionally, Magarity directed New Hampshire to its second consecutive appearance in the America East semifinals, topping Vermont 85-79 (March 7). In just her second year at the helm in Durham, Magarity guided the Wildcats to their second postseason appearance (beyond conference postseason play) in the program's 37-year history when UNH advanced to the 2012 Women's Basketball Invitational. New Hampshire finished the year with a 16-14 overall record to mark the team's first winning season since 2006 and most wins since 2002. In her first season, Magarity led the Wildcats to a 9-20 overall record and they doubled their conference wins from the previous season.

WILDCATS ON THE AIR: In 2015-16, select UNH basketball games can be heard on three channels spanning the Seacoast and Manchester. Jim Jeannotte, 23-time New Hampshire Sportscaster of the Year, handles the play-by-play. Mike Murphy, a five-time winner of the New Hampshire Sportscaster of the Year award, does the color commentating.

The Wildcat Sports Radio Network will broadcast a total of 14 UNH women's basketball regular-season games during the 2015-16 season and will air the games during the America East Championships. The Wildcat Sports Radio Network affiliates include:

WPKX-AM - 930 - Rochester
WGIR-AM - 610 - Manchester
Live Stream - Stretch - UNHWildcats.com

Here is the complete schedule:

Nov. 13 vs. Colby-Sawyer
Nov. 22 vs. Penn
Dec. 2 vs. Northeastern
Dec. 5 vs. Boston University
Dec. 9 vs. Siena
Dec. 20 at Bryant
Jan. 13 vs. UAlbany
Jan. 18 vs. Maine
Jan. 21 vs. UMass Lowell
Jan. 30 vs. UMBC
Feb. 6 vs. Binghamton
Feb. 14 vs. Stony Brook
Feb. 20 vs. Hartford
Feb. 25 vs. Vermont

DUE NEXT: The 'Cats are back in action on the road at Stony Brook University on Saturday, January 16. UNH will take on the Seawolves at the Island Federal Credit Union Arena. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. For more information on women's basketball, visit www.UNHWildcats.com.

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