Women's Basketball Heads To Albuquerque, N.M. To Compete In Lobo Invitational

FRIARS CLOSE NON-CONFERENCE PLAY AT LOBO INVITATIONAL... The Friars will conclude non-conference play with three-straight games at the Lobo Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M. Providence tips off against host New Mexico on Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 9:00 p.m. (ET), followed by match-ups against Ball State (Dec. 19) and Loyola Marymount (Dec. 20).

SECOND TRIP TO THE PIT; FIRST MEETING AGAINST NEW MEXICO... Providence and New Mexico will meet for the first time in the history of the two women's basketball programs. However, the Friars are making their second appearance all-time at The Pit in Albuquerque, N.M. During the 2004-05 season, Providence participated in the Airport University In Thanksgiving Classic, but did not face the Lobos in that tournament. The Friars were defeated by Gonzaga (85-38) and Missouri (81-48).

FRIARS VS. THE REST OF THE FIELD... Providence College is 1-1 all-time vs. the rest of the field competing at the Lobo Invitational. The Friars defeated Ball State, 116-88, on Nov. 30, 1991 at the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. Providence fell to Loyola Marymount, 56-45, on Nov. 28, 2003 in the only meeting between the two teams as part of the LMU-Furama Hotel Thanksgiving Tournament in Los Angeles, Calif.

PROGRAM HAS TIES TO ALBUQUERQUE... Former Friar Shauna Snyder '07, who scored 1,043 points at Providence College during her four-year career (2003-07), is a native of Albuquerque, N.M. and starred at Cibola High School.

PROVIDENCE DEFEATS UTAH IN MOST RECENT GAME... The Friars built a 22-point lead against Utah with 2:07 remaining in the second quarter, but the Utes finished the half with a 7-0 spurt to cut the deficit to 15 at the break (41-26). Utah continued to erase the Friars' lead in the third, as it started the quarter with a 17-2 scoring advantage to tie the game, 43-43, with 3:40 on the clock. The Utes claimed a 50-49 lead with 8:03 left in the fourth quarter, but Alyssa Geary knocked down a timely three-point bucket to help Providence regain the lead at 6:59. Her basket sparked a 12-0 run that provided an 11-point cushion for Providence (61-50) with 3:23 to play. Mary Baskerville paced the Friars with 17 points, including 14 in the first quarter. She was 6-7 from the floor and added six rebounds. Earlette Scott finished with 14 points, four rebounds and a game-high seven assists. Kyra Spiwak rounded out the list of double-digit scorers with 10 points. Chanell Williams chipped in nine points and grabbed a team-best seven boards.

FRIARS OFF TO BEST START SINCE 1990-91 CAMPAIGN... Providence enters the Lobo Invitational with an 8-1 record. It marks the Friars' best start since the 1990-91 campaign, when the team started the year 13-1.

FRIARS OWN 13-3 RECORD UNDER JIM CROWLEY WHILE COMPETING AT IN-SEASON TOURNAMENTS... The Friars are 13-3 vs. their competition at in-season tournaments since Jim Crowley took over the program during the 2016-17 season. Ironically, the Friars' only losses have come during the Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament, which is played annually between the four NCAA Division I programs in the State of Rhode Island (Providence, Bryant, Rhode Island and Brown).

FRIARS AMONG THE TOP SHOOTING TEAMS IN THE NATION... The Friars are ranked 19th in the nation in field goal percentage and second among NCAA Division I teams in three-point field goal percentage. Providence leads the BIG EAST Conference in both categories. Entering the Lobo Invitational, the Friars are shooting .468 from the field (232-496), and .441 from beyond the arc (99-143).

THREE-POINT THREATS... Kyra Spiwak and Kaela Webb have been the catalysts for Providence beyond the arc. Spiwak leads the BIG EAST and ranks third in the nation in three-point percentage (.525, 21-40). Webb leads the BIG EAST and ranks 21st in the nation in three-point field goals made per game (3.11). Earlette Scott has been red-hot from three-point territory over the last four games, hitting 7-9 (.778) from downtown.

FRIARS STRONG ON DEFENSE... Not only can the Friars shoot the ball at an impressive clip, but they also defend well. Providence leads the BIG EAST in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense. The Friars are allowing just 55.0 points per game to their opponents, which ranks 27th in the nation among 348 NCAA Division I teams. Additionally, Providence has held its opponents to .342 shooting from the field, which ranks 22nd in the nation.

DOUBLE DIGITS... Seven different players on the roster have scored in double figures this season. Mary Baskerville has hit double figures in the scoring column during each of the six games she has played this season. Kaela Webb also has recorded a team-best six double-digit games.

FRIARS WIN 2019 OCEAN STATE TIP-OFF TITLE... The Friars defeated in-state rivals Bryant (76-32) and Rhode Island (58-51) in the 4th Annual Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament held in Smithfield, R.I. on Dec. 7-8. It marked the Friars' first championship in the tournament's existence. Mary Baskerville was named Most Outstanding Player, while Earlette Scott claimed All-Tournament Team honors.

FRIARS TOP BRYANT BY 44 IN OPENING ROUND... The Friars defeated Bryant, 76-32, in the opening round of the Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament on Dec. 7 in Smithfield, R.I. Providence's 44-point margin of victory is the largest since defeating Syracuse by 46 (106-60) on Feb. 20, 1991.

TEAM EFFORT... Eleven Friars cracked the scoring column in the team's 76-32 victory over Bryant on Dec. 7, including seven players with 7+ points. Mary Baskerville was one of three Friars in double figures with 14 points in just 15 minutes of action. Alyssa Geary and Fatima Lee each added 10 points in the victory.

FRIARS GRIND OUT A 7-POINT VICTORY AGAINST URI... Providence trailed at halftime for the first time during the 2019-20 season in the championship game of the Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament (28-25). The game featured 11 lead changes and five ties, with Providence holding the lead for a total span of just 9:16. Providence took a 49-47 advantage with 3:01 to play in the fourth quarter and held on down the stretch for the win, out-scoring URI 17-11 in the final frame. Mary Baskerville scored 11 of her 15 points in the fourth quarter. Kaela Webb rounded out the fourth-quarter scoring with six points, including a 4-4 performance from the foul line in the final 43-seconds. Earlette Scott netted a career-high 18 points in the game on 8-10 shooting, while Olivia Orlando hauled in a career-high 14 rebounds and dished four assists.

EARLETTE SCOTT PROVIDES AN OFFENSIVE SPARK... Sophomore guard Earlette Scott has given the Friars a big lift off the bench, scoring in double figures in three of the last four games, including a career-high 18 points against Rhode Island (Dec. 8). In the Friars' most recent game, Scott dropped 14 points at Utah on 4-4 shooting from three-point territory. Over the last four games, Scott has hit seven of her nine attempts from beyond the arc (.778). Through the first five games of the season, Scott was 1-5 from three-point territory and was 0-4 from deep as a freshman in 2018-19.

STEPPING UP... In her first two seasons with the team, junior Kyra Spiwak played 14 minutes per game off the bench as a reserve and averaged 2.2 points per contest. Through the eight games she has played in 2019-20, Spiwak has reached double figures in the scoring column five times, including a career-best 22 points at Monmouth on Nov. 20. She ranks second on the team with an average of 13.1 points per contest. Spiwak's highest single-season scoring average coming into the 2019-20 campaign was 2.3 points per game as a freshman in 2017-18 (26 games).

REBOUNDING BY COMMITTEE... Through nine games, seven different players have led the team in rebounding. Mary Baskerville and Olivia Orlando have paced the Friars on the boards in three games each. Andrea Cooper, Earlette Scott, Alyssa Geary, Chanell Williams and Kyra Spiwak have each led the team in rebounding during one game. Baskerville is averaging a team-best 7.2 rebounds per contest, with a slight advantage over Orlando who is grabbing 6.7 boards per game.

LIMITED MINUTES --> BIG IMPACT... Mary Baskerville has played six of the Friars' nine games this season and is averaging just 17.2 minutes per game. Despite limited minutes on the court, she's been able to put up big numbers quickly. She is shooting an impressive 64.3-percent from the floor (36-56) and has hit double figures in the scoring column in each of her appearances. The unanimous Preseason All-BIG EAST selection leads the team in scoring (15.8 ppg), rebounding (7.2 rpg) and blocked shots (2.5 bpg).

UTILITY PLAYER... Junior Olivia Orlando averages a modest 3.7 points per game as a member of the Friars' starting five. What she lacks in scoring, she makes up for in every other facet of the game. She ranks second in rebounding (6.7 rpg), assists (3.1 apg) and steals (1.4 spg). Her 33 field-goal attempts are the fewest on the team among players who average 20+ minutes per game. When she does look to score, she shoots an efficient 46-percent from the field (15-33).

MARY BASKERVILLE NAMED TO BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOR ROLL... Mary Baskerville was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Dec. 9. She guided the Friars to a 2-1 record last week, and also was named Most Outstanding Player at the 4th Annual Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament on Dec. 8. In three games, Baskerville averaged 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots per game, and shot 63.3-percent from the field (19-30). In the Friars' lone loss, she tallied 19 points and nine rebounds against Yale. That game originally began on Nov. 5, before it was suspended at halftime. The Friars and Bulldogs completed the second half of play on Dec. 3 in New Haven, Conn. At the Ocean State Tip-Off in Smithfield, R.I., Baskerville tallied 14 points and four rebounds in 15 minutes of action against Bryant. She followed with 15 points and five rebounds in the championship game against Rhode Island. Baskerville scored 11 of her 15 points in a decisive fourth quarter effort, while shooting 4-4 from the field, to give Providence a 58-51 victory.

KAELA WEBB NAMED TO BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOR ROLL IN BACK-TO-BACK WEEKS... Sophomore Kaela Webb was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll in back-to-back weeks to start the season (Nov. 11 and Nov. 18). It marks her first appearances on the league's weekly honor roll, having previously been recognized among the weekly award winners as BIG EAST Freshman of the Week last season (Jan. 21). Webb is currently averaging 12.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game.

FRIARS SUFFER FIRST LOSS OF THE SEASON... Providence suffered an 82-79 loss to Yale, marking its first defeat of the season. In an odd scenario, the game began on Nov. 5 and was suspended at halftime due to a scoreboard malfunction, with the Friars leading 42-33. The game resumed on Dec. 3 and Providence raced out to a 17-point lead early in the third. Yale responded with a 19-2 scoring run and held on down the stretch for the three-point victory. Mary Baskerville posted a team-best 19 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots. Kyra Spiwak and Kaela Webb contributed 16 points and 15 points, respectively. Ellen Margaret Andrews paced Yale with 23 points, while Roxy Barahman added 19. The duo put the Bulldogs on their back en route to the victory, scoring 33 of the team's 49 points in the second half rally.

TOP SHOOTING PERFORMANCE OF THE SEASON CLOUDED BY FIRST LOSS... The Friars shot a season-best 58.5-percent from the field (31-53) and tied their season-best shooting performance from beyond the arc (.500, 8-16) in their loss to Yale. Despite Providence's impressive shooting, Yale held a +14 scoring advantage at the foul line. The Bulldogs converted 23-32 attempts at the charity stripe, compared to the Friars' 9-15 shooting at the line.

PROVIDENCE WINS THIRD-STRAIGHT OVER REGIONAL FOE BOSTON COLLEGE... The Friars defeated Boston College, 76-70, on Nov. 17 in Providence, R.I. It marked the third-straight victory over the Eagles in the all-time series. The last time Providence won three-straight games against Boston College dates back to the 1991-92 through 1992-93 seasons.

PROVIDENCE DOMINATES THE GLASS AGAINST HARTFORD... The Friars out-rebounded Hartford, 41-23, on Nov. 13 en route to a 75-57 victory. Providence held its opponent to 23 rebounds, marking the lowest total by an opponent since Jan. 27, 2017, when the Friars allowed just 22 boards to Marquette. It also marks the largest rebounding margin for the Friars since holding a +19 advantage on the boards against Sacred Heart on Nov. 21, 2018.

CROWLEY PICKS UP 300th NCAA DIVISION I HEAD COACHING VICTORY... Providence College Head Coach Jim Crowley picked up his 300th NCAA Division I victory on Nov. 9 as the Friars defeated UMass, 72-63. Crowley compiled 258 NCAA Division I wins in 16 seasons at St. Bonaventure (2000-16) and currently owns 49 wins at Providence in his fourth season with the program.

FRIARS PICKED TO FINISH TIED FOR FIFTH IN BIG EAST PRESEASON COACHES' POLL... Providence College was picked to finish in a tie for fifth place in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll, released on Oct. 10 at Madison Square Garden as part of the league's annual media day event.

MARY BASKERVILLE NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST TEAM AS ONE OF FOUR UNANIMOUS SELECTIONS... Sophomore Mary Baskerville was a unanimous selection to the 2019-20 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, announced at the league's annual media day at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 10. She earned BIG EAST Freshman of the Year accolades at the conclusion of the 2018-19 season, in addition to a unanimous selection to the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team. She is just the second player in program history to earn BIG EAST Freshman of the Year recognition, and first since Friar great Tracy Lis '92 was named BIG EAST Rookie of the Year in 1989. Baskerville also was a five-time BIG EAST Freshman of the Week, marking the most freshman of the week honors in program history. As a rookie, Baskerville averaged 9.5 points per game and led the Friars in rebounding (7.3 rpg), blocked shots (1.5 bpg), double-doubles (six) and field-goal percentage (.580, 141-243). She established program records for blocked shots (53) and field-goal percentage (.580) for a freshman. Additionally, her .580 field-goal percentage was the second-highest for a single-season in program history overall, trailing Elizabeth Lawlor's shooting clip of .581 (193-332) during the 1988-89 season.

MOST WINS IN BIG EAST PLAY SINCE 1996-97... The Friars completed the 2018-19 regular-season schedule with an 8-10 mark in the BIG EAST Conference and finished in tie for sixth place in the league standings. The Friars' eight wins were the most in conference play since 1996-97, when Providence also finished with an 8-10 mark. It marked just the fourth time in the last 20 years that the Friars have recorded six or more victories in league play.

FRIARS COMING OFF OF FIRST POST-SEASON APPEARANCE SINCE 2010... The Friars' 2019 WNIT selection marked the program's 15th post-season appearance overall and first since 2010. Complete post-season breakdown below (records in parentheses).

2018-19 WNIT Round of 16 - (2-1)

2009-10 WNIT Quarterfinal Round (3-1)

1991-92 NCAA Tournament First Round (0-1)

1990-91 NCAA Tournament Second Round (1-1)

1989-90 NCAA Tournament East Regional (1-1)

1988-89 NCAA Tournament First Round (0-1)

1986-87 National Women's Invitational Tournament (1-2)

1985-86 NCAA Tournament First Round (0-1)

1981-82 EAIAW Regional Tournament (0-1)

1980-81 EAIAW Regional Tournament (0-1)

1979-80 EAIAW National Tournament (3-1)

1978-79 EAIAW Regional Tournament (0-1)

1977-78 EAIAW Regional Tournament (1-1)

1976-77 EAIAW Regional Tournament (2-2)

1975-76 EAIAW Regional Tournament (1-2)

HEAD COACH JIM CROWLEY IN POST-SEASON PLAY... Jim Crowley guided the Friars to their first post-season appearance since 2010, having earned a bid to the 2019 Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). The Friars claimed wins over Hartford (71-54) and Penn (64-54), before falling to Georgetown (53-46) in the Round of 16. Prior to his arrival on Smith Hill, Crowley led St. Bonaventure to four WNIT appearances and two NCAA Tournament berths. Crowley is 10-7 all-time in post-season play, including a 7-5 mark in the WNIT. Crowley is 2-1 in the postseason as head coach at Providence College.

FRIARS IN OVERTIME GAMES UNDER JIM CROWLEY... Providence is 5-4 in overtime games under the direction of Head Coach Jim Crowley, including a 3-0 mark last season (2018-19). The Friars are 3-3 vs. BIG EAST opponents in overtime.

ROAD WARRIORS... The Friars are scheduled to play 12 of their first 14 games on the road. Providence is currently 5-1 in true road games and 1-0 on a neutral court, heading into the Lobo Invitational.

NON-CONFERENCE WINS... Jim Crowley has led the Friars to at least eight wins in non-conference play during three of his four seasons. Last year, Providence finished the non-conference slate 8-4 and in 2016-17 the Friars also posted an 8-4 mark. Crowley's lowest win total in the non-conference with the Friars came during the 2017-18 season (7-6). This season, the Friars are 8-1 with three games remaining on the non-conference schedule vs. New Mexico, Ball State and Loyola Marymount.

RPI UPDATE... Through games played Dec. 16, the Friars sit at No. 43 in the NCAA RPI and are one of three BIG EAST teams inside the top-50. Creighton ranks sixth and DePaul is 18th. Marquette sits just outside the top-50 at No. 55.

WHAT'S NEXT... Providence will open the BIG EAST Conference slate with a pair of games in the final days of the 2019 calendar year. The Friars head to Finneran Pavilion in Villanova, Pa. to face the Wildcats on Sunday, Dec. 29 at 4:00 p.m. Providence remains on the road to face Georgetown at McDonough Arena in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 1:00 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Mary Baskerville

Andrea Cooper

Alyssa Geary

Fatima Lee

Olivia Orlando

Earlette Scott

Kyra Spiwak

Kaela Webb

Chanell Williams