Providence College Athletics
Providence College
Rhode Island
Players Mentioned
Women's Basketball Game Notes vs. Rhode Island
12/7/2019 8:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Friars and Rams will square off in the Ocean State Tip-Off Championship Game on Dec. 8 at 2:00 p.m.
FRIARS ADVANCE TO CHAMPIONSHIP GAME OF OCEAN STATE TIP-OFF TOURNAMENT... The Friars will face Rhode Island in the championship game of the 4th Annual Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament on Sunday, Dec. 8 in Smithfield, R.I. The game is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
FRIARS ALL-TIME IN THE OCEAN STATE TIP-OFF TOURNAMENT... The Friars have posted a 4-3 record all-time in the Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament. In its inaugural season (2016), the Friars advanced to the championship game, where it fell to Brown, 77-70. Providence will return to the title game for the second time in tournament history to face Rhode Island on Dec. 8, with its opening round victory over Bryant (76-32). The Friars are 3-0 all-time vs. Bryant in the Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament. Providence is 0-2 against Brown and 1-1 vs. Rhode Island.
December 3-4, 2016 • Brown University (Providence, R.I.)
12/3/16 Providence 62, Bryant 51 (opening game)
12/4/16 Brown 77, Providence 70 (championship game)
December 2-3, 2017 • Providence College (Providence, R.I.)
12/2/17 Brown 64, Providence 59 (opening game)
12/3/17 Providence 65, Rhode Island 41 (consolation game)
December 1-2, 2018 • University of Rhode Island (Kingston, R.I.)
12/1/18 Rhode Island 72, Providence 65 (opening game)
12/2/18 Providence 72, Bryant 64 (consolation game)
December 7-8, 2019 • Bryant University (Smithfield, R.I.)
12/7/19 Providence 76, Bryant 32 (opening game)
PROVIDENCE VS. RHODE ISLAND ALL-TIME... The Friars and Rams have met 49 times during the history of the two women's basketball programs and Providence leads the all-time series, 37-12. Providence and URI have played one another in nine of the last 10 seasons, with the only exception being the 2016 campaign. The Friars have gone 6-3 against URI in that span, with the Rams claiming victory in the most recent meeting on Dec. 2, 2018 (72-65) in the opening round of the Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament hosted in Kingston, R.I.
FRIARS AND RAMS ALL-TIME IN THE OCEAN STATE TIP-OFF TOURNAMENT... The Friars and Rams have met twice in the Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament, now in its fourth year. The series is tied 1-1 in the tournament, with each team winning on its home floor. The Friars earned a 65-41 win in the 2017 consolation game at Alumni Hall. Last year, URI came away with a 72-65 victory at the Ryan Center in the opening round.
NEUTRAL GAMES... In three years under the direction of Jim Crowley, the Friars have posted a 7-2 record in neutral site games, including a 7-0 mark during the regular season. Both losses on a neutral court came during the BIG EAST Women's Basketball Championship. This year, Providence will play three neutral site games during the regular season, with the potential for additional games during the post-season. The Friars' first neutral game of the year will be played Rhode Island in the championship game of the Ocean State Tip-Off at Bryant University (Dec. 8).
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 AMONG THE TOP SHOOTING TEAMS IN THE NATION... The Friars entered the Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament ranked sixth in the nation in field goal percentage and third among NCAA Division I teams in three-point field goal percentage. Providence leads the BIG EAST Conference in both categories. Entering the Ocean State Tip-Off title game on Sunday, the Friars are shooting .487 from the field (187-384), including .446 from beyond the arc (58-130).
THREE-POINT THREATS... Kyra Spiwak and Kaela Webb have been the catalysts for Providence beyond the arc. Spiwak leads the BIG EAST and ranks second in the nation in three-point percentage (.571, 16-28). Webb is shooting .500 from three-point territory (25-50). She leads the BIG EAST and ranks second in the nation in three-point field goals made per game (4.17) and 12th in three-point field goals made. She ranks third in the BIG EAST and 15th in the nation in three-point percentage.
DOUBLE DIGITS... Seven different players on the roster have scored in double figures this season. Sophomore Kaela Webb has reached double digits in the scoring column a team-best six times. She started the season with five-straight games in double digits, but was held to seven at Bryant on Dec. 7. Kyra Spiwak has reached double figures in four of the six games she has played, while Baskerville has hit double digits in each of the four games she has appeared in.
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 six games she has played in 2019-20, Spiwak has reached double figures in the scoring column four times, including a career-best 22 points at Monmouth on Nov. 20. She ranks second on the team with an average of 14.7 points per contest. She has totaled 88 points, which has already surpassed her single-season career high in scoring. As a sophomore in 2018-19, Spiwak scored a total of 72 points.
UTILITY PLAYER... Junior Olivia Orlando averages a modest 4.1 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 (6.3 rpg) and assists (3.1 apg) and leads the team in steals (1.7 spg). Her 26 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 50-percent from the field (13-26). In the Friars' most recent victory over Bryant, she shot 3-3 from the field and finished the game with seven points.Â
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 14.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 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 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.Â
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 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.Â
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 47 wins at Providence in his fourth season with the program.Â
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.Â
MARY BASKERVILLE NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST 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.Â
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, with a 13th trip added to the schedule to complete the Yale game on Dec. 3. Providence is currently 3-0 on the road this season.
WHAT'S NEXT... Upon completion of the Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament on Dec. 7-8, Providence will return to action with four games in a five-day span. The Friars will tip-off against Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah on Dec. 16 at 9:00 p.m. (ET). Providence will have one day off before embarking on three-straight games while competing at the Lobo Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M. The Friars will face New Mexico (Dec. 18), Ball State (Dec. 19) and Loyola Marymount (Dec. 20).
