Women's Basketball Game Notes vs. Villanova

FRIARS TAKE ON VILLANOVA AT FINNERAN PAVILION... Providence will travel to Villanova for a BIG EAST match-up on Wednesday, Feb. 3. The game will be played at Finneran Pavilion in Villanova, Pa.

FAMILIAR FOE... The Friars and Villanova Wildcats have met 77 times, marking the most games against a single opponent in Providence College women's basketball history.

ALL-TIME SERIES... Villanova leads the all-time series against Providence, 50-27. The Wildcats have won each of the last three games against the Friars, including a season-series sweep in 2019-20.

A LOOK AT THE LAST DECADE... Providence and Villanova have played 21 times over the course of the last decade. The Friars have claimed just five wins against Villanova during that stretch, with four of the five victories coming at Alumni Hall in Providence. In breaking down the series during that 10-year span, Providence is 4-6 vs. Villanova at home, 0-10 on the road and 0-1 at a neutral site.

LAST TIME PROVIDENCE DEFEATED VILLANOVA... Providence last defeated Villanova on Jan. 6, 2019 in Providence, R.I. On that day, the Friars claimed a 67-61 victory to snap a seven-game skid against the Wildcats.

FRIARS AND WILDCATS IN VILLANOVA, PA. ... The Friars and Wildcats have met 33 times in Villanova, Pa. The Wildcats lead the series on their home court, 27-6. Providence is 0-2 vs. Villanova at Finneran Pavilion.

LAST TIME PROVIDENCE DEFEATED VILLANOVA ON ITS HOME COURT... The last time Providence claimed victory on the Wildcats' home court dates back to Jan. 19, 2011. On that day, the Friars defeated Villanova, 58-53, at The Pavilion. Since then, Providence has lost nine-straight games to the Wildcats on their home court.

FRIARS AND WILDCATS IN OVERTIME... Providence and Villanova have played four overtime games during the all-time series, with the Friars claiming victory each time. The last time the two teams needed overtime to decide a winner dates back to Jan. 23, 2013. The Friars defeated the Wildcats, 65-60, in OT that day. At the time of that match-up, Villanova was receiving votes in the AP Top-25 and was ranked 25th in the Coaches' Poll.

MOST RECENT MEETING... Providence and Villanova last met on March 1, 2020 at Alumni Hall in Providence, R.I. The Friars led by as many as 14 points in the second quarter, but Villanova outscored Providence 50-26 in the second half to earn the win. Heading into the fourth quarter, the game was tied, 44-44. The Wildcats hit a three to open the final frame, but Chanell Williams scored four-straight points to give the Friars a 48-47 advantage. Villanova answered by hitting six of their next seven field-goal attempts to claim a 67-55 with 2:27 left in the game and held on for the win. It marked the final regular-season game for Head Coach Harry Perretta, who patrolled the sidelines at Villanova for 42 seasons.

FRIARS RETURN FROM COVID-RELATED PAUSE... The Friars have not competed in 25 days, with their last game dating back to Jan. 9 at UConn. Providence and Villanova were scheduled to face one another on Jan. 13, but both teams were forced to pause team activity due to COVID-related issues within each program. Providence was ready to return to the court on Feb. 2 vs. Xavier, but that game was called due to COVID-19 issues in the Musketeers' program.

PROVIDENCE DROPS MOST RECENT GAME TO NO. 3/5 UCONN... The Friars fell to No. 3/5 Connecticut, 87-50, in their most recent game on Jan. 9 in Storrs, Conn. Providence got out to a 7-1 lead midway through the first quarter, but the Huskies came back to gain a 19-18 advantage at the break. UConn gained separation in the second quarter, outscoring the Friars 27-11 to take a 17-point lead at halftime (46-29). Alyssa Geary and Kyra Spiwak each recorded 10 points for Providence. Mary Baskerville played just three minutes in the first half due to foul trouble and finished the game with eight points, two rebounds, one block and one steal. Chanell Williams chipped in six points, four assists and two steals. Paige Bueckers paced UConn with 23 points and Aubrey Griffin tallied 18 points and nine rebounds.

FRIARS SWEEP SEASON SERIES VS. BUTLER... Providence College finished off a season-sweep of Butler on Jan. 7 at Alumni Hall. The Friars defeated the Bulldogs, 62-50, as senior guard Chanell Williams paced the Friars with 16 points and a career-best eight rebounds. Providence led wire-to-wire, getting out to a 17-4 lead through the opening 10 minutes of play. The Friars shot 47.3-percent from the field (26-55), while holding the Bulldogs to 31-percent from the floor (18-58). Earlier this season, Providence claimed a 73-52 victory over Butler at Hinkle Fieldhouse (Dec. 5). In that game, Kyra Spiwak exploded for a career-high 28 points, including an 8-12 performance from three-point territory. Her eight threes are the most made in a game by a BIG EAST player this season.

CHANELL WILLIAMS NAMED TO BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOR ROLL FOR SECOND TIME THIS SEASON... Senior guard Chanell Williams was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Jan. 11. It marked her second appearance on the league's weekly honor roll this season, having previously been recognized on Dec. 21. In a 1-1 week for the Friars, Williams averaged 11.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game. She shot a combined 52.6-percent from the field, converting 10 of her 19 field goal attempts. She opened the week with 16 points and a career-high eight rebounds in a 62-50 victory over Butler on Jan. 7. Williams knocked down 7-12 shots from the field (.583), including 1-2 from beyond the three-point line. She also added three assists and two steals. On Jan. 9, Williams recorded a team-best four assists and two steals to go along with six points in the Friars' match-up against No. 3 Connecticut.

FRIARS WELCOME FAMILIES INTO ALUMNI HALL VIRTUALLY FOR PREGAME WARM-UPS... Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Providence College is among the majority of institutions across the county that are not allowing fans/families to attend games in person. Prior to each home game, the program has invited families "into Alumni Hall" virtually via Zoom, and will continue the trend for the remainder of their regular-season. From the 75 minute mark of the warm-up clock to the 45 minute mark, families are able to wish the team luck on a big screen television located nearest the Friars' hoop for warm-ups. When players are not engaged in a warm-up activity in preparation for the game, they are able to communicate with the family members who join the zoom.

GETTING OFF TO A GOOD START... The Friars are 5-1 this season when leading at halftime. On the flip side, Providence has compiled an 0-6 record in games it is trailing at halftime. The Friars' only loss when leading at halftime came against Seton Hall (Jan. 3). Providence held a 41-32 lead at the break, but fell to the Pirates, 77-71.

GAMES IN THE 70s... Providence is 3-1 this season when scoring 70+ points. The Friars' only blemish came in a loss to Seton Hall on Jan. 3 (77-71).

SHOOTING THE ROCK... Providence has shot a higher percentage from the field than its opponents in eight of its 12 games and have posted a 5-3 record in those contests. The Friars are 5-1 on the year when shooting 45-percent or better.

DEFENSE... The Friars rank third among BIG EAST Conference teams in scoring defense (62.8 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (.392). They have held seven of their 12 opponents below 40-percent from the field this season.

KYRA SPIWAK LEADS THE WAY IN BIG EAST PLAY... Kyra Spiwak is averaging a team-best 14.7 points per game in BIG EAST Conference play. She is the only Friar to score in double figures in each of the team's seven conference games, including a career-high 28 points in the first meeting this season against Butler. In the Friars' most recent game on Jan. 9 against Connecticut, Spiwak registered 10 points. In BIG EAST play, she is shooting 44.3-percent from the field (35-79), including 39-percent from three-point territory (17-44). In 11 games overall, Spiwak ranks second on the team in scoring at 12.1 points per game.

WILLIAMS PLAYING LIKE A VETERAN LEADER... Through 12 games this season, Williams leads the Friars in steals (1.5 spg), second in assists (2.83 apg) and assist/turnover ration (+1.42) and fourth in scoring (9.8 ppg). She's shooting 46-percent from the field overall (47-103), including 52-percent from three-point territory (14-27). She has reached double figures in the scoring column six times, including four of the last five games. Williams recorded a season-best 20 points against St. John's on Dec. 19. It marked just the third 20-point game of her career.

ADDING ANOTHER WEAPON TO HER ARSENAL... Not known for her three-point shooting ability, Chanell Williams has shown marked improvement in that area of her game in 2020-21. Through 12 games, she has hit 14-27 attempts from beyond the arc (.519). Prior to this season, Williams converted just 8-41 three-point attempts (.195).

CLIMBING THE LADDER... Chanell Wiliams enters Wednesday's game with 283 career assists. She is eight assists shy of taking sole possession of 15th place on the Friars' all-time list, currently held by Sonya Lewis '94, with 290 handouts.

DOUBLE-TROUBLE... Mary Baskerville recorded her third double-double of the season in the Friars' against Seton Hall on 24 points and 10 rebounds. All three of her double-doubles have come during BIG EAST play. Overall, it marked the 15th double-double of her career.

ON THE BOARDS... Mary Baskerville leads the Friars in rebounding this season with 6.8 boards per game. In 74 career games, she has posted an average of 7.3 rebounds per game. It currently ranks as the eighth best career rebounding average in program history.

LONGTERM GOALS... Mary Baskerville enters Wednesday's game at Villanova with 811 career points, and is on pace to become the 35th player in program history to eclipse the 1,000-point milestone. Through 74 career games and in the midst of just her third season with the team, she has averaged 11.0 points per game during her career.

AVERAGING JUST SHY OF A DOUBLE-DOUBLE IN BIG EAST PLAY... In six BIG EAST Conference games, Mary Baskerville is nearly averaging a double-double for Providence with 12.3 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. Baskerville has posted a double-double in three of the six BIG EAST games she has played this season. She did not play in the Xavier game on Dec. 31. For the season, Baskerville leads the Friars in scoring (13.5 ppg), rebounding (6.8 rpg), blocked shots (1.6 bpg) and is second in steals (1.0 spg).

ALYSSA GEARY PUTTING UP SOLID NUMBERS ACROSS THE BOARD... Alyssa Geary currently ranks third on the team in scoring (10.1 ppg) and rebounding (4.7 rpg) and second in assists (2.8 apg) and blocked shots (1.3 bpg). She scored a career-high 17 points in the season-opener against Quinnipiac and has scored 10+ points in eight of 12 contests, including five-straight double-digit games heading into Wednesday's match-up with Villanova. She also has grabbed 5+ rebounds in six of the last seven games

OLIVIA ORLANDO MAKES AN IMPACT IN HER RETURN... In the Friars' season opener against Quinnipiac, Olivia Orlando returned to the court for the first time since Jan. 17, 2020 - when she sustained a season-ending injury against St. John's and missed Providence's final 14 games of the 2019-20 campaign. She has started all 12 games for Providence this season and leads the team in assists (3.2 apg) and assist/turnover ratio (+1.90). She also ranks second in rebounding (5.8 rpg), and has contributed 3.5 points and 1.2 steals per game.

TAKING CHARGE... Senior forward Andrea Cooper leads the Friars in a stat that largely goes unnoticed - taking charges. Through 12 games, Cooper has taken a team-best 14 charges.

20-POINT GAMES... Three Friars have scored 20-or-more points in a game this season. Mary Baskerville leads the way, having eclipsed the 20-point mark, twice, against Boston College on Dec. 2 and a career-high 24 points against Seton Hall on Jan. 3. She owns six 20-point games in her career. Kyra Spiwak became the second Friar to reach the 20-point plateau this season, scoring a career-high 28 points against Butler. It marked the second 20-point game of her career, and first 20-point game in BIG EAST Conference action. Chanell Williams scored a season-best 20 points against St. John's, marking the third 20-point game of her career.

VETERAN PRESENCE... Seven of the 10 players on the Friars' 2020-21 roster are upperclassmen, including four seniors and three juniors. Each of those upperclassmen have some degree of experience in the starting line-up, with five of the seven starting 15 games or more a year ago.

PIVOTAL THIRD QUARTER PLAYS BIG ROLE IN OUTCOME OF FRIARS' GAME AGAINST SETON HALL... Providence led Seton Hall by as many as 12 late in the second quarter and the Friars took a 41-32 lead into halftime. Providence shot a blistering 62-percent from the floor in the opening half (18-29), while Seton Hall converted 32-percent of its shots (13-32). The third quarter proved pivotal as Seton Hall outscored the Friars 21-8, including a 16-0 run that game the Pirates a six-point advantage. Mary Baskerville led the Friars with a double-double on 24 points and 10 boards. Her 24 points tied a career high, which she set last season against Marquette (Jan. 5, 2020).

XAVIER PULLS AWAY IN FOURTH QUARTER TO DEFEAT PROVIDENCE... Chanell Williams opened the fourth quarter with a steal and a lay-up to tie the score, 41-41, but the Musketeers responded with an 8-0 run fueled by their first two three-point buckets of the game. Xavier was 0-10 from beyond the arc in the first three quarters of play, but hit its first three attempts of the final frame and hit 3-4 overall in the decisive quarter. The Musketeers outscored the Friars 23-11 in the final 10 minutes to take a 64-54 victory. Kyra Spiwak netted a game-high 19 points to pace the Friars. Sarah Leyendecker recorded a double-double for Xavier on 18 points and 11 rebounds.

FRIARS HANDLE ST. JOHN'S IN BIG EAST ACTION... In the Friars defeated St. John's, 76-53, on Dec. 19 in Providence, R.I. St. John's managed a one-point lead on two occasions in the first quarter, but it was all Providence after that. The Friars took a 34-24 advantage into halftime and maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way. Four Friars reached double figures in the scoring column led by Chanell Williams' 20 points. Providence shot 46.2-percent from the field (30-65), while St. John's shot 39.6-percent (19-48). The Friars also held a 37-28 advantage in rebounding. Providence's 37 boards marked a season high as a team, matching its total of 37 in the season opener vs. Quinnipiac.

LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY IN BIG EAST PLAY SINCE 1996... The Friars' 23-point win over St. John's on Dec. 19 (76-53) is the largest margin of victory for Providence during BIG EAST play since defeating Pittsburgh by 27 (90-63) on Feb. 21, 1996.

CHANELL WILLIAMS NAMED TO BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOR ROLL AFTER 20-POINT OUTING VS. ST. JOHN'S... Chanell Williams was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday, Dec. 21. Williams led all scorers with a season-high 20 points to help Providence defeat St. John's, 76-53, on Dec. 19 in Providence, R.I. She shot 7-12 from the field, including 4-6 from beyond the three-point arc. She also dished three assists and collected two rebounds and two steals. She did not commit a turnover during her 28 minutes on the floor.

KYRA SPIWAK EARNS BIG EAST WEEKLY RECOGNITION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HER CAREER... Senior guard Kyra Spiwak was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Dec. 7. It marked the first weekly league honor of Spiwak's career with the Friars. Spiwak averaged 14.3 points per game in three contests last week, including 19.0 points per game in BIG EAST Conference play. She netted 10 points in the Friars' conference opener at Marquette (Dec. 4) and followed with a career-high 28 points at Butler the next day. Twenty-three of her 28 points against the Bulldogs came during the first half in just 17 minutes of action. For the game, Spiwak shot 10-17 from the field, including 8-12 from three-point territory.

MARY BASKERVILLE NAMED TO BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOR ROLL... Junior forward Mary Baskerville was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Nov. 30. She guided the Friars to a 2-1 record to open the season, averaging 16.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.3 blocked shots, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game. She shot an impressive .649 from the field, hitting 24-37 attempts from the floor. In the season opener at Quinnipiac, Baskerville recorded 15 points, a season-high nine rebounds and two assists in just 16 minutes of action. Over the weekend, she posted 16 points and seven boards against Rhode Island and a season-high 18 points and five rebounds against Bryant. Baskerville recorded a career-best five blocked shots against the Bulldogs.

A LOOK BACK AT THE 2019-20 SEASON... Providence completed the 2019-20 season with a 13-19 overall record and a 3-15 mark in the BIG EAST Conference (eighth place).

PROVIDENCE WINS A BIG EAST TOURNAMENT GAME IN BACK-TO-BACK SEASONS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1994 AND 1995... The Friars won a BIG EAST Tournament game in each of the last two seasons. In 2019, Providence defeated Xavier, 70-62, in the First Round. This year, the Friars posted a 49-46 win over Georgetown in the First Round. It marks the first time since 1994 and 1995 that the Friars have won a game in the BIG EAST Tournament in back-to-back seasons.

FRIARS TWO YEARS REMOVED FROM FIRST POST-SEASON APPEARANCE SINCE 2010... The Friars' 2019 WNIT selection marked the program's 15th post-season appearance overall and first since 2010. Last season, NCAA and WNIT Championships were canceled to the Covid-19 pandemic. 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)

WHAT'S NEXT... The Friars are scheduled to face Georgetown on Saturday, Feb. 6. The game will nationally-televised on FS1 and is scheduled to tip-off at 6:00 p.m. at McDonough Arena in Washington, D.C.

HOME COOKING... Providence has not played a home game at Alumni Hall in Providence, R.I. since Jan. 7. On that day, the Friars claimed a 62-50 win over Butler. Their next home game is scheduled for Feb. 8 against Villanova, marking the second match-up between the two teams in a six-day span.

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Players Mentioned

Mary Baskerville

Andrea Cooper

Alyssa Geary

Olivia Orlando

Kyra Spiwak

Chanell Williams

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