Women's Basketball Game Notes vs. Creighton

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FRIARS FINISH TWO-GAME HOME STAND ON TUESDAY NIGHT VS. CREIGHTON... Providence will complete a two-game home stand on Tuesday, Jan. 24 when it welcomes Creighton to Alumni Hall for the second game of the regular-season series. The game will be broadcast live on the BIG EAST Digital Network via FloSports and will tip at 7:00 p.m.

FRIARS FINISH NON-CONFERENCE PLAY 9-2... The Friars finished their non-conference slate with a 9-2 record. It marks the most victories in regular-season non-conference play since 2019-20 (9-3).

FRIARS VS. BLUEJAYS ALL-TIME... Providence and Creighton have met 20 times during the history of the two women's basketball programs. The Bluejays lead the all-time series, 16-4. Creighton swept the regular-season series during the 2021-22 campaign, and Providence opened the 2022-23 season series with a 79-74 victory at D.J. Sokol Arena on Jan. 4.

FRIARS AND BLUEJAYS AT ALUMNI HALL... Providence and Creighton have met eight times at Alumni Hall. The Bluejays lead the series on the Friars' home court, 7-1. Providence's only victory at home vs. Creighton dates back to Feb. 14, 2016. On that day, the Friars claimed a 61-59 victory.

SINGLE DIGITS... Five of the eight meetings between Providence and Creighton at Alumni Hall have been decided by single digits.

FRIARS IN THEIR LAST 10... Providence has posted a 5-5 record over its last 10 games this season, including a 3-3 mark during the month of January.

FIRST WIN WHEN TRAILING AT HALFTIME... The Friars earned their first victory of the season when trailing at halftime on Jan. 4 vs. No. 25/24 Creighton. Providence trailed 46-39 at the break and went on to claim a 79-75 victory. The Friars entered the game 0-5 on the year when trailing at the half and currently stand at 1-8 on the season.

IMPORTANCE OF A STRONG START... The Friars are 11-1 this season when leading at halftime. Providence's only loss when holding a halftime lead came against URI on Nov. 14. The Friars led 50-40 at the break and fell to the Rams, 74-72.

DEFENSE WINS GAMES... The Friars have held 12 of their 21 opponents below 40-percent shooting from the field this season and are 11-1 in those games. PC lost for the first time when holding an opponent below 40-percent on Dec. 28 at DePaul. The Friars held the Blue Demons to 37.7-percent shooting and dropped a 78-69 decision.

BOARD IT... The Friars have out-rebounded 16 of their 21 opponents this season and have posted an 12-4 record in those games. Providence is 0-5 on the season when it secures fewer rebounds than its opponent.

HOME-SWEET-HOME... The Friars own an 12-9 record this season, including an 8-3 mark on their home court (Alumni Hall). Providence's three home losses came at the hands of No. 25 Villanova (79-54) on Dec. 4, Seton Hall (76-60) on Jan. 8 and Georgetown (61-51) on Jan. 21. The Friars are 4-6 on the road.

FRIARS DEFEAT NO. 25/24 CREIGHTON TO EARN FIRST WIN OVER A NATIONALLY-RANKED OPPONENT SINCE 2013... On Jan. 4, Providence claimed a 79-74 victory over No. 25/24 Creighton in Omaha, Neb. The last time Providence defeated a ranked opponent dates back to Jan. 23, 2013. The Friars claimed a 65-60 victory over then-No. 25 Villanova at Alumni Hall. Additionally, the Friars victory over Creighton marked the program's 15th victory all-time vs. a team ranked in the Associated Press Poll. Four of those 15 wins have come on the road, including three true road wins and one neutral-site game. The remaining 11 wins over opponents ranked in the AP Poll have come at home in Providence, R.I.

FRIARS EARN FIRST ROAD WIN OVER A TEAM RANKED IN THE AP POLL SINCE 1989... Providence earned its fourth road victory over a team ranked in the Associated Press Poll program history when it upset No. 25 Creighton in Omaha, Neb. (Jan. 4). It marked the first road win vs. a team ranked in the AP Poll since Dec. 29, 1989. On that day, the Friars defeated No. 25 DePaul, 106-92, during a neutral site game in Palo Alto, Calif. The Friars have two true road wins over teams ranked in the AP Poll vs. No. 17 Houston in Houston, Texas (W, 65-59 on 12/28/85) and vs. No. 15 St. John's in Queens, N.Y. (W, 66-61 on 1/28/84). In addition to the program's four road victories vs. teams ranked in the AP Poll, the Friars have posted 11 wins over teams ranked in the AP Poll at home.

FRIARS VS. RANKED OPPONENTS IN 2022-23... The Friars are 1-2 this season vs. nationally ranked opponents and 0-1 vs. opponents receiving votes in the national polls.

12/2/22 #3/3 Connecticut 53-98 (L) Storrs, Conn.

12/4/22 #25/RV Villanova 54-79 (L) Providence, R.I.

12/18/22 RV/RV St. John's 55-63 (L) Queens, N.Y.

1/4/23 #25/24 Creighton 79-75 (W) Omaha, Neb.

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER IN FRIARTOWN... On Jan. 4, the Providence men's and women's basketball teams knocked off nationally-ranked opponents on the same night. The men took down No. 4/5 Connecticut, 73-61, at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, R.I. The women defeated No. 25/24 Creighton at D.J. Sokol Arena in Omaha, Neb.

GRACE EFOSA RECORDED A CAREER-BEST 27 POINTS IN LAST MEETING VS. CREIGHTON... Junior Grace Efosa had a career night in the Friars' 79-75 victory over No. 25/24 Creighton. The 5-11 guard exploded for 27 points on 12-17 shooting from the field (0.706) and also contributed five rebounds and three assists. Efosa's previous career high was 13 points at Rhode Island (11/14/22).

THREE FRIARS AVERAGING DOUBLE-FIGURES IN BIG EAST PLAY... Through the midway point of the BIG EAST schedule, three players on the Friars' roster are averaging double figures in the scoring column. Grace Efosa leads the way with 10.9 points per game, followed by Olivia Olsen (10.5 ppg), Kylee Sheppard (10.4 ppg). Preseason All-BIG EAST selection Janai Crooms checks in just shy of double-digits (9.7 ppg), but has been all over the stat sheet, also contributing 7.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.

OLIVIA OLSEN MAKING BIG CONTRIBUTIONS... Sophomore forward Olivia Olsen enters Tuesday's game against Creighton ranked second on the team in scoring (11.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.6 rpg) and leads the Friars in blocked shots (1.7 bpg) and offensive rebounds (50). She is shooting a team-best 52.3-percent from the field (101-193). Olsen leads the team in double-digit scoring games (15), including 10 of the last 11 games. She is the only player on the roster to score in double figures in each of the last eight games. In the Friars' win over No. 25/24 Creighton on Jan. 4, Olsen tallied 11 of her 13 points in a decisive second half rally, during which time she hit 5-7 attempts from the field. In BIG EAST play, Olsen is averaging 10.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 1.0 steal per game.

PLAYER MAKER ON OFFENSE... Janai Crooms leads the team in scoring (12.1 ppg) and assists (4.0 apg) through 21 games. As a team, Providence has made 513 field goals this season and Crooms has scored or assisted on 38-percent of Providence's buckets (195).

JANAI CROOMS STANDS ALONE... Janai Crooms is only active player in the league with more than 1,200 points, 650 rebounds, 400 assists, 125 steals and 100 blocked shots in her career. Through 20 games this season, Crooms ranks 19th in the BIG EAST in scoring (12.1 ppg), seventh in rebounding (7.4 rpg), fifth in defensive rebounds (5.4 drpg), fifth in assists (4.0 apg), seventh in field-goal percentage (.519), 11th in offensive rebounds (2.0 orpg), 11th in blocked shots (0.9 bpg) and ninth in assist/turnover ratio (1.3).

20 SOMETHING... Five different Friars have recorded at least one 20-point game this season. Janai Crooms has scored 20+ points in three of the Friars' 21 games. Olivia Olsen recorded the first 20+ point game of her career against Brown (22) on Dec. 7. On Dec. 28, Brynn Farrell dropped a career-best 21 points and Grace Efosa tallied a career-best 27 points against No. 25/24 Creighton on Jan. 4. Most recently, Kylee Sheppard scored a season-best 20 points against Seton Hall on Jan. 8. Six players on the Friars' roster have recorded at least one 20-point game during their careers: Crooms (eight), Kylee Sheppard (three), Olsen (one) Farrell (one) Efosa (one) and Emily Archibald (one).

1,000-POINT MILESTONE... Janai Crooms scored her 1,000th point in the Friars' season opener vs. Dayton on Nov. 7. She entered the game 14 points shy of the milestone and hit the mark with 7:41 left in the third quarter. Crooms heads into Tuesday's game against Creighton ranked 19th all-time in career scoring at Providence with 1,240 points.

CLIMBING THE LADDER... Janai Crooms ranks sixth on the Friars' all-time career assist list (430). Crooms dished 171 of her 423 assists during her two seasons at Ohio State (2018-20), added 65 at Michigan State (2020-21) and has registered 187 dimes with the Friars (2021-present). Through 133 career games, Crooms has averaged 3.2 assists per contest.

CROOMS CRACKS TOP-20 IN REBOUNDING... In addition to being ranked among Providence's all-time leaders in scoring and assists, Crooms also has cracked the top-20 in career rebounding at PC. She currently is tied for 17th on the Friars' all-time list with 660 rebounds. She has recorded double-digit boards in four games this season, including a season-high 17 rebounds against Weber State on Nov. 26.

SINGLE DIGITS... Nine of the Friars' 21 games have been decided by nine points or less and the team has posted a 5-4 record in those games. Additionally, Providence has posted a 2-1 record in games decided by five points or less.

FRIARS PUT UP SEASON-BEST 85 POINTS AGAINST BRYANT... The Friars defeated Bryant, 85-60, on Nov. 27. It marks their highest single-game scoring total since Nov. 14, 2017, when they claimed a 98-95 overtime victory against Northeastern. It's the first time Providence scored 80+ points in a game since Feb. 8, 2019 when it defeated Seton Hall 82-75.

LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY SINCE 2018-19 SEASON... The Friars defeated Central Connecticut, 77-45, on Dec. 10. The 32-point win is the largest margin of victory since defeating Bryant by 44 (74-32) on Dec. 7, 2019. The Friars have won two games this season by 30-or-more points. Providence defeated Hartford, 60-30, on Nov. 25.

NEWCOMERS... The Friars added two transfers and one freshman to the roster in 2022-23. Graduate student Logan Cook played four seasons at Iowa, during which time the Hawkeyes won two Big Ten titles (2019, 2022) and advanced to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament (2022) and Sweet 16 (2019). She played 53 career games and averaged 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per game. Junior Brynn Farrell played two seasons at Florida, where she played 28 games for the Gators after being slowed by an injury. She averaged 2.9 points and 1.0 rebound per game and connected on 22-28 free throw attempts in two seasons (.786). Kammie Ludwig is the lone true freshman on the squad and attended Geneseo High School prior to arriving on campus. The 3A All-State selection and IBCA All-State honoree averaged 24.6 points per game as a senior and finished her career as Geneseo's all-time leading scorer (1,881 points).

JANAI CROOMS MAKES CONSECUTIVE APPEARANCES ON BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOR ROLL... Janai Crooms earned a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll in back-to-back weeks (Nov. 21 & 28). To claim her most recent recognition, Crooms was named Most Outstanding Player of the Friar Thanksgiving Classic (Nov. 25-27) after averaging 11.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game in a 3-0 week for Providence.

KYLEE SHEPPARD NAMED TO BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOR ROLL AS FRIARS CLOSE NON-CONFERENCE PLAY... Sophomore guard Kylee Sheppard was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday, Dec. 26. She posted her first career double-double against Sacred Heart on Dec. 20, with 13 points and 10 rebounds. She also added four assists, two steals and a career-best two blocked shots.

OLIVIA OLSEN NAMED TO FRIAR THANKSGIVING CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM... Olivia Olsen was named to the Friar Thanksgiving Classic All-Tournament Team, following Providence's three victories over Hartford, Weber State and Bryant (Nov. 25-27). Olsen led the Friars in scoring (13.0 ppg) and contributed 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocked shots, 1.0 assist and 1.0 steal per game. She shot 55.6-percent from the field (15-27) and 90-percent from the foul line (9-10).

JANAI CROOMS NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST TEAM... Senior guard Janai Crooms was among the list of 11 student-athletes named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, released at the league's annual media day on Oct. 18 at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y. Crooms is entering her second season with the Friars and her final season of NCAA Division I basketball. In addition to her time at Providence (2021-present), she also played two seasons at Ohio State (2018-20) and one season at Michigan State (2020-21). A year ago, Crooms was named All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention after leading the Friars in scoring (13.8 ppg), rebounding (7.2 rpg) and assists (3.5 apg).

2021-22 UNANIMOUS BIG EAST ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM HONOREE KYLEE SHEPPARD RETURNS FOR SOPHOMORE CAMPAIGN... Kylee Sheppard missed a third of her rookie season with injuries, but still found a way to make a significant impact during her time on the court. She appeared in 20 of the Friars' 30 games and averaged 9.6 points, 3.2 rebounds. 2.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Sheppard finished the year ranked third on the team in scoring and second in assists and steals. She shot 40.2-percent from the field (68-169), including 24-68 from three-point territory (.353), and recorded eight double-digit scoring games. Sheppard notched 20+ points in two games as a rookie, and both came during BIG EAST regular-season play, including a career-best 22 points against DePaul (Jan. 7) on 9-12 shooting from the field.

FRIARS IN THE POSTSEASON... The Friars' last appeared in the postseason during the 2018-19 campaign. Providence's 2019 WNIT selection marked the program's 15th post-season appearance overall and first since 2010. In 2019-20, NCAA and WNIT Championships were canceled to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Friars did not qualify for postseason during the abbreviated 2020-21 campaign. Complete post-season breakdown follows (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 will travel to Cincinnati, Ohio to face Xavier on Saturday, Jan. 28. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. at the Cintas Center.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Emily Archibald

Logan Cook

Janai Crooms

Grace Efosa

Brynn Farrell

Kammie Ludwig

Olivia Olsen

Kylee Sheppard

Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus #1/1 Connecticut on December 31, 2025 , Loss , 53, to, 90

Completed Event: Women's Basketball at DePaul on January 4, 2026 , Win , 69, to, 59

Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus Seton Hall on January 8, 2026 , Loss , 48, to, 58

Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus Villanova on January 11, 2026 , Loss , 55, to, 85

Completed Event: Women's Basketball at Butler on January 14, 2026 , Loss , 52, to, 62

Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Creighton on January 17, 2026 at 1:00 PM

Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball at Seton Hall on January 20, 2026 at 7:00 PM

Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball at Villanova on January 27, 2026 at 7:00 PM

Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus St. John's on January 31, 2026 at 1:00 PM

Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball at Marquette on February 4, 2026 at 7:30 PM (ET)

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