Women's Basketball Game Notes vs. Penn State

GAME INFORMATION VS. PENN STATE | SUNDAY, NOV. 26 | BRYCE JORDAN CENTER | UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. | 1:00 PM
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FRIARS TRAVEL TO PENN STATE FOR NON-CONFERENCE MATCH-UP... Providence hits the road for a non-conference match-up against Penn State on Sunday, Nov. 26 at the Bryce Jordan Center. Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on BTN+.

PROVIDENCE VS. PENN STATE ALL-TIME... The Friars and Nittany Lions have met six times. Penn State leads the all-time series, 6-0, including a 3-0 mark in University Park, Pa.

LAST TIME THE TWO TEAMS MET... Providence and Penn State last met on Nov. 8, 2018. Penn State escaped with a 74-72 victory at the Bryce Jordan Center. Providence held a 63-51 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but was outscored 23-9 in the final stanza. Penn State hit two free throws with 0.4 seconds left in the game to take a 74-72 lead. The Friars called timeout to advance the ball and drew up a final play. Then-freshman Alyssa Geary converted a lay-up at the buzzer, but after an official review, the bucket was waved off.

BIG EAST LEADER... Junior Olivia Olsen leads the BIG EAST Conference in field-goal percentage and blocked shots this season through five games. Olsen is shooting 67.4-percent from the field (31-46), marking the 13th-best field-goal percentage in the country. Additionally, she is averaging 1.8 blocked shots per game, which ranks 49th in NCAA Division I.

DEFENSE... As a team, Providence ranks 36th among 348 NCAA Division I programs in scoring defense. Through five games, its opponents have averaged just 53.0 points per game. The Friars also rank 55th in the NCAA in field-goal percentage defense (0.347). In Providence's most recent game against Monmouth, the Friars held the Hawks to 40 points and 25-percent shooting (14-56).

EMILY ARCHIBALD PROVIDES SPARK OFF THE BENCH IN MOST RECENT VICTORY... Junior Emily Archibald provided a spark off the bench in Providence's most recent victory over Monmouth on Nov. 22. She recorded season-highs in minutes played (24), points (10), rebounds (eight) and assists (two). She shot 4-8 from the field, including a 2-4 performance from three.

DOUBLE-TROUBLE... In the Friars' most recent game against Monmouth, Olivia Olsen paced the team with 17 points and 11 rebounds. It marked her first double-double of the season and fifth double-double of her career.

HELPING HANDS... Kylee Sheppard leads the Friars in assists through five games (4.8 apg). She dished a career-high eight assists in the Friars' season opener vs. Hampton. Sheppard nearly hit her career-high for a second time, but fell one assist short vs. Boston College on Nov. 19, with seven. Sheppard has recorded 5+ assists in a game five times during her career [twice this season].

TURNOVERS... The Friars have committed 20+ turnovers in three of their five games this season and have posted a 1-2 record in those contests. Providence recorded a season-high 27 miscues against Boston College (Nov. 19). It proved to be the difference in the game as the Eagles outscored the Friars 31-10 in points off turnovers. The Friars responded in their most recent game against Monmouth (Nov. 22), turning the ball over a season-low 11 times.

EFOSA'S DOUBLE-DIGIT STREAK SNAPPED AGAINST MONMOUTH... Grace Efosa scored in double figures during each of the Friars' first four games to start the season, extending her double-digit streak from the previous season to seven games. In the Friars' most recent game against Monmouth on Nov. 22, Efosa was held to just two points. It marked her lowest scoring total in a game since Nov. 25, 2022, when she came off the bench against Hartford and recorded two points in 12 minutes.

MARTA MORALES ROMERO SETTLING IN AS A FRIAR... Marta Morales Romero played two seasons at Wake Forest before transferring to Providence for the current season. She has started each of the Friars' five games and is averaging 6.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game. She is shooting 48-percent from the field (13-27) and leads Providence in three-point shooting (0.462, 6-13). In the Friars' season opener vs. Hampton, she recorded career highs in points (13), rebounds (six), steals (three) and three-point field goals made (three).

OLIVIA OLSEN NAMED TO BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOR ROLL... Olivia Olsen was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Nov. 13. The junior forward averaged a team-best 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and a BIG EAST-best 3.0 blocked shots in a 2-0 week. Olsen scored a career-high 25 points in the Friars' victory over Hampton on 9-11 shooting from the field and a 7-7 performance from the foul line. She added eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks. On Nov. 10, she paced the Friars with 14 points, seven boards and four blocked shots in a win over Vermont.

OLIVIA OLSEN AND GRACE EFOSA COMBINE FOR 46 POINTS IN OPENER... Olivia Olsen and Grace Efosa combined to score 46 points in the Friars' season opener vs. Hampton on Nov. 7. Their scoring total equaled Hampton's offensive output as a team, as Providence cruised to a 76-46 win. Olsen hit for a career-high 25 points on 9-11 shooting from the field and a 7-7 performance from the foul line. Fifteen of her 25 points came in the second half. Efosa netted 21 points on 6-7 shooting from the field and a 8-9 showing at the foul line.

TWO 20-POINT SCORERS... Olivia Olsen (25) and Grace Efosa (21) are the first players to score 20+ points in the same game since the 2018-19 campaign. Jovana Nogic (27) and Mary Baskerville (22) last achieved the feat on March 21, 2019 vs. Hartford in the first round of the WNIT.

FRIARS' SCHEDULE FILLED WITH 2022-23 POSTSEASON PARTICIPANTS... Providence will face 13 teams that qualified for postseason play last season. Ten of those 13 teams competed in the NCAA Tournament, while three others earned invitations to the WNIT. Among the list of 2022-23 NCAA Tournament participants are Vermont, Iona, Sacred Heart, Baylor and five BIG EAST Conference opponents, UConn, Creighton, Marquette, St. John's and Villanova. The teams Providence will face that competed in the WNIT are Columbia, Rhode Island and Seton Hall.

2023-24 CAPTAINS ANNOUNCED... Seniors Grace Efosa and Brynn Farrell and juniors Kylee Sheppard and Emily Archibald were named team captains ahead of the 2023-24 season. Head Coach Erin Batth made the announcement on Oct. 30, prior to the team's exhibition game vs. New Haven (Nov. 1).

OLIVIA OLSEN, GRACE EFOSA AND KYLEE SHEPPARD RETURN TO FRIARS TO PLAY FOR FIRST-YEAR HEAD COACH ERIN BATTH... Olivia Olsen, Grace Efosa and Kylee Sheppard entered the transfer portal at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season. The trio each finished in the top four on the team in scoring and rebounding. All three players decided to return to Friartown after exploring their options and speaking to Coach Batth and her newly assembled staff. The three players combined for 43.9-percent of the Friars' scoring last season, totaling 853 of Providence's 1,942 points.

LEADING RETURNING SCORER, REBOUNDER AND SHOT BLOCKER... Olivia Olsen averaged 10.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game in 2022-23 and led the team in each category. Olsen recorded double figures in the scoring column 18 times and ranked second on the team in double-doubles (two). She also shot a team-best 0.481 from the field (129-268). Through five games this season, she leads the team in scoring (15.4 ppg), rebounding 7.6 rpg) and blocked shots (1.8 bpg). Olsen has converted 67.4-percent of her attempts from the field this season (31-46) and is an impressive 15-17 from the foul line (0.882).

MARTA MORALES ROMERO AND UGNE SIRTAUTAITE REPRESENT THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES IN FIBA EVENTS... Junior Marta Morales Romero (Spain) and freshman Ugne Sirtautaite (Lithuania) have each represented their respective countries in high-level FIBA-sponsored events. Morales Romero most recently competed in the 2023 FIBA U20 Women's European Championship (Jul. 29-Aug. 6) and helped guide Spain to a Bronze Medal while averaging 8.3 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. She finished second among her teammates in scoring (8.3 ppg) and shot 43.5-percent from the floor overall (20-46). Sirtautaite recently played in the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup held in Madrid, Spain (Jul. 15-23). She averaged 10.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.0 steal per game, while shooting 43.3-percent from the field (23-53). Additionally, she scored a personal-best of 19 points on 7-10 shooting during the Round of 16 vs. Egypt (July 19) and recorded a personal-best 11 rebounds during classification play against Mali (July 22).

SARAH BANDOMA MAKES HER WAY BACK TO THE OCEAN STATE... Junior forward Sarah Bandoma played two seasons of NCAA Division I basketball at St. Francis College Brooklyn. The college announced it was eliminating its athletics programs at the close of the 2022-23 academic year, so Bandoma entered the transfer portal. The Johnston, R.I. native signed with the Friars and first-year Head Coach Erin Batth and has two years of eligibility. During her two seasons at St. Francis, Bandoma appeared in 49 games and was a member of the starting line-up 29 times. Last season, she led the team in rebounding (7.0 rpg), offensive rebounding (3.3 orpg), blocked shots (44) and field-goal percentage (.491, 81-165). She chipped in 6.1 points per game.

PROVIDENCE COLLEGE / JOHNSTON TIES... Sarah Bandoma attended nearby Johnston Senior High School, where she earned Second-Team All-State and Second-Team All-Division I North honors. Bandoma became the second player in school history to jump directly to an NCAA Division I basketball program. The first was former Friar great Chelsea Marandola (2005-10). Marandola was three-time All-BIG EAST selection and ranks third on the Friars' all-time scoring list with 1,795 points and 19th all-time in rebounding (651).

ERIN BATTH ERA BEGINS IN FRIARTOWN... Erin Batth was hired as the 11th women's basketball coach in program history at Providence College on March 20, 2023. Batth arrived in Friartown with 17 years of NCAA Division I coaching experience, with her most recent stops coming at NC State (2018-22) and Michigan (2022-23). She has been part of five conference championships, eight NCAA Elite Eight appearances and three trips to the NCAA Sweet 16. She also served as an assistant coach at Liberty (2017-18), Georgia State (2014-17), Tennessee Tech (2012-14) and Towson (2010-12). Batth earned her first career win as a head coach on Nov. 7 vs. Vermont (76-46).

ERIN BATTH'S PLAYING CAREER... Batth played collegiately at Clemson and graduated in 2001. She earned Second-Team Defensive All-America honors and All-ACC Second Team honors during her career. As a senior, she averaged 12.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per game and finished her impressive four-year career with 972 points, 722 rebounds and 116 blocked shots. She helped the Tigers to four-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, and helped Clemson advance to the Sweet 16 in 1999. Batth was the first player from Clemson drafted into the WNBA, going to the Cleveland Rockers in 2001. She played professionally with Panithnaikos and Appollon (in Greece) and Migros (in Turkey). Her WNBA experience also included time with the San Antonio Silver Stars and the Sacramento Monarchs.

ERIN BATTH RADIO SHOW TO DEBUT ON 790 THE SCORE... The second recording of the Erin Batth Radio Show will air on Wednesday, Nov. 15 from 4:30-5:00 p.m. on 790 The Score. The show was developed via an existing partnership between Providence College Athletics, LEARFIELD's Providence Friars Sports Properties and Cumulus Media Providence. The show is hosted by Mike Mancuso, who is in his sixth season as the lead the play-by-play voice of Friar women's basketball. Nine shows are scheduled to air this season, through March 6, with additional shows to be added during post-season play. Listen live online at: https://www.thescore790.com or tune in to 790AM. The show also will be available online via the Varsity Network app. A full schedule is available below:

Nov. 1 • 4:30 – 5:00 p.m. (complete)

Nov. 15 • 4:30 – 5:00 p.m. (complete)

Dec. 6 • 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Dec. 20 • 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Jan. 10 • 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Jan. 24 • 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Feb. 7 • 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Feb. 21 • 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Mar. 6 • 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.

FRIARS SIGN TWO PLAYERS... First-year Providence College women's basketball Head Coach Erin Batth announced on Nov. 8 that Orlagh Gormley (North Quincy, Mass.) and Audrey Shields (Troy, N.Y.) each signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Providence in the Fall of 2024. Gormley, a 5-7 point guard, currently attends Dexter Southfield, where she earned NEPSAC AA First-Team All-Star recognition, Patriot League Most Valuable Player and Dexter Southfield MVP honors. During the 2022-23 season at Dexter, Gormley averaged 14.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 4.2 steals per game, while recording a 2.8 assist/turnover ratio. Before arriving at Dexter Southfield in 2022-23, she spent the previous two years at Quincy High School, where she was named Boston Globe First Team Dream Team and Boston Herald All-Star accolades. Gormley led North Quincy to the MIAA Elite 8 and was named Team MVP, enroute to setting the all-time scoring record at Quincy. Additionally, she was selected to play with the U-18 Irish National Team and helped the team win a Gold medal at the Four Nations Tournament in Cardiff, Wales (2023). Gormley played AAU basketball for MCW Starz Elite. Shields, a 6-1 guard/forward, currently attends Emma Willard School. She is a three-time First-Team All-Wasaren League and two-time team captain. During the 2022-23 campaign, Shields averaged 18.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 3.1 steals per game. She was named Team MVP last season. In her first year with the program, she was the recipient of the prestigious Helen S. Cheel Award in recognition of athletic achievement, sportsmanship and spirit. Additionally, Shields has had the opportunity to compete with the youth German National Teams in 2019 and 2022. Shields played AAU basketball for New York Havoc and has competed in the Nike EYBL. Shields averaged 11.1 points per game playing on the prestigious Under Armour Circuit.

HOW THE FRIARS FARED IN 2022-23... Last season, the Friars compiled a 13-19 overall record, including a 4-16 mark in the BIG EAST Conference. Janai Crooms led the team in scoring (11.8 ppg), rebounding (7.1 rpg) and assists (3.6 apg).

GAMES DECIDED BY 10 POINTS OR LESS... Fifteen of the Friars' 32 games were decided by 10 points or less last season. Providence posted a 5-10 record in those games. Additionally, the Friars compiled a 3-5 record in games decided by five points or less.

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 head to New York City to face Columbia on Wednesday, Nov. 29. Tip-off is set for 11:00 a.m. and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

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Players Mentioned

Emily Archibald

Sarah Bandoma

Janai Crooms

Grace Efosa

Brynn Farrell

Marta Morales Romero

Olivia Olsen

Kylee Sheppard

Ugne Sirtautaite

Providence College Athletics