Providence College Athletics
Providence College
Iona
Women's Basketball Game Notes vs. Iona
12/1/2023 12:43:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Friars will host the Gaels on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 2:00 p.m.
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FRIARS HOST IONA IN NON-CONFERENCE GAME... Providence is set to host Iona University in a non-conference game on Saturday, Dec. 2 at Alumni Hall in Providence, R.I. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on FloSports.
PROVIDENCE VS. IONA ALL-TIME... The Friars and Gaels have met five times in the history of the two women's basketball programs. Providence leads the all-time series, 5-0, including a 3-0 edge in games played at Alumni Hall.
MOST RECENT MEETING... Providence and Iona last met on Nov. 17, 2022 in New Rochelle, N.Y. The Friars led 48-25 early in the fourth quarter and held on for a 53-50 victory. Iona outscored Providence 27-12 in the final frame, including a 25-5 advantage over the final 7:30.
COMFORTS OF HOME... The Friars have posted a 3-1 record this season when playing at home in Alumni Hall. Conversely, Providence has compiled a 0-3 mark in games played on the road.
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. So far, the Friars have posted a 1-1 mark vs. these teams. PC defeated Vermont, 57-47, and recently fell to Columbia, 77-52.
DOUBLE-TROUBLE... Two Friars have recorded double-doubles this season through seven games. Olivia Olsen registered her first double-double of the season and fifth of her career on Nov. 22 against Monmouth with 17 points and 11 rebounds. She narrowly missed out on back-to-back double-doubles at Penn State and Columbia, scoring in double figures during each game and adding nine rebounds. On Nov. 26 at Penn State, Brynn Farrell notched her first career double-double with 14 points and a career-high 11 boards.
OLIVIA OLSEN RANKED AMONG BIG EAST LEADERS... Junior Olivia Olsen is averaging just 25.5 minutes per game for the Friars and ranks among BIG EAST leaders in seven different statistical categories through seven games, including a top-five ranking in four of those categories.Â
Scoring: T-12th (15.3 ppg)
Rebounding: T-3rd (8.0 rpg)
Field-goal percentage: 2nd (.642)
Free-throw percentage: 14th (.778)
Blocked shots: T-3rd (1.4 bpg)
Offensive rebounding: 3rd (3.1 orpg)
Defensive rebounding: T-11th (4.9 drpg)
OLIVIA OLSEN RANKS 16TH IN THE NATION IN FIELD-GOAL PERCENTAGE... Olivia Olsen is shooting an impressive 64.2-percent from the field this season, which ranks second in the BIG EAST and 16th among NCAA Division I players (250 ranked).
TURNOVERS... The Friars have committed 20+ turnovers in four of their seven games this season and have posted a 1-3 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 committed a season-low in turnovers against Monmouth (11) on Nov. 22.
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' seven games and is averaging 6.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 steal per game. She is shooting 46-percent from the field (19-41) and leads Providence in three-point shooting (0.389, 7-18). 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). She has scored in double figures twice, and has dished a career-best five assists in two games this season.
UGNE SIRTAUTAITE EARNING VALUABLE MINUTES AS A ROOKIE... Forward Ugne Sirtautaite is the lone freshman on the Friars' roster to see action in all seven games. The Lithuanian product is averaging 3.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game while shooting 50-percent from the field (9-18). In the Friars' most game against Columbia she recorded season highs in points (six), rebounds (seven), field-goal attempts (five) and free throws made (four).
BLOCK PARTY... Olivia Olsen is nine blocks shy of hitting 100 for her career. Last season, she recorded a career-high 53 blocked shots and became the fifth player in program history to record 50+ blocks in a single season. Her 53 blocks is tied for the second-highest single-season total in program history. The single-season record for blocks was set by Mary Ann McCoy in 1977-78, with 68. Through seven games in 2023-24, Olsen has swatted 10 shots and is tied for third in the BIG EAST in blocks per game (1.4).
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.Â
GRACE EFOSA AND OLIVIA OLSEN 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, achieving the feat against Hampton (Nov. 7). Jovana Nogic (27) and Mary Baskerville (22) were the last duo to score 20 points each in the same game on March 21, 2019 vs. Hartford in the first round of the WNIT.
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).
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 seven games this season, she leads the team in scoring (15.3 ppg), rebounding 8.0 rpg) and blocked shots (1.4 bpg). Olsen has converted 64.2-percent of her attempts from the field this season (43-67) and is 21-27 from the foul line (0.778).
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).
FRIARS ADD LARYN EDWARDS TO 2023-24 ROSTER... Graduate student Laryn Edwards was officially added to the 2023-24 roster on Nov. 28. She played four seasons of NCAA Division I basketball at Loyola University Maryland (2018-22) and joined the Providence College women's basketball program as a graduate assistant beginning in 2022-23. At Loyola, Edwards played 65 career games with 41 appearances in the starting line-up. She averaged 4.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Edwards made her debut with the Friars on Nov. 29 vs. Columbia. She played eight minutes off the bench and recorded one rebound.
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.
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. Hampton (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.Â
Dec. 20 • 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Jan. 10 • 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.Â
Jan. 24 • 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Feb. 7 • 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.Â
Feb. 21 • 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Mar. 6 • 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.Â
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, en route 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.
FRIARS VS. RANKED OPPONENTS IN 2022-23... During the 2022-23 season, the Friars posted a 1-4 record vs. nationally ranked opponents and an 0-2 mark vs. opponents receiving votes in the national polls.Â
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.
1/24/23   -/RV Creighton   46-64 (L)   Providence, R.I.
2/1/23   #5/4 Connecticut   54-64 (L)   Providence, R.I.
2/24/23   #15/15 Villanova   50-67 (L)   Villanova, Pa.
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 host intrastate rival Rhode Island on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at Alumni Hall in Providence, R.I. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on FloSports.
