Providence College Athletics
Providence College
Seton Hall
Women's Basketball Game Notes vs. Seton Hall
12/28/2023 11:11:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Friars open BIG EAST slate against the Pirates on Dec. 30 in South Orange, N.J.
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FRIARS OPEN BIG EAST PLAY AT SETON HALL... Providence will open its BIG EAST Conference slate at Seton Hall on Saturday, Dec. 30 in South Orange, N.J. The game will be played at Walsh Gymnasium and is scheduled to tip-off at 2:00 p.m.
FRIARS VS. SETON HALL ALL-TIME... The Friars and Pirates have met 76 times during the history of the two women's basketball programs. Seton Hall leads the all-time series, 46-30, including victories in 21 of the last 23 meetings.
THE LAST TIME PROVIDENCE DEFEATED SETON HALL... The Friars have lost eight-straight games to Seton Hall heading into Saturday's BIG EAST opener in South Orange, N.J. The last time the Friars defeated the Pirates dates back to Feb. 8, 2019. On that day, Providence claimed an 82-75 victory at Alumni Hall in Providence, R.I.
PROVIDENCE VS. SETON HALL AT WALSH GYMNASIUM... The Friars and Pirates have played 34 games at Walsh Gymnasium. Seton Hall leads the series against Providence on its home court, 24-10, including 11-straight wins heading into Saturday's match-up.
LAST TIME PROVIDENCE DEFEATED SETON HALL AT WALSH GYM... Providence last defeated Seton Hall at Walsh Gymnasium on Feb. 6, 2011. On that day, the Friars claimed a 58-55 win.
HOME AND AWAY... The Friars have posted a 5-2 record this season when playing at home in Alumni Hall. Conversely, Providence has compiled a 1-5 mark in games played on the road. Providence will be facing a Seton Hall program that has posted a 7-0 record at home this season at Walsh Gymnasium.
ROAD WIN... Providence picked up its first road victory of the season on Dec. 9 at Yale (63-58). It snapped a seven-game winless streak on the road dating back to January 28, 2023 when the Friars defeated Xavier, 50-48, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Providence closed the 2022-23 season with four-straight road losses and opened the current season 0-3 away from home.
FRIARS VS. RANKED OPPONENTS THIS SEASON... The Friars are 0-1 vs. nationally-ranked opponents this season. In its lone match-up with a ranked foe, the Friars fell to No. 10/11 Baylor, 61-36, on Dec. 20 at the West Palm Beach Classic.
LAST TIME PROVIDENCE DEFEATED A RANKED OPPONENT... The Friars last beat a ranked opponent on Jan. 4, 2023. That day, Providence took down No. 25/24 Creighton, 79- in Omaha, Neb.Â
DEFENSE... The Friars are ranked 31st in the nation in field-goal percentage defense and 54th in scoring defense among 348 teams NCAA Division I programs. Through 13 games, the Friars are holding their opponents to just 35.2-percent shooting from the field and 56.4 points per game. Providence has held five of its 13 opponents to 50-or-fewer points this season. Most recently, Providence held Sacred Heart to just 35 points and 23-percent shooting in a 66-35 victory on Dec. 16.
MORE DEFENSE... The Friars have held seven opponents below 40-percent shooting from the field this season. In those games, they have compiled a 5-2 record. Their two losses in that scenario came against No. 10/11 Baylor and Kennesaw State at the West Palm Beach Classic on Dec. 20 and Dec. 21, respectively.
DOUBLE-TROUBLE... Two Friars have recorded double-doubles this season through 13 games. Olivia Olsen leads the way with four double-doubles and owns eight in her career. On Nov. 22 vs. Monmouth she tallied 17 points and 11 rebounds. In the Friars' game against Iona on Dec. 2, she recorded 13 points and 12 rebounds. On Dec. 16 vs. Sacred Heart she posted 19 points and a season-high 12 boards. Most recently, she recorded 12 points and 10 rebounds vs. No. 10/11 Baylor. Brynn Farrell notched her first career double-double with 14 points and a career-high 11 boards at Penn State (Nov. 26).
DOUBLE-DIGITS... Nine different Friars have reached double digits in the scoring column this season in at least one game. Olivia Olsen leads the way with 11 double-digit games. The only game she failed to reach double figures this season was on Nov. 15 against Brown (9 points). Since then, she has rattled off nine-straight double-digit games. Olsen did not play in Providence's most recent game against Kennesaw State on Dec. 21 due to an injury. Brynn Farrell in second on the team in double-digit scoring games, with five.
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. The Friars have faced four of these opponents and have compiled a 3-3 record.Â
OLIVIA OLSEN RANKED AMONG BIG EAST LEADERS... Junior Olivia Olsen ranks among BIG EAST leaders in six different statistical categories, including a top-five ranking in four of those categories.Â
Scoring: 14th (15.0 ppg)
Rebounding: 4th (8.3 rpg)
Field-goal percentage: 3rd (.589)
Blocked shots: 3rd (1.8 bpg)
Offensive rebounding: 2nd (3.2 orpg)
Defensive rebounding: 11th (5.2 drpg)
LEADING THE WAY... Olivia Olsen has led the Friars in scoring during nine of 12 games she has played in this season and has led the team in rebounding eight times. She has scored in double figures a team-best 11 times, including nine-straight games heading into Providence's BIG EAST opener at Seton Hall.
BALL SECURITY... The Friars have committed 20+ turnovers in six of their 13 games this season and have posted a 1-5 record in those contests. Providence recorded a season-high 27 miscues against Boston College (Nov. 19) and No. 10/11 Baylor (Dec. 20). The Friars committed a season-low in turnovers against Monmouth (11) on Nov. 22.
BRYNN FARRELL HAS BECOME A STAPLE IN THE FRIARS' LINE-UP... Brynn Farrell has cracked the starting line-up in 12 of the Friars' 13 games and has impacted both ends of the floor for her team. She currently ranks third on the team in scoring (9.7 ppg), rebounding (4.5 rpg), assists (1.9 apg) and steals (1.3 spg). She ranks first in free-throw attempts (53) and is shooting 77.4-percent from the foul line (41-53). She has scored in double-figures five times this year, including a career-high 23 points on two occasions vs. Yale (Dec. 9) and Kennesaw State (Dec. 21). Farrell recorded the first double-double of her career at Penn State with 14 points and 11 boards.
LARYN EDWARDS CRACKS STARTING LINE-UP... 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 in the Fall of 2022, under then-Head Coach Jim Crowley. Since being activated on the roster this season, Edwards has played seven games and has appeared in the starting line-up during each of the last five games. She's averaging 4.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. Edwards scored a season-high 10 points against Sacred Heart on Dec. 16. 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.Â
BLOCK PARTY... Olivia Olsen eclipsed 100-career blocks in her career in the Friars' on Dec. 16 vs. Sacred Heart. She matched her career high in blocks against the Pioneers, with six. Olsen enters Saturday's game against Seton Hall with 103 blocked shots as a Friar. 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. This season, Olsen has swatted 22 shots and ranks third in the BIG EAST in blocks per game (1.8).
EMILY ARCHIBALD GRABS CAREER-HIGH 10 BOARDS AT YALE... Emily Archibald recorded a career-high 10 rebounds against Yale on Dec. 9 to go along with three points, two assists and three steals. She set her previous career high on the boards as a freshman, grabbing nine boards against Monmouth on Nov. 28, 2021. Archibald has played all 11 games for Providence this season and has appeared in the starting line-up in each of the last six. She is averaging 3.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game on the year.
FRIARS CLAIM THRILLING INTRASTATE VICTORY OVER RHODE ISLAND... The Friars claimed a thrilling 51-50 victory over intrastate rival Rhode Island on Dec. 6. The victory snapped a two-game winless streak to URI in the series. The Friars now lead the all-time series, 40-14. Olivia Olsen paced the Friars with 14 points and added seven rebounds, one assist, two steals and two blocked shots. Marta Morales narrowly missed her first career double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.Â
RHODE ISLAND-NATIVE SARAH BANDOMA GIVES FRIARS A BOOST IN WIN OVER URI... Rhode Island-native Sarah Bandoma got her first taste of the Providence vs. Rhode Island rivalry game on Dec. 6. The junior transfer from Saint Francis Brooklyn came off the bench to score a season-best eight points on 3-4 shooting from the field and a 2-3 performance from the foul line. She scored six of her eight points in a critical stretch during the third quarter as the Friars went on to win by a one-point margin (51-50).
EFOSA AND 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). This season, she has played 12 of 13 games and leads the team in scoring (15.0 ppg), rebounding 8.3 rpg) and blocked shots (1.8 bpg). Olsen has converted 58.9-percent of her attempts from the field this season (73-124), which ranks third in the BIG EAST and 27th in the nation (among 249 players ranked).
KENDALL EDDY GETS FIRST CAREER START... Freshman guard Kendall Eddy got her first career start with the Friars on Dec. 2 against Iona. She played 25 minutes and recorded a career-high 12 points on 5-11 shooting (2-5, 3pt). She also added one rebound and one steal. She is the only freshman on the roster to crack the starting line-up this season.
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).
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.
OLIVIA OLSEN NAMED TO BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOR ROLL FOR SECOND TIME THIS SEASON... Olivia Olsen was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Dec. 11. She averaged 14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.0 assist and 1.0 steal per game in victories over URI and Yale. It marked Olsen's second appearance on the weekly honor roll this season, having previously been recognized on Nov. 13.
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 fifth recording of the Erin Batth Radio Show will air on Wednesday, Dec. 20 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. (complete)
Dec. 20 • 4:30 – 5:00 p.m. (complete)
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 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 BIG EAST foe DePaul on Wednesday, Jan. 3 for the program's annual Project Providence game. Tip-off is slated for 11:00 a.m. at Alumni Hall in Providence, R.I.
