Providence College Athletics
Women's Basketball Game Notes At 2024 Cancun Challenge
11/26/2024 1:16:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Friars will face VCU to open tournament play on Thursday, Nov. 28 at 11:00 a.m.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATIONÂ |Â 2024 CANCUN CHALLENGEÂ | Â NOV. 28-30 Â | Â VS. VCU, WISCONSIN AND SAN DIEGO STATE
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FRIARS SET TO MAKE FIRST APPEARANCE AT CANCUN CHALLENGE... The Providence College women's basketball team is making its first appearance all-time at the Cancun Challenge. The Friars are scheduled to play three games in three days, starting on Thursday, Nov. 28 vs. VCU. Providence also will face Wisconsin (Nov. 29) and San Diego State (Nov. 30). All three games are scheduled to tipoff at 11:00 a.m. will be played at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Cancun, Mexico.
FRIARS VS. THE TOURNAMENT FIELD... The Friars have compiled a 1-1 record all-time vs. the Cancun Challenge tournament field. Providence and VCU will meet for the first time in program history on Nov. 28. The Friars lead the all-time series vs. Wisconsin, 1-0, and trail the all-time series vs. San Diego State, 0-1.
FRIARS SNAP TWO-GAME SKID WITH WIN OVER DELAWARE... Providence snapped a two-game winless streak with a 60-53 victory over Delaware on Nov. 24. Providence entered the game with back-to-back single-digit losses against Boston College (67-60) and Dayton (65-61). Grace Efosa paced the Friars with 16 points, while MacKayla Scarlett scored a season-high 11 points. Marta Morales Romero chipped in nine points and Olivia Olsen fell short of a double-double with seven points and a team-high nine boards. Providence trailed 16-13 after the first quarter, but used a 15-9 scoring advantage in the second quarter to claim the lead.
LEADING AT THE HALF... The Friars have held the lead at halftime in five of their six games and have posted a 3-2 record in those contests. The Friars are 0-1 when trailing at the half. The only game during which Providence trailed at the half was against Boston College (37-27).Â
GRACE EFOSA NAMED TO BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOR ROLL... Graduate student guard Grace Efosa was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Monday, Nov. 25, marking her first weekly accolades of the season. The Preseason All-BIG EAST selection averaged 18.0 points per game on 14-19 shooting (.737) in two games last week. She also averaged 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steal per game for the Friars. At the charity stripe, Efosa shot a perfect 7-7 over the two-game span. Efosa scored a season-high 22 points on 8-10 shooting at Dayton on Nov. 21 to start the week. It marked her second 20+ point game of the season and sixth of her career. She followed with 14 points on 6-9 shooting against Delaware on Nov. 24. Â
20 POINT GAMES... Grace Efosa is the only Friar to eclipse the 20-point mark this season and has done so in two games. She tallied a game and season-high 22 points on 8-10 shooting during the Friars' loss to Dayton on Nov. 21. She recorded 20 points on 9-12 shooting against Vermont on Nov. 12. Â
DOUBLE-TROUBLE... Olivia Olsen is tied for the league-lead in double-doubles, with two, through six games - joining Kilyn McGuff (Butler). On Nov. 4, she scored 12 points and added 10 rebounds vs. Mercy in just 16 minutes of action. In the Friars' game against Boston College on Nov. 17, Olsen tallied 10 points and grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds. Olsen has recorded 18 double-doubles in her career.
NINE DIFFERENT FRIARS CRACK THE STARTING LINE-UP... Nine different Friars have cracked the starting line-up this season. Graduate student Grace Efosa is the only player on the roster to start all six games.
GRACE EFOSA PACES THE FRIARS' OFFENSE... Grace Efosa is the only Friar on the roster averaging double figures in the scoring column this season through six games (15.5 ppg). After being held to just four points on 2-2 shooting against Mercy in the season opener, Efosa has scored 14-or-more points in each of the last five games. She recorded a season-high 22 points on 8-10 shooting at Dayton on Nov. 21. It marked her second 20+ point game of the season and sixth of her career.
GRACE EFOSA LEADS THE BIG EAST IN FIELD-GOAL PERCENTAGE... Grace Efosa is one of the most dynamic scorers in the BIG EAST and does it with great efficiency. She currently leads the BIG EAST in field-goal percentage, shooting an impressive 62.7-percent from the floor (37-59). The only other player shooting better than 60-percent in the league, thus far, is UConn's Paige Bueckers (.621, 41-66).
OLIVIA OLSEN SCORES 1,000-TH POINT... Olivia Olsen scored her 1,000th career point on Nov. 17 in the Friars' game at Boston College. She achieved the feat with 7:17 remaining in the fourth quarter. She is the 38th-player in program history to reach the milestone. Through 100 career games, Olsen owns 1,015 career points and ranks 36th on the Friars' all-time scoring list.
CLIMBING THE LADDER... Olivia Olsen currently ranks 16th all-time in career rebounding at Providence with 690 boards. Olsen needs 21 boards to take sole possession of 15th place currently held by Mary Casey '79, who recorded 710 rebounds in 89 games from 1975-79.
OLIVIA OLSEN HAULS IN CAREER-HIGH 18 BOARDS AT BOSTON COLLEGE... On Nov. 17, Olivia Olsen hauled in a career-high 18 rebounds vs. Boston College. Her 18 boards marks the highest single-game rebounding total by a BIG EAST player this season. Additionally, Olsen's 18 boards were four shy of the Providence College single-game record (22), set by Britt King '86 on Jan. 2, 1985 against Pittsburgh.
CLEANING THE GLASS... Olivia Olsen is the top-returning rebounder in the BIG EAST Conference from a season ago. During the 2023-24 season, Olsen averaged 8.5 rebounds per game. Through six games this season, Olsen is averaging a league-best 9.5 rebounds per contest.
HEART AND SOUL... Senior forward Emily Archibald has played all six games this season with five appearances in the starting line-up. She is a fan favorite in Friartown, and is known for her selfless play and all-out-effort on the court. She leads the Friars and is tied for ninth among BIG EAST players in steals (2.2 spg). Archibald also ranks second on the team in rebounding (4.5 rpg) and adds 3.7 points per game.
ROOKIE IMPACT... Freshman Orlagh Gormley has made an immediate impact for the Friars in her rookie season. Through six games, Gormley ranks second on the team in assists (2.3 apg) and in steals (1.7 spg), fourth in rebounding (3.2 rpg) and sixth in scoring (5.2 ppg). Gormley has posted a team-best assist/turnover ratio of 2.80, having committed just five turnovers in six games (21.8 minutes per game). She has recorded double digit points in two games, hitting for 10 points vs. Vermont (Nov. 12) and 10 points vs. Boston College (Nov. 17).
DOUBLE DIGITS... Eight of the 14 active players on the Friars' roster have scored in double figures at least once this season through six games. Grace Efosa has reached double figures a team-best five times. Efosa is in the midst of a five-game double digit streak heading into the Cancun Challenge. Additionally, she is the only Friar to score 20-or-more points this season and has done so twice (20 vs. Vermont and 22 vs. Dayton). Brynn Farrell ranks second in double-digit scoring games, with three.
ROAD WARRIORS... The Friars are in the midst of a grueling stretch during which they will play seven of eight games on the road. Providence's only home game during the stretch was on Nov. 24 against Delaware. The Friars will play three games in the Cancun Challenge and remain on the road to face intrastate rival Rhode Island on Wednesday, Dec. 4. Providence is not scheduled to play at home against until Saturday, Dec. 7 vs. Brown.
OLIVIA OLSEN NAMED TO BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOR ROLL... Senior forward Olivia Olsen was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Nov. 18. It marked her first weekly honor roll appearance of the season and sixth of her career. The 2024-25 Preseason All-BIG EAST selection averaged 9.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.5 blocked shots last week. She also shot 53-percent from the floor overall (9-17). Olsen opened the week with eight points on 4-5 shooting at Vermont on Nov. 12 and added six boards, two blocked shots and one steal. On Nov. 17 at Boston College, Olsen recorded her second double-double of the season with 10 points and a career-high 18 rebounds. She also tallied two assists and one blocked shot. Nine of Olsen's 18 boards came off the offensive glass. Additionally, her 18 rebounds are the highest single-game total by a BIG EAST player this season.
OLIVIA OLSEN AND GRACE EFOSA NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST TEAM... Â Olivia Olsen and Grace Efosa were featured on the 2024-25 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, which was released at the league's annual media day on Oct. 23 at Madison Square Garden. Olivia Olsen, who earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors last season, led the team in scoring (13.7 ppg), rebounding (8.5 rpg), blocked shots (1.7 bpg), field-goal percentage (.526) and double-doubles (12). Efosa finished second on the team in scoring (12.7 ppg) and rebounding (5.5 rpg) and added 1.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game. The Friars are one of three teams with multiple Preseason All-BIG EAST selections, joining UConn and Creighton.
FRIARS PICKED TO FINISH THIRD IN BIG EAST PRESEASON COACHES POLL... The Providence College women's basketball team was picked to finish third in the 2024-25 BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll, released at the league's annual media day at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Oct. 23.Â
VETERAN SQUAD TAKES THE FLOOR IN 2024-25... Providence returns 11 players from last year's roster, including six players who have saw extensive time in the starting line-up. The veteran roster is comprised of three graduate students, seven seniors, two sophomores and two freshmen.
POINT GUARD KYLEE SHEPPARD RETURNS TO COURT IN 2024-25... Senior point guard Kylee Sheppard has returned to the court in 2024-25 after playing just six games a season ago [injury]. In her six appearances, Sheppard averaged 7.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and a team-best 4.0 assists and 2.3 steals per game. She has played five games in 2024-25, and is averaging 7.2 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 steal per game. In the Friars' game against Dayton on Nov. 21, Sheppard scored a season-high 13 points on 5-5 shooting and added two rebounds, two assists and one steal.
GRADUATE TRANSFER MACKAYLA SCARLETT JOINS FRIARS AFTER FOUR-YEAR CAREER AT BIG EAST FOE XAVIER... Guard MacKayla Scarlett joined the Friars' roster as a graduate student after an impressive four-year career at BIG EAST foe Xavier (2020-24). She led Xavier in scoring in back-to-back seasons, averaging 10.9 points in 2022-23 and 13.9 points per game in 2023-24. As a senior, Scarlett played 22 games and appeared in the starting line-up 19 times, while averaging a team-high 32.9 minutes per game. In addition to her 13.9 points per game, she also contributed 1.8 steals and 1.6 assists per game.Â
FRESH FACES... Orlagh Gormley and Audrey Shields are the lone freshmen on the Friars roster in 2024-25. Gormley most recently attended Dexter Southfield School (2022-24). As a senior captain in 2023-24, she averaged 22.1 points, 9.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game. She averaged 20+ points in three of her four seasons in high school and was a two-time AA NEPSAC All-Star selection. Shields was a four-time Team MVP at Emma Willard School, where she finished her career as the program's all-time leading scorer (1,243 points). As a senior, she averaged 30.7 points, 15.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game en-route to earning Wasaren League MVP honors.
OLIVIA OLSEN NAMED TO ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM... Olivia Olsen was named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season. It marked the first post-season honor of Olsen's career and she is one of 23 Friars to have claimed All-BIG EAST honors a total of 36 times during the program's 50-year history. Olsen led the Friars in scoring (13.7 ppg), rebounding (8.5 rpg), blocked shots (1.7 bpg), field-goal percentage (.526) and double-doubles (12). She played 32 of the Friars' 34 games and paced the team in scoring 18 times and rebounding on 19 occasions.Â
GRACE EFOSA BECOMES FIRST FRIAR SINCE 1993 TO CLAIM BIG EAST ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM HONORS... Grace Efosa was named to the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team at the conclusion of the league's 2024 Championship Game, held at Mohegan Sun Arena last March. Efosa became the first Friar to earn All-Tournament Team accolades since 1993, when Lucie Fontanella and Sonya Lewis were recognized. In two tournament games, Efosa averaged 18.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals per contest. She shot 52-percent from the field (13-25), including 50-percent from three-point territory (2-4). Efosa also converted 8-10 attempts from the charity stripe. Efosa recorded 13 points, five boards, two assists and two steals in the Friars' victory over Butler in the First Round on March 8. She followed with 23 points, eight rebounds, one assist and one steal in the Quarterfinals vs. top-seeded and ninth-ranked UConn on March 9. Efosa shot 57.1-percent from the field versus the Huskies and connected on 7-9 free-throw attempts.
BLOCK BUSTER... Olivia Olsen has recorded 53 blocked shots, in each of the last two seasons. Her 53 blocks is tied for the third-highest single-season total in program history. The single-season record for blocks at Providence was set by Mary Ann McCoy in 1977-78, with 68. Olsen matched her career high in blocked shots on two occasions vs. Sacred Heart and Georgetown (six). Through five games in 2024-25, Olsen has recorded a team-best six blocked shots (1.2 bpg).
Providence College Single-Season Blocks Leaders (50+)
69 - Mary Ann McCoy (1977-78)
57 – Monika Roberts (1999-00)
53 – Olivia Olsen (2023-24)
53 – Olivia Olsen (2022-23)
53 – Mary Baskerville (2018-19)
52 – Andrea Mangum (1990-91)
51 – Mary Baskerville (2019-20)
OLIVIA OLSEN IS ONE OF TWO PLAYERS TO RECORD 50+ BLOCKS IN MULTIPLE SEASONS... Olivia Olsen became the second player in program history to record 50-or-more blocked shots in multiple seasons, joining Mary Baskerville '22. Olsen recorded 53 blocked shots during each of the last two seasons. Baskerville recorded 53 blocks during the 2018-19 campaign and 51 in 2019-20.
FRIARS IN THE POSTSEASON... The Friars last appeared in the postseason during the 2023-24 campaign. Providence's 2024 WNIT selection marked the program's 16th post-season appearance overall and first since 2019. Complete post-season breakdown follows (records in parentheses):
2023-24 WNIT Round 2 (0-1)
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)
ERIN BATTH ERA... 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). She helped the Friars earn an bid to the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) in her first year at Providence in 2023-24.
FORMER FRIAR JOVANA NOGIC '19 HEADLINED SERBIA'S ROSTER FOR 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES IN PARIS... Former Friar Jovana (Yoyo) Nogic '19 played for her native Serbia at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris last summer. She guided Serbia to a sixth place finish at the Olympics. The team finished first in its group and advanced to the Quarterfinals, before all to Australia. Nogic averaged a team-best 12.3 points in the Olympics and added 4.5 assists, 2.3 steals and 2.8 rebounds per game. Nogic was a two-time All-BIG EAST selection for the Friars and finished her career ranked fourth all-time in scoring (1,724 points). She is the program's most prolific shooters, setting records for career three-point field goals (323), single-season three-point field goals (93), career free-throw percentage (.909) and single-season free-throw percentage (.945). Nogic also finished her career ranked third all-time in the BIG EAST Conference in three-point field goals during regular-season league play (167).Â
WHAT'S NEXT... After playing three games at the Cancun Challenge, the Friars will return to action against intrastate foe Rhode Island on Wednesday, Dec. 4. The game will be played at the Ryan Center in Kingston, R.I. and is scheduled to tipoff at 6:30 p.m.Â
