Providence College Athletics
Thursday, November 28
Cancun, Mexico / Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya
11:00 AM (ET)
Providence College
3-4,0-0Big East
51
vs
57
VCU
4-2,0-0Atlantic 10
1
2
3
4
F
VCU
17
19
15
6
57
Providence
10
10
19
12
51
Friars Defeated By VCU In Opening Game Of Cancun Challenge, 57-51
11/28/2024 1:37:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Grace Efosa led three Friars in double figures with 12 points.
CANCUN, MEXICO – The Providence College women's basketball team opened the 2024 Cancun Challenge on Thursday, Nov. 28 at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya and were defeated by VCU, 57-51. The Friars trailed by as many as 18 in the first half before cutting the deficit to five in the fourth quarter. Providence moved to 3-4 on the season, while VCU improved to 4-2 on the year.
1ST QUARTER:
• The Rams used a 9-2 run over the final 2:09 of the first quarter to take a 17-10 lead.
• Sarah Bandoma paced the Friars in the opening 10 minutes with four points on 2-2 shooting.
2ND QUARTER:
• The Friars fell behind 28-10 as the Rams extended their run to 20-2 with a 11-0 scoring edge in the opening 6:11 of the second quarter.
• Providence finally got on the board at the 3:19 mark of the quarter as Ugne Sirtautaite buried a turnaround jumper in the paint (28-12).
• Marta Morales Romero scored eight points in the final 1:52 of the quarter, but VCU took a 36-20 lead into halftime.
• VCU shot a blistering 66.7-percent in the first half (16-24), while the Friars hit just 26.9-percent of their attempts (7-26).
3RD QUARTER:
• Providence forced a VCU timeout after starting the third quarter with a 6-3 spurt to get within 39-26 (7:04).
• The Friars cut the deficit to single digits (42-33) with 5:28 to play in the frame on a 7-1 run. Kylee Sheppard was responsible for five of the Friars' seven points.
• Providence outscored the Rams 19-15 in the third, but VCU took a 51-39 lead into the fourth quarter.
4TH QUARTER:
• Olivia Olsen opened the fourth quarter with a pair of free throws to make it a 10-point game (51-41).
• Providence inched its way within six (51-45) with 6:09 left.
• The score remained unchanged for five and a half minutes as Providence went scoreless after getting within striking distance.
• VCU got their first points of the quarter with just 43-seconds left with a pair of free throws (54-45).
• Morales Romero hit a three for Providence after calling a timeout to advance the ball with 36-seconds left (53-48).
• Olsen hit her first three of the season with 27-seconds left to get the Friars within three (54-51).
• The Friars fouled immediately sending VCU to the line, where Mykel Parham made one of two attempts (55-51).
• Providence called its final timeout to advance the ball, trailing by four with 28-seconds left. Olsen got an open jumper from the left baseline, but the attempt rimmed out.
• The Rams converted a pair of free throws on the other end to seal the win (57-51).
• Providence outscored VCU 12-6 in the fourth quarter.
NOTES / HIGHLIGHTS:
• Efosa led the Friars in scoring for the sixth-consecutive game with 12 points.
• Olsen and Morales Romero each added 11 points.
• Olsen played just nine minutes through the first three quarters due to foul trouble. She played all 10 minutes in the fourth, during which she recorded seven points and five rebounds.
• Providence was held to a season-low 51 points and finished the game 17-54 from the field (.315)
• Mary-Anna Asare scored a game-high 17 points for VCU, while Parham added eight points and a game-high 10 boards.
• PC's defense held the Rams without a field-goal over the final 13:12 of the game.
• The Friars are playing in the Cancun Challenge for the first time in program history.
WHAT'S NEXT:
• The Friars return to action tomorrow [Friday, Nov. 29] to face Wisconsin on day two of the Cancun Challenge. Tipoff is slated for 11:00 a.m. and the game will be broadcast live on FloCollege.
• For more information regarding the 2024 Cancun Challenge, please click the following link: Tournament Central
- GO FRIARS! -
1ST QUARTER:
• The Rams used a 9-2 run over the final 2:09 of the first quarter to take a 17-10 lead.
• Sarah Bandoma paced the Friars in the opening 10 minutes with four points on 2-2 shooting.
2ND QUARTER:
• The Friars fell behind 28-10 as the Rams extended their run to 20-2 with a 11-0 scoring edge in the opening 6:11 of the second quarter.
• Providence finally got on the board at the 3:19 mark of the quarter as Ugne Sirtautaite buried a turnaround jumper in the paint (28-12).
• Marta Morales Romero scored eight points in the final 1:52 of the quarter, but VCU took a 36-20 lead into halftime.
• VCU shot a blistering 66.7-percent in the first half (16-24), while the Friars hit just 26.9-percent of their attempts (7-26).
3RD QUARTER:
• Providence forced a VCU timeout after starting the third quarter with a 6-3 spurt to get within 39-26 (7:04).
• The Friars cut the deficit to single digits (42-33) with 5:28 to play in the frame on a 7-1 run. Kylee Sheppard was responsible for five of the Friars' seven points.
• Providence outscored the Rams 19-15 in the third, but VCU took a 51-39 lead into the fourth quarter.
4TH QUARTER:
• Olivia Olsen opened the fourth quarter with a pair of free throws to make it a 10-point game (51-41).
• Providence inched its way within six (51-45) with 6:09 left.
• The score remained unchanged for five and a half minutes as Providence went scoreless after getting within striking distance.
• VCU got their first points of the quarter with just 43-seconds left with a pair of free throws (54-45).
• Morales Romero hit a three for Providence after calling a timeout to advance the ball with 36-seconds left (53-48).
• Olsen hit her first three of the season with 27-seconds left to get the Friars within three (54-51).
• The Friars fouled immediately sending VCU to the line, where Mykel Parham made one of two attempts (55-51).
• Providence called its final timeout to advance the ball, trailing by four with 28-seconds left. Olsen got an open jumper from the left baseline, but the attempt rimmed out.
• The Rams converted a pair of free throws on the other end to seal the win (57-51).
• Providence outscored VCU 12-6 in the fourth quarter.
NOTES / HIGHLIGHTS:
• Efosa led the Friars in scoring for the sixth-consecutive game with 12 points.
• Olsen and Morales Romero each added 11 points.
• Olsen played just nine minutes through the first three quarters due to foul trouble. She played all 10 minutes in the fourth, during which she recorded seven points and five rebounds.
• Providence was held to a season-low 51 points and finished the game 17-54 from the field (.315)
• Mary-Anna Asare scored a game-high 17 points for VCU, while Parham added eight points and a game-high 10 boards.
• PC's defense held the Rams without a field-goal over the final 13:12 of the game.
• The Friars are playing in the Cancun Challenge for the first time in program history.
WHAT'S NEXT:
• The Friars return to action tomorrow [Friday, Nov. 29] to face Wisconsin on day two of the Cancun Challenge. Tipoff is slated for 11:00 a.m. and the game will be broadcast live on FloCollege.
• For more information regarding the 2024 Cancun Challenge, please click the following link: Tournament Central
- GO FRIARS! -
Team Stats
VCU
PROV
FG%
.422
.315
3FG%
.267
.192
FT%
.682
.923
RB
33
31
TO
17
16
STL
8
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
5
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballG/F
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
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