Providence College Athletics

Friars Travel To West Virginia For Big East Opener

12/6/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Dec. 6, 1999

PROVIDENCE COLLEGE (2-3/0-0) at WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY (3-2/0-0)
Wednesday, December 8, 1999
Morgantown, West Virginia

FRIARS VERSUS MOUNTAINEERS...Tonight's game is the seventh meeting in the all-time series between the two schools. West Virginia has won five of the first six games in the series. PC won its only meeting last December 30th in Providence in a wild 100-95 shootout in Alumni Hall. PC is 1-2 versus WVU in Providence. The Mountaineers won in Morgantown on February 6th by a 73-56 score. PC has never won at the WVU Coliseum where the Friars are 0-3. This year's game will be played at Morgantown High School.

SERIES NOTES

Streaks: The Friars snapped a three-game losing streak with their 73-52 win over Rhode Island last Friday night. West Virgina lost at Florida on Saturday to have its two-game winning streak broken. Tonight's game is both teams BIG EAST opener.

SERIES FACTS
Series Record:
Sixth Meeting, WVU leads, 5-1
BIG EAST Series:
Sixth Meeting, WVU leads, 5-1
At WVU:
WVU leads, 3-0
At Providence:
WVU leads, 2-1
Neutral Courts:
0-0
Last Meeting:
2/6/99 @ WVU WVU 73 PC 58
Last PC win overall:
12/30/98 @ PC 100 WVU 95
Last WVU win:
2/6/99
Current Streak:
WVU won the last game played between the two schools and has won five of the six meetings in the series. Providence has never won at Morgantown (0-3).

PROBABLE STARTERS

Pos.No.NamePts/Reb.Ht.ClassHometown/Last School
G00Dee CUMMINGS1.4/8.2 apg5-5Fr.Huntsville, Ala./Butler
G3Chrissy VOZAB10.6/5.45-7So.Amenia, N.Y./Our Lady of Lourdes
C45Dani TRIPPANY10.0/6.06-5Jr.Massena, N.Y./Massena
F15Monika ROBERTS13.0/10.86-2Jr.Pittsburg, Calif./Antioch
F20Jen GOMBOTZ13.8/7.46-0Jr.Southington, Conn./Southington

OFF THE BENCH

Pos.No.NamePts/Reb.Ht.ClassHometown/Last School
G10Farrah THOMAS8.0/0.65-8Sr.Newport, Ark./Coffeyville CC
G12Abby CHARBONNEAU0.0/0.05-4Jr.Webster, Mass./Bartlett
G14Meghan HINDS11.0/2.75-10Sr.Perrysburg, Ohio/Notre Dame Academy
F22Amy DRECHSLER1.5/0.06-2Jr.Rochester, N.Y./Greece Athena
G23Mandy VANASE0.0/0.05-10Fr.Taftville, Conn./Norwich Academy
F33Steffanie SHOOP3.2/4.06-0Fr.Somerville, N.J./Hillsborough
F41Catrina HAWLEY-STEWARTInj.6-0So.West Haven, Conn./West Haven
G42Brooke FREEBURG1.5/2.35-11Fr.Waterford, Pa./LeBoeuf
F50Zahra WILLIAMS1.8/0.06-0Sr.Hyattsville, Md./Laurel

PROVIDENCE - WEST VIRGINIA

STATISTICAL COMPARISON

PC                             West Virginia 2-3    Overall Record             3-2 0-0    League Record              0-0.420    Field Goal Pct.            .418.326    3-Pt. Field Goal Pct.      .329.535    Free Throw Pct..           .593.363    Opp. FG Pct.               .369.302    Opp. 3-Pt. FG Pct.         .357.667    Opp. FT Pct.               .66746.8    Rebound Average            44.2+2.8    Rebound Margin             +0.818.2    Assists/Game               15.423.4    Turnovers/Game             24.0 4.8    Blocks/Game                3.4 6.8    Steals/Game                7.470.4    Points/Game                68.869.2    Pts Allowed/Game           72.0

PC-RHODE ISLAND RECAP...The Friars snapped a three-game losing streak on Friday, December 3rd with a 73-52 win over intrastate rival Rhode Island. Senior guard Meghan Hinds led PC with 16 points off the bench while junior center Dani Trippany added 14 with nine rebounds and senior Farrah Thomas added ten points in the win. Junior forward Monika Roberts continued her strong play on the boards as she pulled down 13 rebounds in the win. The Friars shot 48.4% from the floor (31-64) and outrebounded URI by a 51-30 margin.

A QUICK LOOK AT HEAD COACH JIM JABIR


Overall Record:
188-177 (.515), 14th season/4th at PC
Birthdate:
August 12, 1962
Education:
B.S. in English from Nazareth College, 1984
M.A. is Student Personnel from Buffalo State, 1987
Coaching:
Assistant Coach, Nazareth College, 1984-85
Assistant Coach, Buffalo State, 1985-86
Head Coach, Buffalo State, 1986-87
Head Coach, Siena College, 1987-90
Head Coach, Marquette University, 1990-96

Season By Season

YearSchoolRecordPost Season
1999-00Providence2-3
1998-99Providence5-22
1997-98Providence10-17
1996-97Providence13-14
1995-96Marquette8-20
1994-95Marquette19-12NCAA Bid
1993-94Marquette22-7NCAA Bid
1992-93Marquette22-9WNIT Bid
1991-92Marquette16-13
1990-91Marquette7-20
1989-90Siena18-11
1988-89Siena16-8
1987-88Siena16-10
1986-87Buffalo State14-11NCAA Bid
14 SeasonsOverall188-1773 NCAA/1 WNIT

OUT OF ACTION....Sophomore forward Catrina Hawley-Stewart is out indefinitely after suffering a high ankle sprain in the preseason game versus the Nor'Easter Storm on November 11th. Freshman guard Brooke Freeburg tore the ACL in her right knee at Michigan and is also out of the lineup. Junior guard Abby Charbonneau probable for tonight's game with a strained right knee.

PASSING FANCY...Freshman guard Dee Cummings turned in her second double-digit assist game in the Friars win over Rhode Island. Cummings dished out 10 assists to give her 42 (8.2 per game) through the first five games of the season. She also had a 15-assist game in her first game against George Mason which set a PC freshman record.

BACK IN ACTION...Senior guard Meghan Hinds sat out the two games at the University of Memphis Lady Tiger Classic with a broken nose suffered in the season opener versus George Mason. Since returning to the lineup versus Michigan, Hinds has scored 27 points (13.5 ppg) with seven rebounds (3.5 per game).

FRIAR SIGNINGS...PC head coach Jim Jabir has announced that three players have signed national letters-of-intent to attend Providence College for the 2000-2001 school year. They are:

Jenese Wilcox6-2F/CPort Chester, N.Y./The Ursuline School
Ryann Kilgore6-1FBelleville, Mich./Belleville
Andrea Horvath6-0G/FSopran, Hungary/Pratt CC

NEXT FOR THE FRIARS...The Friars break for finals and the Christmas holidays following the West Virginia game and don't play again until Monday, December 27th when they travel to New Orleans for the Doubletree Classic at Tulane University. The Friars face Tulane on the 27th at 6:00 p.m.

ALUMNI HALL...The Friars have compiled a 218-78 (.736) record in 24 seasons in Alumni Hall. PC was just 3-9 at home during the 1998-99 season. The three wins were the fewest ever by a PC team at Alumni Hall. This season, the Friars are already 2-0 at home in Alumni Hall.

ALL-TOURNAMENT FRIAR...Junior forward Monika Roberts (Pittsburg, Calif) was named to the All-Tournament Team at the University of Memphis Lady Tiger Classic November 26 and 27. Roberts scored 22 points with eight rebounds in the first game versus Memphis. Game two saw her record 16 points and a career high 18 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. In the two games, Roberts had 38 points (19.0 ppg) and 26 rebounds (13.0 rpg).

PLAYER OF THE WEEK...The Friars' Jen Gombotz was selected as the BIG EAST Co-Player of the Week for the week ending November 21. Gombotz recorded a double-double in PC's 82-70 win over George Mason on November 20th. Gombotz scored a game high 28 points and added 11 rebounds and three steals for the Friars.

POUNDING THE BOARDS...Providence recorded a school record 65 rebounds in the overtime loss to Samford on November 27th. The previous high was 63 versus Long Island University on December 28, 1980.

DOUBLE THE FUN...One of the Friars' smallest players, sophomore guard Chrissy Vozab (Amenia, N.Y.) did her part in the Friars' record breaking day on the boards versus Samford. Vozab recorded the first double-double of her career with 14 points and ten rebounds in that game.

ALWAYS TOUGH BIG EAST...The BIG EAST Conference starts the week with three teams ranked in the Top 25 for the Associated Press Poll and four teams in the USA Today/ESPN Poll.

Associated PressUSA Today
1. Connecticut1. Connecticut
7. Notre Dame7. Notre Dame
13. Rutgers8. Rutgers
22. Boston College

SHOOTING THE BALL...The Friars are shooting 47.5% (66-139) in their wins over George Mason and Rhode Island. In PC's three losses, the Friars are shooting just 38.2% (76-199). For the season, PC is hitting 42.0% (142-338) of its shots.

DOUBLE PLEASURE..Junior forward Jen Gombotz got her 1999-2000 season off to a fast start in the Friars' win over George Mason. The Southington, Connecticut native recorded her first double-double of the season with 28 points and 11 rebounds. Gombotz was 13-25 (.520) from the floor, 1-4 3PT and 1-5 FT in the game.

PASSING FANCY...Friars' freshman point guard Dee Cummings (Butler, Ala.) wasted little time in getting her name in the Providence College record books. In the season opener against George Mason, Cummings dished out a Providence College freshman record 15 assists while committing just five turnovers in the 82-70 victory. She also pulled down seven rebounds while scoring three points. PC's all-time record for assists in one game is 17 and is held by Shanya Evans who did it twice in her career.

SHOT BLOCKER...Junior forward Monika Roberts set a career high with six blocked shots in the PC- Michigan game. For the season, Roberts now has 14 blocked shots or 2.8 per game.

PC's BIG EAST LEADERS...The Friars enter the week with several players leading the BIG EAST in various offensive categories:

Scoring:11th - Jen Gombotz (13.8)
t12th - Monika Roberts (13.0)
Field Goal PCT:6th - Dani Trippany (.583)
Rebounding:1st - Monika Roberts (10.8)
8th - Jen Gombotz (7.4)
Assists:1st - Dee Cummings (8.2)
Steals:8th - Jen Gombotz (2.20)
3PT PCT:6th - Chrissy Vozab (.444)
Blocked Shots:t1st - Monika Roberts (2.8)
Offensive Rebs:t3rd - Monika Roberts (3.60)
Defenisve Rebs:2nd - Monika Roberts (7.2)
3rd - Jen Gombotz (6.4)
10th - Chrissy Vozab (4.6)
A/TO Ratio:2nd - Chrissy Vozab (1.8)
9th - Dee Cummings (1.46)

25th ANNIVERSARY...The Friars are now in their 25th season of Division I competition and have an all-time mark of 441-263 for a .625 winning percentage in 704 all-time games. The Friars own three BIG EAST regular season titles (1983, 1986, 1990), one BIG EAST Tournament Championship (1990), one trip to the WNIT (1987) and five NCAA appearances (1986, 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992).

BIG EAST PRESEASON HONORS...The 1999-2000 BIG EAST Preseason All-Star teams as selected by the coaches:

FIRST TEAM
Svetlana Abrosimova (Jr., F, Connecticut)
Tasha Pointer (Jr., G, Rutgers)
Shea Ralph (Jr., G/F, Connecticut)
Ruth Riley (Jr., C, Notre Dame
Shawnetta Stewart (Sr., G, Rutgers)

SECOND TEAM
Niele Ivey (Sr., G, Notre Dame )
Alissa Murphy (Sr., G/F, Boston College)
Katie Smrcka-Duffy (Jr., G, Georgetown)
Tammy Sutton-Brown (Jr., C, Rutgers)
Tamika Williams (So., F, Connecticut)
Shea Ralph (Jr., G/F, Connecticut)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Svetlana Abrosimova

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:
Kennitra Johnson (Fr., G, Connecticut)

PRESEASON COACHES' POLL...The Friars were picked 12th in the BIG EAST Coaches' Preseason Poll. Here's where all the teams were picked:

1.Connecticut (10)142
2.Rutgers (3)135
3.Notre Dame121
4.Boston College112
5.Georgetown90
6.Villanova86
7.Miami79
8.Syracuse59
9.St. John's46
10.Pittsburgh44
11.Seton Hall39
12.PROVIDENCE38
13.West Virginia23

FAST FRIAR FACTS FOR 1999-2000

  • Providence returns ten lettermen from last year's team including its five top scorers. The Friars also return four starters from a year ago. PC's two graduating players - Dana Simonelli and Kerri Sullivan averaged 4.8 and 4.5 points per game respectively.
  • The 1999-2000 Friars' roster is made up of three seniors, five juniors, two sophomores and four freshmen.
  • Senior guard Meghan Hindsneeds just 155 points this season to become the 21st player in school history to reach the 1,000 point mark in her career.
  • The Friars have five players scoring in double figures this season led by Jen Gombotz's 13.8 ppg. Monika Roberts leads the Friars with 10.8 rebounds per game.
  • Friars' freshman forward Steffanie Shoop (Somerville, N.J.) was a three-time Street & Smith honorable mention All-America and a two-time USA Today honorable mention All-America during her high school career.
  • Freshman guard Brooke Freeburg was a Street & Smith's Honorable Mention All-America as a senior. She finished her high school career as the all-time leading scorer with 2,095 points...She is also the Pennsylvania State Champion in the javelin.
  • Not to be outdone by her fellow freshmen, rookie point guard Dee Cummings comes to Providence after leading her Butler High School team to consecutive Alabama 6A State titles. In 1997-98 she ran the offense for the #1-ranked high school team in the nation. She was selected by Women's Basketball News Service as a Second Team All-Freshman Team selection.

1999-00 PROVIDENCE COLLEGE RECORDS WHEN....

Providence shoots 50% or better from the floor0-0
Providence shoots less than 50% from the floor2-3
Providence holds opponent to 50% or less from the floor2-3
Providence opponent shoots 50% or better from the floor0-0
Providence outrebounds opponent1-1
Providence gets outrebounded by opponent1-2
Providence makes 40% of three point tries1-1
Providence makes less than 40% of three point tries1-2
Providence scores less that 50 points0-0
Providence scores 50-60 points0-1
Providence scores 61-70 points0-1
Providence scores 71-80 points1-1
Providence scores 81-90 points1-0
Providence scores 91 points or more0-0
Opponent scores 50 or less points0-0
Opponent scores 50-60 points1-0
Opponent scores 61-70 points1-0
Opponent scores 71-80 points0-3
Opponent scores 81-90 points0-0
Opponent scores 91 points or more0-0

INDIVIDUAL GAME LEADERS
Scoring:
Roberts (2), Gombotz (1), Trippany (1), Hinds (1)
Rebounding:
Roberts (4), Gombotz (1)
Scoring and Rebounding:
Roberts (2), Gombotz (1)
Double-Doubles:
Gombotz (1), Roberts (1), Vozab (1)
20 Point Games:
Roberts (1), Gombotz (1)
30 Point Games:

FRIARS BY THE NUMBERS (1999-00)

Current Streak1-0
Overall Record2-3
Last Two Games:1-1
Last Three Games:1-2
Home:2-0
Road:0-2
Neutral0-1
Overtime Games:0-1
BIG EAST Record:0-0
BIG EAST Home:0-0
BIG EAST Away:0-0
Longest Win Streak:1
When Leading at Halftime:2-2
Away:0-1
Home:2-0
Neutral:0-1
When Trailing at Halftime:0-1
Home:0-0
Away:0-1
Neutral:0-0

By the Month

November:1-3
December:1-0
January0-0
February0-0

FRIAR EXPERIENCE GAMES PLAYED AND STARTED

Player1996-971997-981998-991999-2000
Abby Charbonneau--15/018/01/0
Dee Cummings------5/5
Amy Drechsler--19/024/24/0
Brooke Freeburg------4/0
Jennifer Gombotz--27/2727/255/5
Catrina Hawley-Stewart----27/7
Meghan Hinds21/1526/1827/233/1
Monika Roberts--23/1127/245/5
Steffanie Shoop------5/0
Farrah Thomas----27/45/0
Dani Trippany--26/41/05/4
Mandy Vanase------
Chrissy Vozab----27/275/5
Zahra Williams--17/015/04/0

1999-00 BIG EAST STANDINGS (as of 12/6/99)

BIG EASTOVERALL
W-LPct.HomeAwayW-LPct.HomeAwayNeutral
Connecticut0-0.0000-00-06-01.0004-01-01-0
Pittsburgh0-0.0000-00-04-1.8002-12-00-0
Notre Dame0-0.0000-00-04-1.8001-01-12-0
Syracuse0-0.0000-00-05-2.7141-11-13-0
Villanova0-0.0000-00-04-2.6671-02-21-0
Boston College0-0.0000-00-05-3.6252-03-20-1
West Virginia0-0.0000-00-03-2.6000-02-11-1
Miami0-0.0000-00-03-2.6003-20-00-0
Rutgers0-0.0000-00-03-2.6002-01-10-1
Seton Hall0-0.0000-00-03-2.6000-13-00-1
Georgetown0-0.0000-00-03-3.5002-01-20-1
Providence0-0.0000-00-02-3.4002-00-20-1
St. John's0-0.0000-00-02-3.4000-11-11-1

PROVIDENCE COLLEGE Season and Career Highs

1999-00 Season Statistics              Career
Abby charbonneau
Points      6 vs. Rutgers (1/10/98)                                                                 Rebounds    3 , twice3 Pters     2 vs. Rutgers (1/10/98)   Assists     4 vs. Rhode Island  (11/18/97)Blocks      1 vs. Syracuse (1/7/99)   Minutes     1 vs. GEORGE MASON (11/20/99)           17 vs. UConn (1/6/98) 

Dee Cummings

Points      4 vs. Memphis  (11/26/99)               SAMERebounds    7 vs. GEORGE MASON (11/20/99)3 Pters   Assists     15 vs. GEORGE MASON (11/20/99)Blocks   Minutes     36 vs. GEORGE MASON (11/20/99)
Amy drechsler
Points      2  Twice   9 vs. Miami (1/13/99)Rebounds    9 vs. Miami (1/13/99)   3 Pters     1 vs.  Georgetown (1/5/99)Assists     2, four timesBlocks      1, RHODE ISLAND (12/3/99)               1, eight timesMinutes     5 twice   22 vs. Miami (1/13/99)  

BROOKE FREEBURG

Points      5 vs. Michigan (11/30/99)               SAME   Rebounds    4 vs. Memphis (11/26/99)   3 Pters     1 vs. Michigan (11/30/99)Assists   Blocks   Minutes     11 vs. Memphis (11/26/99)     

Jennifer Gombotz

Points      28 vs. GEORGE MASON (11/20/99)         32 vs. Detroit (11/30/97)   Rebounds    11 vs. GEORGE MASON (11/20/99)         11 vs. GEORGE MASON (11/20/99)3 Pters     2 vs. Memphis (11/26/99)               4, severalAssists     5 vs. Samford (11/27/99)               7 vs. WVU (1/21/98)   Blocks      1 vs. GEORGE MASON (11/20/99)          3 vs. Boston College (2/4/98)   Minutes     42 vs. Samford  (11/27/99)             42 vs. Samford (11/27/99)

Meghan Hinds

Points     16 vs. RHODE ISLAND (12/3/99)           27 vs Georgetown (1/18/98)Rebounds   4 vs. RHODE ISLAND (12/3/99)            10 vs Villanova (1/2/97)3 Pters    2, twice   4 vs St. John's (2/1/98)Assists    2  twice   5 vs WVU (1/21/98)Blocks     2 vs Villanova (1/2/97)Steals     3, five timesMinutes    27 vs. GEORGE MASON (11/20/99)          38 vs Villanova (1/2/97)              38 vs Connecticut (2/2/97)

CATRINA HAWLEY-STEWART

Points   Injured                                   14 vs. West Virginia (2/6/99)Rebounds                                           9 vs. Georgetown (2/10/99)3 Pters                                            2, twiceAssists                                            3, twiceBlocks                                             2 vs. Georgetown (2/10/99)Steals                                             4 vs. Purdue (2/4/99)Minutes                                            33 vs. Villanova (1/17/99)

MONIKA ROBERTS

Points     22 vs. Memphis  (11/26/99)             27 vs. Villanvoa (1/17/99)   Rebounds   18 vs. Samford (11/27/99)              18 vs. Samford (11/27/99)   3 Pters    2 vs. Memphis (11/26/99)               2, three timesAssists    1  twice                               3 vs. Syracuse (12/31/97)Blocks     6 vs. Michigan (11/30/99)              6 vs. Michigan (11/30/99)Minutes    38 vs. Memphis (11/26/99)              38 vs. Memphis (11/27/99)   

STEFFANIE SHOOP

Points     8 vs. RHODE ISLAND (12/3/99)           SAMERebounds   8 vs. RHODE ISLAND (12/3/99)3 PtersAssists   BlocksSteals    1 vs. Samford (11/27/99)Minutes   15 vs. RHODE ISLAND (12/3/99)  

Farrah Thomas

Points    13 vs. Samford (11/27/99)              15 vs. Wake Forest (11/24/98)Rebound   1 twice                                6 vs. DePaul (11/27/98)3 Pters   3 vs. Samford (11/27/99)               4 vs. Wake Forest (11/24/98)Assists   1 vs. Samford (11/27/99)               4 vs. Georgetown (2/10/99)Blocks    1, three timesMinutes   27 vs. Samford (11/27/99)              28 vs. DePaul (11/27/98)

DANI TRIPPANY

Points    13 vs. Michigan (11/30/99)             17 vs. Boston College (2/28/98)Rebound   9 vs. RHODE ISLAND (12/3/99)           9 vs. RHODE ISLAND (12/3/99)3 Pters      Assists   1 twice   2, twiceSteals    2 vs. Michigan (11/30/99)              2, three times       Blocks    2 twice   2, five times   Minutes   30 vs. Memphis (11/26/99)              30 vs. Memphis (11/26/99)

MANDY VANASE

Points   Rebounds   3 Pters      Assists   Blocks      Minutes     

CHRissy vozab

Points     14 vs. Samford (11/27/99)            30 vs. Wake Forest (11/24/98)Rebounds   10 vs. Samford  (11/27/99)           10 vs. Samford  (11/27/99)   3 Pters    2  three times                       5 vs. Wake Forest (11/24/98)Assists    9 vs. RHODE ISLAND (12/3/99)         9 vs. RHODE ISLAND (12/3/99)Blocks     1 vs. GEORGE MASON (11/20/99)        1 vs. GEORGE MASON (11/20/99) Minutes    40  twice                            40 four times

zahra williams

Points     5 vs. Samford (11/27/99)             7 vs. Pittsburgh (2/21/98)   Rebounds   5 vs. Pittsburgh (2/21/98)   3 Pters    1 vs. Samford (11/27/99)             1 vs. Georgetown (2/10/99)Assists    1 vs. Purdue (2/4/99)Blocks     3 vs. Notre Dame (1/24/98)   Minutes    7  twice                             20 vs. Georgetown (2/4/99)
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