Providence College Athletics
Women's Basketball Game Notes Versus Navy
11/20/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 20, 2002
Women's Basketball Game Notes Versus Navy
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PROVIDENCE COLLEGE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PREVIEW
United States Naval Academy vs. Providence College (at Burlington Vt.) Friday, November 22 - 8:00 p.m. Saturday, November 23 - 3:00 p.m. (Consolation Game) / 5:00 p.m. (Championship Game) Banknorth Classic - Patrick Gymnasium
Navy Midshipmen (0-0): The Midshipmen open their season with a matchup against the Friars in the first round of the Banknorth Classic at the University of Vermont. Navy returns all five starters from a team who finished with a 13-15 overall record and, with a 5-9 record (six place) in the Patriot League. The Midshipmen are led by a trio of juniors. Guard Courtney Davidson (New Oxford, Pa.), forward Bryanna Herring (Columbia, Md.), and guard Maile Shimoda (Orange, Calif.) all averaged double figures last season with Davidson leading the group with her 17.7 points per game average. Of the three returning Navy leaders, Herring produced the most on the boards averaging 6.6 rebounds per game last season. In his ninth season at Navy, and 25th overall, Head Coach Joe Sanchez is 30th among active NCAA coaches in career victories. This game will mark the first-ever matchup between the Midshipmen and the Friars.
Providence College Friars (0-0): The Providence College women's basketball team opens its season at the Banknorth Classic, on the campus of the University of Vermont, as they face the Navy Midshipmen. The Friars finished their exhibition season, 1-1, with sophomore guard Michel Epstein (Rehovot, Israel) leading Providence in both games. She averaged team-highs with 18.5 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.5 steals in the two contests. This season's team returns three starters from a squad that finished 13-15 overall and 7-9 (eighth place) in the BIG EAST Conference. They completed a five-game exhibition tour in Scandinavia this summer with a perfect 5-0 record under the guidance of first-year Head Coach Susan Yow. She comes to Providence with 19 years of NCAA Division I head coaching experience (1978-97). She has most recently spent four years as an assistant coach in the WNBA (1997-01). The winner of Friday's game will play the winner of the Vermont vs. Yale game at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 23. The two losers of each game will play at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday in the consolation game.
Possible opponents for Saturday, November 23:
University of Vermont Catamounts (0-0): As the host team of the Banknorth Classic, the Catamounts face Yale to open their season. Vermont returns four starters from a team who finished with a 23-9 overall record, won the America East Championship, and made it to the WNIT Quarterfinals. The Catamounts' top returning player is Aaron Yantzi (Waterloo, Ontario). The junior forward averaged a team-high 14.0 points per game, while adding 5.2 rebounds per game last season. Head Coach Keith Cieplicki is in his sixth season at Vermont and owns the best winning percentage in the program's history. The Friars and Catamounts have met once with Providence defeating Vermont, 85-43, on February 7, 1979.
Yale University Bulldogs (0-0): The Bulldogs will take on host Vermont in the opening game of the Banknorth Classic. They are a team who returns two starters from last season's 14-13 squad. Yale finished in a fourth-place tie in the Ivy League with a 7-7 record last season. The Bulldogs' top returning offensive player is Christina Phillips (Hartford, Conn.). Last season, the junior forward averaged a team-high 9.7 points per game, while adding 4.4 rebounds per contest. Yale is led by fourth-year Head Coach Amy Backus. Providence owns an 8-0 record versus Yale, with the most recent matchup coming in 1983.
