Minutewomen Host CCSU At Mullins Wednesday Night
Nov. 15, 2011
AMHERST, Mass. – Coming off a season-opening victory over Boston University, the UMass women’s basketball team will look to keep the momentum going as the squad will play its second straight home game on Wednesday evening, playing host to Central Connecticut at 7 p.m. in the Mullins Center. Both the Minutewomen and the Blue Devils are 1-0 heading into the contest that will be televised locally on CBS 3 Now and can also be seen online on UMass All-Access and heard on WMUA 91.1 FM. Cody Chrusciel and Ryan X. Murray will call the action.
Scouting Central Connecticut
Central Connecticut enjoyed its winningest season of recent memory in 2010-11, posting a 19-11 overall record and reaching the Northeast Conference semifinals for the third year in a row. Five seniors led the Blue Devils last year, and CCSU will look to three returners to guide the Blue Devils in 2011-12: Kirsten Daamen, Rachel Chandler, and Jessica Babe.
Central Connecticut started off its season with a 53-48 win over Maine at home last Friday. Babe posted a team-high 16 points. Not far behind each other were Arbogast and Daamen, Arbogast with 10 and nine on the evening, respectively. Junior center, Daamen, started 15 of the Blue Devils’ 30 games last year and shot .531 from the field while also averaging 1.9 rebounds per-game.
Junior guard, Jaclyn Babe, sophomore guard, Jessica Babe, and sophomore forward Lauren Arbogast all played together at Mt. Lebanon High School in Pittsburgh. Jaclyn is a transfer from Duquesne and redshirted last year. The leading returning scorer from last years campaign is Jaclyn Babe’s twin, Jessica. Jessica had 141 points last season in 30 games played, but did not play Friday night. Arbogast had limited time last year as a freshman and averaged 1.5 rebounds per-contest.
Series History
Central Connecticut and UMass first met on the court on Feb. 1, 1972, with the Blue Devils claiming a 49-25 win. The Minutewomen have won 15 of the next 17 games against CCSU, most recently on Jan. 2, 1993, a 59-45 road victory. The win was the fifth straight for UMass in the series.
Last Time: Minutewomen Defeat BU In Opener
The Minutewomen held Boston University scoreless for the opening 5:30 and never trailed in the contest on the way to a 55-49 season-opening win over the Boston University at the Mullins Center this past Sunday.
Junior Shakia Robinson led UMass with 22 points and also grabbed eight rebounds, while shooting 8-for-16. Sixth-year senior Megan Zullo shot 5-for-7 from three-point range and finished with 17 points\.
In her debut as a Minutewoman, redshirt sophomore Carolann Cloutier corralled a team-best 10 rebounds and handed out six assists. Both marks surpassed her previous career highs from her freshman season at Old Dominion, five and four, respectively.
Defensively the Minutewomen held three BU starters to a combined 5-for-34 (14.7%) from the floor on the afternoon and just three bench points. Among those starters for the Terriers, was reigning America East Player of the Year Chantell Alford, limited by UMass to five points and three rebounds on 2-for-15 shooting.
The contest marked the first time the Minutewomen held an opponent under 30% shooting for a game since Jan. 19, 2011 vs. Saint Louis. BU finished 20-for-71 (28.2%) from the field.
UMass out-rebounded Boston University, 50-42, the first 50-rebound game for the program since posting 50 at Rhode Island on Feb. 2, 2006.
In the record book, Megan Zullo passed Kim Benton (2006-10) for fifth on the career three-point field goals list, now with 129. She is four behind Kathy Coyner (1997-2001) for fourth (133).
Jasmine Watson (four blocks) took over sole possession of seventh on the UMass career list, now with 79, passing Caroline Nehls (1998-2002).
Four players made their UMass debuts against the Terriers: Carolann Cloutier, Emily Mital, Aisha Rodney and Millie Niggeling. Mital and Niggeling tallied their first career points, while Mital, Rodney and Niggeling all grabbed their first career rebounds.
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