Saturday, December 10
Chase Arena - West Hartford, CT
2:00 PM
Quinnipiac University
at
Hartford
QU Women's Basketball Heads to Hartford for In-State Clash on Saturday
12/9/2016 10:42:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Bobcats Have Won Three Straight Meetings Against the Hawks
Quinnipiac Bobcats (6-2) at
Hartford Hawks (7-3)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016 | 2 PM
Location: Chase Arena | West Hartford, Conn.
All-Time Series vs. Hartford: Quinnipiac leads 14-9
Last Meeting: W, 71-69 (OT) (Nov. 19, 2015 at QU)
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NUTMEG STATE SHOWDOWN
After a pair of home games, including a big non-conference showdown with national power Michigan State on Tuesday night, the Quinnipiac women's basketball team remains in Connecticut for their final contest before final exam week as the Bobcats head up I-91 to take on the Hartford Hawks at 2 PM on Saturday. These two very familiar foes have met 24 times – the most of any non-conference opponent in Quinnipiac's program history – and this year's meeting shapes up to be a good one as the two sides come in with a combined record of 13-5 through the early stages of 2016-17.
SCOUTING THE HAWKS
ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST HARTFORD
MARTUCCI MAKING IT HAPPEN
Adily Martucci brought one of her best games to the table on Tuesday night against Michigan State as the redshirt senior matched her career high with 20 points in just 23 minutes against the national power Spartans. A player known to step up her game against the Bobcats' toughest competition, Martucci spot 6-of-13 overall, 3-of-8 from deep and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe on her way to a season high performance. She also stepped up last season, posting 20 points (8-16 FG) for the first time in her career in an overtime loss at mid-major power Florida Gulf Coast.
SHE GOT GAME
Jen Fay continues to dominate on the offensive end for the Bobcats as she tallied a game high 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting and 3-of-5 from deep in a 73-47 win over Siena. After scoring 10+ points just once in her freshman season, Fay has notched a team-leading five double digit outings for the Bobcats. In those five games, Fay is averaging 15.2 points per game while shooting a blistering 60.4 percent (29-48 FG) overall, 45.5 percent (10-22 3FG) from behind the arc and 88.9 percent (8-9 FT) from the charity stripe.
FORCING THE ISSUE
The Bobcat defense pitched a stellar defensive outing against Siena as the Saints were forced into 34 turnovers while Quinnipiac came up with 20 steals in the winning effort. The 34 forced turnovers for Quinnipiac are the second-most by a Bobcat opponent in a single-game in the Bobcats' Div. I program history (since 1998-99) – Quinnipiac forced Manhattan into 35 turnovers last season on Dec. 6, 2015.
SHOOTING WOES FOR THE SAINTS
Heading into a second conference game in three days, Quinnipiac faced a daunting task in attempting to limit a Siena offense that came in as the top-scoring team in the MAAC at 73 points per game. Honing in on the MAAC's leading scorer Jackie Benitez (21.4 PPG heading into the contest), the Bobcats held Siena to a season-low 47 points while Benitez shot just 4-of-15 overall for nine points and was held scoreless in the second half. As a team, Siena shot just 1-of-14 (7.1 percent) from behind the arc while the Bobcats forced the Saints into 34 turnovers. Those 34 turnovers led to a massive 35-13 advantage for Quinnipiac in points off turnovers.
TOP SPOT IN THE MAAC
Through eight games this season, Quinnipiac holds the lead in eight different statistical categories while the Bobcats are ranked no worse than third out of 11 MAAC teams in 15 out of 21 major team statistics. Quinnipiac leads the MAAC in scoring offense (70.2), scoring margin (+11.5), field goal percentage defense (35.9), three-point percentage defense (22.2), assists (18.0), steals (12.1), turnover margin (+7.50) and assist/turnover ratio (1.19).
FRESHMAN FITS RIGHT IN
Ever since moving into a major role in the rotation, freshman Vanessa Udoji has responded with a pair of impressive outings in wins over Saint Peter's and Siena. In those three games, Udoji is averaging 9.7 PPG as she pumped in a team-leading 16 points against the Peacocks and followed with 13 against the Saints. Udoji is shooting 43.5 percent (10-23 FG) from the floor while adding five rebounds per contest in just 19 minutes per game. Her production on the defensive end has also been stellar as she ranks second on the team in steals (seven) including a single-game high mark (five) against Siena that stands as the most for any Bobcat in a game this season. Prior to the uptick, Udoji had appeared in just nine total minutes in the first five games of the season (three DNP's) with two points scored.
POINTS ALL AROUND
Five Bobcats – Vanessa Udoji 16, Adily Martucci 13, Paige Warfel 11, Jen Fay 10 and Paula Strautmane 10 – hit double figures in the box score in a dominating 84-51 road win over Saint Peter's. This marked the first time since a road win over Rider back on Feb. 26, 2015 (44 games ago) that five Bobcats finished with at least 10 points in the same game.
FRESHMAN FRESHMAN!
Grasping an opportunity for extended minutes, a pair of freshmen took full advantage as Vanessa Udoji and Paige Warfel turned in a pair of stellar outings to highlight the 84-51 victory at Saint Peter's. Udoji went for 16 points (4-7 FG, 2-5 3FG, 6-6 FT) in 25 minutes to lead the way for the Bobcats while Warfel finished with 11 points and seven rebounds (all offensive) in 19 minutes. Heading into tonight's game with just two combined points (Udoji 2, Warfel 0) in 22 minutes between the pair, Udoji and Warfel both capitalized combining for 27 points and 13 rebounds in the 33-point victory.
SHE'S A THORN-TON IN THEIR SIDE
Edel Thornton posted one of the best games of her young career in an 84-51 road win at Saint Peter's as she tallied five points to go along with her seven assists against no turnovers in 17 minutes. Thornton's seven-assist outing is good enough for a career high as well as the most assists for any Bobcat in a game this season. In fact, Thornton dished out the most assists in a single-game without a turnover since the program's all-time assist leader Gillian Abshire posted 11 assists and no turnovers in a home win over Iona on Feb. 9, 2015 (50 games ago).
HAVE A DAY JEN FAY
Temple's hot shooting spoiled what was the best game of redshirt sophomore Jen Fay's young caree as she finished with a career and game high 26 points on 10-of-13 shooting, 3-of-5 from three and 3-for-3 at the free throw line. Fay added six rebounds and two steals in just 25 minutes of action as she easily surpassed her previous career-best total of 11. Her 26 points also represents the highest single-game point total by a Bobcat since Samantha Guastella went for 28 in a home win over Siena on Dec. 5, 2014 (66 games ago).
STREAK BUSTED
Quinnipiac has enjoyed a great deal of success over the past three seasons when building a first half lead. After starting 2016-17 with a mark of 2-0 when owning a halftime lead, the Bobcats recently saw one of their most impressive streaks in program history come to an end in a 71-68 loss at Temple. Quinnipiac's three-point loss signaled the first time the Bobcats had lost a game in which they held a halftime lead since the 2014 MAAC Championship game against Marist. The undefeated streak, which lasted over the course of three seasons, came to an end at 45 straight wins for the Bobcats when holding a halftime lead. Quinnipiac went undefeated in both 2014-15 (24-0) and 2015-16 (19-0) and for the first two games of 2016-17 before suffering the defeat. They now stand with a mark of 47-1 (.979) since the start of 2016-17 in games in which the Bobcats lead at the half.
VOTERS TAKING NOTICE
Voters have taken notice of Quinnipiac and their 6-2 start to 2016-17 as the Bobcats earned the No. 5 ranking in the College Insider Mid-Major Poll on Tuesday. The Top 5 ranking comes just two weeks following the program's highest-ranking in the College Insider Poll at No. 4. Overall, the Bobcats enter their third straight week ranked in the Top 5 which had never happened prior to this season. Quinnipiac has improved the most spots week-to-week of any team in the poll as the Bobcats vaulted up from No. 13 in the preseason poll to their current No. 5 position just four weeks into the season. The markup also is reflected in the total points as Quinnipiac checked in with 641 points this week compared to 345 in the preseason poll for a nation-leading +296 improvement.
SHOOTER'S TOUCH
Even with the 6-2 start, Quinnipiac struggled to find their shot in the first two games of the season as the Bobcats started the season just 36 percent (45-125 FG) from the floor and 26.8 percent (11-41 3FG) from three for 64.5 points per game. Those numbers have improved considerably in the last six games as the Bobcats have since shot 38.6 percent (158-409 FG) overall and 29.6 percent (50-169 3FG) from deep on their way to 72.2 PPG as a team.
FLIPPING THE SCRIPT
One of the most telling statistical trends all season for the Bobcats has been in the turnover department as Quinnipiac owns a +60 advantage (+7.5 per game; 17th in the nation) in turnover margin through eight games in 2016-17. The Bobcats have turned the ball over just 121 times while forcing the opposition into 181 turnovers (22.6 per game) which ranks 16th in the nation. Temple and Michigan State are the only opponents of eight to have committed less than 20 turnovers in a single-game. The pressure-packed team defensive approach has translated directly into points as the Bobcats have outscored their eight opponents 178-109 (+69) in points-off-turnovers for a per-game average of 22.3 compared to 13.6 for the opposition.
THAT 70+ SHOW
Since the 2007-08 season, Quinnipiac is 121-15 (.890) in games wherein the Bobcats score 70 or more points, including a 13-1 mark in 2015-16 and 42-2 combined since 2014-15. During 2012-13 (18-0) and 2010-11 (8-0), the Bobcats rolled to undefeated records in each respective season when reaching the scoring plateau.
Quinnipiac's Record in Games Scoring 70+ Points Since 2007-08
Season Record
2016-17 4-0
2015-16 13-1
2014-15 28-1
2013-14 14-6
2012-13 18-0
2011-12 9-3
2010-11 8-0
2009-10 5-2
2008-09 11-1
2007-08 11-1
Total (10 Seasons) 121-15 (.890)
BOY CAN THE BOBCATS PROTECT THE BALL
Even after the graduation of the program's all-time assists leader Gillian Abshire in 2015, Quinnipiac has prolonged their supreme proficiency with the ball. The Bobcats predicate smart passes and protecting the ball on offense and the stats certainly reflect that trend as Quinnipiac has produced a conference-leading assist/turnover ratio in four of the last five seasons while ranking Top 50 in the nation three times. Through eight games in 2016-17, the pattern is already showing through as the Bobcats lead the MAAC and rank 39th in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.19).
RETURN OF THE GOLD RUSH
Injuries forced Quinnipiac out of their rotation but now back at full strength, Quinnipiac has utilized their "Gold Rush" subbing strategy to the fullest extent. In this approach first developed in the team's 30-3 season in 2012-13, Quinnipiac chooses to sub five players in-and-out of the game at a time throughout entire 40-minute contests. Since making the move back to the traditional approach, Quinnipiac is averaging 72.2 PPG while shooting 38.6 percent, dishing out 18.8 assists and totaling 14 steals per contest. Of the 10 consistent "Gold Rush" players, only one is averaging more than 22 MPG (Aryn McClure 22.5 MPG) while eight Bobcats are averaging at least 5.0 PPG. On the defensive end, Quinnipiac is holding opponents to just 59 PPG, 35.9 percent shooting, 22.7 percent from deep and just 64 assists to 139 turnovers for a miniscule 0.46 assist/turnover ratio.
MORGAN MAKING IT HAPPEN
Morgan Manz has taken a leading role this season for the first time in her career as she ranks third on the team in scoring at 8.8 PPG. She paved the way with 16 points while shooting an impressive 6-of-9 overall and 3-for-5 from three-point range in a 78-55 road victory over Holy Cross (11/16). Coming into the Bobcats' 63-60 road win over Dayton where she posted a game-high 19 points, Manz owned a career-best point total of 15 and bested that mark in consecutive games.
BIG MAAC AWARD
Aryn McClure started the season taking home the league's first MAAC Player of the Week honor of 2016-17 as well as the first of her career. She also took home College Sports Madness' MAAC Player of the Week award, sweeping the week in what was a masterful performance from McClure over the 2-0 week. McClure started with her fifth career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds to go along with four assists and a career high five blocks in the win over FGCU. She followed that up with 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks in the comeback win over Dayton, netting 11 of her 12 points in the second half.
WHAT A WIN!
Trailing 17 points with 14:30 remaining, the Bobcats gutted out the largest comeback in the program's Division I history as Quinnipiac came-from-behind to defeat fellow mid-major power Dayton, 63-60, in Ohio on Sunday, Nov. 13. The 17-point Quinnipiac comeback sets a new Div. I record, one better than a 16-point margin overcome in a 68-61 overtime win over Robert Morris back on Feb. 19, 2000.
TURNAROUND FOR THE AGES
Playing in front of a ravenous home fanbase of nearly 2,000 strong cheering for a Dayton team just two seasons removed from a run into the 2015 Elite Eight, the Bobcats were all but out of it trailing 46-29 with 4:30 left in the third quarter. After shooting a paltry 11-for-41 (26.8 percent) overall up to the 4:30 mark of the third quarter, Quinnipiac was nothing short of incredible for the final 14:30 of play. Led by the senior tandem of Morgan Manz and Adily Martucci, the Bobcats finished 13-of-26 (50 percent) in what amounted to a 20-point swing (34-14 run) to end the game.
SPLASH ZONE
The lynchpin behind the victory over Dayton was a career game from Morgan Manz as she posted a monster total going for a career high 19 points (7-15 FG, 3-9 3FG) in a career best 31 minutes which included a decisive bucket in the waning minutes to help seal the win. Eight of her game-high 19 points came in the fourth quarter including a pair of three-pointers and the huge jumper that put the Bobcats up three with 21 seconds to go.
RESUME BOOSTER
Now 6-2 on the season, Quinnipiac opened 2016-17 with two of their most impressive wins in program history. Starting with a 66-56 win over perennial mid-major power Florida Gulf Coast, the Bobcats' 63-60 road win over Dayton comes against a Flyer team that had won six consecutive Atlantic-10 Championships from 2010-15. Between the Bobcats' first two opponents, Quinnipiac defeated a pair of teams that have combined for 453 wins (FGCU: 246-52; Dayton: 207-82), 50.3 wins per season (FGCU: 27.3; Dayton: 23), 77.1 winning percentage, 10 conference titles and five NCAA Tournament victories in the last nine seasons (since 2007-08).
MISSION COMPLETE
After a pair of thrilling meetings in the two seasons prior, the Bobcats finally broke through against Florida Gulf Coast as Quinnipiac dominated defensively in a 66-56 season-opening win at home over the fellow mid-major power. In a matchup pitting two programs ranked in the College Insider Mid-Major Poll, then-No. 13 Quinnipiac put on a defensive clinic in holding then-No. 7 FGCU to just 20-of-61 shooting from the floor and 12 percent (3-25 3FG) from three. Quinnipiac's defensive outing from the three-point line is commendable considering FGCU ranked sixth in the nation with 9.3 made three-pointers per game in 2015-16.
HOME LOVIN
The TD Bank Sports Center, home of the Quinnipiac Bobcats, has long been one of the most difficult arenas to play at in the country. Since the 2012-13 season, Quinnipiac owns a record of 55-7 (.887) in games played at home. In just the last three seasons (since 2014-15), Quinnipiac owns a mark of 30-3 (.909). That mark easily ranks as the best in the MAAC while it also places them tied for the 17th-best home win percentage in the nation over the last three seasons. The Bobcats' 14-0 mark at home in 2014-15 made them one of just 14 teams in the nation to finish with an undefeated home record.
BIG MOVERS IN THE MAAC
Since joining the MAAC in 2013-14, Quinnipiac has reeled off a record of 60-11 (.845) in all games against MAAC opponents and 53-9 (.855) in regular season MAAC games, both records that currently lead all teams in the MAAC. The Bobcats surpassed longtime conference power Marist who owns a mark of 54-16 (.771) against conference foes over the last three seasons and stand 48-14 (.774) in regular season MAAC play.
THE 2015-16 REGULAR SEASON
Quinnipiac finished 22-7 overall and 17-3 in league play to earn the 2015-16 MAAC Regular Season Championship and the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. Quinnipiac clinched its second straight MAAC Regular Season title with a win over Iona in a winner-take-all regular season finale. The regular season title was the Bobcats' third in the four years dating back to the 2012-13 campaign where Quinnipiac was crowned the NEC Regular Season Champions. The Bobcats became just the second MAAC team, joining Marist in 2004-05, to start their conference schedule with three losses and win the remainder of their games to take home the MAAC Regular Season title outright. Quinnipiac entered the MAAC Tournament winners of 17 straight games which was the sixth-longest streak in the nation.
HIGH-POWERED OFFENSIVE ATTACK
Quinnipiac's coaching staff has long preached an up-tempo offensive system and the stats certainly reflect its success as the Bobcats have led their respective conference in scoring offense and assists in four of the last five seasons. Starting in the final two years of the Northeast Conference, Quinnipiac averaged an NEC-leading 67.9 points per game in 2011-12 and 70.5 PPG in 2012-13. That success carried over since joining the MAAC as the Bobcats ranked second in the league at 73.4 PPG in 2013-14 before leading the way again in 2014-15 with a league-record 78.5 PPG as well as 67.5 PPG in 2015-16. Over the last five seasons, Quinnipiac's cumulative scoring average is 71.6 PPG while the team dishes out 16.6 assists per game across the 168-game span.
Hartford Hawks (7-3)
Date: Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016 | 2 PM
Location: Chase Arena | West Hartford, Conn.
All-Time Series vs. Hartford: Quinnipiac leads 14-9
Last Meeting: W, 71-69 (OT) (Nov. 19, 2015 at QU)
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NUTMEG STATE SHOWDOWN
After a pair of home games, including a big non-conference showdown with national power Michigan State on Tuesday night, the Quinnipiac women's basketball team remains in Connecticut for their final contest before final exam week as the Bobcats head up I-91 to take on the Hartford Hawks at 2 PM on Saturday. These two very familiar foes have met 24 times – the most of any non-conference opponent in Quinnipiac's program history – and this year's meeting shapes up to be a good one as the two sides come in with a combined record of 13-5 through the early stages of 2016-17.
SCOUTING THE HAWKS
- Hartford (7-3) saw their four-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday night in a road loss to Niagara in the first all-time meeting between both programs
- The Hawks have scored wins in the non-conference over several Northeast region teams as Hartford has defeated Boston College (65-56), CCSU (68-58), UMass (75-56) and Sacred Heart (81-64) by convincing margins
- Hartford took home the Lehigh Christmas City Classic title with wins over Monmouth and Norfolk State
- There are two common opponents between Hartford and Quinnipiac on the season as the Hawks fell to the Eagles (70-63) at home and defeated Siena (80-76) on the road
- Quinnipiac swept both teams at home already early this season
- Prior to the loss at Niagara, Hartford had won four straight road contests to start a season for the first time in program history
- First-year head coach Kim McNeill is off to an impressive start since taking over for long-tenured Jennifer Rizzotti who left to take the head coaching position at George Washington
- Hartford has already eclipsed 80 points in a single-game twice this season, marking the first time since 2013-14 that the Hawks have achieved that feat in a single-season
- Hartford plays an extended 1-2-2 zone which has forced their opposition into 20.2 turnovers per game, a mark that leads all America East teams
- The Hawks predicate themselves on protecting the ball as Hartford leads the America East in terms of fewest turnovers per game (13.2) while also leading the conference and ranking 21st in the nation in turnover margin (+7.0)
- Leading the America East in scoring offense (69.5 PPG), Hartford does most of their damage from the three-point line as the Hawks average 7.5 makes per game from behind the arc while shooting a blistering 42.1 percent from three on the season which ranks eighth in the nation
- Senior Deanna Mayza is the Hawks' go-to player as she comes in with great all-around stats including 16.6 PPG, 44.5 FG%, 51.0 3FG%, 5.1 APG and 2.2 RPG in 34.7 MPG
- Mayza leads the America East in assists per game (5.1) while she is third in the conference in points per game (16.6) and first in three-point percentage (51.0)
- Lindsey Abed is a solid two-way player as she has totaled 12.0 PPG, 39.5 3FG%, 4.6 RPG and 3.3 APG on the season while leading the team in steals (22) and steals per game (2.2)
- Abed acts as a secondary point guard and her numbers are strong on the season as she leads the conference and ranks 10th in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (3.67)
- Between Abed (3.67) and Mayza (2.04), the Hawks have the two top leaders in assist/turnover ratio in the America East
- Freshman Sierra DaCosta has shined in her rookie season as the two-time America East Rookie of the Week comes in averaging 11.7 points on 42.4 percent shooting and 39.5 percent from three
- Perhaps the greatest weakness for the Hawks is in the rebounding category as Hartford averages just 32.8 rebounds per game (324th in the nation) and is being outrebounding by nearly seven rebounds per game
- Neutralizing the negative rebounding margin is the turnover margin as the Hawks are +70 on the season
ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST HARTFORD
- Quinnipiac and Hartford will be meeting for the 24th time in the series history on Saturday, good enough for the most games against a non-conference opponent in Quinnipiac's program history
- Yale is the second-most played non-conference foe at 17 contests
- These two sides traded wins and losses for four straight seasons but the Bobcats have come out on the winning end in two straight contests
- Quinnipiac defeated Hartford, 70-58, on the road back in the 2014-15 campaign
- Last season, the two sides played to a thrilling 71-69 overtime decision that ended in Quinnipiac's favor in Hamden
- Owning a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter, Hartford outscored the Bobcats 20-8 in the final stanza and saw a potential game-winning jumper from Lindsey Abed spin in-and-out at the regulation buzzer
- With the game tied at 69-69 with 1:35 remaining in overtime, Aryn McClure came up with a huge bucket in front of traffic at the rim
- Hartford still had a chance to win the game on the other end as Janelle Harrison saw a running layup rim out
- Darby Lee was there for the offensive rebound and Deanna Mayza quickly passed back to a wide open Harrison who drained a layup but not before the overtime buzzer sounded giving the Bobcats a thrilling last-second victory
MARTUCCI MAKING IT HAPPEN
Adily Martucci brought one of her best games to the table on Tuesday night against Michigan State as the redshirt senior matched her career high with 20 points in just 23 minutes against the national power Spartans. A player known to step up her game against the Bobcats' toughest competition, Martucci spot 6-of-13 overall, 3-of-8 from deep and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe on her way to a season high performance. She also stepped up last season, posting 20 points (8-16 FG) for the first time in her career in an overtime loss at mid-major power Florida Gulf Coast.
SHE GOT GAME
Jen Fay continues to dominate on the offensive end for the Bobcats as she tallied a game high 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting and 3-of-5 from deep in a 73-47 win over Siena. After scoring 10+ points just once in her freshman season, Fay has notched a team-leading five double digit outings for the Bobcats. In those five games, Fay is averaging 15.2 points per game while shooting a blistering 60.4 percent (29-48 FG) overall, 45.5 percent (10-22 3FG) from behind the arc and 88.9 percent (8-9 FT) from the charity stripe.
FORCING THE ISSUE
The Bobcat defense pitched a stellar defensive outing against Siena as the Saints were forced into 34 turnovers while Quinnipiac came up with 20 steals in the winning effort. The 34 forced turnovers for Quinnipiac are the second-most by a Bobcat opponent in a single-game in the Bobcats' Div. I program history (since 1998-99) – Quinnipiac forced Manhattan into 35 turnovers last season on Dec. 6, 2015.
SHOOTING WOES FOR THE SAINTS
Heading into a second conference game in three days, Quinnipiac faced a daunting task in attempting to limit a Siena offense that came in as the top-scoring team in the MAAC at 73 points per game. Honing in on the MAAC's leading scorer Jackie Benitez (21.4 PPG heading into the contest), the Bobcats held Siena to a season-low 47 points while Benitez shot just 4-of-15 overall for nine points and was held scoreless in the second half. As a team, Siena shot just 1-of-14 (7.1 percent) from behind the arc while the Bobcats forced the Saints into 34 turnovers. Those 34 turnovers led to a massive 35-13 advantage for Quinnipiac in points off turnovers.
TOP SPOT IN THE MAAC
Through eight games this season, Quinnipiac holds the lead in eight different statistical categories while the Bobcats are ranked no worse than third out of 11 MAAC teams in 15 out of 21 major team statistics. Quinnipiac leads the MAAC in scoring offense (70.2), scoring margin (+11.5), field goal percentage defense (35.9), three-point percentage defense (22.2), assists (18.0), steals (12.1), turnover margin (+7.50) and assist/turnover ratio (1.19).
FRESHMAN FITS RIGHT IN
Ever since moving into a major role in the rotation, freshman Vanessa Udoji has responded with a pair of impressive outings in wins over Saint Peter's and Siena. In those three games, Udoji is averaging 9.7 PPG as she pumped in a team-leading 16 points against the Peacocks and followed with 13 against the Saints. Udoji is shooting 43.5 percent (10-23 FG) from the floor while adding five rebounds per contest in just 19 minutes per game. Her production on the defensive end has also been stellar as she ranks second on the team in steals (seven) including a single-game high mark (five) against Siena that stands as the most for any Bobcat in a game this season. Prior to the uptick, Udoji had appeared in just nine total minutes in the first five games of the season (three DNP's) with two points scored.
POINTS ALL AROUND
Five Bobcats – Vanessa Udoji 16, Adily Martucci 13, Paige Warfel 11, Jen Fay 10 and Paula Strautmane 10 – hit double figures in the box score in a dominating 84-51 road win over Saint Peter's. This marked the first time since a road win over Rider back on Feb. 26, 2015 (44 games ago) that five Bobcats finished with at least 10 points in the same game.
FRESHMAN FRESHMAN!
Grasping an opportunity for extended minutes, a pair of freshmen took full advantage as Vanessa Udoji and Paige Warfel turned in a pair of stellar outings to highlight the 84-51 victory at Saint Peter's. Udoji went for 16 points (4-7 FG, 2-5 3FG, 6-6 FT) in 25 minutes to lead the way for the Bobcats while Warfel finished with 11 points and seven rebounds (all offensive) in 19 minutes. Heading into tonight's game with just two combined points (Udoji 2, Warfel 0) in 22 minutes between the pair, Udoji and Warfel both capitalized combining for 27 points and 13 rebounds in the 33-point victory.
SHE'S A THORN-TON IN THEIR SIDE
Edel Thornton posted one of the best games of her young career in an 84-51 road win at Saint Peter's as she tallied five points to go along with her seven assists against no turnovers in 17 minutes. Thornton's seven-assist outing is good enough for a career high as well as the most assists for any Bobcat in a game this season. In fact, Thornton dished out the most assists in a single-game without a turnover since the program's all-time assist leader Gillian Abshire posted 11 assists and no turnovers in a home win over Iona on Feb. 9, 2015 (50 games ago).
HAVE A DAY JEN FAY
Temple's hot shooting spoiled what was the best game of redshirt sophomore Jen Fay's young caree as she finished with a career and game high 26 points on 10-of-13 shooting, 3-of-5 from three and 3-for-3 at the free throw line. Fay added six rebounds and two steals in just 25 minutes of action as she easily surpassed her previous career-best total of 11. Her 26 points also represents the highest single-game point total by a Bobcat since Samantha Guastella went for 28 in a home win over Siena on Dec. 5, 2014 (66 games ago).
STREAK BUSTED
Quinnipiac has enjoyed a great deal of success over the past three seasons when building a first half lead. After starting 2016-17 with a mark of 2-0 when owning a halftime lead, the Bobcats recently saw one of their most impressive streaks in program history come to an end in a 71-68 loss at Temple. Quinnipiac's three-point loss signaled the first time the Bobcats had lost a game in which they held a halftime lead since the 2014 MAAC Championship game against Marist. The undefeated streak, which lasted over the course of three seasons, came to an end at 45 straight wins for the Bobcats when holding a halftime lead. Quinnipiac went undefeated in both 2014-15 (24-0) and 2015-16 (19-0) and for the first two games of 2016-17 before suffering the defeat. They now stand with a mark of 47-1 (.979) since the start of 2016-17 in games in which the Bobcats lead at the half.
VOTERS TAKING NOTICE
Voters have taken notice of Quinnipiac and their 6-2 start to 2016-17 as the Bobcats earned the No. 5 ranking in the College Insider Mid-Major Poll on Tuesday. The Top 5 ranking comes just two weeks following the program's highest-ranking in the College Insider Poll at No. 4. Overall, the Bobcats enter their third straight week ranked in the Top 5 which had never happened prior to this season. Quinnipiac has improved the most spots week-to-week of any team in the poll as the Bobcats vaulted up from No. 13 in the preseason poll to their current No. 5 position just four weeks into the season. The markup also is reflected in the total points as Quinnipiac checked in with 641 points this week compared to 345 in the preseason poll for a nation-leading +296 improvement.
SHOOTER'S TOUCH
Even with the 6-2 start, Quinnipiac struggled to find their shot in the first two games of the season as the Bobcats started the season just 36 percent (45-125 FG) from the floor and 26.8 percent (11-41 3FG) from three for 64.5 points per game. Those numbers have improved considerably in the last six games as the Bobcats have since shot 38.6 percent (158-409 FG) overall and 29.6 percent (50-169 3FG) from deep on their way to 72.2 PPG as a team.
FLIPPING THE SCRIPT
One of the most telling statistical trends all season for the Bobcats has been in the turnover department as Quinnipiac owns a +60 advantage (+7.5 per game; 17th in the nation) in turnover margin through eight games in 2016-17. The Bobcats have turned the ball over just 121 times while forcing the opposition into 181 turnovers (22.6 per game) which ranks 16th in the nation. Temple and Michigan State are the only opponents of eight to have committed less than 20 turnovers in a single-game. The pressure-packed team defensive approach has translated directly into points as the Bobcats have outscored their eight opponents 178-109 (+69) in points-off-turnovers for a per-game average of 22.3 compared to 13.6 for the opposition.
THAT 70+ SHOW
Since the 2007-08 season, Quinnipiac is 121-15 (.890) in games wherein the Bobcats score 70 or more points, including a 13-1 mark in 2015-16 and 42-2 combined since 2014-15. During 2012-13 (18-0) and 2010-11 (8-0), the Bobcats rolled to undefeated records in each respective season when reaching the scoring plateau.
Quinnipiac's Record in Games Scoring 70+ Points Since 2007-08
Season Record
2016-17 4-0
2015-16 13-1
2014-15 28-1
2013-14 14-6
2012-13 18-0
2011-12 9-3
2010-11 8-0
2009-10 5-2
2008-09 11-1
2007-08 11-1
Total (10 Seasons) 121-15 (.890)
BOY CAN THE BOBCATS PROTECT THE BALL
Even after the graduation of the program's all-time assists leader Gillian Abshire in 2015, Quinnipiac has prolonged their supreme proficiency with the ball. The Bobcats predicate smart passes and protecting the ball on offense and the stats certainly reflect that trend as Quinnipiac has produced a conference-leading assist/turnover ratio in four of the last five seasons while ranking Top 50 in the nation three times. Through eight games in 2016-17, the pattern is already showing through as the Bobcats lead the MAAC and rank 39th in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.19).
| Assist/Turnover Ratio Last Five Seasons | |||||||||
| Season | Games | W-L | Ast | APG | TO | TPG | A/TO | NCAA Rank | Conf Rank |
| 2012-13 | 33 | 30-3 | 557 | 16.9 | 477 | 14.5 | 1.17 | 10th | 1st (NEC) |
| 2013-14 | 34 | 21-13 | 554 | 16.3 | 446 | 13.1 | 1.24 | 20th | 2nd (MAAC) |
| 2014-15 | 35 | 31-4 | 685 | 19.6 | 465 | 13.3 | 1.47 | 5th | 1st (MAAC) |
| 2015-16 | 34 | 25-9 | 523 | 15.4 | 507 | 14.9 | 1.03 | 51st | 2nd (MAAC) |
| 2016-17 | 8 | 6-2 | 144 | 18.0 | 121 | 15.1 | 1.19 | 39th | 1st (MAAC) |
| Total | 144 | 113-31 | 2463 | 17.1 | 2016 | 14.0 | 1.22 | ||
RETURN OF THE GOLD RUSH
Injuries forced Quinnipiac out of their rotation but now back at full strength, Quinnipiac has utilized their "Gold Rush" subbing strategy to the fullest extent. In this approach first developed in the team's 30-3 season in 2012-13, Quinnipiac chooses to sub five players in-and-out of the game at a time throughout entire 40-minute contests. Since making the move back to the traditional approach, Quinnipiac is averaging 72.2 PPG while shooting 38.6 percent, dishing out 18.8 assists and totaling 14 steals per contest. Of the 10 consistent "Gold Rush" players, only one is averaging more than 22 MPG (Aryn McClure 22.5 MPG) while eight Bobcats are averaging at least 5.0 PPG. On the defensive end, Quinnipiac is holding opponents to just 59 PPG, 35.9 percent shooting, 22.7 percent from deep and just 64 assists to 139 turnovers for a miniscule 0.46 assist/turnover ratio.
MORGAN MAKING IT HAPPEN
Morgan Manz has taken a leading role this season for the first time in her career as she ranks third on the team in scoring at 8.8 PPG. She paved the way with 16 points while shooting an impressive 6-of-9 overall and 3-for-5 from three-point range in a 78-55 road victory over Holy Cross (11/16). Coming into the Bobcats' 63-60 road win over Dayton where she posted a game-high 19 points, Manz owned a career-best point total of 15 and bested that mark in consecutive games.
BIG MAAC AWARD
Aryn McClure started the season taking home the league's first MAAC Player of the Week honor of 2016-17 as well as the first of her career. She also took home College Sports Madness' MAAC Player of the Week award, sweeping the week in what was a masterful performance from McClure over the 2-0 week. McClure started with her fifth career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds to go along with four assists and a career high five blocks in the win over FGCU. She followed that up with 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks in the comeback win over Dayton, netting 11 of her 12 points in the second half.
WHAT A WIN!
Trailing 17 points with 14:30 remaining, the Bobcats gutted out the largest comeback in the program's Division I history as Quinnipiac came-from-behind to defeat fellow mid-major power Dayton, 63-60, in Ohio on Sunday, Nov. 13. The 17-point Quinnipiac comeback sets a new Div. I record, one better than a 16-point margin overcome in a 68-61 overtime win over Robert Morris back on Feb. 19, 2000.
TURNAROUND FOR THE AGES
Playing in front of a ravenous home fanbase of nearly 2,000 strong cheering for a Dayton team just two seasons removed from a run into the 2015 Elite Eight, the Bobcats were all but out of it trailing 46-29 with 4:30 left in the third quarter. After shooting a paltry 11-for-41 (26.8 percent) overall up to the 4:30 mark of the third quarter, Quinnipiac was nothing short of incredible for the final 14:30 of play. Led by the senior tandem of Morgan Manz and Adily Martucci, the Bobcats finished 13-of-26 (50 percent) in what amounted to a 20-point swing (34-14 run) to end the game.
SPLASH ZONE
The lynchpin behind the victory over Dayton was a career game from Morgan Manz as she posted a monster total going for a career high 19 points (7-15 FG, 3-9 3FG) in a career best 31 minutes which included a decisive bucket in the waning minutes to help seal the win. Eight of her game-high 19 points came in the fourth quarter including a pair of three-pointers and the huge jumper that put the Bobcats up three with 21 seconds to go.
RESUME BOOSTER
Now 6-2 on the season, Quinnipiac opened 2016-17 with two of their most impressive wins in program history. Starting with a 66-56 win over perennial mid-major power Florida Gulf Coast, the Bobcats' 63-60 road win over Dayton comes against a Flyer team that had won six consecutive Atlantic-10 Championships from 2010-15. Between the Bobcats' first two opponents, Quinnipiac defeated a pair of teams that have combined for 453 wins (FGCU: 246-52; Dayton: 207-82), 50.3 wins per season (FGCU: 27.3; Dayton: 23), 77.1 winning percentage, 10 conference titles and five NCAA Tournament victories in the last nine seasons (since 2007-08).
MISSION COMPLETE
After a pair of thrilling meetings in the two seasons prior, the Bobcats finally broke through against Florida Gulf Coast as Quinnipiac dominated defensively in a 66-56 season-opening win at home over the fellow mid-major power. In a matchup pitting two programs ranked in the College Insider Mid-Major Poll, then-No. 13 Quinnipiac put on a defensive clinic in holding then-No. 7 FGCU to just 20-of-61 shooting from the floor and 12 percent (3-25 3FG) from three. Quinnipiac's defensive outing from the three-point line is commendable considering FGCU ranked sixth in the nation with 9.3 made three-pointers per game in 2015-16.
HOME LOVIN
The TD Bank Sports Center, home of the Quinnipiac Bobcats, has long been one of the most difficult arenas to play at in the country. Since the 2012-13 season, Quinnipiac owns a record of 55-7 (.887) in games played at home. In just the last three seasons (since 2014-15), Quinnipiac owns a mark of 30-3 (.909). That mark easily ranks as the best in the MAAC while it also places them tied for the 17th-best home win percentage in the nation over the last three seasons. The Bobcats' 14-0 mark at home in 2014-15 made them one of just 14 teams in the nation to finish with an undefeated home record.
BIG MOVERS IN THE MAAC
Since joining the MAAC in 2013-14, Quinnipiac has reeled off a record of 60-11 (.845) in all games against MAAC opponents and 53-9 (.855) in regular season MAAC games, both records that currently lead all teams in the MAAC. The Bobcats surpassed longtime conference power Marist who owns a mark of 54-16 (.771) against conference foes over the last three seasons and stand 48-14 (.774) in regular season MAAC play.
THE 2015-16 REGULAR SEASON
Quinnipiac finished 22-7 overall and 17-3 in league play to earn the 2015-16 MAAC Regular Season Championship and the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. Quinnipiac clinched its second straight MAAC Regular Season title with a win over Iona in a winner-take-all regular season finale. The regular season title was the Bobcats' third in the four years dating back to the 2012-13 campaign where Quinnipiac was crowned the NEC Regular Season Champions. The Bobcats became just the second MAAC team, joining Marist in 2004-05, to start their conference schedule with three losses and win the remainder of their games to take home the MAAC Regular Season title outright. Quinnipiac entered the MAAC Tournament winners of 17 straight games which was the sixth-longest streak in the nation.
HIGH-POWERED OFFENSIVE ATTACK
Quinnipiac's coaching staff has long preached an up-tempo offensive system and the stats certainly reflect its success as the Bobcats have led their respective conference in scoring offense and assists in four of the last five seasons. Starting in the final two years of the Northeast Conference, Quinnipiac averaged an NEC-leading 67.9 points per game in 2011-12 and 70.5 PPG in 2012-13. That success carried over since joining the MAAC as the Bobcats ranked second in the league at 73.4 PPG in 2013-14 before leading the way again in 2014-15 with a league-record 78.5 PPG as well as 67.5 PPG in 2015-16. Over the last five seasons, Quinnipiac's cumulative scoring average is 71.6 PPG while the team dishes out 16.6 assists per game across the 168-game span.
| Scoring Offense Last Five Seasons | ||||||
| Season | Games | W-L | Pts | PPG | Ast | APG |
| 2011-12 | 32 | 22-10 | 2173 | 67.9 | 470 | 14.7 |
| 2012-13 | 33 | 30-3 | 2327 | 70.5 | 557 | 16.9 |
| 2013-14 | 34 | 21-13 | 2494 | 73.4 | 554 | 16.3 |
| 2014-15 | 35 | 31-4 | 2749 | 78.5 | 685 | 19.6 |
| 2015-16 | 34 | 25-9 | 2294 | 67.4 | 523 | 15.4 |
| Total | 168 | 129-39 | 12,037 | 71.6 | 2789 | 16.6 |
Players Mentioned
Forward
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Forward
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Guard
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Guard/Forward
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