QU Women's Basketball Hosts Niagara in Game Televised on SNY Thursday Night

Thursday, January 26

Hamden, CT

7:00 PM

Quinnipiac University

Niagara

Tickets

QU Women's Basketball Hosts Niagara in Game Televised on SNY Thursday Night

1/25/2017 9:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Bobcats Look to Sweep Season Series With Niagara for the Fourth Straight Season

By: QU Sports Information

Quinnipiac Bobcats (16-4, 9-1 MAAC) vs.
Niagara Purple Eagles (5-14, 2-8 MAAC)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017 | 7:00 PM
Location: TD Bank Sports Center | Hamden, Conn.
All-Time Series vs. Niagara: Quinnipiac leads 8-0
Last Meeting: W, 71-64 (January 5, 2017 at NIA)

Follow the Bobcats:

TV: SNY (PxP, Bill Schweizer; Color, Billy Mecca; Sideline, Jayme Parker)
LIVE STATS
FREE LIVE VIDEO
LIVE AUDIO (WQUN) (Bob Mortali, play-by-play; Bob Tipson, color)
GAME NOTES: Quinnipiac | Niagara
FOLLOW ON TWITTER

SPOTLIGHT SHOWDOWN
For the first time this season, the Quinnipiac women's basketball team will have a home game broadcast live on SNY as the Bobcats welcome Niagara to the TD Bank Sports Center on Thursday night (7 PM tip-off). Quinnipiac (16-4, 9-1 MAAC) has built a sizeable cushion on the rest of the conference in the standings halfway through the MAAC slate and will look to build upon their lead against the Purple Eagles (5-14, 2-8 MAAC). These two sides already met three weeks ago in a game Niagara dominated for three full quarters, leading by eight points in the fourth before the Bobcats outscored the Purple Eagles 29-14 in the final frame to walk away with the 71-64 victory.

SCOUTING THE PURPLE EAGLES

Niagara (5-14, 2-8 MAAC) returns six letter winners from last year's squad that went 8-23 overall and 5-15 in the MAAC while advancing into the quarterfinal round of the postseason tournament
The Purple Eagles defeated crosstown rival Canisius in the First Round of the 2016 MAAC Tournament, advancing to the quarterfinal stage before being bounced by the top-seeded Bobcats
Niagara returns senior guard Tiffany Corselli as well as star forward Victoria Rampado and rising junior Kaylee Stoemple
Corselli is a dynamic two-way guard in the midst of a breakthrough offensive campaign that has her averaging 9.3 points shooting 28.6 percent from three while adding 48 assists and 30 steals (both totals lead the team)
Rampado's return to the Niagara lineup changes everything for the Purple Eagles as the junior forward is one of the most gifted scorers in the MAAC
After missing the entire 2015-16 season due to a knee injury, Rampado has started all 19 games this season while averaging 16.3 PPG which ranks fourth in the league
Rampado also contributes in the rebounding department as she comes in leading ranking second in the MAAC grabbing 8.2 boards per game
A gifted all-around scorer, Rampado has the size to bang in the interior but excels with a talented stroke from the outside as she prefers to attempt 12-15 foot jumpers and will mix in the three-point look (11-44 3FG in 2016-17)
Rampado takes advantage from the free throw line with great proficiency as she sits sixth in the league in free throw percentage (78.5) while she is second in the MAAC in free throws made (73) and attempted (93)
A player to watch on Niagara is Stroemple as the junior is a talented offensive scorer averaging 12.8 PPG (12^th in the MAAC) while shooting a team-leading 52.8 percent from the floor
Stroemple adds 5.9 rebounds per game to give Niagara the highest-scoring forward duo in the league as she combination of Rampado and Stroemple average 29.1 PPG and 14.1 RPG as a pair
Niagara has struggled to find depth of scoring this season as Rampado and Stroemple each come in averaging 10+ PPG but only five Purple Eagles average at least 5.0 PPG
The Purple Eagles have also struggled mightily on the defensive end this season as opponents have combined to shoot 44.2 percent from the floor (last in the MAAC)
Perhaps the greatest strength on the team is from the three-point line as the Purple Eagles come in tied for the best three-point percentage (33.6) of any team in the conference while averaging 6.0 makes from downtown per game
Game-changing plays are few and far between for Niagara as the Purple Eagles rank last in the MAAC in blocked shots (1.2) and steals (5.1) per game

ALL-TIME AGAINST NIAGARA

Quinnipiac has never lost to the Purple Eagles in eight all-time meetings
Trailing 50-42 at the start of the fourth quarter, Quinnipiac staged an epic comeback outscoring Niagara 29-14 in the final frame to score the come-from-behind 71-64 victory on the road earlier this season
The score was tied at 64-64 in the final minute but Paula Strautmane came up with the go-ahead jumper, defensive stand on Victoria Rampado and two free throws on the ensuing possession to secure the victory
Strautmane was all over the box score with 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals while Brittany Johnson added 13 points and Adily Martucci went for 10 points, five assists and three steals
In one of the more unusual box scores for a star player, Rampado finished 0-for-4 from the floor but went 12-for-14 from the free throw line on her way to 12 points and nine rebounds
Kaylee Stroemple was the best player on the floor all afternoon as she tallied a career high 26 points (10-17 FG, 6-7 FT) to go along with seven rebounds and four assists

RIFLING PAST RIDER
Coming off a 61-58 loss to Monmouth on Thursday in a game in which the Bobcats shot a season-low 25.3 percent from the floor, Quinnipiac finished the battle between the two top teams in the MAAC with their third-highest field goal percentage (43.9, 29-66 FG) through 20 games on the season on their way to a 79-53 win over Rider (1/21).

MAAC LEADER LOCKING DOWN
Quinnipiac's MAAC-leading scoring defense (58 points allowed per game) proved too much for the Broncs as the game-deciding 16-minute stretch saw the Bobcats hold Rider to just seven points on 2-for-23 (8.7 FG%) shooting with 12 turnovers. Igniting the +26 swing was a string of 15 straight missed shots for the Broncs from the 8:48 mark of the second quarter to the 5:16 mark of the third (span of 13:32) during which the Bobcats outscored Rider, 18-2. Keying the resounding victory over a Rider team that had come in winners of five out of six, including a home win over Iona and road wins over Siena and Marist, was a standout defensive effort that held the top-shooting team in the MAAC to their third-lowest field goal percentage (34.6) of the season and their worst single-game shooting performance in 10 MAAC games.

RPI REPORT
Through 20 games in 2016-17, Quinnipiac continues to get tons of respect in the RPI ranking list as the Bobcats check in at No. 47 in the most-recent report. Out of the 46 teams ranked ahead of Quinnipiac, 41 of those are high-major programs as the Bobcats are sixth-highest among mid-majors. Quinnipiac also owns easily the highest RPI among MAAC teams as the next-closest squad Rider comes in ranked No. 127 while Fairfield is third at No. 175 (349 teams ranked).

MID-MAJOR POLL UPDATE
After three straight weeks earning a program record No. 2 ranking in the College Insider Mid-Major Pol, Quinnipiac claimed the No. 7 spot in the most-recent poll. Quinnipiac's 16-4 record (9-1 MAAC) still earns plenty of respect as the Bobcats sit as the only MAAC team ranked in the national mid-major poll. After earning the No. 13 ranking in the preseason mid-major poll, Quinnipiac has earned a spot in the Top 10 through all 11 weeks of the 2016-17 season.

MAAC WIN STREAK
Quinnipiac saw its streak of 25 consecutive MAAC conference victories end in a 61-58 loss at Monmouth (1/19). An impressive streak nevertheless, the Bobcats strung together 17 straight wins to end the 2015-16 regular season and eight straight to open the 2016-17 season. That dominance is rivaled in recent time only by Marist who put together a 30-game unbeaten streak in the MAAC regular season that stretched from 2011-12 to an undefeated 18-0 record in 2012-13 and ending in 2013-14.

BIG MOVERS IN THE MAAC
Since joining the MAAC in 2013-14, Quinnipiac has reeled off a record of 67-12 (.848) in all games against MAAC opponents and 60-10 (.857) in regular season MAAC games, both records that currently lead all teams in the conference. The Bobcats surpassed longtime conference power Marist last season who owns a mark of 58-19 (.753) against conference foes over the last three seasons and stand 52-17 (.754) in regular season MAAC play.

TOP SPOT IN THE MAAC
Through 20 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 17 out of 21 major team statistics. Quinnipiac leads the MAAC in scoring offense (70.1), scoring defense (58.0), scoring margin (+12.1), field goal percentage defense (36.2), blocked shots (4.6), assists (16.8), steals (12.2), turnover margin (+6.90), assist/turnover ratio (1.09) and offensive rebounding (14.5).

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 59-7 (.894) in games played at home. In just the last three seasons (since 2014-15), Quinnipiac owns a mark of 34-3 (.919). That mark easily ranks as the best in the MAAC while it also places them with the 15th-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.

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. Since then, the Bobcats are 12-2 in the 2016-17 season to give Quinnipiac a mark of 57-2 (.966) since the start of 2014-15 in games in which Quinnipiac leads at the half.

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 +138 advantage (+6.90 per game; 11^th in the nation) in turnover margin. The Bobcats have turned the ball over just 307 times while forcing the opposition into 445 turnovers (22.3 per game) which ranks 11^th in the nation. Just five of the Bobcats' 20 opponents this season 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 20 opponents 429-260 (+169) in points-off-turnovers for a per-game average of 21.5 compared to 13.0 for the opposition.

THAT 70+ SHOW
Since the 2007-08 season, Quinnipiac is 127-15 (.894) in games wherein the Bobcats score 70 or more points, including a 13-1 mark in 2015-16 and 51-2 (.962) 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 10-0
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)                                                127-15 (.894)

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 20 games in 2016-17, the pattern is already showing through as the Bobcats lead the MAAC and rank 54^th in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.09).

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	20	16-4	335	16.8	307	15.4	1.09	54th	1st (MAAC)
Total	156	123-33	2654	17.0	2202	14.1	1.21

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 70.7 PPG while shooting 38.4 percent, dishing out 16.9 assists per game and totaling 12.8 steals per contest. Of the 10 consistent "Gold Rush" players, only three are averaging more than 20 MPG while seven Bobcats are averaging at least 5.0 PPG. On the defensive end, Quinnipiac is holding opponents to just 58.0 PPG, 36.2 percent shooting, 29.7 percent from deep and just 197 assists to 403 turnovers for a miniscule 0.49 assist/turnover ratio.

WHO'S GONNA GO OFF THIS GAME?
Quinnipiac has long preached team depth as one of its biggest strengths and the 2016-17 season is certainly no different as seven players are averaging at least six points per game. No other team in the MAAC has that many as Marist is the second-closest with six. That depth has shown through on a consistent basis as the Bobcats have seen eight different players post a single-game team-leading scoring total on the season. Another key note is the Bobcats lead the MAAC in scoring offense (70.1) and have the fewest 10+ PPG scorers in the conference as Jen Fay (10.8) is the lone Quinnipiac player averaging double figures in points. Saint Peter's is the only other team in the MAAC to have a just one player averaging 10+ PPG.

PUTTING IN A GOOD FAY'S WORK
Jen Fay's return to the court in 2016-17 after a missed 2015-16 season has provided a huge boost to the Bobcats as she now leads the team in scoring (10.8 PPG). Credit Fay's production since the start of MAAC play as a leading indication to her spike in scoring as she leads the team averaging 12.7 points in just 19.2 minutes per contest through 10 conference games. Fay is shooting a blistering 51.8 percent (44-85 FG) overall and is 26-of-31 (83.9 percent) from the free throw line while adding 1.7 steals per game. She has posted seven double digit outings in 10 league games and hasn't scored less than seven points in any MAAC contest this season.

PAULA POWERING THROUGH THE MAAC
The opening of conference play has marked the beginning of Paula Strautmane's dominance this season as the sophomore is averaging 11.5 points (48.9 FG%), 6.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.9 steals in just 18.9 minutes over nine league games. Her production in the conference has been a big key to success as she has compiled seven of her 10 double digit scoring games on the season in MAAC play. Strautmane has also done a much better job controlling her foul trouble as she averaged 3.7 fouls per game in 10 non-conference games but has lowered that average to just 2.6 fouls per game in 10 conference games. She is coming off another solid showing as she put up 12 points (5-7 FG), six rebounds, two blocks and two steals in 19 minutes in a win over Rider (1/21).

PAULA = PIVITAL PLAYER
The play of Paula Strautmane has been one of the biggest indicators to the Bobcats' team success this season. In the 16 games the Bobcats have won this season, Strautmane averages 10.3 PPG (48.9 FG%, 75.7 FT%), 5.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.9 SPG and 1.4 BPG in 19.1 MPG. Compare those stats to Strautmane's averages in the four Bobcat losses, 4.8 PPG (19.4 FG%, 66.7 FT%), 4.5 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.0 SPG and 0.3 BPG, and the difference is clear. Strautmane leads the team with 11 double digit scoring outputs this season and the Bobcats own a mark of 10-1 (.909) in those 11 contests.

LEADER OF THE PACK
Aryn McClure's 10-point effort against Canisius (1/7) marked her fourth double digit scoring game in the previous five contests while she added three assists and two blocks in just 21 minutes. Playing in a system designed to feature 10+ players on a game-by-game basis, McClure's all-around production has been stellar as she is posting 8.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.7 SPG and 1.1 BPG in 21.3 MPG through the last 10 games combined. Those totals either lead the team or rank second in all six statistical categories over the 10-game span.

POINTS FOR HER ARE A SHEWAN
Sarah Shewan is beginning to find her niche on the offensive end as she pumped in a 19-point effort against No. 25/15 Oregon State (12/20) in the Play4Kay Shootout where she shot 7-of-13 overall and 3-for-3 from three-point range. Just one game removed from the breakout performance, Shewan exploded for a season high 20 points (6-8 FG, 8-9 FT) at Rider (12/30). All of this is coming directly after a three-game span wherein Shewan posted just three points.

MARTUCCI MAKING HER MARK
Adily Martucci continues to produce in a breakout redshirt senior season as she came through with 13 points (4-11 FG, 3-6 3FG) in 24 minutes against Fairfield (1/16). Martucci's 10^th double-digit outing of the season continues a season-long trend that has the guard producing career highs across the board in terms of field goal percentage (40.3), three-point field goal percentage (34.6), free throw percentage (92.3), steals (1.5) and points (9.9).

FABBRI FINDING HER WAY
Coming off a breakthrough sophomore season wherein she averaged 6.3 PPG on 36.4 3FG%, Carly Fabbri struggled with her shooting in the early going of 2016-17 as she contributed 2.6 PPG while shooting just 17.4 percent (4-23 3FG) from long range through the first 10 games of the new season. Fabbri has since broke through averaging 5.7 PPG on a much-improved 47.6 percent (10-21 3FG) shooting from long range in the last 10 games. In that span she tallied a season high 12 points (4-6 3FG) against Long Beach State and followed with eight (2-2 3FG) points at Rider. With just four three-point makes through the opening 10 games, Fabbri has since made 10 over the last 10 games alone.

ALL-AROUND ARYN
Aryn McClure's all-around play has been one of the keys behind the Bobcats' success as she comes in with averages of 7.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.7 SPG and 1.5 BPG. The 2015-16 MAAC Rookie of the Year is having another solid season in multiple statistical categories as she leads the Bobcats in rebounds (128), assists (54), blocks (29) and minutes (446). Of all the players in the MAAC, McClure is the only one leading her respective team in all four aforementioned categories.

JOHNSON JOINING THE FRAY
Brittany Johnson was a go-to scorer for the Bobcats as she pumped in 13 points (5-7 FG) in a 71-64 victory over Niagara (1/5). This effort comes five games removed from a career and game high 16 points (6-10 FG, 2-3 3FG) to go along with six rebounds and a season high three steals in an 82-59 win at Hartford (12/10). Johnson's 13-point effort marked her fifth double digit scoring output of the season. Now in her third season, Johnson's scoring is a key indicator to the Bobcats' success as Quinnipiac owns a mark of 8-1 in games in which she hits double figures in scoring. Her scoring has also improved significantly this season as she has five 10+ point outings through 17 games in 2016-17 compared to just four double digit games through 53 contests in her freshman and sophomore seasons.

FINDING HER FORM
Starting the year shooting just 50 percent (16-32 FT) from the free throw line through the first 11 games of the season, Brittany Johnson has started to find her form as the junior is currently shooting 76 percent (19-25 FT) over the recent seven-game span. Johnson's 57 free throw attempts currently lead the team while her 35 makes from the charity stripe rank second on the team.

BIG NIGHT FOR SHEWAN
Sarah Shewan had herself a night against No. 25/15 Oregon State as she came up with 19 points, including 11 in the first quarter, as she accounted for nearly one-third of the Bobcats' total 60 points scored on the evening. For Shewan, the 19-point effort signaled her second double digit outing of the season while her 3-of-3 shooting from downtown gives her a new single-game career best for makes from three-point range. In her previous three games, Shewan had recorded just three points combined while she also came in with just two makes from behind the arc all season prior to finishing with three makes in her 20-minute scoring barrage.

BIG GAME PERFORMER
Adily Martucci continues to enjoy a breakout redshirt senior season for the Bobcats as she put together another solid outing against No. 25/15 Oregon State, tallying 12 points (5-12 FG) in 22 minutes while playing great defensively against All-American candidate Sydney Wiese. Martucci has shown a tendency to play her best against the best competition as she averaged a team-leading 13.3 points per game while shooting 43.8 percent (14-32 FG) in the three games the Bobcats played against high-major foes (Temple, Michigan State, Oregon State) this season. She went for eight points against the Owls, a career high 20-point night against the Spartans and most-recently 12 against the Beavers. For the season, Martucci leads the team with nine double digit point performances.

SHE GOT GAME
Jen Fay continues to dominate on the offensive end for the Bobcats as she tallied 21 points (7-10 FG, 6-6 FT) in a 79-53 win over Rider. After scoring 10+ points just once in her freshman season, Fay has notched 10 double digit outings for the Bobcats. In those 10 games, Fay is averaging 14.9 PPG while shooting a blistering 56.1 percent (55-98 FG) overall, 38.1 percent (16-42 3FG) from behind the arc and 92.0 percent (23-25 FT) from the charity stripe.

FRESHMAN FITS RIGHT IN
Given a chance at more playing time thanks to injuries in the normal Gold Rush rotation, freshman Vanessa Udoji has responded with solid outings in the nine games in which she plays at least 10 minutes. Starting with a season high 16 points (4-7 FG, 2-5 3FG, 6-6 FT) and seven rebounds at Saint Peter's (12/1), Udoji followed that up with 13 points (6-9 FG) and five steals against Siena (12/6). A recent outing saw her finish with a solid all-around line of 12 points and four rebounds against Rider. In the nine games where Udoji has played at least 10 minutes the rookie is averaging 7.4 PPG (41.7 FG%, 88.9 FT%), 3.2 RPG and 1.3 SPG in 17.1 MPG.

TURNING THE PAIGE
Another rookie deserving of praise for making the most of her opportunity is Paige Warfel as the freshman forward has excelled in her two games with more than 10 minutes played this season. With injuries in the consistent Gold Rush rotation, Warfel was given the chance to play major minutes in two games and she responded with 11 points (3-7 FG, 5-7 FT), seven rebounds and three steals in 19 minutes at Saint Peter's (12/1). She came back and tallied nine points (9-10 FT) with three rebounds and two steals in 20 minutes against the Peacocks at home (1/2). In those two games of significant minutes (15+), Warfel averaged 10.0 PPG (37.5 FG%, 91.7 FT%), 5.0 RPG (all offensive) and 2.5 SPG in 19.5 MPG. For the season, Warfel has grabbed 23 total rebounds, 17 of which (73.9 percent) have come on the offensive end.

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.

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 career 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).