Sunday, December 31
Riverdale, NY / Draddy Gymnasium
2:00 PM
Quinnipiac University
at
Manhattan
QU Women's Basketball Looks to Close 2017 With MAAC Win On The Road Against Manhattan
12/30/2017 10:36:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017 | 2 PM (ET) | Draddy Gymnasium, Riverdale, New York | Jasper Sports Network
QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY BOBCATS (7-5) (1-0 MAAC) vs. MANHATTAN COLLEGE JASPERS (4-8) (1-0 MAAC)
Watch It Live: Jasper Sports Network
Follow Live Stats: Gojaspers.com
Listen Live: AM 1220 WQUN
Updates: @QU_WBB
Game Notes: Quinnipiac | Manhattan
All-Time Series vs. Manhattan: QU leads 9-1
Current Streak: Quinnipiac – Three straight
Last Meeting: Quinnipiac 69-49
RIVERDALE, New York - After opening conference play with a 68-54 win over Siena, the 2016-17 MAAC Champion Quinnipiac women's basketball team will look to close 2017 with a win as the Bobcats travel to take on Manhattan on New Year's Eve at 2 p.m.
LAST GAME (QUINNIPIAC 68, SIENA 54)
Quinnipiac earned its second-straight win after it opened MAAC play with a win over Siena on Thursday, Dec. 28. Senior guard Carly Fabbri and junior Aryn McClure led Quinnipiac in scoring with 13 points apiece, while McClure also chipped in eight assists and six rebounds. After Siena took a 20-19 lead with 7:02 remaining in the second quarter, Quinnipiac closed the half with a 13-0 run. Quinnipiac held the Saints scoreless over the final seven minutes of the half, giving the Bobcats a 32-20 lead at the break. Quinnipiac took its largest lead of the game after Taylor Herd knocked down two free throws with 3:20 remaining in the fourth quarter to put the Bobcats up 68-47.
SCOUTING MANHATTAN
The Jaspers are 4-8 but have gone 2-1 in their last three contestsm including a win over Saint Peter's to open MAAC play. Kayla Grimme has been the top weapon for Manhattan this season, averaging 15.4 points and 7.8 rebounds and has scored in double-digits in 10 of 12 games. Despite the Jaspers being a middle of the pack offense in the MAAC, Manhattan ranks first in the MAAC in scoring defense, holding oppoenents to 64.1 points per game.
THE SERIES
Quinnipiac owns a 9-1 record against Manhattan since joining the MAAC, with the lone loss occuring in December of 2015. Last time the Bobcats took on the Jaspers, Quinnipiac earned a 69-49 road win behind double-digit point efforts from Adily Martucci, Aryn McClure and Sarah Shewan.
GIVING IT HER ALL
Junior Aryn McClure, the Preseason Player of the Year in the MAAC, is a player who contributes across the board in many stat categories, even against the best competition. McClure had a strong effort in the matchup at No. 9/8 Ohio State (11/17) as she went for 15 points (6-16 FG) with six rebounds (three offensive), four assists, two blocks, one steal and no turnovers in 31 minutes of play. McClure put up similar numbers last season in the NCAA Tournament in wins against Marquette (11 points, six rebounds, four assists, two blocks) and at Miami (15 points, four rebounds, three assists, one block). She currently leads all active Bobcats in scoring at 11.1 points per game this season and is coming off a 13-point, eight-assist and six-rebound effort in Thursday's home win vs Siena.
FILLING THE STAT SHEET
Much like Aryn McClure (see above), redshirt junior Jen Fay has been contributing in many ways for the Bobcats this season. After tossing in a game-high 23 points (8-13 FG, 4-6 3FG), one shy of her career high, to go along with six rebounds in the season-opener at Iowa (11/10), Fay went for 15 points (5-12 FG, 4-10 3FG) with nine rebounds at No. 9/8 Ohio State (11/17). This season, she has been achieving personal bests in other categories besides scoring, setting a new career high with 14 rebounds against Dayton on Nov. 28, and passing it with 15 in a Dec. 6 win over Providence. She also had a career-best six assists in the Dayton win. She ranks fifth in the MAAC in rebounding at 7.6 per game.
SHEWAN NAMED MAAC PLAYER OF WEEK
Senior forward Sarah Shewan was named the MAAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week on Dec. 4 after a strong performance in a pair of wins over Atlantic 10 teams, although the award was bittersweet. Shewan made her first start of the season on Nov. 28 against Dayton, filling in for injured Aryn McClure, and responded with one of the best games of her career. She finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds in the 72-66 win, including 10 points and eight rebounds in the first quarter alone, when she had 10 of Quinnipiac's 17 points as the Bobcats led 17-11. The 24 points tied her career high, while the 13 rebounds was one shy of her personal best. With McClure back at Richmond, Shewan returned to her bench role but continued on her hot streak, tallying a team-best 22 points and nine rebounds in an 81-65 win. It was a bittersweet award, though, as she was injured in the fourth quarter of the Richmond game and was lost for the season.
STEPPING UP
Senior Sarah Shewan and sophomore Vanessa Udoji, two of the team's top five scorers, suffered injuries against Richmond on Dec. 1 and have been out of action ever since. The void has given other Bobcats the chance to contribute, and several players responded in a Dec. 6 win over Providence. Sophomore guard Taylor Herd, who moved into the starting lineup in Udoji's absence, matched her career high with 10 points in the win. Sophomore forward Jaden Ward also set new career highs with nine points and five rebounds, while sophomore forward Paige Warfel had a strong effort on the glass, tallying eight rebounds in 18 minutes (one shy of her career high). Quinnipiac has had to adjust since the injuries, though. The Bobcats have frequently used a "gold rush" system with five players substituting at a time in recent years, but they used only eight players total against Princeton on Dec. 9.
LEADING THE HERD
After spending much of her rookie season on the bench, sophomore Taylor Herd has seen her role increase substantivally this season,first breaking through with a career high 10 points (3-7 FG, 2-4 3FG) in 13 minutes at nationally-ranked Ohio State (11/17). After scoring nine points in 13 games last season, Herd eclipsed her entire career scoring output in one game as she went for 10 points, including eight in the first half. She made her first career start on Dec. 3 at Hampton, filling in for injured Vanessa Udoji, and has remained in the starting lineup ever since. She matched her career high with 10 points in her second career start in a Dec. 6 win over Providence.
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 68-8 (.894) in games played at home. In just the last three-plus seasons (since 2014-15), Quinnipiac owns a mark of 43-4 (.915). That mark ranks as the 12th-best home win percentage in the nation over that span. Quinnipiac currently has a 20-game home conference winning streak, dating back to a loss to Manhattan in its home MAAC opener in 2015-16.
PRESEASON POY
Junior wing Aryn McClure became the first Bobcat in program history to be named the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year while she also earned a spot on the 2017-18 Preseason All-MAAC Third Team. Already a two-time All-MAAC performer, McClure entered her third year armed with impressive all-around career totals including 618 points, 441 rebounds, 172 assists, 109 blocks (8th all-time at Quinnipiac) and 93 steals through 70 games. McClure has led the Bobcats in rebounding each of her first two seasons while she led the team in both rebounds and assists last season. She is on-pace to become the program's all-time Div. I record holder in career blocks while she has a chance to join a select list that includes only two others in the Bobcats' Div. I era to finish their respective careers with 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
PUTTING IN A GOOD FAY'S WORK
Joining McClure on the 2017-18 Preseason All-MAAC First Team was forward Jen Fay, as the redshirt junior is coming off a breakout showing in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. Fay's return to the court in 2016-17 after a missed 2015-16 season (season-ending ACL injury over the summer of 2015) provided a huge boost to the Bobcats as she ranked first on the team in scoring (10.5 PPG). Fay led the Bobcats in two shooting categories, posting a team-leading 47.5 percent (134-282 FG) from the floor and 38.3 percent (44-115 3FG) from three, as she was the only player in the MAAC to lead her respective team in both categories.
FABBRI NAMED NH REGISTER SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR
Quinnipiac women's basketball head coach, Tricia Fabbri was selected as the New Haven Register's Sports Person of the Year. Fabbri, the all-time winningest coach in Quinnipiac women's basketball history, takes home the achievement after leading Quinnipiac on its historic run to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2017. in the NCAA Tournament, the Bobcats, the No. 12 seed, defeated No. 5 Marquette and No. 4 Miami on their way to their first-ever Sweet 16.
BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK
Quinnipiac entered the 2017-18 season as three-time defending MAAC regular season champions, earning the top record in conference play at 17-3 last year. Owning a 55-6 (.900) regular season mark against MAAC competition since the 2014-15 season where the Bobcats went 20-0 in MAAC play, Quinnipiac has dominated the league since joining in 2013-14. Now in exclusive company, Quinnipiac is one of just 13 programs in the nation (UConn, George Washington, Notre Dame, Baylor, DePaul, Maryland, Green Bay, Colorado State, Oregon State, South Carolina, Chattanooga and New Mexico State) to win three straight regular season titles entering 2017-18.
2016-17 SEASON REVIEW NOTES
2017 NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTABLES
- Quinnipiac became the fourth No. 12 seed in NCAA Div. I women's basketball history to advance to the Sweet 16, joining BYU in 2014, Kansas in 2013 and San Francisco in 1996
- In addition, Quinnipiac became the fourth team in history to defeat a No. 4 and No. 5 seed to advance to the Sweet 16
- The Bobcats hit 15 three-pointers, finishing just one shy of matching a single-game program record, in an 85-78 upset at then-No. 16 ranked Miami in the NCAA Second Round
- Quinnipiac's 15 triples stands as the third-most in NCAA Second Round history
- Quinnipiac defeated the No. 16 nationally-ranked Miami Hurricanes, marking the first time Quinnipiac has defeated an ACC program and the second straight NCAA Tournament win over a ranked opponent after coming in with an all-time mark of 0-9 against ranked foes
- Quinnipiac advanced into the Sweet 16 as the lowest-seeded team remaining in the field at the time, while standing as one of just two double digit seeds (No. 10 Oregon) who advanced past the NCAA Second Round
- The Bobcats also carried the flag as the lone mid-major program to advance two rounds in the 2017 NCAA Tournament as well as the lowest-seed in both the men's and women's brackets to make the Sweet 16 round
- The Bobcats became the first female sports program at Quinnipiac to win an NCAA Tournament game
- Quinnipiac University now has three athletic programs win at least one game in the NCAA Tournament (women's basketball, men's ice hockey and men's lacrosse)
- Quinnipiac became the 23rd team in the history of the NCAA Tournament to win as a No. 12 seed in a No. 5 vs. No. 12 NCAA First Round matchup
- Quinnipiac defeated a Marquette squad that earned the No. 25 ranking in the most-recent USA Today Coaches' Poll, marking the first time in program history the Bobcats have defeated a nationally-ranked opponent
- The win marked the first time a Quinnipiac basketball program (women's or men's) has won a game over a nationally-ranked foe
2016-17 SEASON-IN-REVIEW
- At season's end, Quinnipiac achieved two more program-firsts as Quinnipiac earned the No. 23 ranking in the USA Today Coaches' Poll to earn a national-ranking for the first time in program history
- In addition, Quinnipiac was voted the top mid-major program in the nation in the College Insider Mid-Major Poll, marking the first time the program has earned the No. 1 ranking in the mid-major ranking poll
- The Bobcats finished 29-7 overall and 17-3 in league play to complete their sixth straight 20-win season while advancing to a fifth straight appearance in the conference championship game, sixth straight trip to a national postseason tournament and earning a third straight MAAC Regular Season title
- Quinnipiac clinched its third straight MAAC Regular Season title, winning seven straight games down the stretch of regular season play to edge out Rider (16-4 MAAC) for the top spot in the standings
- The regular season title is the Bobcats' fourth in the last five years dating back to the 2012-13 campaign where Quinnipiac was crowned the NEC Regular Season Champion
- The Bobcats joined a list of 12 programs across the nation to have won at least three straight conference regular season titles while Quinnipiac has dominated the MAAC with a mark of 54-6 (.900) in league games since 2014-15
- Early last season, Quinnipiac clinched their sixth straight 20-win season, an accomplishment only 26 teams in the nation can boast heading into 2017-18
LEADER OF THE PACK
Head coach Tricia Fabbri enters her 23rd season leading the Bobcats in 2017-18, as the four-time Coach of the Year (twice in four MAAC seasons) and all-time winningest coach in program history came into the new campaign with 379 career victories. Engineering a program that ranks 10th in the nation in total wins (134) over the last four seasons, Fabbri's Bobcats have reached the 20-win plateau in six straight seasons, won three conference titles in the last five seasons and earned three consecutive MAAC Regular Season titles.
ANOTHER NATIONAL POSTSEASON APPEARANCE
Quinnipiac's third trip to the NCAA Tournament last year marked the sixth straight national postseason appearance for the Bobcats and the seventh in program history. The Bobcats earned its first national postseason appearance with a trip to Iona in the 2008 WNIT Tournament and then made a second WNIT Tournament appearance in 2012 against Temple. The first NCAA Tournament berth came in 2013 as the Bobcats earned a No. 13 seed to play at No. 4 Maryland. Quinnipiac also took home the 2015 MAAC Championship, claiming a No. 12 seed and facing No. 5 Oklahoma. In the 2014 and 2016 postseason, the Bobcats advanced to the WNIT, defeating Maine, 90-44, in 2016 for the program's first-ever postseason win.
FIRST NATIONALLY RANKED WINS COME AT RIGHT TIME
The Bobcats are 2-12 all-time against nationally-ranked competition and own an all-time mark of 9-36 against teams in high-major conferences (ACC, BIG EAST, Big 12, B1G, Pac-12 and SEC). After going 0-for-9 in their first nine games against ranked foes, Quinnipiac won two straight games against nationally-ranked opponents in the 2017 NCAA Tournament before bowing out to the eventual NCAA Champions South Carolina (this year's non-conference schedule has included losses to nationally ranked Missouri and Ohio State). Quinnipiac had its first ranked win in an NCAA First Round victory over a Marquette squad that came in ranked No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll and followed that up with a road triumph over No. 16 Miami. The Bobcats' six other wins over high-major foes have come against Alabama, Minnesota, St. John's (NY), Syracuse and Providence (three times, including this season on Dec. 6).
ALL-TEAM-FIRST MENTALITY
Quinnipiac has long preached the mantra of team-first and last season certainly is no different. Upon the announcement of the All-MAAC Teams, Quinnipiac found themselves with three All-League players – Adily Martucci (Second Team All-MAAC), Aryn McClure (Third Team) and Jen Fay (Third Team) – but none on the All-MAAC First Team. This marked the second time in the last three seasons (all of which have ended with Quinnipiac standing as the regular season champion in the MAAC) without representation on the All-MAAC First Team. Armed with a 54-6 record in the league over the last three seasons, Quinnipiac has just one All-MAAC First Team selection in that span (Samantha Guastella 2015 – Bobcats went 20-0 in the MAAC that season). In the 2016-17 season, the Bobcats stand as the only team in the nation to have won their conference's regular season title outright and not have a First Team All-Conference player (32 conferences in the country).
HITTING THAT MAGIC NUMBER
Quinnipiac's 76-60 win over Siena last season clinched yet another 20-win campaign for Head Coach Tricia Fabbri in 2016-17. The 11th 20-win season in program history made it six in-a-row as well as the eighth in Fabbri's 22-year coaching career at Quinnipiac. Quinnipiac is one of just 26 teams across the nation and one of 11 mid-major programs to record six straight 20+ win seasons. Over those last six complete seasons, Quinnipiac has compiled a record of 158-46 for a .775 win percentage which ranks as the 13th-best overall mark in the nation.
DEE-FENSE
Quinnipiac's defense led the MAAC all last season as the Bobcats allowed 58.6 points per game (56th-best mark in the nation). Quinnipiac allowed fewer than 60 points per game for just the third time in the program's Div. I history (2015-16 – 58.7, 2012-13 – 57.4, 2007-08 – 58.7). In MAAC regular season games, Quinnipiac allowed a miniscule 53.3 PPG while opponents shot just 35.3 percent from the floor in conference play, both standards that led the MAAC. For the season, Quinnipiac allowed opponents to shoot 36.9 percent (39th-best in the nation) while also ranking 21st in the nation in steals per game (10.8). Allowing 0.777 points per possession (best in the MAAC), Quinnipiac held opponents to fewer than 70 points in 29-of-36 games last season including 20 of the last 23 contests. The Bobcats had a run of 19 straight games holding teams to fewer than 70 points snapped in the MAAC Championship game win over Rider.
MAAC WIN STREAK
Quinnipiac saw its streak of 25 consecutive MAAC conference victories end in a 61-58 loss at Monmouth last season. 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 79-14 (.849) in all games against MAAC opponents and 69-12 (.851) in regular season MAAC games, both records that currently lead all teams in the conference. The Bobcats rank well ahead of Iona who sits with the second-best mark of 63-25 (.716) in games against conference foes over the last four seasons and stand 58-22 (.725) in regular season MAAC play.
TOP SPOT IN THE MAAC
Quinnipiac finished last season with the lead in eight different statistical categories, while the Bobcats ranked no worse than third out of 11 MAAC teams in 17 out of 21 major team statistics. Quinnipiac led the MAAC in scoring offense (68.4), scoring margin (+9.7), field goal percentage defense (36.9), blocked shots (4.9), assists (16.2), steals (10.8), turnover margin (+5.00) and assist/turnover ratio (1.11).
GOTTA LOVE THAT HOME COOKIN
Quinnipiac's extended home dominance is particularly impressive when looking at games against MAAC opponents, as the Bobcats stand with a mark of 37-4 (.902) at home in league games since joining the conference in 2013-14. That prominence is only magnified when looking a since 2014-15, as the Bobcats are 30-1 (.968) at the TD Bank Sports Center in conference games, with the only loss coming two years ago to Manhattan. After its conference opening win at home against Siena, the Bobcats are currently riding a 20-game unbeaten streak in home games against MAAC foes.
THE ULTIMATE CLOSERS
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. Overall, however, the Bobcats went 22-2 in the 2016-17 season to give Quinnipiac a mark of 67-2 since the start of 2014-15 in games in which Quinnipiac leads at the half, while this year's 6-0 record with halftime leads (Dayton, Richmond, Hampton, Providence, Central Michigan, Siena), has improved that mark to 73-2 (.973).
THAT 70s SCORING SHOW
Since the 2007-08 season, Quinnipiac is 136-15 (.901) in games wherein the Bobcats score 70 or more points, including 60-2 (.968) combined since 2014-15. During 2016-17 (16-0), 2012-13 (18-0) and 2010-11 (8-0), the Bobcats compiled undefeated records in each respective season when reaching the 70-point scoring plateau. So far this year, Quinnipiac has won all three games when scoring 70 or more, improving its win streak in those contests to 28 in a row (the last defeat was a 71-70 loss in overtime to Florida Gulf Coast in 2015-16 - the last regulation loss was to Oklahoma in the 2015 NCAA Tournament).
Quinnipiac's Record in Games Scoring 70+ Points Since 07-08
Season Record
2017-18 3-0
2016-17 16-0
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) 136-15 (.901)
BOY CAN THE BOBCATS PROTECT THE BALL
In its last win over Siena, Quinnipiac dished out 20 assists while committing only nine turnovers. The Bobcats are currently in first place in the MAAC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2). That's nothing new, though, as the team's philosophy is predicated on smart passes and protecting the ball on offense. Quinnipiac has ranked in the top two in the MAAC in assist/turnover ratio in each of the last five seasons while ranking Top 50 in the nation four times. The prolonged trend continued in 2016-17, as the Bobcats led the MAAC and ranked 46th in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.11).. Senior point guard Carly Fabbri also currently leads the league individually with an impressive 2.7 ratio (43 assists, and only 16 turnovers through 12 games).
Assist/Turnover Ratio Last Six Seasons
Season Games APG TPG A/TO NCAA CONF
2012-13 33 16.9 14.5 1.17 10th 1st (NEC)
2013-14 34 16.3 13.1 1.24 20th 2nd (MAAC)
2014-15 35 19.6 13.3 1.47 5th 1st (MAAC)
2015-16 34 15.4 14.9 1.03 51st 2nd (MAAC)
2016-17 36 16.2 14.7 1.11 46th 1st (MAAC)
2017-18 12 15.6 12.9 1.20 -- 1st (MAAC)
Total 184 16.67 13.9 1.20 -- --
NEXT UP
Quinnipiac will resume MAAC play when it hosts Niagara on January 4th at 7 p.m. at the TD Bank Sports Center
QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY BOBCATS (7-5) (1-0 MAAC) vs. MANHATTAN COLLEGE JASPERS (4-8) (1-0 MAAC)
Watch It Live: Jasper Sports Network
Follow Live Stats: Gojaspers.com
Listen Live: AM 1220 WQUN
Updates: @QU_WBB
Game Notes: Quinnipiac | Manhattan
All-Time Series vs. Manhattan: QU leads 9-1
Current Streak: Quinnipiac – Three straight
Last Meeting: Quinnipiac 69-49
RIVERDALE, New York - After opening conference play with a 68-54 win over Siena, the 2016-17 MAAC Champion Quinnipiac women's basketball team will look to close 2017 with a win as the Bobcats travel to take on Manhattan on New Year's Eve at 2 p.m.
LAST GAME (QUINNIPIAC 68, SIENA 54)
Quinnipiac earned its second-straight win after it opened MAAC play with a win over Siena on Thursday, Dec. 28. Senior guard Carly Fabbri and junior Aryn McClure led Quinnipiac in scoring with 13 points apiece, while McClure also chipped in eight assists and six rebounds. After Siena took a 20-19 lead with 7:02 remaining in the second quarter, Quinnipiac closed the half with a 13-0 run. Quinnipiac held the Saints scoreless over the final seven minutes of the half, giving the Bobcats a 32-20 lead at the break. Quinnipiac took its largest lead of the game after Taylor Herd knocked down two free throws with 3:20 remaining in the fourth quarter to put the Bobcats up 68-47.
SCOUTING MANHATTAN
The Jaspers are 4-8 but have gone 2-1 in their last three contestsm including a win over Saint Peter's to open MAAC play. Kayla Grimme has been the top weapon for Manhattan this season, averaging 15.4 points and 7.8 rebounds and has scored in double-digits in 10 of 12 games. Despite the Jaspers being a middle of the pack offense in the MAAC, Manhattan ranks first in the MAAC in scoring defense, holding oppoenents to 64.1 points per game.
THE SERIES
Quinnipiac owns a 9-1 record against Manhattan since joining the MAAC, with the lone loss occuring in December of 2015. Last time the Bobcats took on the Jaspers, Quinnipiac earned a 69-49 road win behind double-digit point efforts from Adily Martucci, Aryn McClure and Sarah Shewan.
GIVING IT HER ALL
Junior Aryn McClure, the Preseason Player of the Year in the MAAC, is a player who contributes across the board in many stat categories, even against the best competition. McClure had a strong effort in the matchup at No. 9/8 Ohio State (11/17) as she went for 15 points (6-16 FG) with six rebounds (three offensive), four assists, two blocks, one steal and no turnovers in 31 minutes of play. McClure put up similar numbers last season in the NCAA Tournament in wins against Marquette (11 points, six rebounds, four assists, two blocks) and at Miami (15 points, four rebounds, three assists, one block). She currently leads all active Bobcats in scoring at 11.1 points per game this season and is coming off a 13-point, eight-assist and six-rebound effort in Thursday's home win vs Siena.
FILLING THE STAT SHEET
Much like Aryn McClure (see above), redshirt junior Jen Fay has been contributing in many ways for the Bobcats this season. After tossing in a game-high 23 points (8-13 FG, 4-6 3FG), one shy of her career high, to go along with six rebounds in the season-opener at Iowa (11/10), Fay went for 15 points (5-12 FG, 4-10 3FG) with nine rebounds at No. 9/8 Ohio State (11/17). This season, she has been achieving personal bests in other categories besides scoring, setting a new career high with 14 rebounds against Dayton on Nov. 28, and passing it with 15 in a Dec. 6 win over Providence. She also had a career-best six assists in the Dayton win. She ranks fifth in the MAAC in rebounding at 7.6 per game.
SHEWAN NAMED MAAC PLAYER OF WEEK
Senior forward Sarah Shewan was named the MAAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week on Dec. 4 after a strong performance in a pair of wins over Atlantic 10 teams, although the award was bittersweet. Shewan made her first start of the season on Nov. 28 against Dayton, filling in for injured Aryn McClure, and responded with one of the best games of her career. She finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds in the 72-66 win, including 10 points and eight rebounds in the first quarter alone, when she had 10 of Quinnipiac's 17 points as the Bobcats led 17-11. The 24 points tied her career high, while the 13 rebounds was one shy of her personal best. With McClure back at Richmond, Shewan returned to her bench role but continued on her hot streak, tallying a team-best 22 points and nine rebounds in an 81-65 win. It was a bittersweet award, though, as she was injured in the fourth quarter of the Richmond game and was lost for the season.
STEPPING UP
Senior Sarah Shewan and sophomore Vanessa Udoji, two of the team's top five scorers, suffered injuries against Richmond on Dec. 1 and have been out of action ever since. The void has given other Bobcats the chance to contribute, and several players responded in a Dec. 6 win over Providence. Sophomore guard Taylor Herd, who moved into the starting lineup in Udoji's absence, matched her career high with 10 points in the win. Sophomore forward Jaden Ward also set new career highs with nine points and five rebounds, while sophomore forward Paige Warfel had a strong effort on the glass, tallying eight rebounds in 18 minutes (one shy of her career high). Quinnipiac has had to adjust since the injuries, though. The Bobcats have frequently used a "gold rush" system with five players substituting at a time in recent years, but they used only eight players total against Princeton on Dec. 9.
LEADING THE HERD
After spending much of her rookie season on the bench, sophomore Taylor Herd has seen her role increase substantivally this season,first breaking through with a career high 10 points (3-7 FG, 2-4 3FG) in 13 minutes at nationally-ranked Ohio State (11/17). After scoring nine points in 13 games last season, Herd eclipsed her entire career scoring output in one game as she went for 10 points, including eight in the first half. She made her first career start on Dec. 3 at Hampton, filling in for injured Vanessa Udoji, and has remained in the starting lineup ever since. She matched her career high with 10 points in her second career start in a Dec. 6 win over Providence.
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 68-8 (.894) in games played at home. In just the last three-plus seasons (since 2014-15), Quinnipiac owns a mark of 43-4 (.915). That mark ranks as the 12th-best home win percentage in the nation over that span. Quinnipiac currently has a 20-game home conference winning streak, dating back to a loss to Manhattan in its home MAAC opener in 2015-16.
PRESEASON POY
Junior wing Aryn McClure became the first Bobcat in program history to be named the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year while she also earned a spot on the 2017-18 Preseason All-MAAC Third Team. Already a two-time All-MAAC performer, McClure entered her third year armed with impressive all-around career totals including 618 points, 441 rebounds, 172 assists, 109 blocks (8th all-time at Quinnipiac) and 93 steals through 70 games. McClure has led the Bobcats in rebounding each of her first two seasons while she led the team in both rebounds and assists last season. She is on-pace to become the program's all-time Div. I record holder in career blocks while she has a chance to join a select list that includes only two others in the Bobcats' Div. I era to finish their respective careers with 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
PUTTING IN A GOOD FAY'S WORK
Joining McClure on the 2017-18 Preseason All-MAAC First Team was forward Jen Fay, as the redshirt junior is coming off a breakout showing in the 2017 NCAA Tournament. Fay's return to the court in 2016-17 after a missed 2015-16 season (season-ending ACL injury over the summer of 2015) provided a huge boost to the Bobcats as she ranked first on the team in scoring (10.5 PPG). Fay led the Bobcats in two shooting categories, posting a team-leading 47.5 percent (134-282 FG) from the floor and 38.3 percent (44-115 3FG) from three, as she was the only player in the MAAC to lead her respective team in both categories.
FABBRI NAMED NH REGISTER SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR
Quinnipiac women's basketball head coach, Tricia Fabbri was selected as the New Haven Register's Sports Person of the Year. Fabbri, the all-time winningest coach in Quinnipiac women's basketball history, takes home the achievement after leading Quinnipiac on its historic run to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2017. in the NCAA Tournament, the Bobcats, the No. 12 seed, defeated No. 5 Marquette and No. 4 Miami on their way to their first-ever Sweet 16.
BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK
Quinnipiac entered the 2017-18 season as three-time defending MAAC regular season champions, earning the top record in conference play at 17-3 last year. Owning a 55-6 (.900) regular season mark against MAAC competition since the 2014-15 season where the Bobcats went 20-0 in MAAC play, Quinnipiac has dominated the league since joining in 2013-14. Now in exclusive company, Quinnipiac is one of just 13 programs in the nation (UConn, George Washington, Notre Dame, Baylor, DePaul, Maryland, Green Bay, Colorado State, Oregon State, South Carolina, Chattanooga and New Mexico State) to win three straight regular season titles entering 2017-18.
2016-17 SEASON REVIEW NOTES
2017 NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTABLES
- Quinnipiac became the fourth No. 12 seed in NCAA Div. I women's basketball history to advance to the Sweet 16, joining BYU in 2014, Kansas in 2013 and San Francisco in 1996
- In addition, Quinnipiac became the fourth team in history to defeat a No. 4 and No. 5 seed to advance to the Sweet 16
- The Bobcats hit 15 three-pointers, finishing just one shy of matching a single-game program record, in an 85-78 upset at then-No. 16 ranked Miami in the NCAA Second Round
- Quinnipiac's 15 triples stands as the third-most in NCAA Second Round history
- Quinnipiac defeated the No. 16 nationally-ranked Miami Hurricanes, marking the first time Quinnipiac has defeated an ACC program and the second straight NCAA Tournament win over a ranked opponent after coming in with an all-time mark of 0-9 against ranked foes
- Quinnipiac advanced into the Sweet 16 as the lowest-seeded team remaining in the field at the time, while standing as one of just two double digit seeds (No. 10 Oregon) who advanced past the NCAA Second Round
- The Bobcats also carried the flag as the lone mid-major program to advance two rounds in the 2017 NCAA Tournament as well as the lowest-seed in both the men's and women's brackets to make the Sweet 16 round
- The Bobcats became the first female sports program at Quinnipiac to win an NCAA Tournament game
- Quinnipiac University now has three athletic programs win at least one game in the NCAA Tournament (women's basketball, men's ice hockey and men's lacrosse)
- Quinnipiac became the 23rd team in the history of the NCAA Tournament to win as a No. 12 seed in a No. 5 vs. No. 12 NCAA First Round matchup
- Quinnipiac defeated a Marquette squad that earned the No. 25 ranking in the most-recent USA Today Coaches' Poll, marking the first time in program history the Bobcats have defeated a nationally-ranked opponent
- The win marked the first time a Quinnipiac basketball program (women's or men's) has won a game over a nationally-ranked foe
2016-17 SEASON-IN-REVIEW
- At season's end, Quinnipiac achieved two more program-firsts as Quinnipiac earned the No. 23 ranking in the USA Today Coaches' Poll to earn a national-ranking for the first time in program history
- In addition, Quinnipiac was voted the top mid-major program in the nation in the College Insider Mid-Major Poll, marking the first time the program has earned the No. 1 ranking in the mid-major ranking poll
- The Bobcats finished 29-7 overall and 17-3 in league play to complete their sixth straight 20-win season while advancing to a fifth straight appearance in the conference championship game, sixth straight trip to a national postseason tournament and earning a third straight MAAC Regular Season title
- Quinnipiac clinched its third straight MAAC Regular Season title, winning seven straight games down the stretch of regular season play to edge out Rider (16-4 MAAC) for the top spot in the standings
- The regular season title is the Bobcats' fourth in the last five years dating back to the 2012-13 campaign where Quinnipiac was crowned the NEC Regular Season Champion
- The Bobcats joined a list of 12 programs across the nation to have won at least three straight conference regular season titles while Quinnipiac has dominated the MAAC with a mark of 54-6 (.900) in league games since 2014-15
- Early last season, Quinnipiac clinched their sixth straight 20-win season, an accomplishment only 26 teams in the nation can boast heading into 2017-18
LEADER OF THE PACK
Head coach Tricia Fabbri enters her 23rd season leading the Bobcats in 2017-18, as the four-time Coach of the Year (twice in four MAAC seasons) and all-time winningest coach in program history came into the new campaign with 379 career victories. Engineering a program that ranks 10th in the nation in total wins (134) over the last four seasons, Fabbri's Bobcats have reached the 20-win plateau in six straight seasons, won three conference titles in the last five seasons and earned three consecutive MAAC Regular Season titles.
ANOTHER NATIONAL POSTSEASON APPEARANCE
Quinnipiac's third trip to the NCAA Tournament last year marked the sixth straight national postseason appearance for the Bobcats and the seventh in program history. The Bobcats earned its first national postseason appearance with a trip to Iona in the 2008 WNIT Tournament and then made a second WNIT Tournament appearance in 2012 against Temple. The first NCAA Tournament berth came in 2013 as the Bobcats earned a No. 13 seed to play at No. 4 Maryland. Quinnipiac also took home the 2015 MAAC Championship, claiming a No. 12 seed and facing No. 5 Oklahoma. In the 2014 and 2016 postseason, the Bobcats advanced to the WNIT, defeating Maine, 90-44, in 2016 for the program's first-ever postseason win.
FIRST NATIONALLY RANKED WINS COME AT RIGHT TIME
The Bobcats are 2-12 all-time against nationally-ranked competition and own an all-time mark of 9-36 against teams in high-major conferences (ACC, BIG EAST, Big 12, B1G, Pac-12 and SEC). After going 0-for-9 in their first nine games against ranked foes, Quinnipiac won two straight games against nationally-ranked opponents in the 2017 NCAA Tournament before bowing out to the eventual NCAA Champions South Carolina (this year's non-conference schedule has included losses to nationally ranked Missouri and Ohio State). Quinnipiac had its first ranked win in an NCAA First Round victory over a Marquette squad that came in ranked No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll and followed that up with a road triumph over No. 16 Miami. The Bobcats' six other wins over high-major foes have come against Alabama, Minnesota, St. John's (NY), Syracuse and Providence (three times, including this season on Dec. 6).
ALL-TEAM-FIRST MENTALITY
Quinnipiac has long preached the mantra of team-first and last season certainly is no different. Upon the announcement of the All-MAAC Teams, Quinnipiac found themselves with three All-League players – Adily Martucci (Second Team All-MAAC), Aryn McClure (Third Team) and Jen Fay (Third Team) – but none on the All-MAAC First Team. This marked the second time in the last three seasons (all of which have ended with Quinnipiac standing as the regular season champion in the MAAC) without representation on the All-MAAC First Team. Armed with a 54-6 record in the league over the last three seasons, Quinnipiac has just one All-MAAC First Team selection in that span (Samantha Guastella 2015 – Bobcats went 20-0 in the MAAC that season). In the 2016-17 season, the Bobcats stand as the only team in the nation to have won their conference's regular season title outright and not have a First Team All-Conference player (32 conferences in the country).
HITTING THAT MAGIC NUMBER
Quinnipiac's 76-60 win over Siena last season clinched yet another 20-win campaign for Head Coach Tricia Fabbri in 2016-17. The 11th 20-win season in program history made it six in-a-row as well as the eighth in Fabbri's 22-year coaching career at Quinnipiac. Quinnipiac is one of just 26 teams across the nation and one of 11 mid-major programs to record six straight 20+ win seasons. Over those last six complete seasons, Quinnipiac has compiled a record of 158-46 for a .775 win percentage which ranks as the 13th-best overall mark in the nation.
DEE-FENSE
Quinnipiac's defense led the MAAC all last season as the Bobcats allowed 58.6 points per game (56th-best mark in the nation). Quinnipiac allowed fewer than 60 points per game for just the third time in the program's Div. I history (2015-16 – 58.7, 2012-13 – 57.4, 2007-08 – 58.7). In MAAC regular season games, Quinnipiac allowed a miniscule 53.3 PPG while opponents shot just 35.3 percent from the floor in conference play, both standards that led the MAAC. For the season, Quinnipiac allowed opponents to shoot 36.9 percent (39th-best in the nation) while also ranking 21st in the nation in steals per game (10.8). Allowing 0.777 points per possession (best in the MAAC), Quinnipiac held opponents to fewer than 70 points in 29-of-36 games last season including 20 of the last 23 contests. The Bobcats had a run of 19 straight games holding teams to fewer than 70 points snapped in the MAAC Championship game win over Rider.
MAAC WIN STREAK
Quinnipiac saw its streak of 25 consecutive MAAC conference victories end in a 61-58 loss at Monmouth last season. 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 79-14 (.849) in all games against MAAC opponents and 69-12 (.851) in regular season MAAC games, both records that currently lead all teams in the conference. The Bobcats rank well ahead of Iona who sits with the second-best mark of 63-25 (.716) in games against conference foes over the last four seasons and stand 58-22 (.725) in regular season MAAC play.
TOP SPOT IN THE MAAC
Quinnipiac finished last season with the lead in eight different statistical categories, while the Bobcats ranked no worse than third out of 11 MAAC teams in 17 out of 21 major team statistics. Quinnipiac led the MAAC in scoring offense (68.4), scoring margin (+9.7), field goal percentage defense (36.9), blocked shots (4.9), assists (16.2), steals (10.8), turnover margin (+5.00) and assist/turnover ratio (1.11).
GOTTA LOVE THAT HOME COOKIN
Quinnipiac's extended home dominance is particularly impressive when looking at games against MAAC opponents, as the Bobcats stand with a mark of 37-4 (.902) at home in league games since joining the conference in 2013-14. That prominence is only magnified when looking a since 2014-15, as the Bobcats are 30-1 (.968) at the TD Bank Sports Center in conference games, with the only loss coming two years ago to Manhattan. After its conference opening win at home against Siena, the Bobcats are currently riding a 20-game unbeaten streak in home games against MAAC foes.
THE ULTIMATE CLOSERS
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. Overall, however, the Bobcats went 22-2 in the 2016-17 season to give Quinnipiac a mark of 67-2 since the start of 2014-15 in games in which Quinnipiac leads at the half, while this year's 6-0 record with halftime leads (Dayton, Richmond, Hampton, Providence, Central Michigan, Siena), has improved that mark to 73-2 (.973).
THAT 70s SCORING SHOW
Since the 2007-08 season, Quinnipiac is 136-15 (.901) in games wherein the Bobcats score 70 or more points, including 60-2 (.968) combined since 2014-15. During 2016-17 (16-0), 2012-13 (18-0) and 2010-11 (8-0), the Bobcats compiled undefeated records in each respective season when reaching the 70-point scoring plateau. So far this year, Quinnipiac has won all three games when scoring 70 or more, improving its win streak in those contests to 28 in a row (the last defeat was a 71-70 loss in overtime to Florida Gulf Coast in 2015-16 - the last regulation loss was to Oklahoma in the 2015 NCAA Tournament).
Quinnipiac's Record in Games Scoring 70+ Points Since 07-08
Season Record
2017-18 3-0
2016-17 16-0
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) 136-15 (.901)
BOY CAN THE BOBCATS PROTECT THE BALL
In its last win over Siena, Quinnipiac dished out 20 assists while committing only nine turnovers. The Bobcats are currently in first place in the MAAC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.2). That's nothing new, though, as the team's philosophy is predicated on smart passes and protecting the ball on offense. Quinnipiac has ranked in the top two in the MAAC in assist/turnover ratio in each of the last five seasons while ranking Top 50 in the nation four times. The prolonged trend continued in 2016-17, as the Bobcats led the MAAC and ranked 46th in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.11).. Senior point guard Carly Fabbri also currently leads the league individually with an impressive 2.7 ratio (43 assists, and only 16 turnovers through 12 games).
Assist/Turnover Ratio Last Six Seasons
Season Games APG TPG A/TO NCAA CONF
2012-13 33 16.9 14.5 1.17 10th 1st (NEC)
2013-14 34 16.3 13.1 1.24 20th 2nd (MAAC)
2014-15 35 19.6 13.3 1.47 5th 1st (MAAC)
2015-16 34 15.4 14.9 1.03 51st 2nd (MAAC)
2016-17 36 16.2 14.7 1.11 46th 1st (MAAC)
2017-18 12 15.6 12.9 1.20 -- 1st (MAAC)
Total 184 16.67 13.9 1.20 -- --
NEXT UP
Quinnipiac will resume MAAC play when it hosts Niagara on January 4th at 7 p.m. at the TD Bank Sports Center
Players Mentioned
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