2008 Woodie Awards
Post-season hopes on the line for Friars
Issue date: 2/22/07 Section: Sports
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. With two strong Big East teams ahead of them, University of Notre Dame on Saturday, Feb. 17, and Rutgers on Tuesday, Feb. 20, the Providence College Women's Basketball Team knew it had to get going to pick up some wins.
On Tuesday, Providence boldly matched up against No. 21 Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights are currently bidding for a first-round bye in the Big East tournament. From the start of the game, the Knights came out strong causing Providence to make mistakes it could not afford. With Rutgers leading 14-8, the Friars committed five straight turnovers that resulted in 10 straight Rutgers points.
In the first half, Providence scored just six points in the final 14:46. The Friars trailed 24-11 with 10:28 minutes remaining and then went 10:18 minutes without scoring; as a result, Rutgers led 35-14 at halftime. Due to Providence's extended injured reserve, the Knights were able to use their size advantage to score 22 points in the paint, including 11 second-chance points. Rutgers proved to be too much for the Friars to handle and walked away with a lopsided 69-34 victory. 34 points is the least scored in any of the Friars' games this year.
As the team prepared to play Notre Dame, ranked fourth in the Big East, it realized it had its work cut out for it. Unfortunately for the women Friars, Notre Dame proved to a force to be reckoned with. Providence was defeated by Notre Dame 82-65.
Despite falling to the Irish by 17 points, Providence matched Notre Dame's intensity the entire first half. At halftime, the Friars were only down 39-36; sophomore Chelsea Marandola led the way, pouring in 14 first-half points. The lead changed hands multiple times in the first half, and the Friars even held the lead at one point by as much as six points.
However, the second half was not as successful for the Friars.
"Our intensity and concentration was not the same as it was in the first half. Unfortunately, we got into some foul trouble and didn't box out on defense as much as we needed to," said Marandola after the game.
On Tuesday, Providence boldly matched up against No. 21 Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights are currently bidding for a first-round bye in the Big East tournament. From the start of the game, the Knights came out strong causing Providence to make mistakes it could not afford. With Rutgers leading 14-8, the Friars committed five straight turnovers that resulted in 10 straight Rutgers points.
In the first half, Providence scored just six points in the final 14:46. The Friars trailed 24-11 with 10:28 minutes remaining and then went 10:18 minutes without scoring; as a result, Rutgers led 35-14 at halftime. Due to Providence's extended injured reserve, the Knights were able to use their size advantage to score 22 points in the paint, including 11 second-chance points. Rutgers proved to be too much for the Friars to handle and walked away with a lopsided 69-34 victory. 34 points is the least scored in any of the Friars' games this year.
As the team prepared to play Notre Dame, ranked fourth in the Big East, it realized it had its work cut out for it. Unfortunately for the women Friars, Notre Dame proved to a force to be reckoned with. Providence was defeated by Notre Dame 82-65.
Despite falling to the Irish by 17 points, Providence matched Notre Dame's intensity the entire first half. At halftime, the Friars were only down 39-36; sophomore Chelsea Marandola led the way, pouring in 14 first-half points. The lead changed hands multiple times in the first half, and the Friars even held the lead at one point by as much as six points.
However, the second half was not as successful for the Friars.
"Our intensity and concentration was not the same as it was in the first half. Unfortunately, we got into some foul trouble and didn't box out on defense as much as we needed to," said Marandola after the game.