Game Info: Saturday-Sunday, November 9-10, 2019 - 6:00 p.m./2:00 p.m.
Location: MPOBARC Arena - St. Mary's City, Md.
Social Media: @WidenerSports |
@WUWBB
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Opening Tip
The Widener University women's basketball team looks build on one of the best seasons in program history as the Pride starts 2019-20 at the One Love Seahawk Invitational, taking on St. Mary's (Md.) and Mary Washington on November 9 and 10. Tipoff on Saturday is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. with Sunday's game slated for 2:00 p.m.
Scouting Report For St. Mary's
The Seahawks are coming off a 7-19 season, going 3-11 in the Capital Athletic Conference. St. Mary's fell to top-seeded Christopher Newport 86-60 in the opening round of the CAC Tournament.
Last year's leading scorer returns for the Seahawks in Gina Seifert, who netted 10.4 points per game. Also back in Hallie Persell, a 6-2 post that tallied 8.4 an outing. The duo also posted 7.4 and 6.1 rebounds per game respectively.
Turnovers were a main theme for St. Mary's last season, both offensively and defensively. The Seahawks forced 21.3 miscues per contest, a mark that was second in the CAC. They were last, however, committing 21.3 turnovers a game themselves.
C. K. Calhoun is in her third season as the head coach at St. Mary's with a record of 15-35. As an assistant at both Randolph-Macon and Marymount (Va.) she combined to help guide teams to the NCAA Tournament on three occasions with the 2010 Marymount team advancing to the third round.
Scouting Report For St. Mary's
The Eagles went 14-13 last season, finishing 7-7 in the CAC and earned the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament. UMW topped fifth-seeded Frostburg State in overtime before bowing to Christopher Newport in the semifinals.
Returning for Mary Washington is Second Team All-Conference honoree Emily Thompson, whoaveraed 12.3 points per game, shot 37.4 percent from beyond the arc, and led the Capital Athletic Conference, connecting on 87.3 percent of her free throws. Tori Martin also is back after tallying 7.3 points per game in 2018-19.
One area of concern for the Eagles cold be rebounding. The top four glass cleaners for UMW are gone from last year's team, taking 22 boards a night with them. Mary Washington was fourth in the conference a season ago with 39.7 rebounds a contest.
Coach Deena Applebury is one of the veterans in the conference and has a 352-105 career record. She has guided the Eagles to nine NCAA Tournaments in her tenure, taking the team to the Sweet 16 in 2006, the Elite Eight in 2012, and the Final Four in 2007. For her efforts in that 2006-07 season, she was named the Russell Athletic WBCA National Coach of the Year.
So We Know You...
Widener and St. Mary's are meeting for the second straight season. The Pride topped the Seahawks 67-56 on November 11, 2018.
Devan Rimmer led the Blue and Gold with 18 points while
Madison Ireland scored 11 with seven rebounds and five assists. Making her collegiate debut,
Erin Phelan tallied 10 points and pulled in six boards.
You, Not So Much
It's been a couple years since the Pride has faced the Eagles in women's basketball. The last meeting between the two schools was a 61-42 win for Mary Washington on November 16, 2014. Current Widener assistant coach,
Brianne Comden had nine points, seven rebounds, two blocks, and two steals for UMW.
20/20 Vision
The Pride went 20-8 last season, just the second 20-win year in program history. WU posted a 24-6 record in 2012-13 on its way to a Sweet 16 appearance.
Early Expectations
Widener was selected as the preseason favorite to win the MAC Commonwealth according to the preseason coaches poll as announced by the league on October 31. The top three teams were separated by just three points as the Pride garnered 57 points, Messiah had 55, and Lycoming earned 54.
On The Other Bench
Mary Washington was voted fourth in the preseason poll for the six-team Capital Athletic Conference. St. Mary's was chosen sixth.
A Chance To Build (Part I)
14 players return for the Blue and Gold this season including three All-Conference performers and four starters.
Devan Rimmer was First Team MAC Commonwealth,
Madison Ireland garnered Second Team honors, and
Erin Phelan was the conference Rookie of the Year and Honorable Mention MAC Commonwealth. Those three are joined by fellow starter Mack McCracken and
Kyra Schenk in the projected starting lineup. Schenk has plenty of experience, appearing in all 53 possible games in her career, starting 23 as a freshman.
A Chance To Build (Part II)
Widener can work towards sustained success as a program as the Pride has a chance to have back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2012-14.
Up Next
Following the tipoff tournament, the Blue and Gold plays at home for the first time this season, hosting Salisbury on Thursday, November 14. Tipoff from the Schwartz Center is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
