PC Women Defeat DePaul, Friars Start 2-0 In BIG EAST For First Time Since 1999-2000
Providence College Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Providence College women’s basketball team defeated DePaul, 72-65, in BIG EAST play on Jan. 3 at Alumni Hall in Providence, R.I. The Friars have started BIG EAST play 2-0 for the first time since the 1999-00 campaign and snapped a 23-game winless streak to the Blue Demons. Olivia Olsen paced four Friars in double figures with 19 points, while Marta Morales Romero recorded the first double-double of her career on 12 points and 10 boards. Providence improved to 8-7 overall (2-0 BIG EAST), while DePaul dropped to 9-7 (1-2 BIG EAST).
1ST QUARTER:
• DePaul used a 6-0 spurt heading into the media timeout to gain an 8-5 advantage on the scoreboard (4:41).
• A 7-0 run late in the quarter gave the Friars a 17-12 lead.
• DePaul was scoreless for nearly three minutes until Katlyn Gilbert drained a baseline three as time expired in the frame.
• The Friars held a 17-15 lead at the break.
• Kendall Eddy and Marta Morales Romero each scored five points in the opening 10 minutes.
• Gilbert scored 11 of the Blue Demons’ 15 points.
2ND QUARTER:
• Nariah Scott hit a pair of free throws with 7:22 on the clock in the second quarter to get the first points of the quarter for either team (19-15).
• An 8-0 run by the Friars during a span of 1:20 helped mount a 27-20 lead, forcing a DePaul timeout.
• Another 8-0 run gave Providence a 41-27 lead with 44-seconds on the clock and the squad took a 41-29 edge into the locker room at halftime.
• The Friars shot a blistering 70-percent from the field in the first half (16-23), while DePaul converted 32-percent of its shots (12-38).
• Providence held a 21-12 edge on the glass in the first half. Morales Romero led the way with six boards.
• Emily Archibald paced the Friars with 10 first-half points on 4-4 shooting, including a 2-2 performance beyond the arc.
3RD QUARTER:
• Midway through the third (4:50), the Friars maintained their 12-point advantage (51-39).
• DePaul cut the deficit to eight (44-52) as the Friars were mired in a scoring drought of more than four minutes.
• Olsen halted the Friars’ scoring drought on a lay-in with 10-seconds left and Laryn Edwards got loose in transition for a bucket at time expired.
• Both teams scored 15 points in the third quarter and the Friars carried a 56-44 advantage into the fourth quarter.
4TH QUARTER:
• DePaul cut the lead to six (59-53) midway through the fourth (5:17).
• Olsen pushed the lead back to double digits with back-to-back buckets (63-53).
• DePaul responded with four-straight points to get back within six, but Brynn Farrell answered with a triple to make it a 68-59 game with 2:23 on the clock.
• Trailing by nine (68-59), DePaul called a timeout with 1:47 to play.
• DePaul inched within four with 31-seconds left, but Olsen drained a pair of free throws for the Friars on the other end.
• The Friars held on for a 72-65 victory.
NOTES:
• The Friars start 2-0 in the BIG EAST Conference for the first time since 1999-00.
• Providence snapped a 23-game winless streak to the Blue Demons. Prior to today’s win, the Friars last defeated DePaul on January 7, 2012.
• Olsen scored 14 of her team-best 19 points in the second half. She shot 7-11 from the field and added eight rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and one steal.
• Morales Romero recorded her first career double-double on 12 points and 10 boards. She also matched her career-high in assists (five).
• Archibald and Scott each posted a season-high 10 points in the victory.
• Archibald added nine rebounds and dished four assists.
• Scott was perfect from the field (3-3) and hit 3-4 free throw attempts.
• Providence turned the ball over 25 times, giving the Blue Demons a 25-9 edge in points off turnovers.
• The Friars shot a season-best 58.7-percent from the field (27-46) and 58.3-percent from the three-point arc (7-12).
• Providence dominated the glass, 44-27.
• The Friars’ played a critical role in the game, outscoring the Blue Demons’ bench, 21-5.
• The game was tied three times and there were four lead changes. Providence held the lead for
WHAT’S NEXT:
• The Friars return to action on Saturday, Jan. 6 against St. John’s. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. and the game will be nationally televised on FS1.
