Pioneers Open Home Schedule Against Rider Tonight
11/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 30, 2004
Complete Sacred Heart vs. Rider Game Notes in PDF Format
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GAME 3 Rider University (0-2, 0-0 MAAC) vs. Sacred Heart University (1-1, 0-0 NEC)Tuesday, November 30, 2004 7:00 pm EST William H. Pitt Center (2,100) Fairfield, CT Officials: John Riordan, Terry McKinney, Cliff Carney
The Storyline... The Sacred Heart women's basketball team opens the home portion of their schedule tonight against Rider University as the Pioneers look to extend their 18-game regular season home winning streak with a win. Tonight also marks the first time SHU will face a team from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference during the Division I era. The Pioneers will be looking to rebound and get back into the win column after leading the Kansas Jayhawks by four at the half in Allen Fieldhouse but coming up short, 59-48. Junior Nicolle Rubino has been the key offensively for SHU early on, scoring 18 and 16, respectively, in her first two games this season.
TV/Radio/Internet: Tonight's game will be broadcast live on WHRT 91.5 FM. Jeff Holtz, the voice of Pioneer athletics, and Gene Gumbs, SHU Assistant Athletic Director for Communication, will call the action. The game can also be heard on the Internet through the Sacred Heart University website, SacredHeartPioneers.com, and clicking on the audio link on the schedule at the bottom of the front page.
Series... Tonight's game marks the first ever meeting between the Pioneers and the Rider Broncs.
Scouting the Broncs... The 2004-05 Rider University Broncs return four starters to this year's squad, including 1,000 point scorers Katie Hall and Becky Hower from a team that finished 5-23 a year ago. The Broncs are under new leadership this season, as head coach Tori Harrison takes over the reigns of the Bronc program. Rider comes into tonight's game at 0-2, having lost to Rutgers and Monmouth to start the season. The Broncs will face four teams from the Northeast Conference this season, having already lost to the Hawks, facing SHU tonight and taking on St. Francis (NY) and Mount St. Mary's later on down the road. Rider's leading scorer from last season returns in senior forward Leanne Moore, a All-MAAC third team selection in 2003-04. Moore averaged 13.5 points and 5.8 rebounds and also led the team in blocks with 54. Hall and Hower also averaged double figures last year at 11.9 and 11.1 points apiece. Both also earned All-MAAC third team honors last season. Sophomore Kara Borel returns after an All-MAAC Rookie Team year where she averaged 6.0 points and 6.7 boards per game. The Broncs were picked to finish seventh in the 10 team Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Preseason Poll.
The Coaches... Ed Swanson (SHU '89) enters his 15th season as head coach at his alma matar. Swanson posts a 213-177 record in his career at Sacred Heart. His teams have a 86-58 record since joining the Division I ranks in 1999-00. Swanson is the program's longest tenured coach and is the all-time leader in coaching wins, (213) and winning percentage (.546). He also earned his first ever NEC Brenda Reilly Coach of the Year award after guiding SHU to a school record 21 wins last season. Tori Harrison (Louisiana Tech `87) is in her first season at the helm of the Rider women's basketball program. Harrison comes to Rider after five seasons at Coppin State, where she earned the MEAC Coach of the Year award after a 22 win season. She has compiled a 61-77 record in her coaching career.
SHU vs. the MAAC... The Pioneers are 5-15 all-time versus teams from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference but this is the first season in their six-year Division I history that Sacred Heart will face-off with a team from the league. SHU has faced Fairfield University more than any other team from the MAAC, posting a 4-7 record against the Stags. Iona, a team the Pioneers will face in a few weeks, holds a 4-1 mark over Sacred Heart. St. Peter's College is the only other team the Pioneers have faced from the league and the only team they have not earned a win against. The Peacocks are 4-0 all-time against SHU.
No Place Like the Pitt... The Pioneers will look to continue their winning ways in the friendly confines of the Pitt Center this season. How friendly you ask? The Pioneers finished a perfect 14-0 at home last year and are riding an 18-game regular season winning streak at home that dates back to 2002-03. Their last regular season loss was to St. Francis (PA) in February of 2003 (66-63 OT). SHU dropped an NEC Tournament game to Long Island at the Pitt Center as the tournament's host during that year. The Pioneers are 53-12 at home since joining the NEC and 73-14 since the building opened in 1997. The Pitt Center currently ranks 11th in the nation as the toughest arena for opponents to earn a win.
SHU in Home Openers... The Pioneers are 4-1 in home openers during the last five seasons. All-time, SHU is 17-13 in their 30 year history in home opening games.
On the Road Again... For the fourth time in SHU's six years in Division I the Pioneers started a season on the road when the traveled to Yale last Friday night. The Pioneers posted a 66-53 win and in the process snapped an 0-5 skid in their last five road games that started a season. The Pioneers last got a win on the road to start a season in 1996-97 when they beat Quinnipiac 62-60 on November 16th. SHU is 8-9 all-time in season openers away from home.
Nothing beats a fast start... Sacred Heart has enjoyed strong starts to their seasons the past two years, jumping out at 5-1 last year and 4-1 in 2002-03. In their six years at the Division I level, the Pioneers have a 3-3 record in season opening games. SHU is 16-15 all-time in season openers.
Rubino...Quick out of the Gates... Junior Nicolle Rubino has been the Pioneers main offensive weapon in the first two games this season. Rubino scored 18 in the win over Yale on opening night and was the only SHU player in double figures at Kansas last Wednesday with 16. For the third consecutive season, Rubino was the Pioneers leading scorer in the opening game of the season. Her freshman year she scored 14 in a loss at UMass and then tallied another 14 in last season opener at home against the Minutewomen.
Duggan's Block Party... After picking up one block in the win at Yale, senior Colleen Duggan is one away from her 100th career blocked shot. The 6-2 center led the NEC in blocks last season with 50. She also holds the school record for blocks in a game with seven against Lafayette in 2002.
