The shine came off the Nova season tonight with an ugly loss to the Friars. Nova's failure to hit open threes and extend a large first half lead, unable to score at all at the start of the second half, the inability to come down with key defensive rebounds and numerous missed foul shots sent us down to defeat. Rachel Roberts did not make the trip with the flu.
Providence scored the first bucket and led 4-0 and then managed to miss their next 20 plus shots. Nova ran off 21 straight points to lead 21-4 at the 17:16 mark, but it should have been much more with the total domination they had on defense through that stretch. Providence finally scored their second bucket at the 5:50 mark. Nova led 29-8 after a Sweeney three and Providence scored to close the half at 29-10, shooting 3-30 for the half. Just ugly. Laura Sweeney almost had a double double in the first hafl with 9 points and 9 rebounds.
Nova promply gave up the lead by not scoring for the first 7 and a half minutes, letting Providence motor ahead by 31-29 until Sweeney nailed another three to put us back in front, ending a 21 point run by the Friars. Things finally got going for us, with Lauren Burford picking up the pace, scoring 18 points after the half. Her three at the 9:33 mark put Nova up 42-35, but it was a dogfight the rest of the way. Nova had a 50-47 lead after Sweeney made one of two at the line, but Providence immediately scored on a short bank shot after a time out. Burford then missed the front end of a 1 and 1 and Providence ran down and scored on a layup with 6 seconds left. Nova held the ball to take it to OT.
Providence jumped up by 55-51 on a put back and a short shot, but Devon Kane and Burford nailed threes and we were back up by 2. Another putback and a fastbreak layup put Providence up 59-57. Devon Kane then missed the front end of a 1 and 1, allowing Providence to score off the run-out and then with two free throws to lead 63-57 with 25 seconds left. Burford immedidately answered with a three and on the ensuing inbounds Nova stole the ball but then lost it out of bounds in a scramble. After fouling Providence to put them on the line, they missed the front end of the 1 and 1 but we gave up an easy rebound for a putback score to ice the game. Final Score, 65-60.
Burford finished with 20, Sweeney 14 with 11 boards, fill-in starter Kane posted 8 points. Providence pulled down a near Big East record 65 rebounds, including 30 offensive. Seven missed foul shots (9 of 16) didn't help, many in clutch situations. Got to re-group and play much better to beat Syracuse. Need to hit threes (especially if they zone us the whole game again) and put up more of a fight for the rebounds against one of the better centers in the league. WIth our loss, Notre Dame remains as the only undefeated team in the Big East.
Providence scored the first bucket and led 4-0 and then managed to miss their next 20 plus shots. Nova ran off 21 straight points to lead 21-4 at the 17:16 mark, but it should have been much more with the total domination they had on defense through that stretch. Providence finally scored their second bucket at the 5:50 mark. Nova led 29-8 after a Sweeney three and Providence scored to close the half at 29-10, shooting 3-30 for the half. Just ugly. Laura Sweeney almost had a double double in the first hafl with 9 points and 9 rebounds.
Nova promply gave up the lead by not scoring for the first 7 and a half minutes, letting Providence motor ahead by 31-29 until Sweeney nailed another three to put us back in front, ending a 21 point run by the Friars. Things finally got going for us, with Lauren Burford picking up the pace, scoring 18 points after the half. Her three at the 9:33 mark put Nova up 42-35, but it was a dogfight the rest of the way. Nova had a 50-47 lead after Sweeney made one of two at the line, but Providence immediately scored on a short bank shot after a time out. Burford then missed the front end of a 1 and 1 and Providence ran down and scored on a layup with 6 seconds left. Nova held the ball to take it to OT.
Providence jumped up by 55-51 on a put back and a short shot, but Devon Kane and Burford nailed threes and we were back up by 2. Another putback and a fastbreak layup put Providence up 59-57. Devon Kane then missed the front end of a 1 and 1, allowing Providence to score off the run-out and then with two free throws to lead 63-57 with 25 seconds left. Burford immedidately answered with a three and on the ensuing inbounds Nova stole the ball but then lost it out of bounds in a scramble. After fouling Providence to put them on the line, they missed the front end of the 1 and 1 but we gave up an easy rebound for a putback score to ice the game. Final Score, 65-60.
Burford finished with 20, Sweeney 14 with 11 boards, fill-in starter Kane posted 8 points. Providence pulled down a near Big East record 65 rebounds, including 30 offensive. Seven missed foul shots (9 of 16) didn't help, many in clutch situations. Got to re-group and play much better to beat Syracuse. Need to hit threes (especially if they zone us the whole game again) and put up more of a fight for the rebounds against one of the better centers in the league. WIth our loss, Notre Dame remains as the only undefeated team in the Big East.