Bearcats Sweep Women's Honors For Second Time This Season

12/20/2010 9:00:00 PM

America East Communications

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- For the second time this season, a pair of Binghamton University Bearcats have swept the America East women's basketball weekly awards. Junior forward Viive Rebane (Talinn, Estonia/Audentes) took home the Player of the Week accolade this week, while teammate freshman guard Jasbriell Swain (Memphis, Tenn./Horn Lake) picked up her third Rookie of the Week award of the season.

Rebane earns her first-ever weekly award from the conference office this week. The junior forward tallied 18 points and nine rebounds in the Bearcats' only game of the week, a victory on the road at Mount St. Mary's. It marked the third time in the past four games Rebane has scored at least 16 points, and she was just one board shy of her second double-double this season. She also compiled two steals and one block on 7-for-12 field-goal shooting, and finished 4-for-6 from the charity stripe. For the season, Rebane is averaging a career-high 11.4 ppg, good for 10th in America East, and 6.8 rpg, ranked ninth in the conference. She also ranks third in the conference stats with a .523 field-goal shooting efficiency.

Swain earned the league's top rookie award for a league-best third time this season. The freshman helped the Bearcats to a third straight win on Saturday, the first such streak for the Bearcats since early 2009, a road victory over Mount St. Mary's. Swain finished with 12 points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal. The guard drained two of her four three-point attempts and converted all four of her free-throw shots. Swain is second on the team with 11.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 27 assists and 26 steals in 10 games.

Upcoming Action

Monday, December 20
Maine vs. Winthrop (Hatter Classic) 3:30 p.m.

The Black Bears will face first-time opponent Winthrop in Deland, Florida. It will also be Maine's first-ever game against a school from the Big South, and the Black Bears will be the first America East squad this year to face a Big South foe.
Having played in Stetson's Hatter Classic twice before, the Black Bears are undefeated at the J. Ollie Edmunds Center. Maine will face the hosts on the second day of the tourney, while Youngstown State rounds out the participants.

Hofstra at Albany 7 p.m.

The Great Danes, who fell to Hofstra on the road last season, 49-62, will get a chance against the Pride at SEFCU Arena this year.
Albany has won games with defense this season. The Great Danes have held opponents to fewer than 60 points in each of their wins this season, while they are 0-3 when allowing 60 or more points.
Junior guard Felicia Johnson is having a career year with a personal-best 11.8 ppg, 3.7 apg and 2.0 spg.

Break Time

Because of final exams, last week was a slow week. Nobody played during the week, and America East teams played just six games total over the weekend. With the holiday this week, the upcoming week also proves to be light with just nine games scheduled. One those nine is the final regular-season non-conference game on the television schedule as University of Vermont travels to East Lansing to take on #14 Michigan State on BigTenNetwork.com on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Juniors Cruising

The junior class across the league this year has put its stamp on the conference with its dominance in the statistical rankings. Four of the top five scorers, six of the top 10, and nearly half of the top-30 are juniors. No other class can even boast half as many in the top 10. Four of the top five conference leaders in minutes played are juniors, and five of the top ten spots in the steals rankings belong to the third-year class. Other notable categories that the junior class has succeeded in are free-throw percentage (top five, 6-of-top-10), three-pointers (top three, 5-of-10), and blocks (3-of-4, 5-of-10).

Bearcats' Starting Five

The Binghamton University starting five, which has been intact for all but just the most recent game, has played 87 percent of the team's minutes this year. It's no suprise then that the Bearcats' starters have accounted for 94.3 percent of the team's scoring, 90.3 percent of its assists, and 73.6 precent its rebounds. All five starters are averaging double-digit points and are in the America East top-20. Guards Andrea Holmes (Memphis, Tenn./Mitchell) and freshman Swain have logged the most minutes with 39.0 and 37.5 minutes per game, respectively.

Grand Great Danes

University at Albany began its season with one of its best starts in program history. The Great Danes won their first five games of the season for the first time since 1986-87, and began 6-1 for the first time in its Division I history. The 1986-87 team, which competed at the Division III level, went 5-0 to open the season and finished with a 19-5 overall record. The Great Danes are now 7-3 after running into a pair of national powerhouses in Syracuse and #5/#4 Duke, and currently sit in first place in the America East standings.

Scheduling Strong

Once again, the Hartford Hawks have one of the toughest slates in the nation. According to Collegiate Basketball News' RPIratings.com, the Hawks have had the 29th toughest 2010-11 schedule thus far and have played five top-100 teams. Hartford's opponents combined have a 73-38 record (.658). Boston U. and New Hampshire have also had challenging slates, the 82nd and 89th toughest in the country, while the league as a whole has a combined strength of schedule ranked 11th of the 33 conferences.

Reporting In

Collegiate Basketball News ranked America East 24th out of 33 conferences in the weekly RPI Report, up one spot from the previous week. Albany, which is the highest-ranked of the America East teams, appears at 138, 133 steps improved from last year's final spot (269). Without having even played any games, Boston U. and Hartford made the biggest jumps of 19 and 11, respectively.

Poll Position... Mid-Major Edition

CollegeInsider.com debuted its first-ever Women's Mid-Major Top-25 poll this year. Three teams (Hartford, Vermont, Boston U.) were either ranked or receiving votes in the preseason poll. The most recent edition of the poll (Dec. 14) has Albany receiving 45 votes after being ranked in both of the previous two polls.

Regional Foes

Over 40 percent of the league's non-conference games this year have come against opponents from the Ivy League, Metro Atlantic Conference and Northeast Conference, largely to do with regional factors. America East teams have played teams from those leagues 38 times, posting a 7-5 record against the MAAC, 5-7 against the Ivies, and 6-8 mark against the NEC. Two-thirds of the league's wins this year have come against these three conferences.

The Countdown

UMBC's Michelle Kurowski (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) is closing in on 1,000 career points. The junior pulled to within 59 points last week and has 941 points going into Tuesday's game at Navy. Kurowski would become the second active America East player to top 1,000 career points, joining senior Kirsten Jeter from Stony Brook.

Half-Century Mark

A bevy of players have reached the 500 career- point mark already this season, including the youngest to do so, Boston U. sophomore Chantell Alford (West Haven, Conn./Wilbur Cross). Juniors Erin Brown (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman) of UMBC and Viive Rebane (Talinn, Estonia/Audentes School) from Binghamton have both eclipsed the half-century mark as well. The most recent to make the mark are seniors Tanna Ross (Newburgh, Maine/Hampden Academy) of Maine and Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt./Middlebury) of New Hampshire. Black Bear junior Samantha Wheeler (Derry, N.H./Timberlane Regional) is just three points away from 500.

Jeter's A Keeper

Stony Brook senior Kirsten Jeter (Elmont, N.Y./Elmont), a unanimous preseason all-conference pick, is poised to finish her career with spectacular numbers. She is currently the league's active leader in points (1,193), rebounds (610) and steals (185), and has led the Seawolves to improvement in every season since her freshman year in 2007-08.

Triple Up

Boston University sophomore guard Mo Moran (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) tallied a triple-double of 15 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists on November 17 at home against Yale, the first Terrier to accomplish the feat since 2004. It is also the third straight season America East has had a player notch a triple-double, as former America East Player of the Year Courtnay Pilypaitis ('10) from University of Vermont picked up a triple-double in each of the previous two seasons.

Historic Year

America East is coming off arguably its most successful season in the history of the league. Two teams represented the conference in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2000, including Hartford's first-ever at-large bid. Vermont defeated Wisconsin in the first round, America East's third win in the tourney since 2006. Boston U. made it three teams in the postseason when it earned a spot in the postseason WNIT and hosted a game at Case Gym. For the year, the league finished 15th in the RPI, the league's highest finish since 2005-06. America East was the fifth-highest ranked non-FBS conference in the final 2009-10 RPI ratings.

Against The Best

To get into postseason tournaments - and then succeed in them - you must compete against the best teams. Over a third of the league's non-conference games last year (45 of 113) were against teams which qualified for the NCAA or WNIT postseason tournaments the previous season. Below is how the league fared against those teams.

vs. NCAA Teams    5-16 (.238)
      ->wins over Dartmouth (x2), Temple, Sacred Heart, Louisville
vs. WNIT Teams    7-17 (.292)
      ->wins over Central Conn., Harvard, Boston College, Coppin St, Dayton, Bowling Green, Canisius
vs. All Postseason Teams    12-33 (.267)

So far during the 2010-11 season, 29 of 89 non-conference opponents competed in the 2010 postseason, including ten NCAA participants, 18 WNIT competitors and one WBI Tournament team.

New Faces

America East welcomes three new head coaches this season. University at Albany hired Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, previously the associate head coach at Indiana and also a former assistant at University of Maine. University of New Hampshire brought on Maureen Magarity to head up its program. Magarity, who comes from Army where she was most recently associate head coach, is believed to be the youngest Division I coach--men's or women's--in the country. Finally, after two straight America East Championships, University of Vermont is rebuilding its team, including the coaching staff. During the offseason, the Catamounts hired Lori Gear McBride, a member of the 1994 North Carolina team which won the National Championship.

ALBANY GREAT DANES (7-3, 0-0 AE)

Albany ended a two-game skid with a 63-47 win over Niagara in the only game of the week for the Great Danes... Sophomore forward Julie Forster (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington) filled up the boxscore with nine points, a game-high 14 rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block in 32 minutes of action... She was just one point shy of her fifth double-double of the season... Junior guard Cassandra Callaway (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne/Daytona State) scored a team-high 13 points to lead the Great Danes, while sophomore guard Ebone Henry (San Diego, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic) added 10 points to go along with five boards, five steals and a block... The Great Danes defense held an opponent under 30-percent shooting for the third time this season... Albany tied a season high with eight three-pointers in the game... The Great Danes return to action on Monday, hosting Hofstra, and complete a three-games in five days run, visiting Fairfield on Wednesday.

BINGHAMTON BEARCATS (6-4, 0-0 AE)

Binghamton has won three straight games for the first time since Feb. 21-March 2, 2009. In the process, the Bearcats have captured three out of their last five games away from the Events Center... Junior forward Viive Rebane (Talinn, Estonia/Audentes) had 18 points and nine rebounds against Mt. St. Mary's on Saturday. It marked the third time in the past four games she has scored at least 16 points. During that span, Rebane has averaged 16.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest. For the season, Rebane is averaging a career-high 11.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game... Freshman forward Jasbriell Swain (Memphis, Tenn./Horn Lake) posted 12 points and six rebounds against Mt. St. Mary's on Saturday. In the process, she reached double figures for the seventh time in the past 10 games. Swain is second on the team with 11.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game. She is on track to post the highest scoring average by a Binghamton freshman in the program's Division I history. The current record of 11.3 ppg was set by Jen Blues during the 2002-03 season.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY TERRIERS (3-8, 0-0 AE)

The Boston University women's basketball team snapped a four-game losing streak with a 66-49 victory over UMass on Wednesday, December 8 at Case Gym... The Terriers also had two losses to Northeastern, 67-55, and Marist, 71-55... Sophomore Chantell Alford (West Haven, Conn./Wilbur Cross) was the team's leading scorer during those three games as she averaged 15.3 ppg, while classmate Mo Moran (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) chipped in 12.0 ppg... Junior Caroline Stewart (Topsfield, Mass./Masconomet) and senior Kerry Cashman (Newfields, N.H./Exeter) were forces to be reckoned with on the boards as they averaged 9.7 and 8.3 rpg, respectively. Boston U. is in the midst of a 17-day break before reconvening on Dec. 28 at Richmond.

HARTFORD HAWKS (2-9, 0-0 AE)

The University of Hartford women’s basketball team will return from its 10-day break for final exams on Wednesday for a 2 p.m. match-up against the Hofstra Pride in Hempstead, N.Y. The Hawks are looking for their first back-to-back victories of the season after picking up a commanding 74-43 victory over the Dartmouth Big Green last time out on December 12. The Pride will be closing out a three-games in six days stretch when the Hawks visit the Mack Sports Complex. Following the Hofstra game the Hawks will head home for the Christmas holiday before returning for their final game of the 2010 calendar year when they travel to Coppin State on Wednesday, December 29 (5 p.m.).

MAINE BLACK BEARS (1-8, 0-0 AE)

The Maine women's basketball team returns to the Hatter Classic in Deland, Fla. for the third time in its history. The Black Bears traveled to the Stetson-hosted tournament in 1989 and 2001 and are undefeated at the J. Ollie Edmunds Center. Maine will face Winthrop at 3:30 p.m. on Monday and Stetson at 1 p.m. on Tuesday. Maine dropped a pair of games in the state of Pennsylvania last week. The Black Bears fell to Penn, 69-48, last Friday and 95-41 at Penn State on Sunday. Amber Smith (Ipswich, Mass./Ipswich) scored in double figures for the third-straight time against Penn State. She opened the season with four 10+ scoring performances and has scored in double digits seven times this year. Shareka Maner (Spring Hill, Fla./Nature Coast) made her career debut at Penn and played against Penn State as well, while Corinne Wellington (Rochester, N.Y./Wilson Magnet) pulled down a career-high 11 boards at Penn State. Maine ranks among the top-five offenses in the league with 56 points per game and is third in the conference from the charity stripe with a .701 mark. Amber Smith ranks in the America East top-10 with 12.4 points per game and a .444 field-goal percentage. The Black Bears also lead the conference in average attendance with 1,376 fans a game. Maine has traveled to the Hatter Classic twice before and is undefeated at the J. Ollie Edmunds Center in Deland, Fla. The Black Bears faced Stetson in both those trips and won, 86-78, in 1989 and 75-57 in 2001. Maine went to overtime in both games in the 1989 Hatter Classic and defeated Holy Cross, 83-81, to go along with its win over the host school. Maine also won the other game in 2001, 71-54 , over Georgia Southern.

UMBC RETRIEVERS (4-7, 0-0 AE)

UMBC dropped its lone game last week, falling at ACC foe Virginia, 61-46, on Saturday… Junior forward Erin Brown (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman) scored a season-high 16 points and added six rebounds and a career-best four steals in 40 minutes… She has reached double figures in six straight games and 10 of 11 on the season… Sophomore guard Kristin Coles (Charles Town, W.Va./Notre Dame Academy/American) scored a career-high 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting off the bench… The first 10:25 of the contest featured two ties and five lead changes before a 10-0 Virginia run over the next 6:18 gave the Cavaliers the lead for good, but the Retrievers trailed by just four points at halftime… UMBC recorded a season-high 14 steals in the game… Junior guard Michelle Kurowski (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) is just 59 points away from becoming the 17th member of UMBC’s 1,000-point club, while senior forward Meghan Colabella (Upper Montclair, N.J./Montclair) is 22 rebounds shy of becoming the 14th Retriever ever to reach 500 in her career… UMBC’s trio of juniors – Kurowski, Brown and center Topé Obajolu (Randallstown, Md./Archbishop Carroll) has accounted for 67.8 percent of the team’s scoring this season… Kurowski leads UMBC with 13.2 points per game, while Brown closely follows with 13.1 ppg… The Retrievers visit in-state rival Navy on Tuesday in their lone action of the week.

NEW HAMPSHIRE (1-7, 0-0 AE)

Last time out the University of New Hampshire women's basketball team fell to Central Connecticut State University, 61-48, at Detrick Gymnasium on Dec. 19… With the loss the Wildcats fall to 1-7 on the season, while the Blue Devils snap a two-game losing streak, improving to 6-2… Kelsey Hogan (Nashua, N.H./Nashua) led all UNH scorers with 11 points, adding five boards and five assists … Hogan’s five assists in the contest were a team best, marking the fourth straight game she has led the team in helpers… Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) registered 10 points and eight rebounds… Cari Reed (Oswego, N.Y./Oswego) rounded out UNH's double-digit scorers with 10 points and six boards… The outing marked the first time three Wildcats scored in double-digits this season… New Hampshire outscored CCSU in the first half, 36-32, on 46.4 percent (13-28) shooting, including 60 percent (6-10) from deep… The Wildcats registered 16 bench points in the loss… Over the last two games the team has scored 42 points off the bench… The Wildcats return to action on Wednesday, Dec. 22 (5 p.m.) when they take on Quinnipiac at Lundholm Gymnasium.

STONY BROOK SEAWOLVES (3-7, 0-0 AE)

The Seawolves dropped their only game of the week, 59-43, at Long Island... It was their fourth straight loss... SBU held Long Island to 36.8 percent shooting but shot 23.5 percent from the field ... It was SBU's lowest shooting percentage and point total this season... Senior Kirsten Jeter (Elmont, N.Y.) led the Seawolves with nine points and six rebounds... Junior Destiny Jacobs (Glen Burnie, Md.) pulled down a team-high nine rebounds... Jacobs is averaging 10.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game over the Seawolves' last seven games... Stony Brook scored 23 points off 24 LIU turnovers... It was the sixth time this season that the Seawolves have forced their opponents into 20 or more turnovers... SBU held LIU to 0-for-7 shooting from beyond the three-point line... The Seawolves will play their fourth straight road game on Tuesday, traveling to take on Old Dominion... It will be the first-ever meeting between the programs.

VERMONT CATAMOUNTS (0-9, 0-0 AE)

After a 10-day layoff for final exams the Vermont Catamounts returned to action at Kent State... UVM dropped an 88-36 decision to the Golden Flashes, who were ranked No. 23 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll... Freshman Jasmine Cooper (Columbus, Ohio/Pinkerington Central) led UVM on the boards, collecting seven rebounds, in her first career start... Junior Katie Dorey (Burlington, Vt./Rice Memorial) made her Catamount debut in the game and finished the contest with five rebounds and five points... Dorey was eligible following the completion of the first semester after transferring to Vermont from St. Anselm College (Manchester, N.H.) at mid-year last season... The Catamounts continue a two-game Midwest swing when they face Michigan State (No. 14 AP/No. 17 USA Today/ESPN) at 7 p.m. in East Lansing, Mich.

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