Double Doubles By Boston U.'s Stewart and Maine's Roberts Capture Awards

1/10/2011 5:45:00 PM

America East Communications

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- Career highs were the highlights for both the America East player and rookie of the week for the period ending January 9. Player of the week Boston University junior forward Caroline Stewart (Topsfield, Mass./Masconomet Regional) led the Terriers as they soared to the top of the league standings, while University of Maine freshman guard Ashleigh Roberts (Wilmington, Del./Concord) earned her third rookie of the week with two career performances, including her first double double in the Black Bears' America East Conference victory on Sunday.

Stewart becomes the second straight Terrier to earn the league's Player of the Week as she captures her first career weekly award. The junior forward led the league in two categories last week, including rebounding (10.5 rpg) and field goal percentage (.667). Stewart finished the week with a double-double as she also averaged 17.5 points in two conference games.

Stewart opened the week with a 19-point, 10-rebound double double on the road at New Hampshire. In Durham, she shot 9-for-11 from the field and went 1-for-1 from long-range as she sunk her first trey of the season. The 19 points were a career high for the junior forward. Stewart helped extend Boston U.'s winning streak to three games with her second straight double double at Vermont on Sunday. She finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block with 7-for-13 shooting from the field. She played all but five minutes for the Terriers last week, turning the ball over just once. For the season, Stewart is averaging 8.3 points and she ranks second in America East with 8.7 rebounds.

Roberts has earned her third weekly award of her freshman campaign as she led the Black Bears to a win in their conference home opener. The rookie extended her double-digit scoring streak to seven games and also picked up her first career double double. Roberts averaged 16.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game in two America East contests last week.

Roberts recorded her first double double in a 60-57 win over UMBC on Sunday, tallying 14 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Roberts also finished with three assists and four steals in the victory. Earlier in the week, on the road at Hartford, Roberts set a career high in points with 18 on 7-for-12 shooting, while adding three rebounds and a steal. Roberts is third on the team in scoring with 10.1 ppg, and has a team-high 14.7 ppg in conference games. She is also averaging 3.3 rebounds per game this season, including 6.3 against America East opponents.

Upcoming Action

Wednesday, January 12
*Stony Brook at Vermont 7 p.m.
*Binghamton at UMBC 7 p.m.
*Hartford at New Hampshire 7 p.m.
*Albany at Maine 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, January 15
*Stony Brook at New Hampshire 1 p.m.
*Binghamton at Maine 1 p.m.
*Vermont at UMBC 2 p.m.
*Boston U. at Albany 3 p.m.

* America East Conference Game

Preseason Picks Looking Good

Boston U., who was the preseason favorite of the coaches, has so far proved the head coaches right. The Terriers are the first America East team with three conference wins and are one of three undefeated teams through the first full week of league games. During its 3-0 start, Boston U. is plowing through league foes by a +23.7 scoring margin. The Terriers also have a +12.7 turnover margin through three games, forcing 23.7 turnovers per game while only turning the ball over 11 times per game themselves.

Long Time Coming

The conference saw a few surprises during the first full week of America East play as a couple of teams snapped droughts in the all-time series with other conference squads. Albany hadn't defeated league foe Hartford since 2005 until Saturday when the Great Danes upended the Hawks in West Hartford, 46-43. During that period, Hartford won 13-straight games against Albany. The Great Danes had also been held winless against the Hawks at Chase Arena since March 2004 in the quarterfinals of the America East Championship. On Sunday, another streak fell as Maine snapped a five-game skid against UMBC with a buzzer beater. The Black Bears' 60-57 win in Orono was their first win over the Retrievers since January 5, 2008.

New Member Of 1,000-Point Club

UMBC junior guard Michelle Kurowski (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) became the next member of the 1,000 career point club with a 19-point performance in the Retrievers' win at Stony Brook on January 3. Despite the feat coming on the road, it was just 30 miles away from Kurowski's hometown on Long Island and was in front of family and friends. The Retriever becomes just the second active America East player to top 1,000 points, joining Stony Brook's Kirsten Jeter. Kurowski was the 100th America East player all-time to score her 1,000th career point.

Who's Next?

Four more juniors are next in line to follow Kurowski into the 1,000 point club. The closest is Binghamton junior guard Andrea Holmes (Memphis, Tenn./Mitchell) who has 923 points.

Triple The Fun

After a pair of one-point losses earlier in the week, University of New Hampshire finally pulled out a close win at home on January 1 over Rhode Island. However, it was even closer than the Wildcats could have imagined. The Wildcats and Rams went into triple overtime to decide the game, where UNH outscored the visitors 18-4 in the final five minutes to win the game, 88-74. Four UNH players played over 50 minutes, with junior Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) playing 53 out of a possible 55 minutes. It was the longest game an America East squad has played since Vermont also went into triple overtime on November 23, 2008 against Dartmouth, and the first triple overtime game in Wildcat program history.

Juniors Cruising

The junior class across the league this year has put its stamp on the conference with its dominance in the statistical rankings. The top five, seven of the top 10, and 10 of the top-20 scorers are juniors. No other class can even boast half as many in the top 10. The top four conference leaders in minutes played are juniors, and eight of the top 15 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 four, 7-of-top-10), three-pointers (4-of-5, 5-of-10), and blocks (5-of-15).

Scheduling Strong

According to Collegiate Basketball News' RPIratings.com, America East squads have played the 11th-toughest non-conference schedule out of the 33 conferences. University of Vermont has had the most grueling schedule, ranked the 36th toughest in the country. Hartford's non-league schedule is ranked 58th in strength, and includes a win over a top-100 team, Sacred Heart, earlier this year.

Reporting In

Collegiate Basketball News ranked America East 28th out of 33 conferences in the weekly RPI Report, slipping one spot from the previous week. Albany remains the highest-ranked team, up five spots to 152. For the second straight week, Binghamton moved up by over 20 spots, making the largest leap this week, up 22 spots to 193.

Bearcats' Starting Five

The Binghamton University starting five, which has been intact for all but just one game, has played 84 percent of the team's minutes this year. It's no surprise then that the Bearcats' starters have accounted for 90.4 percent of the team's scoring, 86.8 percent of its assists, and 73.4 percent of its rebounds. Four of the five starters are averaging double-digit points and all five are in the America East top-20. Guards Andrea Holmes (Memphis, Tenn./Mitchell) and freshman Jasbriell Swain (Memphis, Tenn./Horn Lake) have logged the most minutes with 38.9 and 34.8 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.

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. Albany has also been ranked this season as high as 23rd and is currently receiving six votes.

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 (1,232), rebounds (641) and steals (201), and has led the Seawolves to improvement in every season since her freshman year in 2007-08.

Triple Up

Boston U. sophomore guard Moran tallied a triple-double of 15 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists on November 17 at home against Yale, one of only 12 players in the country this year, and 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.

ALBANY GREAT DANES (9-6, 2-0 AE)

Albany kicked off the America East Conference slate with a 2-0 record for the first time since 2007-08... The Great Danes defeated New Hampshire, 62-56, in overtime at home, before knocking off defending regular-season champion Hartford, 46-43, on the road... Junior guard Cassandra Callaway (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) averaged 12.5 points over the two games... She recorded a career-high six steals against New Hampshire, including two key thefts in overtime, and grabbed a career-best eight rebounds against Hartford... Sophomore guard Ebone Henry (San Diego, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic) averaged a team-high 15.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in the two games... Henry tied a career-high with 26 points against New Hampshire, including an 8-of-10 performance from the free throw line... Point guard Felicia Johnson (Newport News, Va./Woodside) averaged a team-high 39.5 minutes and netted 11.5 points per game, including a game-high 16 at Hartford, playing all but one minute... Albany will return to action on Wednesday at Maine before hosting Boston U. on Saturday.

BINGHAMTON BEARCATS (9-6, 2-0 AE)

Binghamton has won three straight games and is 2-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2007-08 season. Furthermore, with their 65-55 win over Cornell on Monday, the Bearcats finished 7-6 in non-conference play. In the process, they turned in their best non-conference record since going 7-4 during the 2005-06 campaign... Junior guard Andrea Holmes (Memphis, Tenn./Mitchell) averaged 18.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in leading Binghamton to perfect 3-0 week. Against conference opponents, she averaged 18.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per contest. Holmes turned in her first double double of the season with 13 points and 12 rebounds in a win over Stony Brook on Thursday and followed up with a 24-point performance against New Hampshire on Sunday. She now has 13 career 20-point performances, including three this season and is 77 points away from becoming just the fourth junior in program history to reach the 1,000-point mark in scoring... Freshman forward Jasbriell Swain (Memphis, Tenn./Horn Lake) posted a pair of double doubles and shot .476 from the field, helping the Bearcats go a perfect 3-0 this past week. She had 11 points and 10 rebounds against Cornell on Monday followed by 13 points and 10 rebounds against Stony Brook on Thursday. Although she was held to just two attempts and no points against New Hampshire on Sunday, she still grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists in 21 minutes of action. Swain now has five double-doubles so far this season... Senior guard Jackie Ward reached double figures in scoring all three games last week, averaging 10.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the process... Also posting a strong week was junior forward Viive Rebane (Talinn, Estonia/Audantes), who averaged 13.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.0 blocks per contest... Sophomore forward Kara Elofson (Minneapolis, Minn./Hopkins) led Binghamton last week with 9.7 rebounds per game.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY TERRIERS (6-9, 3-0 AE)

The Boston University women's basketball team stretched its winning streak to three games with a 56-43 victory over Vermont on Sunday afternoon... The Terriers own a +23.7 scoring margin over their America East opponents as they have flourished in conference action... In two games last week, junior Caroline Stewart (Topsfield, Mass./Masconoment) averaged a double-double with 17.5 ppg and 10.5 ppg... At New Hampshire on Jan. 6, she poured in a career-high 19 points on 9-for-11 shooting and she followed it up with a 16-point performance at Vermont on Jan. 6... Sophomore Chantell Alford (West Haven, Conn./Wilbur Cross) also averaged double figures with 12.5 ppg... The Terriers will have five days off before heading to Albany on Saturday (Jan. 15), where head coach Kelly Greenberg will be looking for her 200th career victory... Tip-off is at 3 p.m.

HARTFORD HAWKS (5-11, 2-1 AE)

The Hawks split a pair of conference home games this past week, defeating the Maine Black Bears, 73-43, in the conference home opener on Wednesday before falling to Albany, 43-46, on Sunday afternoon... The Hawks used a huge second half for their largest margin of victory in conference play against the Black Bears... Hartford finished the game shooting 50 percent overall, 25-of-50, including a 67 percent (16-of-24) effort in the second half alone... For the game, the Hawks were led by a pair of upperclassmen guards, Mary Silvia (Reading, Mass./Reading) and Ilicia Mathis (Hamden, Conn./Hill Regional Career), who each finished with 13 points... Overall the Hawks bench alotted for 50 total points, including 11 from senior Amanda Weaver (York, Pa./York Catholic) who finsihed with 11 points, including going a perfect 3-of-3 from outside the arc, in her first game back from injury... In the loss to Albany, sophomore Ruthanne Doherty (Richmond, Va./L.C. Bird) led the Hawks with the first double double of the season for the team. She finished with 12 points, her first game in double figures this season, and 12 rebounds, a season high for any of the Hawks... The Hawks will play just one game in the coming week when they travel to New Hampshire for a 7 p.m. match-up on Wednesday at Lundholm Gymnasium.

MAINE BLACK BEARS (3-12, 1-2 AE)

Maine split a pair of America East match-ups on the weekend... The Black Bears were defeated 73-43 at Hartford but picked up their first conference win at home against UMBC on Sunday... Senior Tanna Ross (Newburgh, Maine/Hampden Academy) hit the game-winning three for Maine with just .4 seconds left in regulation... Freshman Ashleigh Roberts (Wilmington, Del./Concord) set a career high in points in a game against Hartford with 18 and in rebounds with 12 against UMBC... She also notched her first career double double against the Retrievers... She has now scored in double-digits in seven straight contests... Ali Nalivaika (Worcester, Mass.) picked up a career-high 11 points off the bench for Maine against UMBC... It was Maine's first win over UMBC since Feb. 5, 2008 when it defeated UMBC, 67-55, at Alfond Arena... Shareka Maner (Spring Hill, Fla.) had a career-high eight rebounds at Hartford... Maine will play two more home games this coming week, meeting up with Albany on Wednesday before taking on Binghamton on Saturday afternoon.

UMBC RETRIEVERS (7-8, 1-1 AE)

UMBC split a pair of America East road games last week… The Retrievers defeated Stony Brook, 65-52, on Monday in their conference opener… It was UMBC’s second-ever victory in an America East opener and first since defeating Boston University in 2007… Junior guard Michelle Kurowski (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) became the 17th player in UMBC history to score 1,000 career points… She reached the milestone in her 74th career game, making her the third-fastest Retriever to do so, and she is just the fourth to accomplish the feat during her junior season… Kurowski scored 19 points and added eight rebounds, while junior forward Erin Brown (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman) also tallied a season-high 19 points and was 3-for-5 from long distance… Senior forward Meghan Colabella (Upper Montclair, N.J./Montclair) scored a season-high 15 points and was 7-for-8 from the foul line… UMBC dropped a heartbreaker at Maine on Sunday, falling on a buzzer-beater, 60-57… Kurowski posted her second double double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds… Brown led all scorers with 16 points… UMBC’s trio of juniors – Kurowski, Brown and center Topé Obajolu (Randallstown, Md./Archbishop Carroll) – has accounted for 67.6 percent of the team’s scoring this season… Kurowski is the America East’s leading scorer (14.5 ppg) while Brown ranks fourth (13.5)… Colabella is seven rebounds shy of becoming the 14th Retriever ever to reach 500 in her career… The Retrievers return home for two league games this week, hosting Binghamton on Wednesday and Vermont on Saturday.

NEW HAMPSHIRE (3-11, 0-3 AE)

The University of New Hampshire women's basketball team finished its first week of America East action with an 0-3 record, surrendering losses to Albany (Jan. 4), Boston University (Jan. 6), and Binghamton (Jan. 6)… In their most recent action, the Wildcats fell to the Bearcats, 72-60, at the Events Center… Senior Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt./Middlebury), junior Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass./Framingham), and sophomore Cari Reed (Oswego, N.Y./Oswego) each tallied 14 points, marking the third time this season three ‘Cats have scored in double-figures in a game… Reed was named the America East Player of the Game for UNH, netting her 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field and 4-of-7 shooting from deep… She also pulled down a career-high nine rebounds and tallied an assist… McDonald rounded out her afternoon with six boards and two assists… It is the sixth straight game McDonald has scored in double-digits … Beliveau finished 5-of-9 from the field and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc, while also adding five rebounds, one block and one steal… She has scored in double-digits in four straight games, including 11 of the last 12... Earlier in the week she notched her second straight double-double, tallying 19 points and a career-best 15 rebounds against Albany (Jan. 4). Beliveau earned America East Player of the Game honors for her performance. It was her fourth double-double of the season and the eighth of her career. She is the first Wildcat to compile 15-plus rebounds in a game since Candace Williams notched 16 boards against Morehead State on Dec. 29, 2008... The Wildcats return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 11 (7 p.m.) when they return home to take on the University of Hartford at Lundholm Gymnasium.

STONY BROOK SEAWOLVES (3-11, 0-2 AE)

The Seawolves opened the conference season with losses to UMBC and Binghamton... Stony Brook cut a 17-point second half deficit to two but the Retrievers were able to hold on for the victory... Senior Kirsten Jeter (Elmont, N.Y.) tallied 14 points and 14 rebounds... It was her second double-double of the season and 11th of her career .. The 14 rebounds was season high... Stony Brook then dropped a 63-43 decision to Binghamton on Thursday... Sophomore Sam Landers (Springfield, Va.) matcher her career high with a game-high 16 points... Junior Destiny Jacobs (Glen Burnie, Md.) pulled down 11 rebounds while sophomore Juanita Cochran (Saginaw, Mich.) added 10 points and 10 rebounds... The Seawolves used their eighth different starting lineup of the season against UMBC... After scoring 65 points or more in six of its first seven games, the Seawolves have failed to score 60 points in their last seven games... Jeter had five steals against UMBC to move past Jessica Smith ‘07 for eighth place on the Seawolves all-time steals list (201)... She has 22 steals over her past four games... UMBC had just 14 turnovers on Monday, snapping a string of three straight games in which the Seawolves had forced their opponents into 20 or more turnovers... SBU has forced its opponents into 20+ turnovers eight times this season.

VERMONT CATAMOUNTS (0-15, 0-2 AE)

Vermont fell to 0-15 overall and 0-2 in league play this week... The Catamounts wrapped up its non-conference slate with a 79-33 loss at No. 25 Oklahoma State... UVM traveled over 8,000 miles during the non-conference schedule... Vermont's schedule is ranked the 49th toughest in the country as it faced six teams that are either currently ranked or receiving votes in the AP Top 25 or USA Today/ESPN Top 25 polls... In addition, the Catamounts have also face three teams currently ranked in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll... UVM's non-conference opponents are a combined 111-61 on the season... After facing the Cowgirls, UVM returned to America East action and dropped a 56-43 decision to Boston U... Lauren Wheeler (Ancaster, Ontario/Westdale) scored a career-high 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Catamounts... UVM trailed by five at the break, but a 17-2 run by the Terriers opened up the game... Vermont outrebounded Boston U., 40-29, on the glass, but was plagued by 25 turnovers... UVM hosts Stony Brook on Wednesday (Jan. 12) at 7 p.m. before traveling to UMBC for a 1 p.m. game on Saturday (Jan. 15).

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