Bulldogs Start 2016 With Two Non-League Games
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Following a road trip to Indiana and Albany to close-out the 2015 portion of the schedule, the Yale women's basketball team has a quick turnaround in starting the New Year on a high note – beginning Saturday.
The Bulldogs (8-7) play New Hampshire, a team they have historically struggled against, at home on just the second calendar day of 2016. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. and a live stream will be available on the Ivy League Digital Network.
Joel E. Smilow '54 head coach Allison Guth has led the squad to an 8-7 start – an achievement in itself considering the intense competition that the Elis have faced this season.
In the first 15 games, they have played three teams receiving votes in the AP and USA Today Coaches Polls, as well as seven teams with winning records. Four opponents play in Power Five conferences, including North Carolina (ACC), West Virginia (Big 12), St. John's (Big East), and Indiana (Big 10).
Most recently, losses to Indiana and Albany put the Bulldogs on a two-game skid, but Guth's team left Albany on Wednesday night feeling positive about their performance. A 74-70 loss to the four-time defending America East champions – a game that could have been won in the final minutes – is a strong sign heading into January.
The Elis have two non-league games remaining before the Ivy League schedule begins on Jan. 16 at home against Brown. They host New Hampshire on Saturday, before traveling to play Boston College (ACC) the following Sunday in Chestnut Hill.
Junior guard Meghan McIntyre (Santa Rosa Valley, Calif.) has been on a tear as of late, sinking 9-of-13 three-pointers on the road trip, while netting a career-high 17 points against the Hoosiers on Monday. She is the first Bulldog to sink five three-pointers in a game since Megan Vasquez did against Penn on March 9, 2013.
Senior forward Nyasha Sarju (Seattle, Wash.) continues to lead Yale in scoring with 16.6 points per game, following a team-high 21 against the Great Danes on Wednesday. Sophomore guard Tamara Simpson (North Babylon, N.Y.) has an Ivy-best 46 steals this season – just 28 away from Yale alum Sue Johnson's single-season record of 74 in 1983-84.
Scouting New Hampshire
The Wildcats are 6-6 entering Saturday's matchup with the Elis, recently coming off a very close 65-60 loss to North Carolina down in Chapel Hill – a team that Yale nearly beat back on Nov. 22 (lost 70-63).
After starting the season with a 5-1 record, New Hampshire has now lost four straight games, but to tough competition. Losses to Siena, Boston College, Bryant and North Carolina form the competitive schedule it has faced.
The Wildcats have already played two tight games against Ivy League opponents this season – beating Dartmouth by four and losing to Penn by seven. They were 2-1 against Ancient Eight teams in the 2014-15 season.
Senior guard Elizabeth Belanger is the team's leading scorer and rebounder with 16.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Teammates Corinne Coia and Carlie Pogue are each averaging double-figures as well, with 11.4 and 10.9 points respectively.
New Hampshire has won 11 of 12 all-time meetings against Yale, as the Bulldogs look to start off the New Year with their second all-time win over the Wildcats. The first was a 76-55 victory on Nov. 29, 2008. Guard Yoyo Greenfield led Yale in that game with 19 points, while forward Mady Gobrecht had a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Bulldogs by the Numbers
Raining Three's: Yale shot a season-best 52.6-percent from three-point range against Albany on Wednesday night. Five different players knocked down a three, including McIntyre's 4-for-5 performance from beyond the arc.
Making Things Happen: The Bulldog defense is causing an Ivy League-best 19.1 turnovers per game – which included 16 against Indiana and 18 against Albany. With aggressive defense, the Elis are making life difficult on opposing backcourts.
Shooting Factor: When the Elis shoot a better percentage than their opponent, they are 8-2 this season. In all of their wins, they have outshot the opposing team. When being outshot, Yale is 0-5. Shooting has proven to be the X-factor in nearly every game.
Filed by Steve Lewis, Yale Sports Publicity
