Bulldogs And Eagles Last Met In 2011 WNIT
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – A challenging 17-game non-league schedule, which included national powers like Dayton, North Carolina, West Virginia, and St. John's, ends for the Yale women's basketball team on Sunday when it travels to play Boston College at 1 p.m.
Tip-off in the Conte Forum, which can be seen on BCEagles.TV, will be the first action for the Bulldogs (9-7) since last Saturday's 63-46 trouncing of New Hampshire in the Lee Amphitheater. To the exception of the holiday break, it is the longest stretch between games this season for the Elis.
"This is the best thing for us right now. As a coach, I love that we have the week," said Joel E. Smilow '54 head coach Allison Guth. "As much fun as the season has been with the games we've played, we didn't have much of a chance to spend a quality amount of time on the things we'd like to improve on."
The Bulldogs will be fully rested for the Eagles on Sunday, who present the final non-league obstacle for Guth's team before Ivy League play begins on Jan. 16 against Brown at home.
"They are extremely talented. They might be one of the most offensively talented teams we have played this season," said Guth about Boston College. "They have scoring threats on the perimeter and on the outside…It's going to be a challenge defending them."
It is the fourth all-time meeting between the Bulldogs and Eagles, with the most recent matchup being in the first round of the 2011 WNIT – Yale's only trip to the WNIT in program history. Boston College won, 85-61, in a game played at the Lee Amphitheater.
Senior forward Nyasha Sarju (Seattle, Wash.), named to the Ivy League Weekly Honor Roll on Jan. 4 for the fourth time this season, continues to lead the team in scoring with 16.3 points per game.
The Bulldogs have two other players averaging double-figures in scoring, including senior captain Whitney Wyckoff (West Chester, Ohio) with 10.1 points and sophomore guard Tamara Simpson (North Babylon, N.Y.) with 10.2.
All three of Yale's leading scorers had double-figures in the win over the Wildcats, in a game where the Bulldogs held a dominant 21-2 advantage in transition points. A 20-3 edge in points-off turnovers helped the Elis capitalize off 19 turnovers by the visitor.
"We completely locked into our defensive game plan. We added pressure, we picked up full-court – we did a lot of great things that helped us in our transition offense," said Guth about her team's effort against New Hampshire.
Defense continues to be an emphasized points for Guth's team, which leads the Ivy League in forced turnovers (19.1 per game) and three-point defense (25.5-percent, 22nd-best in nation). Boston College enters Sunday shooting 37.7-percent from beyond the arc, second-best in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Scouting the Eagles
Boston College is off to a strong 11-3 start this season, but is currently riding a two-game skid after consecutive losses to Virginia Tech (58-33) and No. 19/15 Florida State (75-42). The Eagles are 0-2 in ACC play as a result. The loss to the Hokies on Jan. 3 snapped a six-game winning streak.
Four players are averaging seven or more points for the Eagles, including leading scorer Kelly Hughes with 13.4 points per game. Center Mariella Fasoula is second with 11.4 per contest.
The Eagles are allowing just over 52 points per game, proving to be one of the ACC's stingiest defenses. They currently rank in the top three of the ACC in field goal percentage, defensive field goal percentage, three-point percentage, and defensive three-point percentage.
Two common opponents between Yale and Boston College are Holy Cross and New Hampshire, teams that both the Bulldogs and Eagles defeated. Boston College's last game against an Ivy League opponent was a 90-80 overtime win against Brown on Nov. 28, 2014.
The Eagles are 3-0 all-time against Yale – including the 2011 WNIT matchup. They are the second ACC team that the Bulldogs have played this season, going back to Yale's narrow 70-63 loss at North Carolina on Nov. 22.
Bulldogs by the Numbers
Dishing the Rock: In 12 of 16 games this season, Yale has recorded more assists as a team than its opponents. The Bulldogs are 8-4 when holding an advantage in assists. Wyckoff and sophomore guard Mary Ann Santucci (Seattle, Wash.) lead the team with 2.9 assists per game.
Holding Down the Wildcats: Yale held New Hampshire without one player scoring in double-figures, the first time it has done that to an opponent this season. UNH shot just 36.4-percent from the field and scored nine points in the third quarter.
Winning Big: The Bulldogs are 5-1 this season in games decided by 16 points or more, proving their offensive dominance in those games. Yale's average margin of victory in the wins is 22.6 points.
Filed by Steve Lewis, Yale Sports Publicity
