Feb. 17, 2006

Game 23
Stony Brook (15-7, 8-3) America East)
vs. Boston University (14-8, 7-4 America East)
February 18, 2006 • 1:00 p.m.
Case Gymnasium • Boston, Mass.

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Today's Matchup
Stony Brook (15-7, 8-3 America East) is looking for its fifth straight win when the Seawolves travel to Boston University (14-8, 7-4 America East) this afternoon. The game sets up a battle for second place as a win would keep the Seawolves alone in second, while a victory for the Terriers would move them into a tie for second with SB.

Scouting the Terriers
Boston University enters today's contest having won five of its last seven games, including a 77-65 victory at Binghamton last time out, but has lost two straight at home.

The Terriers are led by Rachael Vanderwal's 12.3 points per game, while Erica Kovach (11.1 ppg), Cheri Raffo (10.8 ppg) and Katie Meinhardt (10.6 ppg) are also averaging double figures scoring.

Last Time Out
Jessica Smith notched 21 points and 14 rebounds as Stony Brook pulled away from New Hampshire 62-56 on Wednesday.

The Seawolves gradually built as much as a seven point lead with 4:23 on the clock. The Wildcats would not go away, however, scoring five straight points and forcing a pair of Stony Brook turnovers over the next 44 seconds to make it a two-point game. A basket and a pair of free throws by Smith would put SB back up 58-53 with 1:23 remaining, and the visitors would get no closer the rest of the way.

Dana Ferraro and Ford each posted 10 points, while Kelly Watson and Sidney Orndorff each added eight points.

McHugh Approaching 250 career Coaching Victories
Stony Brook head coach Maura McHugh is approaching the 250 win milestone for her collegiate career, entering tonight's contest with 249 career victories.

McHugh racked up 142 victories in seven seasons (1980-87) at Oklahoma and 84 wins in six seasons (1987-93) at Arizona State. She then moved on to coach in the professional ranks for six seasons, four as a head coach, before returning to the college game in 2004-05 to join the Seawolves.

A First Time For Everything
Stony Brook earned a pair of regular season series sweeps this season, taking two from New Hampshire and Vermont for the first time in the Seawolves five years in America East.

Stony Brook's 62-56 victory over New Hampshire on February 15 capped a series sweep of the Wildcats, while the Seawolves 81-74 win at Vermont on February 9 made it two wins vs. the Catamounts.

In addition, the Seawolves wins at Vermont's Patrick Gymnasium and New Hampshire's Lundholm Gymnasium were also program firsts.

Home Sweet Home
Stony Brook has been outstanding at home so far this season, racking up an 9-2 overall record and a 5-1 league mark at the Indoor Sports Complex.

The Seawolves have won eight of their last nine games at home, including five convincing America East victories, to post their best record through 11 games at the Sports Complex since going 10-1 in 2000-01.

Ferraro Among NCAA Leaders
Dana Ferraro ranks among NCAA Division I leaders in games played through February 13. Ferraro, who leads America East in rebounding, dropped one spot back to fifth in the nation with 11.6 rebounds per game.

Seawolves Earn Highest RPI Ranking in Among League Teams
Behind several strong wins to open the season, Stony Brook has earned an America East-best RPI ranking of 33 as of February 13.

The Seawolves, who earned a previous best of 28th earlier this season, topped 19th-ranked Temple while also earning impressive wins over defending Ivy League Champion Dartmouth and the Sunbelt Conference's Arkansas State.

America East moved up one spot this week to 11th in The Collegiate Basketball News Women's RPI Report and now ranks third among I-AA conferences. Only the Colonial (eighth) and Atlantic 10 (10th) are higher ranking I-AA leagues. America East has never finished as high as 11th in the final RPI for a season and never as high as third among I-AA Conferences. America East boasts three teams with RPIs in the top 100 with Hartford (46) and Boston University (84) just behind the Seawolves.

Noting the Seawolves
Stony Brook's win over New Hampshire on February 15 gave it eight America East victories, the most in the program's five years in the league... the Seawolves' 15 wins equal their highest overall win total since 2001-02... at 15-7, SB is off to its best start through 21 games since going 17-5 in 1993-94... the win over Vermont on January 7 kept the Seawolves perfect in America East openers, as SB has gone 5-0 since joining the league that year... SB defeated a pair of conference champions this year, knocking off A-10 champ Temple on December 7 before downing Ivy League champion Dartmouth on December 13... SB has faced five teams that have either been ranked or received votes in the national polls this season, going 1-4 in those games.