2012 Northeast-10 Conference Tournament - First Round
Friday, February 24 | 7:00 pm
Daniel P. Nolan Gymnasium | Albany, NY
Saint Michael's (12-14) at Saint Rose (17-9)
Game Coverage: Live Stats | Live Video | Saint Rose Game Notes |
Saint Michael's Game Notes
ALBANY – The College of Saint Rose will put its six-game home win streak on the line when it hosts Saint Michael's College in the first round of the 2012 Northeast-10 Conference Tournament tonight at the Daniel P. Nolan Gymnasium. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm. The game may also be seen via the internet at
www.gogoldenknights.tv.
THE SERIES
Tonight marks the 20th meeting between the two clubs that first met in Colchester on November 30, 1996. Saint Rose owns a slim 10-9 lead in the series following a 62-61 win versus Saint Michael's back on January 21. The Golden Knights have now won four in a row against the Purple Knights, including three straight in Albany. The two sides have met only once in the NE-10 Tournament. Saint Rose took the lone encounter 66-46 in the opening round in 2009.
LAST MEETING
Senior forward
Alison McGrath knocked down a 10-foot jumper from the right base line with three seconds left to help Saint Rose hold off Saint Michael's 62-61 back on January 21 in Albany. The Golden Knights shot a blistering 56.3 percent (9-for-16) from the arc and held the Purple Knights to 36.2 percent (21-for-58) shooting overall to overcome 25 turnovers, including 16 in the second half. Senior guard
Ashley Rath led the long-range barrage by going 8-for-9 from three-point land on the way to 26 points. McGrath finished with 11 points and five rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench, while freshman guard
Gabie Polce handed out seven assists. Sophomore guard Cara Deroy tossed in 14 points and junior forward Nicole Adach wound up with 13 points and eight rebounds to pace the Purple Knights. The Golden Knights appeared to be in the driver's seat with a seven-point, 60-53, cushion with 1:12 remaining after senior forward
Ali Johnson hit the second of two free throws. However, a pair of Saint Rose turnovers allowed Saint Michael's to rattle off seven straight points within the next 49 seconds. Adach finished a three-point play to cap the spurt with 23 ticks showing on the clock, but McGrath knocked down a feed from Rath out of a time out to seal the victory for the Golden Knights. Saint Michael's was then unable to get a clean look in the final three seconds.
SCOUTING SAINT ROSE (17-9)
The Golden Knights have won eight of their last 11 games. Saint Rose owns an impressive 13-1 home record this year and is outscoring its opponents by a +13.9 margin in Albany. From an overall standpoint, Saint Rose yields just 55.2 points per-game, which ranks second in the NE-10. The Golden Knights are limiting opponents to a league-low 34.4 percent shooting from the floor. Saint Rose additionally paces the NE-10 in blocks (4.6 bpg) and 3FG% (36.3). Rath was chosen as a first-team All-Conference pick for the second year in a row on Thursday. She has been in twin-figures in 17 straight games and is currently second in the league in scoring behind 18.2 points per-game. Rath furthermore leads the NE-10 in 3FG% (42.9) and is fifth in FT% (88.3). She is seventh all-time in program annals with 1,425 career points. Polce became just the fourth player in school history to earn a nod on the league's All-Rookie squad. She is contributing 6.9 points and 4.0 assists throughout 25 starts. The latter is tied for the conference's sixth-highest mark. Senior guard
Ola Shajuyigbe and Johnson are tossing in 11.1 and 9.2 points on a regular basis. Johnson paces the NE-10 in blocks (2.2 bpg) and is seventh in rebounding (9.0 rpg).
SCOUTING SAINT MICHAEL'S (12-14)
The Purple Knights ended their regular season with two consecutive victories. Saint Michael's comes into tonight on the heels of an impressive 72-60 win versus Southern New Hampshire, which finished fifth in the final NE-10 standings. The Purple Knights are second in the league in FT% (77.4) and fourth in blocks (3.0 bpg) at this juncture. Adach and senior guard Coreen Hennessy lead a balanced scoring attack that features six players who toss in at least 6.4 points per-game. Adach, a graduate of nearby Mohonasen, paces Saint Michael's with 13.7 points and 6.8 rebounds. Hennessy is on her heels with 12.3 points. She is additionally fourth in the conference in FT% (88.4).
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the game are $7 for adults, $4 for children, seniors and Saint Rose ID holders, and $1 for students from other NE-10 institutions. Tickets are free for any Saint Rose student with a valid Saint Rose student ID. All tickets will be available at the door, approximately one hour prior to tip-off.
NE-10 QUARTERFINAL
The winner of tonight's contest will head to third-seed Southern Connecticut State University for a quarterfinal game on Sunday. Tip-off has been scheduled for 1:00 pm in New Haven.
