Boston College Athletics
Women's Hoops Faces Pittsburgh
June 21, 1999 | Women's Basketball
February 23, 1999
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Boston College enters Tuesday's game with a 19-6 overall record and an 11-6 mark in the BIG EAST Conference. The Eagles could register the first 20-win season in school history with a victory over the Panthers. Boston College currently has a two-game winning streak, that includes an 86-65 victory over Pittsburgh on February 13. The Eagles dropped out of the Top 25 polls on February 15 after losing three consecutive games to teams that were ranked among the Top 12 in the nation. Boston College is 2-3 against ranked teams this season. The Eagles opened with six consecutive victories, marking the best start in school history. Boston College also registered the longest winning streak in school history, but the seven-game streak was snapped on January 13, with a 73-70 loss at Syracuse. All six of Boston College's losses have been to conference opponents.
Pittsburgh enters Tuesday's game with an 8-17 overall record and a 3-14 mark in the BIG EAST Conference. The Panthers currently have a nine game losing streak and have lost 13 of their last 15 games. Pittsburgh's last victory was against St. John's on January 20, when the Panthers defeated the Red Storm, 75-58. The Panthers opened the season with four straight victories and entered January with a 6-3 record, but have only registered two wins in two months.
Pittsburgh has a 1-11 record in games played on the road this season.
BOSTON COLLEGE (19-6, 11-6 BIG EAST)
vs.
PITTSBURGH (8-17, 3-14 BIG EAST)
DATE: Tuesday, February 23, 1999
TIME: 7:00 p.m.
SITE: Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
ARENA: Silvio O. Conte Forum (8,606)
COACHES: Cathy Inglese (Southern Connecticut '80), currently in her sixth season at Boston College, has a record of 83-79 with the Eagles. Inglese's overall coaching record is 203-153 in 13 years. She is assisted by Pam Borton, Kelly Cole, and Bill Gould. Traci Waites (Long Beach State '89) is currently in her first season as the head coach at Pittsburgh, where she has led the Panthers to an 8-17 record. She is assisted by Bill Broderick, Jennifer Britton, and Kate Galligan. Waites served as an assistant coach at the University of Arizona for four seasons before joining the Pittsburgh staff.
EAGLES vs. PANTHERS: Boston College and Pittsburgh have played 31 games, and the Eagles lead the series, 16-15. The Eagles have won five of the last six games in the series, including one game played earlier this season. The last time that the teams played, Boston College defeated the Panthers, 86-65, on February 13 at Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh's last win in the series was on January 20, 1996, when the Panthers defeated the Eagles, 72-69, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
LAST MEETING (2/13/99): Boston College defeated Pittsburgh, 86-65, at Fitzgerald Field House on February 13. Five players scored in double figures for the Eagles, including freshmen Becky Gottstein and Nicole Conway who had 19 and 18 points, respectively. Freshman Brianne Stepherson added a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Alissa Murphy and Jamie Cournoyer had 16 and 12 points apiece.
The Panthers were within striking distance of the Eagles through most of the first half. Pittsburgh led, 12-9, three minutes into the game, but with the game tied, 16-16, at the 12:46 mark, Boston College used a decisive15-2 run to take a 31-18 lead it would never relinquish. The Eagles held a 42-26 advantage at intermission. In the second half, the Panthers were able to pull within 68-57 on a layup from junior Michelle Katkowski at the 6:20 mark, but a 9-3 Boston College run put the game out of reach.
The Panthers were led by senior Alecia Balich and junior Nickeia Morris who registered 15 points apiece, while Morris added a team-high eight rebounds. Senior guard LaTonya Blanton recorded her second double-double of the season with a career-high 12 points and 12 assists.
PROBABLE BOSTON COLLEGE STARTERS
F #54 Becky Gottstein (6-1, Fr., 10.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg)
F #24 Nicole Conway (5-11, Fr., 6.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg)
C #20 Jamie Cournoyer (6-3, So., 3.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg)
G #11 Brianne Stepherson (5-8, Fr., 9.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
G #12 Alissa Murphy (5-10, Jr., 15.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg)
OFF THE EAGLES' BENCH
C #32 Whitney Steele (6-4, Sr., 11.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg) F #44 Paula Bacso (6-1, Sr., 5.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg) G #4 Danielle O'Banion (5-7, So., 2.7 ppg, 1.2 rpg) F #50 Kim Mackie (6-3, Fr., 2.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg) F #35 Shawna Rainer (6-0, Sr., 2.0 ppg, 1.3 rpg)
BOSTON COLLEGE vs. PITTSBURGH
Statistical Comparison
Boston College Pittsburgh
Points Per Game 70.8 59.7
Opponents Points Per Game 65.0 67.6
Field Goals 46.4 (650-1401) 39.9 (554-1388)
Opponents Field Goals 39.5 (596-1508) 40.1 (586-1463)
Free Throws 72.8 (385-529) 64.4 (282-438)
Opponents Free Throws 71.0 (289-407) 75.4 (393-521)
3-pt. Field Goals 33.1 (85-257) 33.1 (102-308)
Opp. 3-pt. Field Goals 32.3 (143-443) 35.3 (126-357)
Rebounds 37.3 35.8
Opponents Rebounds 35.2 39.2
Assists 14.4 17.1
Opponents Assists 12.6 15.6
Turnovers 16.4 20.1
Opponents Turnovers 16.4 17.7
LAST GAME: Boston College defeated Villanova, 65-39, at Conte Forum on February 17, and tied the school record of 19 wins in a season. Three Eagles scored in double figures, led by Becky Gottstein's 16 points, as Boston College improved its record to 19-6. Boston College jumped out to a 10-2 lead and never trailed in the contest. The Eagles extended their lead to 17 points with 2:00 remaining in the first half, and led Villanova, 29-17, at halftime. Boston College shot 52 percent (13-25) in the first half, and Villanova connected on only 18.9 percent (7-37) from the field. The Wildcats did not score a basket during a seven-minute span during the first half. The Eagles extended their lead in the second half and led Villanova, 52-32 with 8:02 remaining in the game. Boston College shot 65.4 percent in the second half and the Wildcats continued to struggle, shooting 28.1 percent. Junior guard Alissa Murphy finished with 13 points and sophomore center Jamie Cournoyer added 10 points and eight rebounds for Boston College. Cournoyer started at center for the second consecutive game. Whitney Steele came off the bench to play 18 minutes and registered six points and six rebounds. Villanova was led by Lauren Pellicane's eight points.
BEST SEASON EVER: The Eagles enter Tuesday's game with a 19-6 record, and need one more victory to register the first 20-win season in Boston College women's basketball history. Boston College tied the school record for most victories in a season when the Eagles defeated Villanova, 65-39, on February 17. Head coach Margo Plotzke led the 1984-85 women's basketball team to a 19-9 record.
GOTTSTEIN ROOKIE OF THE WEEK #6: Becky Gottstein was named BIG EAST Co-Rookie of the Week on February 22, marking the sixth time this season that she has won the award. The freshman forward scored 16 points and recorded eight rebounds in the 65-39 victory over Villanova. Gottstein shot 58.3 percent from the field, connecting on seven-of-12 attempts.
SENIOR NIGHT: Tuesday's game will mark the final appearance at Conte Forum for four Boston College seniors. The senior class of Paula Bacso, Allison Booth, Shawna Rainer, and Whitney Steele have all played key roles in the Eagles record breaking season. A victory over Pittsburgh on Senior Night would give the Eagles the first 20-win season in school history.
NO. 4 SEED: Boston College has clinched the No. 4 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament. The league tournament begins on Saturday, February 27, and the Eagles will play the No. 13 seed at Noon.
1999 BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP (Louis Brown Athletic Center, Rutgers Univ.)Saturday, February 27- First Round #4 vs. #13 Noon #5 vs. #12 2 p.m. #8 vs. #9 4 p.m. #7 vs. #10 6:30 p.m. #6 vs. #11 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 28- Quarterfinals #4/#13 winner vs. #5/#12 winner Noon #1 vs. #8/#9 winner 2 p.m. #2 vs. #7/#10 winner 6 p.m. #3 vs. #6/#11 winner 8 p.m.
Monday, March 1- Semifinals Afternoon quarterfinal winners 6 p.m. Evening quarterfinal winners 8 p.m.
Tuesday, March 2- Final (ESPN2) Semifinal winners 7:30 p.m.
NATIONAL STAT LEADERS: Alissa Murphy is seventh in the nation in free throw percentage (88.4). The junior guard, who currently leads the BIG EAST Conference, has connected on 114-of-129 attempts. The team is No. 21 in the nation in free throw percentage (73.2).
SINGLE-SEASON RECORDS: Becky Gottstein currently leads the team in field goal percentage (56.7). The freshman forward currently has the highest single-season field goal percentage in school history. Jane Haubrich was the previous single-season leader with a field goal percentage of 54.9 in 1983-84. Alissa Murphy leads the Eagles with an 88.4 free throw percentage, which is third on the Boston College single-season list. Leslie Bjerstedt shot 90.9 percent from the line in 1987-88 and Sarah Behn connected on 89.0 percent in 1990-91.
1,000 POINT CLUB: Whitney Steele needs 51 points to become the 12th Boston College women's basketball player to score 1,000 points. The senior center has scored 949 points in her four seasons at Boston College. Cal Bouchard was on pace to reach the 1,000-point plateau, but due to the surgery that will sideline her for the rest of the season, the junior captain's career total will remain at 950.
STEELE'S STREAK SNAPPED: Whitney Steele's streak of 79 consecutive games in the starting lineup was snapped on February 13, when the senior center was sidelined with a back injury. Steele had started at center for the Eagles since the first game of her sophomore season.
HEAD COACH CATHY INGLESE: Head coach Cathy Inglese is currently in her sixth season at the helm of the Boston College women's basketball program. Inglese arrived at Boston College in 1993 after serving as the head coach at the University of Vermont for seven seasons. In six seasons she has registered a record of 83-79, and has a career record of 203-153. During her stint at Vermont, she became the winningest college basketball coach in the nation over the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons. Inglese's teams were undefeated in regular-season play in both 1991-92 (29-0) and 1992-93 (28-0), and became the only Division I men's or women's team to have back-to-back perfect records. She earned District I Coach of the Year and North Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year honors in 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, and was a National Coach of the Year finalist all three years. A 1980 magna cum laude graduate of Southern Connecticut State College, Inglese was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.
200th VICTORY: Head coach Cathy Inglese registered her 200th career win on January 27 when the Eagles defeated Seton Hall, 60-55. In 13 seasons, she has a career record of 203-153, including an 83-79 mark in six years at Boston College. Prior to her arrival at Boston College in 1993, Inglese registered a 120-74 record in seven seasons at the University of Vermont.
BOUCHARD OUT FOR SEASON AFTER SURGERY: Co-captain Cal Bouchard had anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery on Friday, February 12 on her left knee. After three weeks of intensive rehabilitation it was determined that the knee would not be functional for play. The junior guard injured her left knee midway through the second half of the game against Georgetown on January 10. Following the game, team physician Diane English evaluated the knee and determined that Bouchard would be sidelined for approximately three weeks with an isolated ACL tear of her left knee. After soliciting medical opinions, she had decided to attempt a comeback, but finally had to have surgery.
INJURY UPDATE: Senior Whitney Steele missed the game at Pittsburgh on February 13 with an injury to her back. The senior center's streak of 79 consecutive starts was snapped due to the injury. Steele did not start against Villanova, but came off the bench to play 18 minutes. Co-captain Paula Bacso's playing time has been limited in the last eight games due to an injury to her right foot. Bacso has averaged only 9.0 minutes in the eight games. The senior forward first injured the foot in the practice prior to the trip to San Diego on December 17. Bacso missed the games at San Diego (Dec. 19) and San Diego State (Dec. 21), but returned to the lineup against Notre Dame on December 30. She returned to the starting lineup against Syracuse on January 5, and started the next five games before the foot injury moved her out of the starting lineup on January 23.
LINEUP CHANGES: Boston College has featured nine different starting lineups this season as the team has played with a number of Eagles sidelined with injuries. Despite the injuries, the Eagles have a 19-6 overall record, including an 8-0 mark against non-conference opponents. The original starting lineup of guards Cal Bouchard and Brianne Stepherson, forwards Alissa Murphy and Paula Bacso, and center Whitney Steele started seven games. Junior guard Bouchard missed the second contest of the season at Holy Cross after suffering a concussion prior to the game. The original lineup remained intact upon her return until the ninth game at the University of San Diego. Senior co-captain Bacso did not play in the games at San Diego and San Diego State due to an injury to her right foot. Freshman Becky Gottstein replaced Bacso in the lineup and started four consecutive games in the frontcourt. Bacso returned to the starting frontcourt with Gottstein and Steele against Syracuse on January 5, as Stepherson was sidelined with a virus. As Stepherson missed the three home games against Syracuse, Seton Hall, and Georgetown, Murphy moved to the backcourt with Bouchard. The fifth starting lineup appeared on January 7 against Seton Hall and January 10 against Georgetown, and it featured freshman Nicole Conway in the frontcourt with Bacso and Steele. Boston College featured its sixth starting lineup at Syracuse with Bouchard sidelined for the season with an injury to her left knee. Sophomore Danielle O'Banion joined Murphy in the backcourt, and Steele, Conway, and Bacso completed the starting lineup. Stepherson returned to the starting lineup on January 16 against Miami. The eighth starting lineup featured three freshmen as Gottstein replaced Bacso in the frontcourt against No. 2 Connecticut on January 23. That lineup started six games that included four contests against Top 25 teams. The ninth starting lineup appeared at Pittsburgh on February 13 when Steele was sidelined with a back injury. Cournoyer started her second game of the season in the Boston College frontcourt. That lineup also started against Villanova on February 17.
FRESHMEN IMPACT: Boston College's four freshmen led the Eagles to victory at Pittsburgh on February 13. In the win over the Panthers, the freshmen acccounted for 54 of the 86 total points and 28 of the 41 total rebounds. Becky Gottstein led the Eagles in scoring with 19 points and Nicole Conway netted a career-high 18 points. Brianne Stepherson registered the first double-double of her career with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and added seven assists. Kim Mackie came off the bench to play 16 minutes and register three points and tie her career-high of seven rebounds.
HIGHEST RANKING EVER: Boston College's No. 20 ranking in the Associated Press poll on February 1 marked the highest ranking in school history for the women's team.
BACKCOURT WARRIORS: With the loss of co-captain Cal Bouchard, the playing time for the backcourt duo of junior Alissa Murphy and freshman point guard Brianne Stepherson has increased, with both playing all 40 minutes in five games. Murphy is currently leading the team with an average of 37.4 minutes per game. The junior guard has played all 40 minutes in games against Notre Dame (Feb. 3); St. John's (Jan. 31); Connecticut (Jan. 23); Providence (Jan. 19); and Miami (Jan. 16). Stepherson is currently averaging 34.3 minutes per game. The freshman point guard has played all 40 minutes in games against Rutgers (Feb. 6); Notre Dame (Feb. 3); Connecticut (Jan. 23); Providence (Jan. 19); and Miami (Jan. 16).
EAGLES VS. RANKED OPPONENTS: This season the Eagles are 2-3 against ranked teams. The two victories were against teams ranked among the Top 10. On January 23, the Eagles upset No. 2 Connecticut, 78-66, at Chestnut Hill. Earlier in the season, Boston College defeated No. 7 Notre Dame, 78-65, on December 30 at Chestnut Hill. The Eagles recently lost three consecutive games to ranked teams. No. 6 Notre Dame defeated Boston College, 74-59, on February 3. The Eagles returned home to host No. 12 Rutgers on February 6, but were defeated by the Scarlet Knights, 71-52. No. 4 Connecticut handed the Eagles their third consecutive loss on February 9, defeating Boston College, 107-77, at the Hartford Civic Center. The Boston College women's basketball program has only registered four wins ever over ranked opponents. The victories against Notre Dame and the Huskies marked the first victories ever for the Eagles over opponents ranked in the top 10. Boston College's first win ever over a ranked opponent was on January 4, 1995, when the Eagles defeated No. 20 Seton Hall, 53-49. Last season, the Eagles defeated No. 25 Texas, 82-68, at the Reebok Classic on November 23, 1997.
RECORD ATTENDANCE: The Eagles defeated No. 2 Connecticut, 78-66, on January 23, before a crowd of 8,606, marking the first home sellout in team history. Prior to the sellout, the largest crowd at a women's basketball game in Silvio O. Conte Forum was 4,133 for the Eagles' victory over No. 7 Notre Dame on December 30, 1998.
EAGLES IN THE POLLS: Boston College first appeared in the Top 25 on January 4, marking the first time in school history that the Eagles were ranked in the polls. Boston College received votes earlier in the season in both polls, but finally moved into the Top 25 following the 78-65 victory over No. 7 Notre Dame on December 30. The Eagles moved up to No. 21 in the Associated Press poll and No. 22 in the USA Today/ESPN poll on January 11, but dropped out of the Top 25 following two losses. Boston College returned to the Top 25 on January 25. The Eagles climbed to No. 20 in the Associated Press poll on February 1, marking the highest ranking ever for the women's team. Following consecutive losses to No. 6 Notre Dame on February 3 and No. 12 Rutgers on February 6, Boston College dropped out of the Associated Press Top 25 and moved to No. 25 in the USA Today/ESPN poll. The Eagles dropped out of both polls on February 15.
Eagles In The 1998-99 PollsWeek Associated Press USA Today/ESPN Preseason ----- 4 votes Nov. 29 1 vote 21 votes Dec. 21 ----- 8 votes Dec. 28 ----- 17 votes Jan. 4 No. 25 No. 24 Jan. 11 No. 21 No. 22 Jan. 18 22 votes 25 votes Jan. 25 No. 22 No. 25 Feb. 1 No. 20 No. 22 Feb. 8 58 votes No. 25 Feb. 15 14 votes 43 votes Feb. 22 16 votes 27 votes
PERFECT NON-CONFERENCE RECORD: The Eagles registered a perfect 8-0 record against non-league opponents this season. A year ago, Boston College finished with a 5-3 record against non-conference opponents.
MURPHY & GOTTSTEIN SWEEP AWARDS: Junior Alissa Murphy was named BIG EAST Player of the Week and freshman Becky Gottstein earned BIG EAST Rookie of the Week honors on January 25. Murphy averaged 24.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in Boston College's two victories. The junior guard scored a career-high 32 points (11-18 FG, 8-9 FT) and grabbed nine rebounds in the upset victory over No. 2 Connecticut on January 23. Murphy netted 16 points, and added eight assists and six rebounds in the win at Providence on January 19. She played all 40 minutes in both games. Gottstein earned the Rookie of the Week award for the fourth time this season, after averaging 17.0 points and 6.5 rebounds in the two games. The junior forward tied her career-high of 20 points against Providence and pulled down six rebounds in 20 minutes. Gottstein recorded 14 points and seven rebounds in the win over Connecticut.
1998-99 Awards/HonorsCal Bouchard Pre-Season All-BIG EAST First Team
Becky Gottstein BIG EAST Rookie of the Week (Dec. 21) BIG EAST Rookie of the Week (Jan. 4) BIG EAST Rookie of the Week (Jan. 11) BIG EAST Rookie of the Week (Jan. 25) BIG EAST Rookie of the Week (Feb. 1) BIG EAST Co-Rookie of the Week (Feb. 22)
Alissa Murphy BIG EAST Player of the Week (Jan. 25)
Whitney Steele Pre-Season All-BIG EAST Second Team
BALANCED SCORING: Boston College has had at least four players score in double figures in 15 of the 24 games this season. In the victory over Pittsburgh on February 13, all five starters scored in double figures. Three players are averaging double figures in scoring, led by Alissa Murphy's 15.7 points per game. Senior center Whitney Steele is second with an average of 11.8 points, followed by freshman Becky Gottstein (10.1). Cal Bouchard was averaging 12.7 points before being sidelined with the knee injury.
EAGLES ON THE ROAD: Boston College is currently 9-4 in games played on the road this season. The Eagles snapped a two-game road losing streak with a victory at Pittsburgh on February 13. Boston College had lost two consecutive road games at No. 6 Notre Dame (74-59) on February 3, and against No. 4 Connecticut (107-77) at the Hartford Civic Center on February 9. Boston College's other losses on the road were at the University of Miami (65-57) on December 5, and at Syracuse (73-70) on January 13.
EAGLES AT HOME: The Eagles are currently 10-2 in games played at home this season. Boston College's 10-game home winning streak was snapped with the 66-53 loss to Miami on January 16. Prior to the loss, the Eagles had won 10 consecutive games at Silvio O. Conte Forum, including the final three home contests of the 1997-98 season. The Eagles' streak included wins over the University of Massachusetts (72-66), Toledo (72-69), St. Joseph's (72-68), Notre Dame (78-65), Syracuse (76-62), Seton Hall (69-49), and Georgetown (75-66) this season. Boston College's second loss at home was on February 6 against No. 12 Rutgers (71-52).
BEST START: The Eagles opened the season with six consecutive victories, marking the best start in school history. Boston College had never opened the season with six consecutive wins, but started 3-0 three times (1984-85, 1985-86, 1997-98). A year ago, Boston College opened the season with a 5-1 record in the first six games and finished 17-11 overall.
LONGEST WINNING STREAK: Boston College's seven-game winning streak earlier this season was the longest in school history. The streak started with an 81-72 victory at West Virginia on December 8 and was snapped on January 13 with a 73-70 loss at Syracuse.
EAGLE CAPTAINS: Senior Paula Bacso and junior Cal Bouchard will serve as the captains for the Boston College women's basketball team during the 1998-99 campaign.
OVERTIME: The victory over Michigan State in the Reebok Classic on November 22, 1998, was the first overtime game for the Eagles since losing to Alabama, 79-70, on December 28, 1997 at the Corestates Hawk Classic in Philadelphia. Boston College has an all-time record of 5-5 in overtime games.
FAB FRESHMEN: Three freshmen have appeared in the starting lineup this season, and all have made major contributions to the team. Becky Gottstein has been named BIG EAST Rookie of the Week six times and has registered six double-doubles. The 6-1 forward is leading the team with an average of 7.2 rebounds per game and is third in scoring with an average of 10.1 points. Gottstein has scored in double figures in 14 games. Brianne Stepherson started the first 11 games of the season, but was sidelined against Syracuse (Jan. 5), Seton Hall (Jan. 7), and Georgetown (Jan. 10) with a virus. The point guard returned at Syracuse (Jan. 13) and played 21 minutes. Stepherson returned to the starting lineup against Miami on January 16 and scored 11 points, grabbed five rebounds, and added three assists and two steals in 40 minutes. She has played all 40 minutes in five games this season. Stepherson scored a career-high 18 points against Connecticut on February 9, and is currently averaging 9.4 points and 3.5 rebounds. Nicole Conway has started in the Boston College frontcourt the past 13 games. The 5-11 forward registered the first double-double of her career at Syracuse on January 15, scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Conway netted a career-high 18 points in the victory at Pittsburgh on February 13, and is currently averaging 6.9 points and 3.1 rebounds. All three freshmen started in the upset of No. 2 Connecticut on January 23. Kim Mackie has come off the bench to provide a spark in a number of games for the Eagles this season. The freshman forward scored a career-high six points in 23 minutes against Connecticut on February 9. Mackie has played in nine games and is averaging 2.3 points and 2.7 rebounds.
GOTTSTEIN'S ROOKIE HONORS: Becky Gottstein has been named BIG EAST Rookie of the Week six times this season. The freshman forward first earned the award on December 21, after scoring 20 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in the 73-68 victory over the University of San Diego. In her first collegiate start, the freshman forward connected on nine-of-11 field goals to record her first career double-double. The second time she won the award was the week of January 4. Gottstein registered the second double-double of her career in the 78-65 win over No. 7 Notre Dame on December 30. Gottstein netted 12 points and pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds in 27 minutes against the Fighting Irish.
Gottstein was named Rookie of the Week on January 11, after registering two double-doubles in the three games during the week. Gottstein scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the win over Syracuse on January 13. Her second double-double of the week was against Georgetown on January 10 when the 6-1 freshman netted 14 points and pulled down 11 rebounds.
Gottstein earned the Rookie of the Week award for the fourth time this season on January 25, after averaging 17.0 points and 6.5 rebounds in two games. The junior forward tied her career-high of 20 points against Providence on January 19, and pulled down six rebounds in 20 minutes. Gottstein recorded 14 points and seven rebounds in the win over Connecticut on January 23.
Gottstein registered two double-doubles, averaged 15.0 points and 12.5 rebounds, and was named Rookie of the Week on February 1. In the victory at Seton Hall, she netted 10 points and pulled down 14 rebounds. Gottstein registered her sixth double-double of the season at St. John's, scoring 20 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
She recently earned the award on February 22. The freshman forward scored 16 points and recorded eight rebounds in the 65-39 victory over Villanova. Gottstein shot 58.3 percent from the field, connecting on seven-of-12 attempts.
MURPHY'S JERSEY RETIRED: Boston College's trip to San Diego on December 17 marked junior Alissa Murphy's return to her hometown and was also the scene for a ceremony at Scripps Ranch High School. The school recognized Murphy's basketball accomplishments with the retirement of her No. 24 jersey in a ceremony on December 18. Murphy scored 2,826 points during her high school career at Scripps Ranch, and is second all-time in scoring in San Diego county.
BOOTH OUT FOR SEASON: Allison Booth played in the first exhibition game on November 4, but will miss the remainder of the season due to continued knee problems. The senior center's collegiate career has been limited due to a number of knee injuries. Booth had knee surgery following her freshman year, and missed the first 11 games of her sophomore season. She returned for only seven games that season before she was sidelined for the rest of the year once again with a knee injury. Last year, she played in 27 games and averaged 6.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.
