MOUNT ST. MARY'S (0-0) at #10/8 MARYLAND (0-0)
Friday, Nov. 14, 2014 | 11 a.m.
Xfinity Center | College Park, Md.
Video: BTN Plus (Dave Preston)
GAME NOTES | LIVE STATS | @MountAthletics
OPENING TIP: Mount St. Mary's embarks on its 41st season of women's basketball, 27th at the Division I level and eighth under the guidance of Head Coach Bryan Whitten with Friday's road test at nationally-ranked Maryland. The Mount put together a 19-14 record a year ago highlighted by the program's first-ever WNIT berth.
ABOUT THE MOUNT: The Mountaineers welcome back eight letterwinners from last year's team, including seniors Jacqueline Brewer (10.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg) and Jenn Carney (5.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg). Whitten will have the task of replacing five seniors from last year's squad, four of which were starters. Brewer, Carney, Jody Chickey and Kaitlyn Eisenhard have all started at least one game in their collegiate careers with the Mount.
This year's Mount team also includes seven freshmen, which are the most for Whitten since his first season in Emmitsburg in 2007-08. The game at Maryland will be the first test for the young Mountaineers, which play six of their first seven games away from Knott Arena to begin the 2014-15 campaign.
GAME DETAILS: With the 11 a.m. tipoff, Maryland is hosting elementary school students from the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Md. areas for Field Trip Day, and it is the first NCAA Division I game of the season. The game will be streamed live through BTN Plus for a fee, and also on the BTN2Go app for the Big Ten Network.
ABOUT MARYLAND: After competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Maryland plays its first game as a member of the Big Ten in the season opener versus the Mount. Coming off their second Final Four appearance under Head Coach Brenda Frese and fifth overall, the Terps graduated four seniors, including three-time All-American Alyssa Thomas, who was drafted fourth overall in the 2014 WNBA Draft.
Maryland, which won 28 games last year, was selected to win the Big Ten Conference by both the league's head coaches and the media poll. The Terps are ranked No. 10 in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 8 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
LAST TIME VS. MARYLAND: The Mount suffered an 88-47 loss at Maryland on Nov. 8, 2012 to open the 2012-13 season. Of the current players on the Mount's roster, three of them played in the game with Jenn Carney earning a start (4 pts, 1 reb), and Jacqueline Brewer (5 pts, 5 reb) and Jody Chickey (2 pts, 1 reb) coming off the bench.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS. THE TERPS: Maryland has gotten the better of the Mount in the five previous meetings, defeating the Mount in all five. The series dates back to the Mount's second season at the varsity level in 1975-76. Maryland has been ranked in the top 10 in both of the last two meetings.
MOUNT VS. RANKED TEAMS: The Mount is 0-9 versus teams ranked in the AP Top 25 since moving to Division I prior to the 1988-89 season. Maryland is the fourth opponent for Mount St. Mary's that ranks in the top 10, and it is the third time the Mount has faced the Terps when ranked in the top 10.
NEC PRESEASON POLL: The Mount was selected to finish seventh in the NEC Preseason Coaches Poll. Last year, the Mount was picked third in the poll and finished second in the regular season standings.
UP NEXT: The Mount takes on another NCAA Tournament qualifier from a year ago in Fordham on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Tipoff at Rose Hill Gym in the Bronx, N.Y. is scheduled for 7 p.m.
