Women's Basketball Announces 2011-12 Schedule

2011-12 Schedule

EMMITSBURG, Md. – Mount St. Mary's University women's basketball head coach Bryan Whitten has announced his 2011-12 schedule. The schedule is highlighted by 14 games at Knott Arena and contests at Pittsburgh and West Virginia. In addition, the squad will play 10 of its first 13 games in Maryland or Washington, D.C.

"We are looking forward to our schedule this year which I feel will really challenge us as we continue to grow our program," said Whitten, who enters his fifth season at the Mount. "We have some terrific local rivalries with Loyola, Towson, American, Navy, Howard and UMES.  We also have a return game at Binghamton, two new regional games with Bucknell and Rider and two BCS contests in Pittsburgh and West Virginia. All of these games will prepare us for our extremely competitive NEC schedule."

Mount St. Mary's opens the season with four-straight road games, starting at Binghamton on Nov. 11. It will mark the third time under Whitten the team has started a campaign on the road and the 21st time in program history. It will be the second meeting between the two teams after Binghamton downed the Mount last season in Emmitsburg. The game will once again feature a battle between senior Sandra Andresson (Tallinn, Estonia/Audentes School) and Viive Rebane, who both hail from Tallinn, Estonia.

The Mountaineers will remain on the road for its next three games, traveling to UMES (Nov. 15), American (Nov. 18) and Towson (Nov. 22). Mount St. Mary's leads the series against the Hawks 9-0 after renewing the matchup last season with a 65-56 win. Before the tilt in 2010-11, the two teams had not faced each other since 1990 and the Mount will be making its first trip to the Eastern Shore since 1984. The Eagles returned to the schedule last year for the first time since 2004 and defeated the Mountaineers in Emmitsburg to take a 7-5 advantage in the all-time series. The Tigers returned to the slate last season for the first time in two years and also defeated the Mount in Emmitsburg last season to grab a 13-10 lead in the all-time series.

Mount St. Mary's will make its 2011-12 Knott Arena debut against Navy on Nov. 26. It will be the third time in program history the Mount will host the Midshipmen for its home opener. Navy defeated the Mount last season in Annapolis in the first meeting since 2006 while the Mountaineers lead the all-time series 17-8.

The squad will conclude the month of November on the road at Pittsburgh on Nov. 29. It will mark the fifth time in the last six years Mount St. Mary's will battle Mount graduate Agnus (McGlade) Berenato and her Panthers. Pittsburgh has won the previous five matchups.

While the Mount will spend five of its six games in November on the road, the squad will play five of its six December games in Emmitsburg. Mount St. Mary's will open the month with three straight at home by kicking off Northeast Conference play against Long Island on Dec. 3 and St. Francis (N.Y.) on Dec. 5. Mount St. Mary's leads matchup with the Blackbirds 26-16, but the Brooklyn program has won the last four tilts in the series. The Mount has won 42 of the 44 meetings against the Terriers, including the last six. The Mount opens the NEC slate at home for the first since 2007-08 when it faced Long Island.

"Our conference has been increasingly improving and gaining exposure in the last few years, and was the 19th-rated conference in the country last season," said Whitten. "I feel this year's schedule will challenge our program as we continue to work hard and improve and look to move up in the conference standings."

After the two games against league opponents, the team returns to non-conference play by hosting Loyola. The Mountaineers lead the series 21-12, but the Greyhounds have won all five games since the two teams renewed the series in 2006.

Mount St. Mary's will then hit the road for the only time in the month, traveling to West Virginia on Dec. 20. It will be the first meeting between the two teams since 2002 with West Virginia leading the series 3-2. The Mount's lone win against the Big East in the squad's Division I era was a 78-75 decision against West Virginia on Dec. 6, 1994.

The Mount returns home for a three-game homestand to conclude its non-conference schedule when Rider (Dec. 29), Bucknell (Dec. 31) and Howard (Jan. 3) each come to town.  The Broncs return to the schedule for the first time since 2004 with the Mountaineers holding a 16-4 advantage in the all-time series. The home team has won the last five meetings in the matchup. Mount St. Mary's leads the series against Bucknell 5-0, but the tilt will mark the first contest between the two programs since 1994.  Howard also returns to the schedule for the first time since 1993 with the Mount holding a 4-2 edge, including wins in the last four matchups.

Mount St. Mary's restarts league play at Fairleitgh Dickinson on Jan. 7 and at Monmouth on Jan. 9. The Mount will play six of its eight NEC games on the road in the month. The Mount leads the series against the Knights 23-19 while the home team has won the last four meetings in the series. Mount St. Mary's leads the matchup against the Hawks 29-16, including a 51-45 win last year against a Monmouth team that advanced to the NEC Championship Game.

The squad returns home to host Bryant on Jan. 14 and Central Connecticut State on Jan. 16. Mount St. Mary's and the Bulldogs have only met once each season in the last three years. The Mount holds a 2-1 edge in the series, but Bryant downed the Mountaineers last season in Rhode Island. Mount St. Mary's leads the matchup with the Blue Devils 18-7, but the two teams have each won on their home court in the two meetings the last two seasons.

The Mountaineers will then embark on their second four-game road trip of the campaign. The team will travel to Long Island (Jan. 21), St. Francis (N.Y.), Sacred Heart (Jan. 28) and Quinnipiac (Jan. 30) over the final two weeks of the month. The Pioneers have won seven consecutive to take a 21-4 advantage in the series while the Bobcats hold a 16-7 margin in the series. Quinnipiac won the season series last season while the Mountaineers took the series the previous two seasons.

Mount St. Mary's will play five of the eight games in February at Knott Arena. The month opens with Saint Francis (Pa.) coming to town during the Mount's annual Winter Homecoming on Feb. 4 before Robert Morris concludes home weekend on Feb. 6. The two-time defending NEC Tournament Champion Red Flash has won the last five matchups to tie the all-time series at 26. The Mount holds a 32-16 lead against the Colonials, but Robert Morris has won the last four tilts.

Rivalry Week starts with a trip up to Staten Island to face Wagner on Feb. 11 before the two teams head to Knott Arena two days later to complete the series.  It will be the third-straight season the Mount has been paired with the Seahawks for Rivalry Week. The two teams split the series last season with each team winning on its home court while Mount St. Mary's leads the all-time series, 30-13.

The regular season concludes on the road at Bryant on Feb. 25 and at Central Connecticut State on Feb. 27. The top eight teams advance to the NEC Tournament on Mar. 3, 6 and 11.

Mount St. Mary's went 8-21 overall and 3-15 in league play last season.