Mount St. Mary's
Bryan Whitten's first season at the helm of Mount St. Mary's resulted in the Mount's 19th consecutive trip to the NEC Tournament. Two-time NEC Defensive Player of the Year Tiffany Green, who became the 23rd Mount player to score 1,000 career points, graduated from a line-up that gave regular season champ Quinnipiac a first round scare. Now it is up to Whitten's young core to secure tournament berth No. 20 and deliver the program's first postseason win since 2001. The Mountaineers can start by taking its defense to the next level, an area where Green will be missed. The Mount was amongst the NEC's lower half in scoring defense (66.5 ppg) and field-goal percentage defense (.434), but balanced that shortcoming by taking good care of the rock. Committing the third-fewest turnovers in the league, Mount St. Mary's enjoyed a positive turnover margin.
Ball distribution is an area where a pair of veteran guards can help improve the Mount. Senior guard Brianna Gauthier (8.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg) tied Green for team lead in assists (84), but sported a better assist-turnover ratio that would have ranked third in the NEC had she met the minimum of 3.0 apg. Junior Hassanah Oliver (7.4 ppg, 70 asst.) brings quickness to the backcourt and can score off penetration or kick the ball to sophomore Lauren Howell (7.1 ppg, .462 3FG %) who owns a long-range stroke that yielded an NCAA record 14 consecutive three-pointers at one point last season. Howell had a great day in helping deliver the Mount's 600th victory, scoring 18 points (4-6 3FG) in a 56-43 defeat of Fordham. All-rookie selection Mary Dunn plays bigger than her 5-11 frame, leading all freshmen with the league's fifth-best rebounding mark (7.8 rpg) and ranking third amongst freshmen scorers (8.3 ppg) last season.
Mount by the Numbers
Quick Facts
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/2
Letterwinners R/L: 8/3
2007-08 Record: 8-22
NEC Record/Place: 6-12/8th
NEC Tournament: Lost QF to No. 1 Quinnipiac
Overall Record (Past Four Years)
Last Year: 8-22
Last Two Years: 20-39
Last Three Years: 32-55
Last Four Years: 41-74
NEC Record (Past Four Years)
Last Year: 6-12
Last Two Years: 16-20
Last Three Years: 25-29
Last Four Years: 33-39
RPI Nat'l Rank/Conf. Standing
2007-08: 283/7th
2006-07: 224/6th
Leading Returning Scorers
Mary Dunn: 8.3 ppg
Brianna Gauthier: 8.0 ppg
Hassanah Oliver: 7.4 ppg
Leading Returning Rebounders
Mary Dunn: 7.8 rpg
Leah Westbrooks: 5.8 rpg
Brianna Gauthier: 3.4 rpg