2015-16 Northeastern Women's Basketball:  Roster  |  Media Guide
Season Previews:  Returners  |  Newcomers
CAA Preseason Poll:  CAA  |  Northeastern
 

Game-day Information: Game 1 at Boston University
When	Friday, Nov. 13  |  12 p.m.
Where	Boston, Mass.  |  Case Gymnasium  |  Directions
Broadcast and stats	Stats  |  Video
Notes	Northeastern (PDF)
Social media	Twitter: @GoNUwbasketball Facebook: GoNUwbasketball Instagram: GoNUwbasketball Use #GoNU

BOSTON – For the third consecutive year, the Northeastern women's basketball team will be pitted against its local rival, Boston University, in a season-opening game as the Huskies will ring in their 50th season on Friday, Nov. 13, with a 12 p.m. game at the Terriers' Case Gymnasium. NU is 22-27 all-time in regular-season openers and 1-0 under head coach Kelly Cole, who celebrated her first career coaching victory by leading the Huskies to a 75-74 victory against BU during Northeastern's first game of the 2014-15 season.
 
ALL-TIME AGAINST THE TERRIERS
 
Although Northeastern trails Boston University, 19-23, the Huskies have won three straight games against the Terriers, dating back to the 2012-13 season. Since NU left BU and the America East conference following the end of the 2004-05 season, the Huskies have won just four out of the 10 games held between the two programs.
 
NU IN SEASON OPENERS AGAINST BU
 
Friday's game will be the fourth season-opener in program history that the Huskies will play against Boston University. Here is how NU has faired against its crosstown rival on opening day:

Date	Location	Northeastern Result
Dec. 5, 1978	Boston, Mass. (Cabot Center)	L, 47-60
Nov. 8, 2013	Boston, Mass. (Case Gymnasium)	W, 73-62
Nov. 14, 2014	Boston, Mass. (Cabot Center)	W, 75-74
Nov. 13, 2015	Boston, Mass. (Case Gymnasium)	--

 
LAST YEAR AGAINST BOSTON UNIVERSITY
 
Then-junior forward Samantha DeFreese nailed 10-of-13 shots from the floor and led all players with 24 points and 14 rebounds as Northeastern defeated Boston University, 75-74, in front of a sell-out crowd at Cabot Center on Nov. 14, 2014. Trailing the Terriers by three, 74-71, with 55 seconds to play in the second half, Francesca Sally split a pair of free throws with 43 seconds to go to bring NU within two at 74-72, while DeFreese sank the first of two free throws at the 16-second mark to cut the BU lead to one at 74-73. Boston Univeristy's attempt to ice DeFreese at the line was successful, but NU senior Tanisha Hopewell hauled in a clutch offensive board, allowing Sally to knock in the game-winning layup with nine seconds left on the clock.
 
NU CAPTAINS ON PLAYING BU
 
In an interview with news@Northeastern's Joe O'Connell, two of Northeastern's three co-captains provided their feedback on what it would take to defeat the Huskies' rival.
 
"Staying humble," said Tiffany Montagne. "BU is a rival team, and we are very excited to get the season started. But as long as we keep our composure and stay true to the keys coach has set for us, a win is definitely realistic."
 
"Remaining fundamental," said Samantha DeFreese. "At the end of the day it is going to come down to scores and stops."
 
NOT YOUR AVERAGE RIVALRY
 
Northeastern head coach Kelly Cole and Boston University head coach Katy Steding have been rivals for much longer than the average fan may think. Cole and Steding played varsity volleyball and basketball for rival high schools in Portland, Oregon; Cole attended Clackamas High School and St. Mary's Academy, while Steding attended Lake Oswego High School. Although Cole had the upper hand against Steding in high school, winning a couple of state titles, Steding tipped the scale in her favor at the collegiate level. In 1990, Steding won a Pac-10 women's basketball title and national championship at Stanford, the same year that Cole won a Big Ten championship at Northwestern. On Nov. 14, 2014, Cole and Steding found themselves opposite each other once again as they each coached their first career games at the helm of rival Beanpot schools.
 
HUSKIES PARTAKE IN CAMP "D" UP
 
The Huskies began their 2015-16 practice season with Camp "D" Up, a program initiated by head coach Kelly Cole that featured three straight practice days of nothing but defense. Cole identified that defense was Northeastern's top priority heading into the 2015-16 season, and the program was well received by the players.
 
RETURNING FOR NORTHEASTERN
 
Despite losing two senior guards from last year's squad, Northeastern maintains a comfortable 62 percent of its scoring from a season ago, including two of its top three scorers (Samantha DeFreese – 13.9 points per game, Francesca Sally – 8.6 points per game). DeFreese and Sally will be called upon often to run the four and five spots for the Huskies during 2015-16, while the team will look towards senior guards Tiffany Montagne and Kazzidy Stewart to direct traffic from the backcourt. Montagne averaged 12.2 points per game in 10 non-conference starts for the Huskies last year, but was sidelined during the CAA season due to injury.
 
Sophomore Maureen Taggart will be Northeastern's 3-point specialist again this season after appearing in all but one of the Huskies' 30 games last season. Taggart was third on the team in made 3-pointers during her rookie season with 33 and averaged 23.3 minutes per game as Northeastern's sixth man.
 
After sitting out the 2014-15 season having transferred from Mississippi, Claudia Ortiz is expected to make an immediate impact for the Huskies. Ortiz averaged 13.4 points per game and 5.2 rebounds per game with the Puerto Rico National Team at the 2011 FIBA Americas Under-16 Championships, helping Puerto Rico earn wins against Mexico and Guatemala.
 
Loren Lassiter (10.8 minutes per game) and Briana Schnare (3.3 minutes per game) round out the list of returners for Northeastern during 2015-16. Sade Iriah and Onia Webb will serve their senior seasons as student assistants for the Huskies.
 
NU NEWCOMERS
 
Kelly Cole introduced the first three members of her 2015 recruiting on Nov. 25, 2014, announcing the signing of point guards Jess Genco (Scranton, Pennsylvania) and Te'Erica Eason (Atlanta, Georgia), as well as forward Gabriella Giacone (Delmar, New York). Cole welcomed shooting guard Zoe Zwerling (Palo Alto, California) to her roster on May 1, 2015, bringing the Huskies great skill and depth at all positions around the floor.
 
In an interview with news@Northeastern's Joe O'Connell, Cole was asked how she and the team were approaching the season with so many talented newcomers.
 
"With the infusion of so many new faces this year, I think the start of this season has a different feel to it than last year," Cole said. "With the freshman group, the addition of (sophomore transfer) Claudia Ortiz, and having Tiffany back (from injury), that's six new faces out of 12. And I think that's an exciting infusion of energy and confidence."
 
DEFREESE GARNERS PRESEASON ALL-CAA
 
One season after being named to the 2014-15 All-CAA Third Team, Samantha DeFreese was selected to the 2015-16 Preseason All-CAA Second Team, as announced by the conference during CAA Basketball Media Day on Oct. 27. DeFreese was one of three forwards to receive Preseason All-CAA status, joining Drexel's Sarah Curran and Hofstra's Ashunae Durant. Last season, DeFreese was the eighth Northeastern player in program history to be named All-CAA.
 
COLE ADDS LEFLAR, DORSEY TO STAFF
 
Northeastern head coach Kelly Cole welcomed assistant coaches Mike Leflar and Kindyll Dorsey to her staff in 2015-16. Leflar, brings more than 12 years of coaching experience to the Huskies, having previously served as an assistant coach at Binghamton (2013-14) and Boston University (2004-2014), and Pennsylvania (2003-04). Dorsey, who was recruited by Cole to play at Boston College, joined the NU staff having worked as an assistant coach at Holy Cross (2014-15).
 
NORTHEASTERN WINTER SHOWDOWN
Three games, two teams, one weekend
 
Northeastern and Michigan State will be competing in a three-sport winter showdown at Matthews Arena on Dec. 18 and Dec. 19, consisting of women's basketball, men's basketball, and men's hockey. The Northeastern Winter Showdown begins on Friday, Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. as the Northeastern women's basketball team squares off against MSU. On Saturday, Dec. 19, the Huskies and Spartans will play a 12:30 p.m. men's basketball matinee before the two schools close out the weekend and meet in a 7 p.m. men's hockey game. For more information, please visit GoNU.com/showdown.