Women’s Basketball Heads South to Longwood Saturday

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Brown University women's basketball heads to the state of Virginia when the Bears play at Longwood University on Saturday at noon (ESPN+) at Willett Hall.

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Game Notes: Brown at Longwood

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LAST TIME OUT
Senior guard Justine Gaziano (Natick, Mass.) scored 27 points, sophomore guard Maddie Mullin (Wellesley, Mass.) netted 15 points, and Brown beat Central Connecticut State University, 83-73, on Thursday night at Detrick Gymnasium. Playing in their first road game of the season, the Bears used a 13-2 run in the fourth quarter, turning a 67-65 lead with 7:32 to go into an 80-67 edge with 2:57 left on their way to the win over the host Blue Devils.

GAZIANO IN THE RECORD BOOKS
In the Brown record books, senior guard Justine Gaziano (Natick, Mass.) ranks fifth in career points (1,427), fifth in career 3-pointers made (152), sixth in career free throws made (257), and eighth in career field goals made (509). She is one of five student-athletes in program history to score 1,400 career points, one of six to make 150 or more 3-pointers, and one of nine to net 500 or more career field goals.

GAZIANO THE GO-TO
Senior guard Justine Gaziano (Natick, Mass.) has established herself as one of the Ivy League's top scorers and has earned All-Ivy honors in each of her first three seasons. She dropped 27 points on 10-of-15 field goals and 2-of-5 3-pointers alongside five rebounds at CCSU (Nov. 14). In her season debut against Maine (Nov. 11), she netted 12 points, including eight points in overtime.

DOMINIQUE DOMINATES
Junior guard Dominique Leonidas (Stone Mountain, Ga.) scored a career-high 24 points and made 9-of-10 field goals in the Bears 76-70 (OT) win over Maine (Nov. 11). She finished the game with 24 points, six assists, and five rebounds, while connecting on 9-of-10 field goals and 3-of-3 3-pointers. She netted 13 points in the fourth quarter alone and scored in double figures for the fifth time in her career. She notched her second collegiate game with 20 or more points and scored the game-tying basket with 3.9 seconds left in regulation.

DOMINIQUE DISTRIBUTES
Junior guard Dominique Leonidas (Stone Mountain, Ga.) has averaged 12.0 points and 4.0 assists per game, while shooting 65.0 percent from the field after missing most of last season due to injury. Leonidas netted a career-high 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting alongside six assists and five rebounds against Maine (Nov. 11). She netted 10 points at CCSU (Nov. 14). As a rookie, Leonidas won the team's Coaches Award and played in 26 games with seven starts, averaging 17.6 minutes, 4.1 points, 2.5 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game. She gained Ivy League Rookie of the Week on Feb. 19, 2018 after netting 18.0 points per game against Harvard and Dartmouth. In 2018-19, she played in 10 games with five starts, averaging 18.0 minutes, 3.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.

GAZIANO IN 2018-19
Last year, senior guard Justine Gaziano (Natick, Mass.) scored 526 points on the season, ranking second on Brown's single-season points list and becoming just the third student-athlete in program history to score 500 points in a season. In 2018-19, she totaled 24 double-figure scoring games, 11 20-point games, one 30-point game, and two double-doubles. Last year, she stood second in the Ivy League in points per game (17.5), second in total points (526), second in field goals made (194), first in 3-point percentage (.360), third in minutes per game (34.8), fifth in 3-pointers made (64), fifth in free throws made (74), sixth in 3-pointers per game (2.1), and seventh in offensive rebounds per game (2.4).

GAZIANO OVER TIME
Over her career, senior guard Justine Gaziano (Natick, Mass.) has totaled 70 double-figure scoring games, 31 games with 20 or more points, four games with 30 or more points, and three double-doubles in 82 career games played. She has earned All-Ivy honors in all three years, gaining Second Team All-Ivy in 2016-17 and Honorable Mention All-Ivy in both 2017-18 and 2018-19. She has finished in the top three in Ivy League scoring in each of her first three seasons, averaging 17.5 points per game as a junior, 17.9 points per game as a sophomore, and 16.5 points per game as a freshman.

MULLIN FROM DISTANCE
Known for her 3-point shooting ability, sophomore guard Maddie Mullin (Wellesley, Mass.) has averaged 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, while connecting on 35.0 percent of her 3-pointers. She netted 15 points on 6-of-9 field goals and 3-of-5 treys at CCSU (Nov. 14) for her first game in double figures against a Division I opponent. She posted eight points and four boards against Maine (Nov. 11), making two 3-pointers. Mullin netted six points on a pair of 3-pointers vs. Bryant (Nov. 5). She played in 28 games last season, averaging 9.4 minutes, 1.9 points, and 1.0 rebounds per game. She scored a season-high 15 points on 5-of-10 3-pointers vs. Johnson & Wales on Nov. 27, 2018 and made one 3-pointer in each of the last six games of the 2018-19 season. Mullin won the team's Co-Coaches Award as a freshman.

DALE RETURNS
Junior guard McKenna Dale (Storrs, Conn.) has returned to the court for the Bears after missing her sophomore year due to injury, averaging 7.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Dale tallied 12 points, five rebounds, and four steals against Maine (Nov. 11), scoring in double figures for the first time against a Division I opponent. She netted a team-high nine points and grabbed five rebounds in the season opener against Bryant (Nov. 5). As a freshman, she played in 18 games with two starts, missing some time due to injury. In 2017-18, she averaged 12.1 minutes, 3.9 points, and 1.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 40.3 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from 3-point distance. Dale scored a season-high 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting vs. Johnson & Wales on Jan. 5, 2018, making 4-of-8 3-pointers.

GREEN AT THE FIVE
Senior center Haley Green (Salem, Va.) has made significant development over the course of her career and has twice won the team's Most Improved Player Award. She has averaged 4.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game this season. Green posted eight points, nine rebounds, and four assists against Maine (Nov. 11). She grabbed six rebounds against Bryant (Nov. 5). Last season, she played in all 30 games, one of four Bears to do so, while making eight starts. She averaged 12.7 minutes, 3.0 points, and 3.2 rebounds per game a year ago. Green scored a career-high 15 points on 5-of-5 field goals and 5-of-7 free throws at Chicago State on Dec. 30, 2018.

DUCHARME MAKES MARK
After missing her rookie season due to injury, sophomore forward Ashley Ducharme (Milton, Mass.) has begun to make her mark in her second season, averaging 3.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. She approached a double-double at CCSU (Nov. 14), notching nine points and 10 rebounds for her first collegiate game with double-figure boards.

LOVE TRAIN
Freshman guard Lexi Love (Oakland, Calif.) has demonstrated true point guard abilities, dishing out 3.3 assists per game. She handed out a career-high nine assists at CCSU (Nov. 14) and netted eight points against Bryant (Nov. 5).

FINN EFFICIENT
Freshman forward Fiona Finn (West Roxbury, Mass.) has distinguished herself as an efficient shooter, scoring 4.0 points per game on 66.7 percent shooting alongside 4.0 rebounds per game. She scored six points on 3-of-3 field goals at CCSU (Nov. 14).

BREEDLOVE LOCKDOWN
Sophomore guard Traiva Breedlove (Rochester, N.Y.) made an impact for the Bears off the bench a season ago, playing 29 games and scoring in double figures three times. She put in an efficient effort against Maine (Nov. 11), scoring seven points on 3-of-4 field goals in seven minutes. Last winter, she averaged 8.9 minutes, 3.7 points, and 2.1 rebounds per game. Breedlove posted season highs of 15 points and seven rebounds at Adelphi on Jan. 2, 2019, making 6-of-8 field goals.

KELLEY INCREAES ROLE
Sophomore forward Alana Kelley (Phoenix, Ariz.) played in 24 games last season and averaged 7.8 minutes, 1.2 points, and 1.4 rebounds per game. She played 10 or more minutes in each of seven games, including six of team's final eight contests. Kelley won the team's Co-Coaches Award as a freshman.

ROSANT IN BURSTS
Freshman guard Sydney Rosant (Foster City, Ga.) has shown a penchant for scoring quickly, posting 3.3 points in 8.7 minutes per game. She notched four points in eight minutes at CCSU (Nov. 14).

DEFEATING AMERICA EAST CHAMPS
Junior guard Dominique Leonidas (Stone Mountain, Ga.) scored a career-high 24 points and made 9-of-10 field goals to lead Brown past the University of Maine in overtime, 76-70, on Monday night at the Pizzitola Sports Center. The Bears outscored the Black Bears 24-18 in the fourth quarter and then 15-9 in overtime to upend the defending America East champions who entered the game ranked No. 15 in the Women's Mid-Major Top-25 Poll. The Bears connected on 11-of-14 field goals (78.6 percent) and 2-of-3 triples in the fourth quarter before converting 6-of-7 free throws in overtime.

COLLEGIATE DEBUTS
Seven Brown student-athletes made their collegiate debuts against Bryant (Nov. 5). Five freshmen took to the court for the first time, including guard Fiona Finn (West Roxbury, Mass.), forward Dani Short (Aliquippa, Pa.), guard Lexi Love (Oakland, Calif.), guard Myla Cox (Petal, Miss.), and guard Sydney Rosant (Foster City, Ga.). The quintet combined for 19 points and 16 rebounds with Love netting eight points, Short grabbing eight boards, and Finn adding six points and five boards. Sophomore Ashley Ducharme (Milton, Mass.) played for the first time after missing all of last year due to injury, and senior Caroline Zaffino (Darien, Conn.) competed in basketball for the first time at the college level after completing her career as a women's lacrosse player at Brown. In addition, junior guard McKenna Dale (Storrs, Conn.) returned to the court for the first time since the 2017-18 season after missing the 2018-19 season due to injury.

TEAM STATS
Last season, Brown ranked second in the Ivy League in 3-point field goals made per game (7.9), free throw percentage (.716), and steals per game (9.30). The Bears ranked third in the conference in points per game (69.1).

REACHING TRIPLE DIGITS
Brown tied a program record for points against a Division I opponent with 102 points in its 109-102 (2OT) setback at Northern Illinois on Dec. 31, 2018. As a team, the Bears broke the 100-point barrier for the fourth time in program history and for the second time against a Division I opponent. Brown scored over 100 points against a Division I team for the first time in school history in its 102-77 win over Sacred Heart on Dec. 6, 2017. Brown crossed the century mark for the first time in a 114-28 win over Division III Mount Ida on Nov. 19, 2015 and reached the plateau in a 100-79 win over Johnson & Wales on Jan. 5, 2018. The Bears' previous scoring high against a Division I opponent came in a 98-88 win over Princeton on Jan. 13, 2017.

OCEAN STATE TIP-OFF TOURNAMENT
At the 2018 Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament, guard Justine Gaziano '20 (Natick, Mass.) and guard Shayna Mehta '19 both earned All-Tournament Team honors. Gaziano led the tournament in scoring for the second straight year with 30.0 points per game while Mehta averaged 14.5 points and 8.0 assists per game on the weekend. Brown won the team title at the event in both 2016 and 2017 with Gaziano earning Tournament MVP honors in 2017. Over the last four years, Brown has gone 13-3 against Rhode Island teams, 9-3 vs. Division I teams from the Ocean State, and 5-1 at the Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament.

GAZIANO'S CAREER DAY
Guard Justine Gaziano '20 (Natick, Mass.) scored a career-high 35 points, hitting 13-of-18 field goals and 5-of-5 3-pointers to lead Brown to an 84-68 win over Bryant in the semifinals of the Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament on Dec. 1, 2018. Gaziano set career highs for points (35) and field goals made (13) while making 5-of-5 shots from 3-point distance for the third time in her career. She scored 23 points in the first half, making 9-of-13 field goals, 3-of-3 treys, and 2-of-2 free throws.

GAZIANO GOES OVER 1,000
Guard Justine Gaziano '20 (Natick, Mass.) scored her 1,000^th career point against Bucknell on Nov. 25, 2018. She became the 21^st 1,000-point scorer in program history and the sixth Bear to score 1,000 points prior to her senior year. She scored her 1,000^th point in her 58^th career game and netted her 1,000^th career point at the 7:05 mark of the second quarter. She became the first Bear to score her 1,000^th career point at the Pizzitola Sports Center since Jordin Alexander '16 hit the mark against Columbia on Mar. 4, 2016. For the second straight year, a Bear scored her 1,000^th career point against a Patriot League opponent. In 2017-18, guard Shayna Mehta '19 netted her 1,000^th career point at Colgate on Dec. 10, 2017.

THE CAPTAINS
Seniors Justine Gaziano (Natick, Mass.) and Haley Green (Salem, Va.) and junior guard Dominique Leonidas (Stone Mountain, Ga.) are set to serve Brown women's basketball as tri-captains during the 2019-20 season.

CLASS OF 2023
Brown's Class of 2023 features guard Myla Cox (Petal, Miss.), forward Fiona Finn (West Roxbury, Mass.), guard Lexi Love (Oakland, Calif.), guard Sydney Rosant (Foster City, Ga.), and forward Dani Short (Aliquippa, Pa.). The group comprises student-athletes from across the continental United States with one player each from California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania. The quintet includes three guards and two forwards from five different high school and AAU programs.

GOTTLIEB '99 JOINS CAVALIERS
Brown women's basketball alumna Lindsay Gottlieb '99, was named an assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association in June 2019. A 1999 graduate of Brown and a member of the Bears' women's basketball team, Gottlieb will join head coach John Beilen's staff as the first women's collegiate head coach recruited to an NBA staff. Gottlieb served as the head coach at California from 2011-19, leading the Golden Bears to seven appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

COACH BEHN AS PANELIST
Head coach Sarah Behn served as a panelist for the inaugural "Woman-to-Woman: Shooting for Greatness" event before an audience of 500 on Oct. 10, 2019 at the Dana Center on the campus of Saint Anselm College. Entitled a "Conversation with Inspiring and Extraordinary Women," Bishop Guertin High School Girls Basketball presented the event in collaboration with the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College. The night included a moderated panel discussion focusing on issues central to empowering and advancing the role of women in American society. The panelists shared their personal challenges, experiences, and lessons learned along their journeys.

STAFF CHANGES
Head coach Sarah Behn made two adjustments to her staff during the offseason, elevating assistant coach Kanika Cummings to the program's second assistant position while hiring Brian Fleming as the program's third assistant.

START YOUR ENGINES
Brown has now played 47 seasons of women's basketball, and the Bears have registered a 20-27 record all-time in season openers. Brown has won five of its last six openers. Beginning 2017-18 with a 12-1 record, Brown established its best start in program history through 13 games. At 10-1 through 11 games, the Bears began 2015-16 with their best start since 1973-74. Brown opened the 2015-16 season at 5-0 for the first time in school history before falling at Manhattan.

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
In the 2019-20 Ivy League Preseason Poll, Princeton and Penn tied for the top spot with 125 points apiece, earning 10 and seven first-place votes respectively. Harvard (95), Yale (90), Cornell (60), Columbia (47), Dartmouth (47), and Brown (23) rounded out the poll.

NON-CONFERENCE WINS
The Bears notched a 12-1 mark in non-conference contests in 2017-18, tying for the second-most non-conference wins in school history and giving the Bears double-digit non-league wins for the sixth time. In 2016-17, the team tallied a 10-6 non-conference record as Brown posted its fifth-most non-conference wins in program history. With a 12-2 mark in non-conference contests in 2015-16, Brown finished second in program history for non-conference victories in a season. The Bears went 13-2 in non-league games in 1974-75 and notched 11 such wins in 1973-74 and 1975-76.

HISTORY MADE BEYOND THE ARC
Against No. 20 California on Nov. 19, 2017, Brown set single-game program records for 3-pointers made (16) and 3-pointers attempted (41), shooting 39.0 percent from distance in the contest. In the first quarter alone, the Bears connected on 7-of-17 shots (41.2 percent) from behind the arc.

NON-LEAGUE WINNING STREAK
During non-league play in 2017-18, Brown went on a 10-game winning streak from Nov. 24 to Jan. 5, marking the second double-digit win streak in program history. The Bears posted one other double-digit win streak during a school-record 13-game stretch from Jan. 23 to Mar. 5 during the 1992-93 season.

SUMMER WELL SPENT
During the summer of 2018, guard Justine Gaziano '20 (Natick, Mass.) spent 30 days in Samoa through a Brown University Royce Sport and Society Fellowship. During her time in Samoa, Gaziano explored the athletic experiences of a select group of high performing female athletes with an emphasis on how sociocultural attitudes towards female athletes have impacted their experiences. Also in the summer of 2018, McKenna Dale '21 (Storrs, Conn.) and Dominique Leonidas '21 (Stone Mountain, Ga.) volunteered in Kenya with the non-profit Play BOLD, assisting with sport clinics, classroom education, and infrastructural projects. In April 2019, Leonidas attended the 2019 NCAA Inclusion Forum in Atlanta.

BEARS SIGN ELLIE LEO THROUGH TEAM IMPACT
Brown officially signed Ellie Leo, then a 12-year-old, seventh grade student from Norton, Mass., to its roster through a Team IMPACT Cystic Fibrosis Project "Draft Day" Sponsored by Vertex Pharmaceuticals on Nov. 30, 2017. As part of a ceremony in the Pizzitola Sports Center's Joukowsky Room, Ellie – a high honors student who loves gymnastics, basketball, and art – signed an official Letter of Intent before her family and friends and received an authentic team jersey from the Bears.

THE CLASS OF 2019
The Bears' Class of 2019 – Mary Butler, Shayna Mehta, Erika Steeves, and Taylor Will – finished their careers as the highest scoring class in program history. The group combined for 424 games played, 330 games started, 4,268 points, 1,552 field goals, 491 3-pointers, 673 free throws, 2,008 rebounds, 822 assists, 553 steals, 170 blocks, and 11,334 minutes played. Mehta closed her career second at Brown in scoring (1,785 points) and first in 3-pointers made (261). Steeves totaled 1,203 points, 815 rebounds, and 214 assists, becoming the first student-athlete in program history to record over 1,200 points, 800 rebounds, and 200 assists.

THE LONGWOOD SERIES HISTORY
Brown and Longwood will meet for the first time on Saturday.

SCOUTING THE LANCERS
Longwood is 1-2 thus far in 2019-20, coming off a 59-58 win over UNC Wilmington. Dayna Rouse leads the team with 13.3 points per game while Kyla McMakin has added 12.3 points per game. Last season, the Lancers finished with a 3-27 mark.

TICKETS!
Tickets for all Brown women's basketball games can be purchased online, by calling the Brown Athletics Ticket Office at (401) 863-2773, or by walking up to the box office located in the Pizzitola Sports Center, open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Women’s Basketball Heads South to Longwood Saturday

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Players Mentioned

Mary Butler

Myla Cox

McKenna Dale

Ashley Ducharme

Fiona Finn

Justine Gaziano

Haley Green

Dominique Leonidas

Lexi Love

Shayna Mehta

Maddie Mullin

Sydney Rosant

Dani Short

Erika Steeves

Taylor Will

Brown University Athletics