Women's Hoops Heads to Delaware for Post-Thanksgiving Showdown

NEWARK, Del. - The Dartmouth women's basketball team looks to build upon its recent solid play when it squares off against CAA foe Delaware (2-2) this Friday night. The Big Green (0-4) looks for its first win of the season after an impressive showing at Vermont's tournament last weekend. Dartmouth nearly knocked off Michigan State in overtime, with the Spartans now ranked 24th in the nation and fresh off a 26-point win over #23 Old Dominion.

THIS TIME OUT: Game Number 859. Dartmouth hits the road south to Delaware in search of its first win of the season. The Big Green has had four days off after a series of quick turnarounds to start the season.

LAST TIME OUT: Dartmouth played two thrilling overtime contests at the TD Banknorth Classic at Vermont this past weekend. The Big Green played four games in the first eight days of the season including Saturday's 60-52 overtime loss to Michigan State, now in the top-25 and a triple overtime loss to Vermont, 82-77 on Sunday.

NEXT TIME OUT: The Big Green returns home on Saturday but turns right back around for a game at Temple on Wed., Dec. 3.

DARTMOUTH PROBABLE STARTERS:
SF #10 Margaret Smith, JR, 6-1
PF #20 Brittney Smith, SO, 6-1
C #25 Darcy Rose, SR, 6-2
G #32 Betsy Williams, JR, 6-0
G #33 Koren Schram, SR, 5-7

QUICK HITS:
? Dartmouth played back-to-back overtime games this past weekend, with an overtime loss to Michigan State and a triple overtime loss to Vermont. It was the first time in program history that the Big Green has played a triple overtime game.

? The Big Green's heartbreaking 60-52 overtime loss to Michigan State had a silver lining this week when the Spartans cracked the AP Top-25 after being the recipient of the most votes outside the poll last week. The near upset was the second time in recent memory that Dartmouth almost dropped a Big 10 school, falling at Michigan in 2006 on a buzzer-beater

? Sophomore forward Brittney Smith provided the buckets that sent both the Michigan State and Vermont games to overtime this past weekend.

? Dartmouth had four players in double-figures against Vermont for the first time since all five starters did so against Yale on Feb. 9, 2008.

? Despite being undersized, Dartmouth's post players held Michigan State's 6-9 center, Allyssa DeHaan, a Wooden Award Candidate, to just two points and four rebounds.

? The Big Green had two players average a double-double at the Vermont tournament, with Brittney Smith providing 13.5 points, 11 rebounds per game and Darcy Rose averaging 11.5 points, 12 boards.

GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME
Despite walking away from the TD Banknorth Classic with two overtime losses, Dartmouth was able to take a lot of positives from its tough play. Buckle-down defense and patience on offense allowed the Big Green to nearly upset Michigan State, now in the Top-25, and Vermont, picked to win a deep America East Conference. Dartmouth's performances were vastly improved from the first two 30+ point losses to Hartford and St. John's.

THANKFUL FOR A REST
Dartmouth started the season with a bang, playing four games in the first eight days - and adding four overtime periods to the last two. Adding to that, the Big Green's first four opponents all made the postseason last year with Hartford advancing to the NCAA second round, Michigan State playing in the WNIT finals, St. John's advancing to the WBIT quarterfinals and Vermont making it to the second round of the WNIT. The Big Green has enjoyed a brief rest of four days before tonight's post-Thanksgiving contest. Then it's back home and back south again to play at Temple on Dec. 3 before a 10-day exam break.

CAREER DAYS
During the two games Dartmouth played at the TD Banknorth Classic, Big Green players set or matched 15 career highs, with 11 coming during the triple-overtime game with Vermont. Sophomore sixth-woman Cassie Cooper tied or broke five career highs against Vermont including minutes played (31) and assists (five). Classmate Brittney Smith played a whopping 51 minutes in that game and matched her career-high with 22 points and senior Darcy Rose shattered her highs for minutes (48) and rebounds (16). Senior Koren Schram set a career high with 24 points in overtime versus Michigan State.

NOT OFTEN ALLOWING 80
Dartmouth gave up 82 points to Vermont but it took an extra 15 minutes in the triple overtime contest. The Big Green has allowed 80+ points just two times since 2006 with both coming in overtime. The last time Dartmouth gave up 80 points in regulation was the 2005 NCAA Tournament first-round loss to UConn, 95-47.

DEFENSE & REBOUNDING
Those two points have proven critical for Dartmouth with its recent close games. Against Michigan State, the Big Green held the Spartans to just 60 points total and a paltry 48 in regulation - well below their 91 ppg average heading into the game. The Dartmouth-Vermont game was tied at 59 before triple overtime inflated the score to 82-77.
Dartmouth also controlled the glass in both games, outrebounding Vermont, 56-45, and Michigan State, 41-37.

FREE THROW WOES
Like last season, getting to the free throw line has not been a problem for Dartmouth to date. The Big Green has taken 97 free throws to its opponents 67 but has only made 63.9 percent of those. Only three Dartmouth players are hitting free throws at better than 75 percent with Koren Schram shooting the only significant amount at 9-of-12. In 2007-08, Dartmouth took 652 free throws to its opponents 373

BIG GAMES, BIG SHOTS
Dartmouth senior guard Koren Schram had another one of her trademark hot shooting nights against a big time opponent. Schram matched her career high with six three-pointers against Michigan State, with four in the first eight minutes. She single-handedly opened up a 9-0 Dartmouth lead early against the Spartans and finished with 24 points. Schram has drained six triples two other times, against Michigan as a sophomore and in the win over Delaware last season.

SHE ROSE TO THE OCCASION
Senior forward Darcy Rose had a big weekend in Vermont, averaging 11.5 points and 12 rebounds and playing solid post defense. After a slight letdown as a junior, Rose looks poised for a big senior year.

Schedules