The highest-profile basketball opponent to pay Binghamton University's Events Center a visit will do so in December, its cast to include one of the Southern Tier Athletic Conference's premier alumna.
Villanova's women will play a game at Binghamton on an undisclosed December date, said Dean Kenefick, the Philadelphia institution's assistant athletic director for communications. It is part of a home-and-home agreement, Kenefick said, with 'Nova to host BU the following season.
The contest will represent a homecoming for Kyle Dougherty, a member of Owego's Class of 2005 who was three times Press & Sun-Bulletin Player of the Year. She sat out last season as a redshirt.
"I know (Wildcats coach Harry Perretta) likes to do that, but I always assumed it'd be later, maybe when I was a junior or senior," Dougherty said of scheduling a game in or near a player's hometown. "I was just shocked that we'd be playing there next season."
Villanova is coming off a 21-11 season that included a 9-7 record in Big East Conference play. The Wildcats won nine of their last 12 games, and extended the program's streak of gaining a postseason tournament berth to seven years. Their season concluded with a 94-81 loss to Western Kentucky in the quarterfinal round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament.
"It doesn't become official until the contract is done, but we'll be playing them," Kenefick said.
Binghamton coach Rich Conover declined comment, citing lack of a signed contract for the contest.
Binghamton's women posted a 17-12 record last season, concluding with a loss to Hartford in an America East Conference Tournament semifinal. The team will lose three seniors from that squad, all starters.
The Bearcats are 2-5 against Big East competition, defeating St. John's in 2003 and Syracuse last season.
"If we can play a Syracuse or a St. John's, it's a great thing for the university," said Jen Haubrich, one of the three departing starters. "To play with them and be able to beat them, it's good for morale. People look at it and say, 'Oh, look, Binghamton beat Syracuse.'
"It's a great opportunity to get your name out there, and it's a great to get them on your home court."
Dougherty, a versatile 5-foot-10 guard, was a first-team All-State selection following a senior season in which she averaged 20.1 points, 9.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists for Owego. She scored 1,958 varsity points.
"It was definitely hard not playing (last season at Villanova), but afterward you feel you've learned so much," she said. "With the system we run and with us having so many seniors, it would have been hard to be thrown right into it.
"I'm glad I took the year off to get adjusted to college, but I'm really looking forward to getting back to playing basketball. We lost a lot of seniors, so there will be opportunity for everyone to get in and play."
As for the BU appearance, she said, "It'll be fun to be back, to play in front of family and friends. The pressure won't be on me, it'll be on our team to win. Not that I won't be nervous, but it'll be fun." | 