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Utah To Host San Francisco Wednesday
12/21/1999 12:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 21, 1999
Salt Lake City - GAME DATA: Utah takes on the Lady Dons of the University of San Francisco at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on Wed., Dec. 22 at 7:00 p.m. (MST). After the holiday break, the Utes will host the Stanford Cardinals at home on Wed., Dec. 29 at 7:00 p.m. (MST).
PROBABLE STARTERS: Probable starters in the Utes? game against San Francisco and Stanford are: Lori Red (5-11, Jr., F), Kristina Andersen (6-1, Jr., F), Lauren Beckman (6-2, So., F/C), Tiana Fuertes (5-3, Sr., G) and Amy Ewert (6-0, Jr., G/F).
Probable starters for San Francisco are: #11 Molly Shanley (6-1, So., F), #12 Sarah Wanless (6-2, Sr., F), #21 Jennifer Madkins (5-9, Sr., G), #22 Lindsey Huff (5-6, So., G), #42 Carey Sauer (6-0, Fr., F).
Probable starters for Stanford are: #11 Jamie Carey (5-6, Fr., G), #20 Milena Flores (5-6, Sr., G), #33 Sarah Dimson (6-0, Jr., F), #41 Bethany Donaphin (6-2, So., F), #53 Carolyn Moos (6-6, Jr., F/C).
Scouting San Francisco: The Lady Dons have won their last three outings. On Wed., Dec. 8, San Francisco defeated San Francisco State, 77-40. The Lady Dons hosted Western Michigan University on Sun., Dec. 12 and won in overtime, 70-65. On Mon., Dec. 20, San Francisco out-scored Idaho State by 25 points to win the game 59-34 in Pocatello, Idaho. Junior Cortney Keegan led the Lady Dons past San Francisco State as she scored 15 points and eight rebounds. Teammate Rachel Mahar totaled 12 points, while freshman Carey Sauer and junior Nicole Raleigh each added 10 points. Mahar led San Francisco in the match-up with Western Michigan with 17 points. Sauer posted 14 points and seven boards, while senior Jennifer Madkins added 10 points and eight rebounds. Keegan led the team with nine boards. Against Idaho State, Sauer racked up 14 points, making 6-of-11 from the field. Forward Sarah Wanless totaled 10 points and led the team with eight boards. Sophomore Lindsey Huff added seven points and four assists in the game.
Huff leads San Francisco in points per game (9.8), assists (4.5 apg) and steals (1.4 spg). Sauer is second on the team, averaging 9.4 ppg, and leads the team in rebounding (6.4). Sauer is 14-of-15 (.933) from the free-throw line and 7-of-16 (.438) from the 3-point line. San Francisco returns nine letterwinners, including four starters and adds five newcomers to its roster.
Wanless, the team?s top returnee, led the club in rebounding (6.0 rpg) and blocks (1.2) last season. She also ranked second in scoring at 11.2 ppg and led the entire WCC with a .571 field goal percentage. Fellow senior and guard Jennifer Madkins led the club in both assists (4.8 apg) and steals (2.2 spg). After pacing the entire WCC in both categories for most of the season, she finished ranked second in the conference in assists and third in steals. Injuries caused many of USF?s troubles in 1998-99 as the Lady Dons suited up just 10 players all season and had three of those 10 players miss significant action due to injuries.
San Francisco Co-Head Coaches: Bill Nepfel (Cortland State, 1974) and Mary Hile-Nepfel (USF, 1981) are in their 13th season as the co-head coaches at the University of San Francisco. For three years from 1994-95 through 1996-97, the husband-wife combination guided the Lady Dons to a cumulative 73-19 (.793) record, three NCAA appearances, three West Coast Conference Tournament titles and a pair of regular season WCC championships. USF also compiled three straight campaigns of 24 or more wins for the first time in school history. In the 1995-96 season, the Lady Dons made their first trip ever to the Sweet 16 with a pair of NCAA Tournament wins over Florida and Duke. For their role in the team?s success in 1994-95, the Nepfels were named Coaches of the Year for both the West Coast Conference and District 8. They were also finalists for the Associated Press National Coach of the Year award. Their co-WCC title in 1995-96 gave USF back-to-back regular season championships for the first time. The Nepfels have compiled a 187-155 (.546) record at USF. Bill Nepfel has a career record of 240-190 (.557).
Scouting Stanford: Stanford is currently 4-3 overall, 0-0 in the Pac 10 Conference. Junior Carolyn Moos had 22 points and nine rebounds and sophomore Bethany Donaphin added 19 points and 11 boards to lead Stanford to a 70-55 road win over Pacific (5-2) on Mon., Dec. 20 at the Spanos Center.
Stanford won the game on the boards. The Cardinals out-rebounded the Tigers by an overwhelming 58-29 margin, including a 36-11 advantage in the second half. The 58 rebounds was just five shy of the school single-game record set at 63 on Jan. 11, 1980 vs. Pennsylvania.
In the match-up with Western Michigan (2-5) on Dec. 18, Moos had a career-high 23 points, 12 rebounds and five steals to lead Stanford to an 80-66 win. Moos was one of four Cardinal players to record point totals in the double digits. Sophomore Lauren St. Clair sunk five three-point baskets for 15 points, freshman forward Jamie Carey hit four from behind the three-point line and tallied 14 total points, and sophomore forward Enjoli Izidor posted 10 points. The eight three-point goals made in the second half ties the school record for most in a half. The game total of 11 ties for sixth place in the record book for number of three-point goals in a game.
Moos is currently leading Stanford in scoring, averaging 10.8 points per game. She also leads the team in rebounding, totaling 6.6 boards per game. Milena Flores also averages in double figures for the Cardinals. Flores posts 10.6 ppg and 4.2 rpg. She leads the team in assists, averaging 5.0 apg and is a perfect 17-of-17 (1.000). Donaphin is 21-of-38 (.553) from the field, while teammate Lauren St. Clair is 8-of-10 (.800) from the free-throw line.
Last year, the Cardinals finished 18-12 overall, 14-4 in the Pac 10 Conference (third place). Stanford advanced to its 12th straight NCAA Tournament before falling to Maine 60-58 in first round action in Norfolk, Virginia.
Quoting Elliott: On the upcoming San Francisco Game: ?San Francisco is always a challenge and an under rated team that never gets the recognition they deserve. I?m looking forward to a very competitive game and would expect nothing less.?
Utah Update, Weekend Recap: The University of Utah women?s basketball team won two games over the weekend, continuing on a six game win streak. On Fri., Dec. 18, Utah defeated Northwestern State by 31 points (86-55), advancing to the championship game of the Boise State Tournament. The Utes out-scored Boise State by 20 points to win the game, 59-39 and claim the championship crown at the Boise State Tournament on Sat., Dec. 19. Utah improves to 7-2 overall, 0-0 in the MWC.
In the match-up with Northwestern State, junior Kristina Andersen led the team with 15 points and eight rebounds. Lori Red, Lindsay Sodja and freshman Carley Marshall each added 14 points. Teammate Lauren Beckman posted 10 points and Katherine McColl totaled six boards. Utah unloaded its bench late in the second half with all players seeing time. All but two scored points in the game for Utah. The Utes shot 50 percent from the field and from behind the three-point line. Utah was an efficient 22-of-26 from the free-throw line (85%). Northwestern State dropped to 5-2 overall, 0-0 in conference play
For Northwestern State, Jennifer Graf posted 16 points, making 5-of-11 from the field and 6-of-9 from the free-throw line. Graf led the Lady Demons in rebounds with eight. Kia Converse added 15 points in the effort. The Lady Demons shot 28 percent from the field, just 17 percent from three-point range and 57 percent from the free-throw line.
?It was nice to have a good offensive start and this was the first game all season that we?ve been really sharp early on in the game. We defended well, but also showed the ability to put the ball on the floor and score at the offensive end, and that was nice to see,? said Elliott.
In the championship game vs. Boise State, junior Lori Red led Utah with 14 points, making 4-of-5 from 3-point range. Lindsay Sodja came off the bench to score 13 points in 13 minutes of play. Sodja was 5-of-9 from the field and a perfect 2-of-2 from the free-throw line. Kristina Andersen posted 12 points, while teammates Lauren Beckman and Katherine McColl each totaled six boards. Tiana Fuertes totaled six assists and three steals in the game. Utah used its depth with eleven players seeing time. The Utes shot 37 percent (20-of-53) from the field and 41 percent (9-of-22) from behind the three-point line. Utah was an efficient 10-of-13 from the free-throw line (77%). Boise State fell to 5-5 overall, 0-0 in conference play
For Boise State, Crista Peterson posted 17 points, making 7-of-9 from the field and 3-of-5 from the free-throw line. Peterson led the Broncos in rebounds with seven. Reyna Fortenberry added eight points in the effort. The Broncos shot 32 percent (17-of-54) from the field, just eight percent (1-of-12) from three-point range and 33 percent (4-of-12) from the free-throw line.
?I was really pleased with our effort because we had a particular game plan in mind, and really no time to prepare but at our shoot-around. We did a really good job of making the necessary adjustments and it was a nice win for us,? said Elliott.
Series History: Utah leads the series with San Francisco, 4-1. On Jan. 1, 1999, Utah defeated San Francisco 60-56, in San Francisco. Utah is 2-0 vs. the Lady Dons at home, 1-0 in away contests and 1-1 at a neutral site. San Francisco?s only win (68-59) against the Utes came on Dec. 6, 1980 in their first meeting in Pullman, Wash. Stanford leads the series with Utah, 4-0. In their last meeting on Nov. 29, 1993, Stanford defeated the Utes 59-48 in Salt Lake City.
AFTER THIS: On Jan. 4, the Utes travel to Dallas, Texas to take on the SMU Mustangs at 7:00 p.m. (CST). Utah travels to Moraga, Calif. on Jan. 6 to take on St. Mary?s at 7:30 p.m. (PST). On Thurs., Jan. 13, the Utes are at San Diego State University. Tip-off is at 7:00 p.m. (PST). Utah travels to Las Vegas, Nev. to take on the Rebels of UNLV on Sat., Jan. 15 at 7:35 p.m. (PST). Utah is back in action at home when they take on MWC opponent Wyoming, Thurs., Jan. 20 at 7:00 p.m. (PST).
Statistical Leaders: As a team, Utah is first in the Mountain West Conference and second nationally in scoring defense, holding their opponents to an average of 51.1 points per game. The Utes are also first in field goal percentage defense (.358), scoring margin (+14.3), free-throw percentage (.739), rebounding margin (+4.2) and rebounding defense (32.8). Utah is second in blocked shots, averaging 4.56 per game, third in assists (16.56) and third in offensive rebounds (12.89) Utah is also third in 3-point field goal percentage (.365) and in turnover margin (+2.89). The Utes are fourth in rebounding offense (37.0) and in 3-point field goals made (6.44), and fifth in field goal percentage (.420) and defensive rebounds (24.11). Utah is sixth in scoring offense , averaging 65.4 points per game, seventh in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.353) and eighth in steals (7.44). Senior Tiana Fuertes leads the MWC in three-point field goal percentage (.600), fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.32) and tied for sisxth in assists (3.67). Sophomore Lauren Beckman is third in blocked shots (1.78), fourth in offensive rebounds (3.44), sixth in rebounding (7.8), seventh in free-throw percentage (.784) and seventh in defensive rebounds (4.33). Beckman is currently tenth in field goal percentage (.476) and 14th in scoring, averaging 11.9 points per game. Junior Kristina Andersen is sixth in blocked shots (1.11), eighth in offensive rebounds (2.11), 16th in rebounding (5.1) and 25th in scoring (8.0). Lori Red is 15th in 3-point field goal percentage (.357) and tied for 15th with teammate Lindsay herbert in 3-point field goals made, averaging 1.11 per game. Red is 26th in scoring, averaging 7.4 points per game.Amy Ewert is tied with Tiana Fuertes in steals, averaging 1.67 steals per game. Ewert is 15th in assists, averaging 2.67 apg. Erin Gibbons is second in 3-point field goal percentage (.478) and 14th in 3-point field goals made (1.22/game). Freshman Carley Marshall is currently third in the conference in free-throw percentage (.882).
Injury Report Sophomore Erin Hansen suffered a shoulder injury in Utah?s game vs. Whitworth College, causing Hansen to sit out the rest of the season. Hansen will use this season as a red-shirt year.
Boise State All-Tournament Team Three Utah players were selected to the All-Tournament team. Juniors Lori Red and Lindsay Sodja were All-Tournament selections, while teammate Kristina Andersen was named the tournament MVP. Stephanie Block from Boise State, Tia Converse from Northwestern State, along with Megan Lofthouse from Southern Utah rounded out the All-Tournament team.
Poll Watch
Utah received votes in the Dec. 6th USA Today/ESPN Coaches Top 25.
A QUICK LOOK AT UTAH: Utah returns four starters and 11 of the 12 letterwinners from last year?s team that went 21-7 overall, tied for first place in the Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division with a 12-2 record and earned a bid to the WNIT. What?s amazing is that, after the loss of five seniors from the 1997-98 team, last season was supposed to be a ?rebuilding? year. Instead, the Utes merely continued their winning ways under head coach Elaine Elliott. It was the fifth consecutive year in which the U. won 20 games, claimed a conference championship of some form and earned a postseason bid. Elliott embarks on her 17th season as Utah?s head coach with a 323-140 career record. Utah was one of the preseason favorites to win the inaugural Mountain West Conference championship.
Returning for the Utes is two-year letterwinner Lori Red. Red, a 5-11 junior from Provo, Utah, was named to the first-team all-WAC Pacific Division in 1998-99. She started in all 28 games, second on the team in scoring, averaging 9.9 points per game. Red was third on the team, averaging 4.6 rebounds per game and 2.4 assists per game. She scored in double figures in 15 out of 28 games last season. Back at guard for Utah is three-year letterwinner, Tiana Fuertes. Fuertes started in 27 games last season, averaging 5.9 points per game. Fuertes ranked 3rd in the final WAC standings in assists, averaging 4.9 assists per game. Kristina Andersen, a 6-1 forward is back for her third season with Utah. Andersen started in 27 games last season, where she was fourth in scoring, averaging 7.1 points per game. She was second on the team in rebounds, averaging 5.3 rebounds per game. Amy Ewert, a two-year letterwinner is back, spending time between the forward and guard positions. Ewert started in 10 games last season, seeing action in 27. She posted 2.4 points per game and 2.1 rebounds per game last season.
Erin Gibbons is back for her second season with the Utes. Gibbons, a 5-9 sophomore guard from Salmon Arm, B.C, was named the WAC Pacific Division Freshman of the Year, as well as earning second team all-conference honors and a spot on the all-newcomer team. Gibbons ranked 15th in the WAC in scoring (11.7 ppg), third in three-pointers per game (2.3) and eighth in three-point field goal percentage (.374), starting 17 games. Gibbons scored in double figures in 17 games and led the Utes in scoring 11 times. Lauren Beckman, a 6-2 sophomore center/forward from Elko, Nev., joined Gibbons on the Pacific Division?s all-newcomer team. She played in all 28 games off the bench, averaging 21.7 minutes. Beckman ranked 29th in the nation and led the WAC in blocked shots (1.8 bpg). She also ranked 17th in the league in rebounding (6.1 rpg) and was third on the team in scoring (9.6 ppg). Beckman led the Utes three times in scoring and 11 times in rebounding. Katherine McColl, a 6-0 sophomore was seventh on the team in scoring last season, averaging 5.4 points per game. McColl was fourth in rebounding, averaging 4.0 rebounds per game. She played in 27 games, starting in one. Junior Lindsay Sodja returns at the forward position. Sodja played in 27 games, starting in one and averaged 4.9 points per game for the Utes. Sodja grabbed 1.9 rebounds a game last season. Lindsay Herbert, a 5-11 sophomore saw action in 27 games, starting in two. Herbert averaged 1.5 points per game and 1.3 rebounds per game. Erin Hansen, a 6-3 forward is back for her second season with Utah. Hansen saw time in 14 games last season. Janna Whitman, a three-year letterwinner played in 14 games last season.
Utah has three newcomers on this year?s team. The Utes inked Carley Marshall, a 6-2 forward/center from Eugene, Ore., Whitney Sutak, a 6-0 guard from Mill Valley, Calif., and Sarah Wobbe, a 5-9 point guard from Elmira, Ore.
Marshall earned honorable mention All-America honors from USA Today last season. In 1997-98, she averaged 16.5 points and 12.7 rebounds for Willamette High School (Eugene, Ore.). She was a Blue Chip Illustrated All-American in 1997-98, as well as a second-team all-conference and an academic all-conference selection. Sutak, who can play the one through three positions, was a first-team all-conference selection in 1997-98 at Branson High School (Mill Valley, Calif.). She averaged 12.8 points, 4.3 assists and 3.6 rebounds. Wobbe comes to the U. from Marist High School (Elmira, Ore.), the same program that produced Ute junior forward Kristina Andersen. Wobbe was a preseason honorable mention All-American by Street & Smith heading into the 1998-99 season. She earned third-team all-state and first-team all-conference honors in 1997-98, averaging 9.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 5.2 steals per game.
POSTGAME INTERVIEWS: Head Coach Elaine Elliott and Utah players will be available for interviews outside the Utah lockerroom following a 10 minute cooling off period. A member of the Utah sports information staff will gather interview requests immediately following the game. Box scores will be provided and faxed upon request.
UTES FAVORED TO WIN INAUGURAL MWC CHAMPIONSHIP: Utah was selected by both the league coaches and the media as the preseason favorite to win the conference crown. Utah received 60 votes in the coaches? poll and 195 votes (11 first place votes) in the media poll. The results of both polls were very similar with only two positions being reversed.
Expected to finish second is Colorado State University, third belongs to the University of New Mexico, fourth to Brigham Young, and fifth to UNLV. The coaches gave the edge to the University of Wyoming for sixth, while the media listed San Diego State University in the No. 6 position. These two schools were reversed in the No. 7 slot in the opposite poll. Air Force Academy placed eighth in both polls.
Utah?s Lori Red is one of just two first team all-conference selections (the other being Froehlich, UNLV) back for the 1999-2000 season. Red averaged 9.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game last season and was selected as the conference player of the week twice in 1998-99. She was chosen to the preseason team by both the coaches and the media.
The preseason all-conference teams also have a similar look with four players appearing on both teams. Named as both the coaches and media?s choice as the Top Returning Player is UNLV?s Linda Froehlich. Also named to both squads were Utah?s Lori Red, Colorado State?s Heather Haanen and BYU?s Cady Williams. Rounding out the coaches? five-member team is New Mexico?s Mirando Sanchez. The media chose BYU?s Jill Adams.
FLASHBACK TO ?98-?99
DEFENSE, DEFENSE, DEFENSE: Utah was one of the top defensive teams in the nation last season, ranking first in the NCAA in scoring defense (55.1 ppg). The U. outscored its opponents by an average of 10.8 points a game, ranking 30th in the nation in scoring margin. The Utes also ranked 25th in the NCAA in rebound margin in 1998-99 with an advantage of 5.5 boards per game and was fifth in the final NCAA rankings in field goal percentage defense (.361). Utah led the 16-team Western Athletic Conference in scoring defense, field goal percentage defense and rebound margin.
UTES LIGHT IT UP FROM DOWNTOWN: Utah?s offense got a boost from its outside shooting last season. The Utes ranked 23rd in the final NCAA rankings in three-point field goals per game (6.1) and 37th in three-point field goal percentage (.352). Utah was third in the Western Athletic Conference in three-point field goal percentage and fourth in three-point field goals per game. A solid inside game also helped the Utes lead the WAC in field goal percentage last season (.443).
A BALANCED ATTACK: As the old saying goes, the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts, and Ute head coach Elaine Elliott had lots of quality parts to work with last season. Ten players appeared in at least 27 of the 28 games, averaging at least 9.6 minutes per contest. While Erin Gibbons was the only Ute to average in double-figures in scoring (11.7 ppg), seven players averaged 5.4 points per game or better. Nine different players led Utah in scoring in 1998-99.
THEY DIDN?T PLAY LIKE FRESHMEN: Utah?s quick rebuilding project last season was due at least in part to the solid production Elaine Elliott got from her freshman class. Of the five newcomers, four averaged at least 9.6 minutes per game and three averaged 17.0 minutes per contest or better. Erin Gibbons, Lauren Beckman and Katherine McColl were among the top seven on the team in scoring, with Gibbons ranking first (11.7 ppg), Beckman third (9.6 ppg) and McColl seventh (5.4 ppg). Beckman led the team in rebounding (6.1 rpg) and McColl was fifth (4.0 rpg).
OH, CANADA: Utah has raided the pool of talent to the north, featuring three Canadians on its roster this season. Junior 6-0 forward/guard Amy Ewert, a native of Vancouver, British Columbia, became the first-ever Canadian to play for the Utes in 1997-98. Ewert was joined by two others last season. Erin Gibbons, a 5-9 guard from Salmon Arm, British Columbia, and Katherine McColl, a 6-0 forward from Hamilton, Ontario, also made the trek south. All three have averaged at least 14.4 minutes per game and ranked among the Utes? top nine scorers and top eight rebounders last season.
Gibbons started 17 games last season, while Ewert started the last nine games and 10 overall. Ewert, Gibbons and McColl each played in 27 of the 28 games.
ELLIOTT?S MARK: During her illustrious career, Elliott has led Utah to eight NCAA Tournament appearances, four regular-season conference titles, three divisional crowns and four league tournament championships. Elliott posted her 300th career victory with a 67-53 win over Colorado State on Feb. 14, 1998 at the Huntsman Center.
Elliott, who was named the Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division Coach of the Year for 1998-99, has been regarded for years as one of the top women?s collegiate coaches in the country. Elliott has amassed a 330-142 record (.699) during her career at Utah. She has the longest tenure of any coach in the MWC.
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