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Utes Gear Up For SMU and St. Mary's
12/30/1999 12:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 30, 1999
Salt Lake City - GAME DATA: 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).
PROBABLE STARTERS: Probable starters in the Utes? game against SMU and St. Mary?s 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 SMU are: #10 Anika Calvert (5-7, Jr., G), #23 D-dra Rucker (5-10, Jr., G), #31 Nici Johnson (5-8, Dr., G), #42 Katie Remke (6-2, Jr., P), #50 Karlin Kennedy (6-1, Sr., F).
Probable starters for St. Mary?s are: #25 Hilary Parker (6-0, Jr., G), #31 Leslie Quintal (5-8, Sr., G), #34 Tracy Morris (6-2, Sr., F), #45 Jermisha Dosty (6-3, So., F), #54 Jerkisha Dosty (6-2, So., F).
Scouting SMU: SMU is currently 5-5 overall, 0-0 in the WAC. The Mustangs defeated the Miami Hurricanes, 76-55, Wed., Dec. 29, in Miami, Fla., to win the Gatorade Hurricane Holiday Classic.
SMU dominated the game, claiming an 11-9 advantage with 11:14 to play in the first half and never relinquished the lead. Karlin Kennedy and Anika Calvert scored 19 points apiece to lead SMU, and D-dra Rucker added 16. Kennedy also added nine rebounds, five assists, two blocked shots and a steal. Freshman Vanita Krouch tallied a career-high six assists and two steals in her second career start.
Three SMU players scored in double figures Tues., Dec. 28 as the SMU women's basketball team defeated the Maryland Terrapins, 72-65, in the Gatorade Hurricane Holiday Classic.
Senior forward Karlin Kennedy moved into third all-time on SMU's career scoring list with 15 points. Kennedy also pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds as she recorded her fifth double double of the season. Junior guard D-dra Rucker scored a game-high 27 points and had six rebounds and three steals. Senior guard Nici Johnson equaled her season high with 10 rebounds and scored 11 points off the bench for her first double double of the season.
The '98-'99 Mustangs, under the guidance of head coach Rhonda Rompola, strung together an impressive list of accomplishments. And by knocking off fourth-ranked Colorado State, 65-49, in the WAC Tournament Finals, SMU won its first conference championship in school history. With a 20-11 overall record, SMU recorded back-to-back 20 win seasons for the first time in school history. The Mustangs defeated back-to-back ranked opponents for the first time when they followed their triumph over Colorado State with a 91-76 victory over No. 25 Toledo in the NCAA Tournament. That win gave SMU a school-record eight game winning streak and sent the Mustangs to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1995 and just the second time in school history.
Led by first-team All-WAC honorees senior Claudia Brassard and junior Karlin Kennedy, the Mustangs set a school record for most blocked shots in a season with 107. The 1,298 rebounds pulled down during the year ranked third in school history. While SMU's powerful inside game garnered many accolades, the Mustangs also mounted a strong outside attack. The Mustangs' 174 three-pointers established a new school record.
SMU Head Coach: When Rhonda Rompola first took over the SMU women's basketball team in 1991, she claimed that she was establishing a winning tradition, guiding SMU to a 17-12 record in her debut season. The time was taken to build tradition and Rompola has forged ahead the past eight seasons with record winning percentages and the first postseason tournament appearances in school history. In her eight years at SMU, Rompola has tallied a 155-82 mark.
She eclipsed the 100-win mark over North Texas in December, 1996. Rompola has guided the Mustangs to back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in school history. Last year SMU claimed its first conference championship, defeating No. 4 Colorado State in the WAC Tournament Finals. The Mustangs won 13 of their final 15 games, including a school-record eight in a row. With its victory over Colorado State, SMU toppled its highest ranked opponent. The Mustangs followed that feat by knocking off 25th-ranked Toledo in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. It was the first time SMU had defeated back-to-back ranked opponents.
Scouting St. Mary?s: St. Mary?s College is currently 6-4 overall, 0-0 in the WCC. The Gaels lost to Stanford University, 77-65, Mon. Dec. 27. Senior Tracy Morris led St. Mary?s with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Morris was 6-of-17 from the field, 4-of-10 from the 3-point line and 9-of-11 from the free-throw line. Senior Leslie Quintal totaled 13 points, while junior Hilary Parker added 10 points.
Morris leads the Gaels this season, averaging 17.9 points per game and posts 7.5 rebounds per game. Freshman Jermisha Dosty leads the team in rebounds (8.1 rpg) and averages 8.1 points per game. Junior Leslie Quintal averages 8.2 points per game and leads St. Mary?s in assists (4.0 apg) and steals (1.7 spg).
In 1998-99, the Gaels posted a 26-7 overall record, setting a school record for wins in a season. St. Mary?s also set school records with a 13-2 preseason record and the first West Coast Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance. Saint Mary?s also rewrote a couple of WCC records as well, making 79 3-pointers in a single-season and drawing more than 1,000 at 11 games.
St. Mary?s Head Coach: Kelly Graves returns for his third season as the head coach of the St. Mary?s women?s basketball team. In his first two years, Graves has produced a 46-16 record, the highest two-year win total in the West Coast Conference and the second best on the West Coast. In addition, his .742 career winning percentage is the highest among active WCC coaches.
Graves led Saint Mary?s to the most prolific season in school history last year. The Gaels posted a 26-7 record, the most wins in school history, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The team posted a school-best 13-2 non-conference record and won a record 14 consecutive home games (2/11/98-1/28/99). In addition, Saint Mary?s received votes in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls for 17 consecutive weeks.
Stanford Game Recap: The University of Utah women?s basketball team was plagued by turnovers and ended a seven game win streak tonight as they lost to Stanford University, 57-48 at the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
Junior Kristina Andersen led the Utes with 12 points and nine rebounds, making 5-of-10 from the field and 2-of-4 from behind the arc. Teammate Lori Red totaled 11 points and Erin Gibbons posted seven points. Senior Tiana Fuertes added six assists and two steals in the game. The Utes shot 36 percent (17-of-47) from the field and only 29 percent (6-of-21) from behind the three-point line. Utah made 8-of-13 from the free-throw line (62%). The Utes turned the ball over 23 times in the game compared to Stanford?s 19 turnovers. Utah moves to 8-3 overall, 0-0 in the MWC. Stanford improves to 6-3 overall, 0-0 in conference play For the Cardinal, Carolyn Moos posted 20 points, making 5-of-10 from the field, 2-of-3 from the 3-point line and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. Moos led Stanford in rebounds with six. Milena Flores totaled 10 points, scoring 4-of-7 from the field. Jamie Carey added nine points in the game. The Cardinal shot 40 percent (19-of-47) from the field, 42 percent (5-of-12) from three-point range and 74 percent (14-of-19) from the free-throw line.
Series History: Utah leads the series with SMU, 4-2. In their last meeting on Feb. 5, 1999, SMU defeated the Utes, 80-69 in Salt Lake City. Utah is 1-1 at home, 1-1 away and 2-0 at a neutral site game vs. the Mustangs. Utah leads the series with St. Mary?s 1-0. On Dec. 5, 1998, the Utes shut-down the Gaels, 67-50 in Salt Lake City.
AFTER THIS: 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. (MST). On Sat., Jan. 22, Utah hosts Colorado State at 3:35 p.m. (MST). On Fri., Jan. 28, the Utes travel to Provo, Utah to take on in-state rival BYU at 7:00 p.m. (MST). Utah travels to Albuquerque, N.M. to face the Lobos of New Mexico at 7:00 p.m. (MST). On Sat., Feb. 5, the Utes take on Air Force at 2:00 p.m. (MST) in Colorado Springs, Colo.
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 52.2 points per game. The Utes are also first in field goal percentage defense (.362), scoring margin (+14.2), free-throw percentage (.746), and rebounding defense (32.6). Utah is second in blocked shots, averaging 4.60 per game and in 3-point field goal percentage (.376), third in assists (16.50), third in rebounding margin (+3.9) and third in turnover margin (+2.50). The Utes are fourth in offensive rebounds (12.70), fourth in field goal percentage (.425) and fourth in 3-point field goals made (6.50). Utah is fifth in defensive rebounds (23.80), fifth in scoring offense (66.4) and fifth in rebounding offense (36.5). The Utes are seventh in 3-point field goal percentage (.336) and eighth in steals (7.10). Sophomore Lauren Beckman is second in blocked shots (2.10), fourth in offensive rebounds (3.60), fifth in free-throw percentage (.800), sixth in rebounding (7.9) and tied for eighth in defensive rebounds (4.30). Beckman is currently ninth in field goal percentage (.478) and tied for tenth in scoring, averaging 13.0 points per game. Senior Tiana Fuertes is currently third in assists/turnover ratio (1.72) and fifth in assists (4.30). Junior Kristina Andersen is tied for tenth in offensive rebounds, averaging 2.10 rpg. Andersen is 16th in rebounding (5.1) and tied for 26th in scoring, posting 8.0 points per game. Erin Gibbons is first in 3-point field goal percentage (.500) and 12th in 3-point field goals made (1.30/game). Amy Ewert is 15th in blocked shots (0.40) and tied for 15th in assists (2.50). Lori Red is 29th in scoring (7.4 ppg).
Individual Milestones On Wed., Dec. 22, Lauren Beckman was 15-of-18 from the free-throw line against San Francisco. This was a career-high for Beckman, she also tied the Utah single-game record for free-throws made. Beckman set the Utah single-game record for free-throws attempted, and she tied the Jon M. Huntsman Center record for free-throws attempted. Also against San Francisco, Amy Ewert totaled a career-high 17 points and six rebounds. Senior Tiana Fuertes tied a career-high 10 assists against San Francisco.
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. After recovering from surgery this past week, 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.
Utes on the Radio Tuesday?s and Thursday?s games can be heard live on KALL-910 AM or on the internet at www.UtahUtes.com. KALL-910 AM is the exclusive home of the Utah Women?s Basketball team for the 1999-2000 season. Wednesday?s match-up with Stanford will not be televised. As part of its agreement with the University of Utah, KJZZ-TV is scheduled to televise the Utah-BYU game on Feb. 26 live from the Huntsman Center. KJZZ is also tentatively scheduled to televise one of the Utes? games in the MWC Tournament.
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 is quickly approaching her 350th career win. She currently has 331 career victories under her belt.
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 331-143 record (.698) during her career at Utah. She has the longest tenure of any coach in the MWC.
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