The University of Michigan women's basketball team hits the road to officially open the 2008-09 season with a game against Kentucky at Memorial Coliseum on Saturday (Nov. 15). Fans can follow the action on WLBY AM 1290 with Matt Park calling the action. The game can also be heard worldwide on the internet at MGoBlue.com.
The Wolverines played an exhibition tuneup against Northwood on Nov. 8 in Crisler Arena. U-M pulled out a 71-66 win over the sharpshooting Timberwolves in front of 1,304 fans. Senior forward Carly Benson (Carney, Mich./Carney-Nadeau Public School) posted a double-double to lead the Wolverines with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Senior Jessica Minnfield (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic) was U-M next leading scorer with 14 points while Veronica Hicks (Chicago, Ill./Thornwood HS) and Krista Phillips (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Aden Bowman Collegiate) contributed 10 points each.
Michigan enters the 2008-09 season with several new faces. The Wolverines welcome four freshmen to the squad this season in guard Courtney Boylan (Minnetonka, Minn./Chaska HS), guard/forward Jamillya Hardley (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian), guard/forward Carmen Reynolds (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson HS) and Janell Smith (Kalamazoo, Mich./Loy Norrix HS). U-M also added Colorado State transfer, Lauren Young (Edina, Minn./Edina HS). Michigan returns 10 letterwinners and three starters from last year's team that posted a 19-14 record in head coach Kevin Borseth's first season. The Wolverines also return their top three scorers from a year ago in junior Krista Phillips(Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Aden Bowman Collegiate) (10.3 ppg), senior Jessica Minnfield(Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic) (10.0 ppg) and senior Carly Benson (Carney, Mich./Carney-Nadeau Public School) (9.6 ppg). Phillips also led the team in rebounds last season with 5.8 per game.
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Thursday, November 13, 2008
U-M Opens 2008-09 Regular Season at Kentucky
The Summit League Weekly Notes
| The following is from The Summit Leagus weekly press release. To read the complete document please click here. CENTENARY The Ladies return 90 percent of their points and rebounds from last season in Cierra Bush, Anne Farrell and Ashley Jackson ... With Bush back from a season ending knee injury, Centenary welcomes back all five starters ... NCAA Final Four participant LSU makes an appearance at the Gold Dome on Dec. 20, while the Ladies also travel to Alabama and Oklahoma State in non-league action. IUPUI The Jaguars return two-time Defensive Player of the Year Jernisha Cann ... Cann is only the second player to win the award in consecutive years and needs just 18 rebounds to become IUPUI's all-time leader ... Julia Whitted also returns after being one of the nation's most improved players, jumping from 3.4 to 14.4 ppg ... Cann is closing in on becoming the first player in school history to record 1,000 point and 1,000 rebounds in a career. IPFW The Mastodons graduated three players, including the league's leading scorer Johnna Lewis-Carlisle (19.5 ppg) ... IPFW plays four teams that made postseason play last year in Miami (Ohio), Oral Roberts, Iowa State and Illinois ... Returnee Jordan Zuppe tied for ninth place overall in three-point field goal percentage (43.3%) in the NCAA and was the top freshman on the list. UMKC The Kangaroos lost five seniors due to graduation but return all-league selection Chazny Morris ... Morris led the team with 17.6 ppg last season and earned Newcomer of the Year honors during her freshman campaign ... UMKC faces a challenging non-league road schedule with trips to Iowa State, Colorado, Air Force and the Cal Poly Thanksgiving Tournament. NORTH DAKOTA STATE The Bison look to replace their top three scorers from last season, including Player of the Year Lisa Bue ... Jerri Penley is the top returnee for NDSU after averaging 8.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game last season ... Carolyn DeHoff takes over the reigns of the Bison program following the retirement of Hall of Fame coach Amy Ruley, who guided NDSU for 29 years and compiled a 671-198 (.772) career record. OAKLAND The Golden Grizzlies return all fi ve primary starters from last season, including Summit League Preseason Player of the Year Jessica Pike ... Pike averaged 16.3 ppg and 2.9 apg last season, while Melissa Jeltema (13.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg) and Hanna Reising (11.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg) are two other top returnees ... OU faces a challenging non-league schedule traveling to Purdue and hosting Georgia and Marquette at the O'Rena. ORAL ROBERTS The Golden Eagles advanced to their second straight NCAA Tournament last season and third in four years after winning The Summit League Championship as the No. 4 seed last season ... Three starters return for ORU, including second team all-league selection Mariana Carmargo (13.3 ppg, 5.0 apg) and honorable mention member Janae Voelker (11.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg). SOUTH DAKOTA STATE The Jackrabbits return four starters from their regular season championship team, including leading scorer Jennifer Warkenthien (13.9 ppg) ... Also returning for SDSU is Maria Boever (12.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg) and Sixth Woman of the Year Kristin Rotert (10.0 ppg) ... The Jacks have posted 22 consecutive winning season, including a dozen 20-win seasons ... SDSU has won 20 or more games in seven of the last eight years. SOUTHERN UTAH The Thunderbirds return leading scorer Anne Westwood-Higbee (10.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg) as the only senior on the squad ... Three other starters returning are Caitlyn Sears (7.5 ppg), Challis Pascucci (6.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and Kaila Goff (3.6 ppg) ... The T-Birds are one of the youngest teams in the league as 11 of the 14 members are either freshmen or sophomores. WESTERN ILLINOIS The Westerwinds return six letterwinners from last season, including starters Amanda Walker (8.4 ppg) and Jordon O'Brien (6.8 ppg) ... WIU has five players on the roster that are at least 6-2 ... Head coach Leslie Crane returns for her 11th season at the helm of the program her 105 league wins is tops among the current Summit League coaches. |
Wurtz signs National Letter of Intent with Badgers
"She is by far, in our opinion, the best player in the state of Wisconsin in her class," said Stone at a news conference today. "She is a player that can play a number of positions. She is strong, physical, (has a) great Big Ten body. She handles the ball very, very well. She has the capability of putting up very big numbers. We're thrilled that she said yes to being a Badger."
Wurtz earned Associated Press first-team all-state honors as a junior and was a second-team all-state honoree as a sophomore. She is the three-time Eastern Valley Conference Player of Year, leading Ripon High School to three consecutive conference titles. The Tigers were 59-10 in three years, with Wurtz starting all 69 games, and 40-2 in conference games under Coach Bill Peters.
As a junior, Wurtz averaged 21.4 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals per game. She is ranked No. 86 in the class of 2009 by ESPN HoopGurlz.As a junior, Wurtz averaged 21.4 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals per game. Wurtz, who plays her club ball with the Wisconsin Fastbreak, is ranked No. 86 in the class of 2009 by ESPN HoopGurlz.As a junior, Wurtz averaged 21.4 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals per game. Wurtz, who plays her club ball with the Wisconsin Fastbreak, is ranked No. 86 in the class of 2009 by ESPN HoopGurlz.
In only three years, Wurtz is already Ripon's all-time leading scorer with 1,343 points, averaging 19.4 points per game. She also holds school records for total assists with 280 (4.0 per game), steals with 277 (4.0 per game) and 3 pointers with 151 (2.2 per game). Wurtz is also the Tigers' season record holder for scoring, assists and steals and ranks in the top 10 for career rebounds. She has a career free throw percentage of 75.3.
Wurtz also competes on the Wisconsin Fastbreak Select AAU team under Coach Paul Biddick, the same team that gave the Badgers Mariah Dunham, Caitlin Gibson and Lin Zastrow.
In addition to basketball, Wurtz also competes in track and tennis. She earned all-conference honors in track as a freshman and sophomore on the 3200-meter relay and second-team all-conference honors in tennis as a junior.
Wurtz ranks among the top-10 students in her class and has earned high honors every quarter of high school. She is also a member of the National Honor Society.
An archive of Stone's news conference today regarding Wurtz can be found at http://www.uwbadgers.com/video/Default.aspx?mid=2720
HAWKEYES INK FOUR TALENTED RECRUITS
"I am very happy with our recruiting class this year," said Bluder. "It is a strong class and I believe each player has an incredible upside. They are very good players now, but they can all become great players."
Printy, who became the youngest player (15) ever to verbally commit to the Iowa women's basketball program, is a two-time consensus all-state, all-conference and all-metro selection playing for Coach Bluder's alma mater, Linn-Mar High School. A two-time team captain, she was named to the all-tournament team at the Iowa state tournament her junior season. The 5-11 guard averaged 18.2 points, 4.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.4 steals during her high school career. She is a 90 percent free throw shooter and has converted over 43 percent of her 3-point field goal attempts. The guard is ranked 78th on the ESPNU HoopGurlz Top 100 list.
The native of Marion, IA, suffered a season-ending injury, in the fourth game, her sophomore year. She helped guide Linn-Mar to a 20-4 record and a state tournament appearance as a freshman and a 22-3 record, and a berth in the state tournament final four her junior campaign. Printy also played basketball for the IBCA Select AAU squad in 2008. She also excels in the classroom, boasting a perfect 4.0 GPA and a National Honor Society member. Her mother, Kelly, ran track at the University of Iowa.
"Finally! It was three years ago when we received her commitment," Bluder said. "It's great to have her officially become a Hawkeye. Jaime is one of the best players in the state of Iowa and can play the point or off-guard position. She is a scoring guard that can distribute and knows the game so well. Jaime grew up two doors away from the house that I grew up in. I feel we have a great bond after having so many similar experiences."
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Wednesday, November 12, 2008
North Dakota State Women's Basketball Signs Five During NCAA Early Signing Period
"I commend our staff for doing an unbelievable job in recruiting these student-athletes to North Dakota State University. Our appreciation goes out to Coach (Amy) Ruley and her staff for generating the interest in these incredible players last fall," said DeHoff.
"The signing of these five talented players has addressed our immediate needs for our continued success at the Division I level. We signed tremendous size and unwavering work ethics in our 6-foot-5, 6-foot-2 and 6-foot bigs, an astonishing knock down shooter, who also happens to be a south paw, and an intuitive, versatile Canadian guard. We are thrilled that they have chosen NDSU to further both their educational and athletic careers. These student athletes will continue to enrich the tradition that exists in women's basketball and Bison Athletics."
Burich was an all-conference player and St. Paul Pioneer Press all-state honorable mention performer for Roseville Area High School as a junior.
"A big reason I chose NDSU is because it's pretty close to home. I wanted to go to a school where my parents would be able to come watch me play. Also, North Dakota State University has all the educational opportunities I was looking for," said Burich.
Janae Burich, Roseville averaged 12.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots in 27 games played. She hit 54.7 percent from the field and 69.7 percent from the foul line.
In addition to being a force on the basketball court, Burich was also named honorable mention all-conference in volleyball and placed third at the 2008 state meet in the shot put.
DeGagne averaged 18.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 5.7 steals per game for Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School in Manitoba. She was tabbed as the No. 2-ranked high school player by the the Winnipeg Sun.
"I chose NDSU because everything just felt right when I went there; I liked the style of play at the camp and the coaches were great. The tradition of women's basketball at NDSU is fantastic," said DeGagne.
DeGagne's single game highs are impressive as she has: scored 41 points, pulled down 16 rebounds, dished out 16 assists, and created 13 steals. All single-game highs were against ranked opponents.
Beck has been a contributor in the post for the Roosevelt High School over the past four seasons, which included a Class AA State Championship run in 2005-2006.
"I think I've always known I would end up at North Dakota State. I love how welcoming the campus is and the enthusiasm Fargo has for Bison sports," said Beck.
Paige Beck missed the majority of her junior year at Sioux Falls Roosevelt with a knee injury.
The left-handed Linz has been a starter for Eden Valley-Watkins High School since the eigth grade. Last season, she averaged 27.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.9 steals per game. Linz surpassed the 1,000 point mark during her freshman season and has scored 2,683 points to date.
"The NDSU women's basketball staff are a group of women who are excited for their new task and will do anything it takes to make a winning program. I can't wait for my college experience at North Dakota State because I know it will be the time of my life, playing the game I love," said Linz.
An Associated Press All-State selection, Linz is an excellent passer and fires with deadly accuracy from beyond the arc: she has made 239 of 577 attempts for a career percentage of 41 percent.
A three-year captain, Eckmann has been an all-conference selection and honorable mention all-state since her freshman year at St. James High School.
"NDSU was always the school I wanted to go to. I wanted to be a Bison the moment I saw the girls play, and I'm looking forward to finally becoming one," said Eckmann.
Eckmann also holds the St. James High School record for 3-point field goal percentage at a deadly 45.3 percent. She has already surpassed the 1,000 point mark before her senior season begins.
North Dakota State opens the regular season and looks to "Pack the House" at home against the University of Northern Iowa at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14 in the Bison Sports Arena.
Golden Bears Top Regional Poll As Playoffs Loom
ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Concordia University volleyball team remains in the top spot of the North Central Region poll as teams go into their final week of regular season play. A field of the top eight teams in the region will be selected this Sunday evening to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
The Northern Sun Conference continues to dominate the regional rankings, taking up six of the top eight positions. With a 21-0 regional record and 30-1 overall mark, the Golden Bears are the strong favorite as playoffs approach. Southwest Minnesota State has an 18-4 region record and is is second place in the poll. Nebraska-Kearney, a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) is the top-seeded non-NSIC program at third place.
The Golden Bears wrap up the regular season this Saturday, hosting St. Cloud State at 4:00 pm. They have made a bid to host the North Central Regional tournament, which will be held Nov. 20-22. Official word for the tournament site will be released with the final field of eight this Sunday evening. Log onto www.ncaa.com to watch the selection show, which starts around 7:00 pm.
Central Region
Overall Record In-Region Record
1. Concordia-St. Paul 30-1 21-0
2. Southwest Minnesota State 25-5 18-4
3. Nebraska-Kearney 31-2 27-2
4. Minnesota Duluth 22-8 19-7
5. Wayne State (Nebraska) 22-8 18-7
6. Minnesota State Mankato 18-11 16-8
7. Augustana (South Dakota) 21-10 15-9
8. Metropolitan State 18-8 17-6
9. Western New Mexico 20-7 17-5
10. Regis (Colorado) 16-11 13-9
Iowa Opens Season Sunday vs. Texas State
The Iowa Hawkeyes (0-0) open the 2008-09 season Sunday with a home game against Texas State (0-0). Tip-off is slated for 2:05 p.m. inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets are $9 for adults, $5 for youths, while UI students are admitted free.
PROMOTIONS
Present your Penn State or Purdue football stub at the ticket window for one free admission to Sunday’s contest vs. Texas State. There will also be a pre-game Kids Fun Zone on the north concourse and post-game player autographs.
PRE-GAME CEREMONIES
Senior Kristi Smith will be honored with a souvenir basketball to commemorate her 1,000th career point. She scored it last March against Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis. Also, the Hawkeyes will unveil their Big Ten championship and NCAA Tournament banner, which is located in the rafters in the southwest corner of Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
IOWA IN SEASON OPENERS
Iowa is a perfect 8-0 in season openers under Head Coach Lisa Bluder. Sunday will mark the seventh time in the last eight years the Hawkeyes will open the season at home. The Black and Gold boast a +17.9 margin of victory in the last eight season openers.
IOWA WINS ITS TWO EXHIBITION GAMES
Iowa beat Quincy (88-57) and Upper Iowa (74-54) in its two exhibition games. Senior Wendy Ausdemore averaged 17.5 points and 3.0 assists, senior Megan Skouby averaged 15.5 points and 11 rebounds and freshman Kamille Wahlin averaged 10 points, five rebounds and five assists in the two games. Junior JoAnn Hamlin, who did not play in the first exhibition contest due to injury, played 19 minutes against Upper Iowa. She collected 10 points, six rebounds and four assists. In the two games, Iowa shot 33-43 (.767) from the charity stripe and averaged 21.5 assists.
SCOUTING TEXAS STATE
Texas State will open its season at Drake (Friday) before traveling to Iowa City. The Bobcats return 13 letterwinners, including two starters from a team that went 21-11 a year ago, including a 14-2 first place finish in the Southland Conference. Texas State’s 15-player roster features junior Megan Homan, who hails from Remsen, IA. Homan transferred to Texas State this year after playing two seasons at Des Moines Area CC. There are five seniors on the Maroon and Gold’s 2008-09 roster. The Bobcats’ top returnees include juniors Aimee Hilburn and Victoria Davis and senior Ashley Cole. Davis averaged 7.4 points, Hilburn averaged 7.1 points and 6.2 rebounds, and Cole averaged 11.4 points and 4.0 boards. Sophomore Gabriell Mattox will likely start Sunday at forward, seeing game action for the first time in two years after transferring from the University of Texas. Last year, Texas State had one of the best 3-point threats in the nation. Joyce Ekworomadu, who was a senior last year, made 82-188 (.436) to rank seventh nationally in percentage. Iowa’s Wendy Ausdemore, who was a junior last season, ranked third (78-171, .456). Texas State is coached by Suzanne Fox, who enters her 17th year (259-201, .563) as a head coach and her 12th (142-168, .458) with the Bobcats.
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PURDUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SIGNS HOUSER, OSTARELLO AND WILSON
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue head women's basketball coach Sharon Versyp announced Wednesday that the Boilermakers have secured another outstanding group of prospective student-athletes. Three of the country's top high school players have signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Purdue beginning in the fall of 2009.
Michaela “KK” Houser, a 5-foot-7 guard from Lincoln, Neb., (Southeast High School), Sam Ostarello, a 6-foot-2 forward from Fort Pierre, S.D., (Stanley County High School) and Ashley Wilson, a 6-foot forward from Wheeling, Ill., (Wheeling High School) all made their official commitments to the Boilermakers during the early signing period, which began Wednesday and continues through Nov. 21.
All three student-athletes are rated among the top 100 players in the country by the All-Star Collegiate Girls Basketball Report and the signing class is ranked No. 13 nationally.
“These three girls are a very versatile group, they bring with them energy, competitiveness and the ability to play multiple positions,” coach Versyp said. “We’re very excited about them being a top-13 recruiting class.”
Purdue is ranked 23rd in the Associated Press Top 25 poll with 11 letter winners and four returning starters back from the 2007-08 campaign. The Boilermakers are coming off a 19-15 record in 2007-08 that included a third place finish in the Big Ten Conference, a Big Ten Tournament championship and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Purdue also welcomes back All-American candidate Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton who missed last season after ACL surgery and junior Jodi Howell who sat out last year after undergoing two surgeries on her shoulder.
For additional information please click here.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Lady Lions to Hold Open Practice for Season Ticket Holders
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA.; November 11, 2008 — The Lady Lion basketball team will hold an open practice for season ticket holders on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 4:30 p.m., in the main arena at the Bryce Jordan Center. Season ticket holders are invited to watch the final portion of practice and will then have an opportunity to meet and greet the team. The event runs until 6 p.m.
Season ticket holders will have an exclusive opportunity to enjoy pizza and refreshments with the team and will also have a group photo taken with the Lady Lions following practice. Doors to the Bryce Jordan Center will open at 4:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to park in the Red Lot adjacent to Beaver Stadium and enter the arena through Gate B.
The Lady Lions being the 2008-09 campaign with a three-game homestand against South Carolina (Sun., Nov. 16), Stony Brook (Wed., Nov. 19) and Prairie View A&M (Fri., Nov. 21). Football season ticket holders have a great deal available to them during the Indiana Football weekend (Nov. 14-16). They can show their football game ticket at the Bryce Jordan Center box office and receive a buy one, get one free deal for either basketball opener that weekend. The Nittany Lions open their season Friday, November 14 at 6:30 p.m. vs. William and Mary and the Lady Lions open their season two days later when they host South Carolina at 2 p.m. on Sunday, November 16. It’s a tremendous offer and a great way for football fans to fully enjoy a loaded weekend of Penn State Athletics! For information on Lady Lion Basketball tickets, call the Penn State ticket office at 814-865-5555.
The 2009 WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State proudly supported by Mimi Barash Coppersmith (formerly known as THINK PINK Day) will take place on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 3 p.m., as the Lady Lions take on Iowa in the Bryce Jordan Center. The game can be seen on www.bigtennetwork.com. The first two Pink Zone events have raised more than $50,000 for breast cancer awareness. This year’s fundraising efforts will benefit the Penn State Hershey Breast Cancer Institute, the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition and the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund. For more information on the Pink Zone at Penn State, visit the official Pink Zone website at www.gopsusports.com/pinkzone.
—LADY LIONS—
Wisconsin women’s basketball signee news conference
MADISON, Wis. – University of Wisconsin women’s basketball coach Lisa Stone will hold a news conference on Wednesday at 3 p.m. in the Kohl Center media room to announce the Badgers’ 2009-10 signee. The news conference will be streamed live on UWBadgers.com.
Following the news conference, Stone and the UW players will be available for interviews as the Badgers open their regular season Monday at South Dakota State. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. in Frost Arena in Brookings, S.D. The Jackrabbits, who return four starters and 11 letter winners, receive votes in the preseason Associated Press poll.
“Defensively, we need to improve our awareness because they are a team that is going to get it out and go. They are going to shoot probably 19, 20, 25 threes in that game,” said Stone of the season opener vs. the Jackrabbits. “We have to run the floor hard with a purpose and have awareness of where our players are at. We have to get on the glass and have to take good care of the ball by taking good shots. If we can take care of those things, we will put ourselves in a very good position against a great team in a very tough environment.”
Wisconsin downed UW-River Falls, 71-38, last Sunday in the Kohl Center in the team’s only preseason exhibition. The Badgers had three players in double-figure scoring, led by freshman Jamie Russell with 15 points. Sophomore Tara Steinbauer and junior Rae Lin D’Alie chipped in 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Big Ten Women's Basketball Weekly Release - Nov. 11
Six Big Ten women’s basketball teams tip off on Friday, including Minnesota at No. 2 Stanford. All 11 conference squads will have at least one game completed by Monday night. The Big Ten welcomes back 20 members of last year’s All-Conference teams, including five first-team selections.
The Big Ten announced its latest public service effort for women’s basketball at Basketball Media Day on Oct. 26. The Get to Know Her campaign is a fully integrated effort that allows fans to see the non-basketball sides of their favorite student-athletes via multimedia tools and on-campus functions.To read the complete release please click here.
GET TO KNOW HER
Lindsey Nyenhuis, Iowa
Lindsey Nyenhuis had a dream internship last summer working in Los Angeles for Fox Corporate Communications. She wrote bios for upcoming reality shows, wrote press releases and even mingled with some Hollywood celebrities during her six-week stay. Her goal is to work on-camera for the Big Ten Network or back in Los Angeles at Fox. The outgoing guard maintains a personal video blog covering behind the scenes of her senior season with the Iowa Hawkeyes. Watch Lindsey’s story at BigTenNetwork.com or on the Get to Know Her Club’s page on Facebook.
Lady Samsons win opener
IRONWOOD -- The Gogebic Community College Lady Samsons started their season with an 84-35 win over Minneapolis Community Technical College at the Lindquist Center Saturday.
GCC sophomore Jaclyn Aijala scored 28 of her game-high 35 points in the first half to lead the Lady Samsons over MCTC in their first game of the season.
To read more on this game please click here.
New Era Begins When North Dakota State Women's Basketball Hosts UNI On Nov. 14
The Bison look to "Pack the House" as Carolyn DeHoff (0-0, 1st year) begins her first season as head coach at North Dakota State.
DeHoff replaces Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame head coach Amy Ruley, who moved from the sidelines into an assistant AD role in the athletic department.
Ruley led NDSU to five national championships and a 671-198 record in 29 seasons
The Bison tied for second place in The Summit League standings last year.
The Bison return six letterwinners and one starter from 2008.
For more notes from NDSU please click here.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Gophers Win Second Exhibition
Minnesota captured a 75-49 victory over Minnesota State, Moorhead in the Golden Gophers’ final exhibition game before opening the 2008-09 season at No. 2 Stanford next Friday. Senior guard Kay Sylva starting for Emily Fox, who sat out the game with a sore foot, led the way with 14 points. Freshman Jackie Voigt also made a big impact, contributing a double-double, scoring 13 points and pulling down 13 rebounds.
Fox was dressed for the game and participated in the team’s warm-ups, but watched the game from the bench. She is expected to be back in action for the season opener.
“We have a lot of games coming up that we need to have Emily ready for,” said Golden Gopher head coach Pam Borton. “Besides, it was good for some other people to have to step up. We have a lot of work to do, but we got a little better today. You can see our freshmen are feeling more comfortable in the system every time on the floor.”
To read more about this game please click here.
Lady Lions Dominate California (Pa.) for Exhibition Win, 90-56
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - The Penn State women's basketball team forced 29 turnovers and shot better than 50% from the field (53.7) en route to a 90-56 exhibition win over PSAC foe California (Pa.), which is ranked #2 in the preseason USA Today/ESPN Division II coaches poll. The game also marked the return of Lady Lion Legend Jess Strom, who is an assistant coach for the Vulcans.
Senior point guard Brianne O'Rourke (Pittsburgh, Pa.) led four Lady Lions in double figures with a game-high 23 points on 10-of-12 shooting. She also added four steals in the win. O'Rourke was dominant in the second half as she connected on all six of her shots, including a trio of three-pointers, to finish the period with 15 tallies
To read more about this game please click here.
Buffs Net 86-44 Win Over Regis
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Playing at an upper level against Upper Iowa
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The University of Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team closed out its preseason and improved to 2-0 in exhibition play after defeating the Upper Iowa Peacocks 74-54 this afternoon inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The game started off fairly slow with both teams shaking off early-season rust. Iowa won the opening tip, and guard Kachine Alexander scored the first points of the game. Iowa jumped out to a 13-2 lead early before Upper Iowa answered with a 10-3 run, capped by a three-pointer to cut the Hawkeye advantage to 16-12. With Upper Iowa pushing the ball in transition, Iowa stopped the fast-break and trapped the ball-handler to force a five-second call to give the ball back to Iowa.
To read more about this game please click here.
No. 23 Purdue Tops OGBR
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The 23rd-ranked Purdue women's basketball team put together a 15-0 second-half run to beat the Ohio Girls Basketball Report Legends 68-50 in an exhibition game Sunday. The victory marks Purdue's 29th straight win in a preseason exhibition contest.
The Boilermakers trailed by two points at the half, 27-25, after shooting just 28 percent from the field. With just under 14 minutes to go in the game, the Boilermakers were behind 40-37, but a three-pointer by FahKara Malone sparked a 15-0 run that gave Purdue the lead for good. The Boilermakers improved their shooting accuracy in the second half, hitting 53.3 percent for the period and 41.8 percent for the game.
To read more about this game please click here.
Russell leads Badgers in 71-38 exhibition win
The Wisconsin women’s basketball team played its lone exhibition game Sunday at the Kohl Center and defeated UW-River Falls, 71-38 in front of 4,598 fans. Every single Badger that suited up played and nine of the 11 players that played scored for Wisconsin.
The Badgers have the task of replacing three starters from last year’s squad. Junior guard Teah Gant, sophomore forward Lin Zastrow and sophomore guard Alyssa Karel slid into the starting lineup while junior guard Rae Lin D’Alie and sophomore forward Tara Steinbauer returned to the starting lineup.
To read more about this game from the University of Wisconsin please click here.
To read more about this game from the University of Wisconsin - River Falls please click here.
Benson Rallies Michigan Past Northwood in Exhibition
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Led by senior forward Carly Benson's (Carney, Mich./Carney-Nadeau HS) double-double, the University of Michigan women's basketball team used a 45-point second half to defeat Northwood, 71-66, in exhibition action at Crisler Arena tonight (Nov. 8).
Michigan was led by Benson's 15 points and 11 rebounds on 5-of-13 shooting from the field. Senior Jessica Minnfield (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic) added 14 points, while Veronica Hicks (Chicago, Ill./Thornwood HS) and Krista Phillips (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) each had 10 points in the victory.
To read more about this game please click here.
Breakdowns Catch Bears In Game Three
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Two high-powered offenses showed up at the Anaheim Convention Center for the final game of the 2008 Disney’s Tip-Off Classic on Sunday afternoon. The Golden Bears (2-1) played possibly their finest game of the weekend, but a late slump led to a 77-60 University of Indianapolis (3-0) win.
The Golden Bears had their best offensive showing and played convincing defense against a highly talented U-Indy team. When Concordia’s offense was connecting on shots, the teams battled back and forth for the lead. But when shots ran amiss late in the game, the Greyhounds opened a lead and became the champions on the women’s side of the tournament.
To read more on this game please click here.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Community Hoops Coverage Plans
All in all this is a very ambitious schedule for a volunteer staff and we know it. If you would like to help us with donations for gas and other expenses please use the donation button on the right side panel.
Here is our schedule:
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Defense, Olstad Overcome Halftime Deficit For The Win
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Senior Candace Olstad hit nothing but nylon on a late three-pointer and then blocked a Cal Poly Pomona (0-2) three-point attempt with 25 seconds remaining to secure a 68-64 Concordia win Saturday afternoon at the Disney’s West Coast Tip-Off Classic. The Golden Bears rallied back from a halftime deficit to take a late lead and go up 2-0 on the year.
The win was big for Concordia as they proved to themselves that they could overcome a halftime deficit and cool shooting and stay in the game. The entire game was physical and played at an uptempo pace, leading to a tight score for the majority of the first half. The Golden Bears led 13-12 at the 11:41 mark but as players began to be pulled due to fouls, the Broncos of Cal Poly took over the pace of the game. Under continued pressure, Concordia struggled to find the hoop in the waning minutes of the half while the Broncos went on a 17-6 run to go up 29-19. The Golden Bears were down 31-25 at the half.
To read the complete game story please click here.
Women's Hoops Opens With A Bang!
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Concordia University's women's basketball team (1-0) started the 2008-09 season out with a hot 67-47 win over Central Washington (0-1) on Friday evening. The win came in the weekend-opening game at the Disney's West Coast Tip-Off Classic.
Concordia opened the season with 50 percent shooting in the first half to jump out to a 42-15 lead at the intermission. The Wildcats turned the ball over and shot only 19.4 percent under the pressure of Concordia's defense. The game opened with a Golden Bear 23-2 run, with Central Washington going without a field goal for more than ten minutes of play.
To read the complete game story please click here.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Lady Lions Face California (Pa.) in Exhibition Sunday
Tickets to the doubleheader are $5 for general admission and free for Penn State students with an ID card. Lady Lion basketball posters for the 2008-09 campaign will be handed out at the gates on Sunday while supplies last. A link to GameTracker is available at www.GoPSUSports.com.
The Lady Lions have never met the Vulcans during the regular season. Penn State has a 61-46 all-time record against current PSAC schools with a majority of those contests coming in the first 15 years of the program. Sunday also marks the return of Lady Lion legend Jess Strom as a member of the California (Pa.) coaching staff. Strom, who is in her third season with the Vulcans, is fourth on Penn State’s career assists chart with 776 helpers. She also ranks 11th on the Lady Lion career scoring list with 1,466 tallies.
To read the complete press release please click here.
Colorado Women's Basketball Opens Season With Exhibition Sunday
game of the 2008-09 season against Regis University on Sunday,
Nov. 9, at 2 p.m. at the Coors Events Conference Center.
BROADCAST: Video of Sunday’s exhibition game will be streamed
live on BuffsTV, the premium subscription package offered through
CU Athletics’ official website, www.CUBuffs.com.
SEASON PREVIEW: Colorado saw shining glimpses of a bright future
throughout the 2007-08 season. The Buffaloes had an 11-game
winning streak, a four-week run in the national polls, big wins over
ranked opponents – both home and on the road -- all culminating
with a run to the semifinals of the 2008 Postseason WNIT, their fi rst
postseason tournament in four years.
The key for Kathy McConnell-Miller’s fourth Buffaloes squad is to
keep the momentum from last season going. And all indications are,
from the off-season effort of her players, the Buffaloes are well on
track to do just that.
“They are physically and mentally prepared for what is to come,”
McConnell-Miller said. “It was a great transition from the Big 12, to
the WNIT run and then their overall commitment this summer.
To read the complete press notes release please click here.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Hawkeyes Gear Up For Final Exhibition Game
The Iowa women’s basketball team will host Upper Iowa in its second exhibition contest Sunday. Tip-off is slated for 3:35 p.m. inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Tickets are $3 for adults, while UI students and children 18 years and under will be admitted free.
PROMOTIONS
Sunday will be a rare men’s-women’s doubleheader. Fans who present their men’s basketball ticket stub vs. Wayne State or football ticket stub vs. Penn State will be admitted free to the women’s contest vs. Upper Iowa.
IOWA ROUTES QUINCY IN EXHIBITION OPENER
Iowa outscored Quincy by 27 points in the second half en route to a convincing 88-57 triumph last Sunday in the Hawkeyes’ exhibition opener.
The Lady Hawks clawed to within one point (41-40) five minutes into the second stanza, but Iowa answered with a 24-3 run the next seven minutes to put the game away.
All five Iowa starters tallied double figures. Four seniors led the way for the Black and Gold. Wendy Ausdemore scored a team-high 18 points, Megan Skouby had 17 points, Kristi Smith netted 14 points and Nicole VanderPol drained 12 points. Skouby also posted game highs in rebounds (15) rebounds and blocks (2). Sophomore starter Kachine Alexander registered 10 points, nine rebounds and three assists.
Freshman Kamille Wahlin dished out a game-high six assists to go along with her seven points. Freshman Hannah Draxten chipped in with five points and four rebounds.
As a team, Iowa outrebounded Quincy 50-43 and outshot the Lady Hawks 47% (31-66) to 29% (19-65). Additionally, Iowa sank eight triples (8-26, .308) in victory.
SCOUTING UPPER IOWA
Upper Iowa finished last season with a 7-23 overall record and a 3-15 mark in the Northern Sun Conference. The Peacocks roster this season features two seniors and seven underclassmen (three freshmen and four sophomores).
Last year, Upper Iowa averaged 60 points per game. Junior Andrea Downs averaged a team-best 11.6 points, 5.3 assists and 1.2 steals a year ago to pace the Peacocks. Also, senior Britney Iredale averaged 8.2 points and 4.7 rebounds last season.
Upper Iowa is coached by Interim Head Coach Mike Brown. He served as the Peacocks’ assistant coach the previous three seasons.
To Read the entire release click here
Monday, November 3, 2008
Angel Robinson Update
Click here to listen to this interview.
PURDUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TABBED NO. 23 IN AP PRESEASON POLL
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue women’s basketball team is ranked No. 23 in the Associated Press preseason poll. The Boilermakers return to the top 25 for the first time since Nov. 19, 2007, when they were tabbed No. 22.
Third-year head coach Sharon Versyp has the most depth and experience since her return to her alma mater. She has four starters back from the 2008 Big Ten Tournament championship squad, plus the services of sharpshooter Jodi Howell and All-America candidate Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton, who sat out last season with injuries. Add to that mix four freshmen that were ranked as high as the seventh-best recruiting class in the country and it becomes clear why Purdue was picked by the Big Ten coaches as the preseason favorite to win the conference.
For more on this please click here.
Brad Raymond of the Breakdown Publications
Here are the links:
Breakdown website
Our interview with Brad Raymond
All of our interviews
Gophers 69 Bears 54
The University of Minnesota Gophers showed fans an up tempo style of play that has not been around in the Borton era. A majority of the turnovers can be attributed to "timing issues" as well as on floor combinations that will be adjusted before the real games start.
For the Concordia St. Paul Golden Bears, well it was at least a half that they were glad to get out of their system. For the first 9 minutes only 1 basket went in out of 13 attempts - 6/28 for the half. Outside of that the Bears looked like they were ready to make a run at the D2 National Championships again this season.
Please note that beginning with the Non-Exhibition games we can no longer provide complete post game comments given to the general media pool for the Gopher games. We will however provide a link to the service that will make this available to fans with every game posting. We will also try to visit with Coach Borton & players after each Game for some One on One comments.
Here are the links:
Gopher post game audio
Bear post game audio
Gopher's website
Bear's website
All of our interviews
