Two More Games At Home This Week
After a decisive 20-point win over SUU, the Cougar women look to go 2-0 when they host Nevada, Wed. Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. BYU then takes on No. 24 Arizona on Sat., Nov. 27 in a 2 p.m. tip off.
Teams: BYU (1-0) vs. Nevada (2-0) Date: Nov. 24 Time: 7 p.m. Arena: Marriott Ctr.
Teams: BYU (1-0) vs. Arizona (2-1) Date: Nov. 27Time: 2 p.m. Arena: Marriott Ctr.
Follow the women's basketball action live on BYU Radio
All of the women's basketball games can be heard live on BYU radio via the internet. Veteran BYU broadcaster Jay Monsen calls the action. Fans can also access BYU Radio on the Dish Network, Direct TV.
BYU's Probable Starters
Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG
F 51 Danielle Cheesman 6-2 Sr 9.0 10.0
F 35 Melinda Johnsen 5-10 So 6.0 2.0
F 32 Kristin Kozlowski 6-2 Sr 4.0 5.0
G 14 Julie Sullivan 5-8 Sr 9.0 2.0
G/F 01 Nancy Seljaas 6-0 Jr 7.0 2.0
Cougar Players Off The Bench
Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG
F 33 Ambrosia Anderson 6-2 Jr 10.0 7.0
G/F 25 Kali Taylor 5-11 Sr 1.0 1.0
G 13 Tiari Goold 5-7 So 2.0 0.0
G 10 Laura Stratton 5-6 Jr 0.0 0.0
G 30 Mallary Gillespie 5-10 Fr 12.0 0.0
F 50 Mary Martha Abell 6-3 Fr 14.0 3.0
C 52 Lauren Riley 6-3 Fr 2.0 4.0
2004-05 Team Stats -- after one game
4 Shooting from the field: (.526, 30-57)
4 Shooting from the free-throw line: (.474, 9-19)
4 Shooting from three-point line: (.538, 7-13)
4 Average points per game: 76.0
Previous Game Recap
The team opened up the 2004-05 campaign with a 76-56 win over SUU in front of over 1,900 fans. Mary Martha Abell came off the bench to lead all scores with 14 points and three rebounds. Two other players scored in double figures with 12 from freshman Mallary Gillespie and 10 from Ambrosia Anderson. Both players came off the bench in the game. Senior forward Danielle Cheesman led the team in the rebound category, grabbing 10 boards and chipping in nine points just one shy of her first double- double of the season. BYU shot 53 percent from the field, something they had done twice all of last season.
2004-05 Cougar Notables
uThree all-conference performers in Julie Sullivan (Second Team), Danielle Cheesman and Ambrosia Anderson (Honorable Mention) return to the BYU team.
uThis year's team returns four starters from last year's lineup (Sullivan, Cheesman, Keele, Taylor)
uThe top leading scorer on the BYU team, Julie Sullivan, (10.4 ppg) and the top leading rebounder , Danielle Cheesman, (5.8 rpg) are back for their final year in the Cougar blue.
uThe 2004-05 team returns 11 letterwinners and four starters from last year's team that compiled a 15-14 record and finished 5th, 5-9, in conference play. For the first time, BYU did not play in the championship game of the MWC tournament. The Cougars lost in the quarterfinals 57-60 to UNLV.
u Cougar fans will get to see five new faces on the roster that include three freshmen and one transfer from Auburn University. The freshmen are Mary Martha Abell, from Monroe, Louisiana, Mallary Gillespie, from Vineyard, Utah and Mountain View High School, and Lauren Riley, a 6-3 center from San Clemente, Calif. Dani Kubik is a sophomore center from Lawrenceville, Georgia. She played one season at Auburn and will be eligible to play for BYU beginning in December.
Injury Update
Junior guard/forward Jennie Keele fractured her right foot during the team's first practice of the year. She's expected to return to action in early December.
About Nevada
Nevada comes to the Marriott Center riding a two-game wining streak with wins over Cal State Fullerton and Colorado. After two home games the Wolf Pack are led in scoring by Talisha Anderson with 15.5 points and 3.5 rebounds a game. Meghan McGuire follows with 11 points and 3.5 boards. Amber Young tops the list in the rebound category as she grabs 9.5 boards a game. Nevada is shooting 44 percent from the field, 77 percent from the free throw line, and 37 percent from behind the arc.
Nevada Probable Starters
Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG
G 02 Talisha Anderson 5-10Sr 15.7 3.5
G 10 Traci Graham 5-6 So 7.0 6.0
G/F 04 April Bankston 6-1 Sr 7.0 2.5
G 33 Amber Young 5-10 Sr 9.0 9.5
F 32 Meghan McGuire 6-1 Fr 11.0 3.5
Series Record: 2-0 favoring BYU. This is the first time the Wolf Pack has played in the Marriott Center.
Last Meeting: The Cougars met Nevada last season in Reno where the visiting BYU team won by a 10-point margin, 63-53.
About Arizona
The Wildcats come in to Provo with a 2-1 record and a No. 24 ranking. Their wins are over St. Mary's and Rice, and a loss at Ohio State. Junior center Shawntinice Polk leads the Arizona offense with 17.0 points and a team-high 12.0 rebounds per game. Dee-Dee Wheeler a 5-6 senior guard follows in scoring with 11.7 points and 4.7 boards, with Shannon Hobson contributing 10.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. After three games, the Wildcats are shooting 43 percent from the field, 56 percent from the free throw line, and 21 percent from three-point range. The team is getting 66.7 points per game and holding opponents to 64.3 points per game.
Arizona Probable Starters
Pos.# Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG
G 11 Dee-Dee Wheeler 5-6 Sr 11.7 4.7
G 20 Jessica Arnold 5-4 Fr 9.0 2.3
F 23 Natalie Jones 5-10 Jr 6.0 6.0
F 50 Shannon Hobson 6-2 So 10.3 5.7
C 00 Shawntinice Polk 6-5 Jr 17.0 12.0
Series Record: 5-4 in favor of the Cougars. At the Marriott Center, BYU has a 2-0 advantage. On the road, the record is 2-3 for Arizona.
Last Meeting: Both teams met last year in Tucson with Arizona getting an 83-69 victory over the Cougars. The Wildcats have won the last two contests, both played at the McKale Center.
Head Coach - Jeff Judkins
Overall Record: 59-35, begins his fourth season at BYU.
Under Coach Judkins, the team has gone to back-to-back NCAA appearances as well as to the title games of the MWC Championships, winning the title game in 2001-02.
An all-state selection in basketball, football and baseball, Judkins played basketball for the University of Utah Utah from 1974-78. While playing for the Utes, he helped the team win one conference championship and two berths in the NCAA Tournament.
He was a second-team academic All-American and three-time first-team District VII academic selection. Judkins earned three first-team All-WAC honors and was a member of the 1977 United States World Games team that captured the gold medal.
He played five years in the NBA for the Boston Celtics, Portland Trailblazers, Detroit Pistons and the Utah Jazz. He was a second-round pick by the Celtics in 1978, the same year the Celtics selected Larry Bird with the sixth pick overall.
After his NBA career, he returned to the U of U in 1989, and remained with the men's program for 10 years. Judkins, a Salt Lake City native, graduated from Utah in 1978 with a degree in health and physical education. He is a member of the Utah Sports Hall of Fame and the Crimson Club Hall of Fame.
He and his wife Mary Kay, are the parents of five children: Jessica (24), Jordan (22), Jenna (20), Jaime (17), Jaxson (14).
2004-05 Roster Breakdown
Seniors (4):
Danielle Cheesman, Kristen Kozlowski, Julie Sullivan, Kali Taylor
Juniors (5):
Ambrosia Anderson, Julie Cross, Jennie Keele (Overdiek), Nancy Seljaas, Laura Stratton
Sophomore (3):
Dani Kubik, Tiari Goold,Melinda Johnsen
Freshman (4):
Mary Martha Abell, Mallary Gillespie, Lauren Riley, Summer Sykes
By Position
Forward (6):
Mary Martha Abell, Ambrosia Anderson, Danielle Cheesman, Kristen Kozlowski,
Summer Sykes
Guard (6):
Julie Cross, Mallary Gillespie, Tiari Goold, Laura Stratton, Julie Sullivan, Kali Taylor
Guard/Forward (3):
Melinda Johnsen, Jennie Keele, Nancy Seljaas
Center /Forward(2):
Dani Kubik, Lauren Riley
Team's Practice Schedule/Media Interviews
The BYU team practices at the Marriott Center from 11 a.m., to 2 p.m., on Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's. On Tuesday's , practice time is from 1 to 3 p.m., and from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., on Thursdays.
Media interviews with coach Judkins and players can be done prior to or at the end of practice. All interviews must be scheduled in advance with the women's basketball athletic communications director, Norma Collett at 801-422-4908, 801-372-0989 during regular business hours or via email at: collett@byucougars.com
No interviews will be given the day of a game until after the game. Updated information on the women's basketball team is available 24 hours a day on the BYU web site at www.byucougars.com/basketball_w/
Stats on the team are updated on the web site every Monday morning. Media members may contact Norma Collett to receive news releases and game notes via email.
All working media personnel will be put on a media gate list for entry into the arena. The list will be available by the elevators near the main ticket office in the Marriott Center. No other credentials are needed. Media will be assigned a seat on press row to cover each home game.
What's Next
BYU will travel to Oregon to play the University of Portland on Tues., Nov. 30 in a 7 p.m. tip off from the Chiles Center. The team returns for one more home game against George Washington who will be making their first trip to Provo and the Marriott Center. That game is on Dec. 6 at 5:30 p.m. It is scheduled to air live on BYU-TV.