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Utah Women's Basketball Team Heads To Idaho
12/14/1999 12:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 14, 1999
Salt Lake City - GAME DATA: Utah will participate in the Boise State Tournament Sat.-Sun., Dec. 18-19 in Boise, Idaho. On Dec. 18, the Utes will play Northwestern State at 7:00 p.m. On Dec. 19, at 1:00 p.m., the loser of game 1 will take on the loser of game 2 in the consolation game. At 3:00 p.m., the winner of game 1 will match-up with the winner of game 2 for the championship. Other teams competing in the tournament are: Boise State and Southern Utah.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Probable starters in the Utes? game against Northwestern State 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 Northwestern State are: #3 Louise Chase (5-10, Sr., F), #20 Jennifer Graf (5-8, Sr., G), #30 Kia Converse (5-8, Sr., G), #32 Tweety Evans (6-2, Jr., F/C), and #34 Judy Clark (5-6, Sr., G).
Probable starters for Boise State are: #5 Reyna Fortenberry (5-8, Sr., G), #11Christina Thrasher (5-7, Sr., G), #12 Yvette Barrios (5-5, Jr., G), #31 Valerie Rainis (6-1, Sr., F), #42 Stephanie Block (6-4, Sr., F).
Probable starters for Southern Utah are: #11 Megan Lofthouse (5-9, So., G), #12 Sally Johnson (5-7, So., G), #20 Ali Gressman (5-9, Jr., G/F), #31 Sarah Pratt (6-4, Jr., F), #32 Melissa Hines (6-2, Sr., C).
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN STATE: Northwestern State (5-1) took advantage of an outnumbered and inexperienced Centenary College team (0-10) to claim an 87-41 victory at the Gold Dome Sat., Dec. 11. Kia Converse scored 26 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 5-of-7 from three-point range, to lead the Lady Demon attack, an attack that saw all 12 Lady Demons score at least one point. Louise Chase added 22 points in the victory.
Senior guard Kia Converse led six Lady Demon double-digit scorers with 23 points as Northwestern State defeated the Southern Arkansas Riderettes (1-6), 94-65, Fri., Dec. 3. Converse scored 21 of her 23 points from behind the three-point line with seven three-pointers. Senior guard Judy Clark scored 15 points on five field goals from behind the three-point arc. Senior guard Jennifer Graf scored 14, while senior forward Louise Chase and sophomore center Emily Huey each had 11 points for NSU. Freshman guard Kiki Junior had her best outing as a Lady Demon, scoring 10 points, dishing out five assists, and adding four steals.
Kia Converse currently leads the Lady Demons in scoring (19.5 ppg) and is third on the team in rebounds (4.8 rpg). Senior forward Louise Chase follows with 15.3 points per game and is second on the team with 5.5 rebounds per game. Judy Clark is the third leading scorer for Northwestern State with 14.7 points and leads the team with 5.3 assists per game. Jennifer Graf posts 10.5 points per game and teammate Tweety Evans leads the Lady Demons with 6.7 rebounds per game. Chase leads the team in field goal percentage (.521), Converse leads in free throw percentage (.857) and in three-point percentage (.548). Northwestern State is currently averaging 75.8 points and 37.2 rebounds per game as compared to 60.5 points and 37.3 rebounds per game by their opponents.
The Lady Demons return 11 letterwinners including four starters from their 1998-99 squad that went 22-7 on the season and 1st place in the Southland Conference (16-2). Northwestern State has five seniors, three juniors, two sophomores, and two freshmen on this year?s team. Senior, Judy Clark led the Lady Demons last season, posting 16.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg and 5.9 apg. Clark was an All-Southland Conference selection in 1998-99. Louise Chase averaged 14.0 ppg and 6.5 rpg and was a first team All-Southland Conference pick last season. Converse, a 5-8 guard from Napoleonville, La., averaged 13.2 ppg and 7.2 rpg last season and was an All-Southland Conference first team pick last year. Head Coach James Smith has compiled a 230-117 career record at Northwestern State in 12 years.
SCOUTING BOISE STATE: Boise State is 4-4 overall, 0-0 in the Big West Conference. The Broncos lost their last four games, after winning their first four games of the season. Most recently, the Broncos were defeated by St. Mary?s, 53-52 on Mon., Dec. 13. Boise State was shut-down by Liberty University, 64-47 on Tues., Dec. 7. On Sun., Dec. 5, the Broncos lost to Virginia Commonwealth, 68-63 and on Fri., Dec. 3, they lost to the University of Washington, 81-73.
Senior Stephanie Block leads the Broncos this season, averaging 18.9 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game and 3.7 blocks per game. She also leads the team in field goal percentage (.505) and is 81 percent from the free-throw line. Sophomore Crista Peterson posts 8.6 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game. Freshman Abby Vaughn is currently 12-of-30 (.400) from behind the arc, while junior Yvette Barrios posts 4.1 assists per game. Boise State returns 11 letterwinners, including four starters and adds four newcomers to its roster this season.
Last season the Broncos finished 13-14 overall and 7-7 in the Big West Conference. Stephanie Block averaged 8.8 ppg, 2.2 rpb and 1.0 bpg, while teammate Yvette Barrios posted 8.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg and 3.2 apg. Head Coach Trisha Stevens enters her fourth season with the broncos, compiling a 41-21 career record.
SCOUTING SOUTHERN UTAH: Southern Utah is 4-0 overall, 0-0 in the Mid-Continent Conference. The Broncos won their last two games. Most recently, Southern Utah shut-down Weber State on Sat., Dec. 11. On Dec. 7, the Thunderbirds defeated Montana Tech 73-52.
Sophomore Megan Lofthouse leads the Thunderbirds this season, averaging 13.3 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game. Junior Sarah Pratt posts 12.3 points per game and leads the team with 11.5 rebounds per game. Pratt leads the team in field goal percentage (.514) and in three-point percentage (.600). Sophomore Sally Johnson totals 8.8 ppg, 4.1 apg and 1.7 spg. Southern Utah returns eight letterwinners, including two starters and adds six newcomers to its roster this season.
Last season the Thunderbirds finished 16-12 overall and 8-6 in the Mid-Continent Conference. Megan Lofthouse averaged 11.1 ppg, 4.7 rpb and 1.1 apg, while teammate Sarah Pratt posted 10.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.2 apg and 1.1 spg. Head Coach Joe Hillock enters his fourth season with the Thunderbirds, compiling a 41-40 career record.
QUOTING ELLIOTT: On the upcoming Boise State Tournament: ?Northwestern State will be quite a challenge. We?ve seen them on tape and they have good skills and good athletic ability. With that in mind, the first round could be a real toss-up and we?re not too concerned with anything past that right now.?
WEBER STATE GAME RECAP: The University of Utah women?s basketball team out-scored in-state rival Weber State by 20 points to win the game, 62-42 at the Jon M. Huntsman Center, Thurs., Dec. 9.
Sophomore Lauren Beckman led the Utes with a season-high 20 points. Beckman led the team with 9 boards and was 8-of-10 from the free-throw line. Teammate Lindsay Sodja posted 11 points and went 4-for-5 from the field. Senior guard, Tiana Fuertes added 10 points and five assists, while Amy Ewert totaled five steals. The Utes shot 35 percent from the field in the first half and stepped it up in the second half making 10-of-18 for 56 percent and 43 percent in the game. For the game, the Utes shot 33 percent from behind the three-point line and 76 percent from the free-throw line. Weber State drops to 2-4 overall, 0-0 in conference play
For Weber State, Crystal Howe posted 15 points, making 6-of-10 from the field. Shelley Olson and Stephanie Stanger each added eight points. The Wildcats shot only 25 percent from the field (5-of-20) in the first half, 45 percent (9-of-20) in the second half and 35 percent in the game.
?I think it was a better 20 minutes and a better second half for us,? said Elliott. ?Our defense was very good, Amy Ewert was exceptional and she works so hard to get done what you ask of her defensively. She?s a focused player, and intense player and an intelligent player. I?m really pleased with what she?s given us at the defensive end of the floor. ?
WHITWORTH COLLEGE GAME RECAP: The University of Utah women?s basketball team out-scored Whitworth College by 43 points to win the game, 86-43 at the Jon M. Huntsman Center, Fri., Dec. 10.
Freshman Carley Marshall led the Utes with a season-high 15 points. Teammate Amy Ewert posted 11 points while Lori Red and Janna Whitman each added 10 points. Erin Hansen posted nine points before leaving the game with an injury. Lauren Beckman led the Utes with nine boards and eight points. Katherine McColl posted six rebounds. Utah unloaded its bench late in the second half with all players seeing time. All but one scored points in the game for Utah. The Utes shot 38 percent from the field in the first half and stepped it up in the second half making 15-of-27 for 56 percent and 45 percent in the game. For the game, the Utes shot 46 percent from behind the three-point line and 69 percent from the free-throw line. Whitworth College drops to 2-2 overall, 0-0 in conference play
For Whitworth, Jamie Wakefield posted 13 points, making 3-of-9 from the field and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. Wakefield led the Pirates in rebounds with six. Erica Ewart added nine points in the effort. The Pirates shot 28 percent from the field, 50 percent from three-point range and 71 percent from the free-throw line.
?I think for this type of game we did a pretty good job of staying within our system of play and played disciplined. I thought our bench kids played very well tonight. Janna Whitman and Carley Marshall did a nice job, especially for the amount of playing time they?re getting,? said Elliott.
SERIES HISTORY: This is the first meeting between Utah and Northwestern State. Utah leads the series with Boise State, 10-1. The last meeting between the Utes and the Broncos was Dec. 31, 1992 in Boise, Idaho, and Boise State won 71-69. Utah leads the series with Southern Utah, 9-1. On Dec.4, 1995, the Utes defeated the Thunderbirds, 70-46 in Salt Lake City.
AFTER THIS: The Utes are at home on Dec. 22, when they take on the Lady Dons of San Francisco in the Jon M. Huntsman Center at 7:00 p.m. Utah will play Stanford at home on Dec. 29 at 7:00 p.m. 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).
STATISTICAL LEADERS: As a team, Utah is first in the MWC in scoring defense, holding their opponents to an average of 52.3 points per game. The Utes are also first in field goal percentage defense (.380) and rebounding defense (32.7). Utah is second in blocked shots, averaging 5.0 per game and in scoring margin, defeating opponents by 11.1 points per game. Utah is third in assists (17.0) and eighth in steals (7.6). The Utes are fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (.339) and fifth in field goal percentage (.415). Utah is sixth in scoring offense, averaging 63.4 points per game and eighth in rebounding offense (35.1). Sophomore Lauren Beckman leads the conference in offensive rebounds (4.14) and is third in blocked shot (2.14). Beckman is currently fourth in rebounding (8.4), ninth in scoring (13.0), in field goal percentage (.479) and ninth in defensive rebounds (4.29). She is 12th in free-throw percentage (.742). Senior Tiana Fuertes leads the conference in three-point field goal percentage (.692) and is fourth in eighth in assists (3.43). Fuertes is tied for 13th with teammate Erin Gibbons for 3-point field goals made (9, 1.29 per game) and is 29th in scoring (6.7). Gibbons is fourth in three-point field goal percentage (.474). Kristina Andersen is tied for fourth in blocked shots (1.14) and is 13th in offensive rebounds (1.86). Andersen is 17th in rebounding (4.7) and 30th in scoring (6.4). Amy Ewert is tied for seventh in steals (2.0), is 15th in assists (2.6) and 28th in scoring (7.1).
POLL WATCH:
Utah received votes in this week?s 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 328-142 record (.698) during her career at Utah. She has the longest tenure of any coach in the MWC.
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