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Utah Women's Basketball Notes
12/11/2002 12:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 11, 2002
SALT LAKE CITY -
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COMING UP:
The University of Utah women's basketball team (4-1) will host the Idaho State Bengals (2-3) at 4 p.m. this Saturday, Dec. 14, and the New Mexico State Aggies (3-2) at 7 p.m. next Monday, Dec. 16, at the Huntsman Center.
A QUICK LOOK AT UTAH:
Sophomore Shona Thorburn scored 27 points and the team survived a late Fresno State run to record its fourth straight win, 64-57, in the Huntsman Center last Saturday. Utah put on a defensive clinic, holding Fresno State to 33 percent shooting from the field. (None of Utah's opponents this year has shot better than 37 percent from the floor).
Thorburn led a contingent of four Utes who scored in double figures, tying her career high on 9-of-17 from the field. She also grabbed eight rebounds. Freshman Julie Wood scored a career-high 11 points, as did junior Carley Marshall. Freshman Kim Smith chipped in 10 points.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION:
Idaho State - Idaho State ended a three-game losing streak with an 82-59 win over Montana Tech on Tuesday. Ashley Toner and Annie Anderson recorded double-doubles in the win. Toner scored a season-high 23 points and pulled down a career-high 14 rebounds, while Anderson finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds. After struggling in the first half, shooting just under 29 percent (12-of-42) from the field, the Bengals hit nearly 53 percent (21-of-40) of their shots in the second half. Idaho State also pulled down a season-high 64 rebounds, including 31 offense boards.
New Mexico State - The Aggies play at Weber State on Saturday night in Ogden. A week ago Saturday, New Mexico State edged past Texas-El Paso 61-60 to improve its record to 3-2. Junior guard Princess Moore hit a free throw with nine seconds remaining to give the Aggies the lead. UTEP then missed a shot at the buzzer to seal the win for New Mexico State. Senior guard Mari Sanchez led the Aggies with 24 points while dishing out six assists and turning the ball over just once in 39 minutes. Senior forward Jenia Dimitrova came off the bench to add 15 points, while junior transfer Teri Jones scored a career-high 12 points. The Aggie defense held the Miners to just 31 percent shooting, including 27 percent in the second half.
SERIES SHORTS:
* The Utes lead the series with Idaho State 24-0. In their last meeting on Dec. 4, 1999, the Utes won 58-49. Utah is 13-0 at home and 11-0 away vs. the Bengals.
* Utah leads the series with New Mexico State 19-6. In their last meeting on March 8, 1990, the Utes won 85-74 at the Huntsman Center. Utah is 12-1 at home, 6-5 away and 1-0 at a neutral site vs. the Aggies.
MWC STANDINGS
W L Pct.New Mexico 6 1 .857 BYU 5 1 .833 Colorado State 5 1 .833UTAH 4 1 .800 Wyoming 4 1 .800 UNLV 4 1 .800 Air Force 4 2 .667 San Diego State 2 3 .400
MWC PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
Rank Team (first-place votes) Points1 BYU (8) 110 2 Colorado State (7) 103 3 New Mexico (1) 91 4 UTAH 70 5 UNLV 69 6 Wyoming 49 7 San Diego State 31 8 Air Force 17
UTES ON THE RADIO
Utah's games against Idaho State and New Mexico State will be broadcast live on KALL 910-AM. The games will be called by Brad Stone, Sports Director. In his 13th year with the station, Stone is also the host of the Ute men's basketball and football game broadcasts, as well as the "Redzone," an hour-long show devoted to Ute sports that airs from 1-2 p.m. Monday-Friday.
MWC LEADERS:
As a team, the Utes lead the conference in scoring defense (48.0), scoring margin (+18.6), field goal percentage defense (.320) and three-point field goal average (9.00). Utah ranks second in turnover margin (+6.2) and steals (10.60), and third in assist/turnover ratio (0.92), three-point field goal percentage (.402), three-point field goal percentage defense (.267) and defensive rebounds (25.6).
Individually, freshman Kim Smith ranks third in scoring (17.6) and three-point field goal percentage (.615), fourth in three-point field goal average (3.2), fifth in steals (2.4), tied for seventh in rebounding (6.0), tied for eighth in defensive rebounds (4.4), tied for 11th in blocked shots (0.60) and 13th in field goal percentage (.509). Sophomore Shona Thorburn ranks fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.75), fifth in scoring (16.4) and three-point field goal average (3.0), tied for fifth in defensive rebounds (5.2), 11th in steals (1.6), tied for 11th in rebounding (5.8) and tied for 12th in assists (2.8). Junior Carley Marshall is tied for first in free throw percentage (16-of-16, 1.000), tied for third in blocked shots (1.8), tied for seventh in rebounds (6.0), tied for ninth in offensive rebounds (2.0) and three-point field goal percentage (.500), tied for 10th in defensive rebounds (4.0) and tied for 15th in assists (2.2). Point guard Kelsy Stireman leads the league in assist/turnover ratio (2.71), is ninth in assists (3.8) and 10th in steals (1.8). Junior Mandie Little ranks fifth in offensive rebounds (2.6), sixth in rebounding (6.2) and tied for 11th in blocked shots (0.60). Sophomore Lana Sitterud is ninth in three-point field goals per game (1.2).
DOMINATING DEFENSE:
Utah has held all five of its opponents this season under 37 percent shooting, including a season-low 26 percent by Western Carolina on Nov. 30. The Utes lead the MWC in scoring defense, scoring margin and field goal percentage defense.
UP NEXT:
The Utes travel to Pullman, Wash., to take on Washington State at 1 p.m. (PST) next Saturday, Dec. 21.
Players Mentioned
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