Women's Basketball To Play Denver
Nov. 29, 2004
Game Notes in PDF Format
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Kansas Jayhawks (2-1) vs. Denver Pioneers (0-2)
Game #4 – Tues., Nov. 30, 2004 – 7:05 p.m. – Allen Fieldhouse (16,300)
Radio/Television
Jayhawk Radio Network: Nate Bukaty (play-by-play) and Brenda VanLengen (color analyst) call the action. Sunflower Broadband Channel 6: Kevin Romary (play-by-play) and Lynn Harrod (color) call the action.
Records
Kansas is 2-1 and is on a two game winning streak. Denver is 0-2, and is coming off a 55-54 loss at Wyoming.
Rankings
None.
Coaches
Bonnie Henrickson is 2-1 in her first year at Kansas and 160-63 in her eighth year as a head coach overall. The Pioneers are coached by Pam Tanner, who is 138-118 in her 10th year at Denver and overall.
Jayhawk Storylines
– Kansas is 2-1 after defeating UMKC 47-36 on Saturday. It was the second-straight win by KU by a margin of 11 points.
– Junior Crystal Kemp registered 17 points and 12 boards against UMKC for KU’s first double-double of the season and the eighth of Kemp’s career.
– Freshman Taylor McIntosh grabbed 13 boards against UMKC, a KU season-high.
– The game against Denver is the third in the series with each team claiming one win.
– Thursday’s game against Washburn will mark KU’s 1,000th all-time game. Heading into Tuesday’s game against Denver, KU is 599-399 all-time.
– KU is playing its fourth-straight home game to open the season. The Jayhawks remain at home for a game with Washburn on Thursday before getting their first road test at Minnesota on Dec. 5.
Today’s Game
Kansas (2-1) plays its fourth consecutive home game to start the season on Tuesday, Nov. 30 against the Denver Pioneers (0-2) at 7:05 p.m. The game, broadcast on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6, is the fourth of five home games KU will play in Allen Fieldhouse to open the season.
KU returns to the hardwood just three days after picking up its second win of the season, a 47-36 victory over UMKC. KU got strong play from junior Crystal Kemp, who tallied 17 points and 12 boards in her first start of the season. Freshman Taylor McIntosh continued her impressive hustle-play with a game-high 13 rebounds. Senior Aquanita Burras added 10 points.
For the season, KU is led in the scoring column by Kemp, who has posted 16.7 points per game to go with 8.0 rebounds per game. Burras and Hallman each add eight points per outing, and Hallman leads the team with 5.3 assists per game.
Denver opened its season with losses against San Francisco (62-59) and at Wyoming (55-54). The Pioneers have three players averaging in double figures led by senior center Sarah Cyran with 12.0 points per game. Junior forward Venice Adams and senior guard Tasha Jones add 10.5 and 10.0 points, respectively. Adams leads on the glass with 7.5 boards per game.
Denver is coached by Pam Tanner, who is 138-118 in her 10th year with the Pioneers and overall. The all-time series is knotted at one game each. Last year in the Denver Wells Fargo Tournament, the Pioneers defeated the Jayhawks 69-63.
Last Time Out
Kansas improved to 2-1 on the season after beating UMKC 47-36, Saturday Nov. 27, in Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks improved their winning streak to two-straight after falling in their season opener to Texas-Arlington.
KU had two players in double figures with junior Crystal Kemp leading the charge. She tied game-high honors with 17 points, and also grabbed 12 boards to record her first double double of the season, and the eighth of her career. Senior Aquanita Burras added 10 points in the win. Freshman Taylor McIntosh continued her strong play by recording a game-high 13 rebounds.
“We are learning to be pretty good defensively and the offense will come,” head coach Bonnie Henrickson said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for the way our kids played defensively. We felt like we got to the shooters’ legs in the second half.”
The KU bench provided a spark, outscoring the Kangaroos’ bench 12-4. Junior guard Kaylee Brown scored seven off the bench for KU.
UMKC was led by Katie Houlehan, who had 17 points. Houlehan was the lone Kangaroo in double figures. Courtney Farmer added six points, while Liz Obrecht added five.
Head Coach Bonnie Henrickson
Head coach Bonnie Henrickson, in her first season at the helm of the Jayhawks, is one the hottest young coaches in the nation. Henrickson comes to KU after seven successful seasons at Virginia Tech University where she compiled a record of 158-62 (.718). Her teams averaged 23 wins per season and advanced to postseason play all seven years including five NCAA appearances. When Henrickson took over at Tech for the 1997-98 season, she orchestrated the biggest turnaround in school history. She guided her team to a 22-10 record, the school’s first Atlantic 10 Conference title and an NCAA second-round appearance just one season after the Hokies had finished last in the Atlantic 10 Conference with a 10-21 record. Overall, the Willmar, Minn., native has been a part of 11-straight postseason teams entering the 2004-05 season.
A Quick Look At the Jayhawks
KU has used a different starting lineup in each of its first three games with freshman Taylor McIntosh, senior Aquanita Burras and junior Erica Hallman starting all each game. Junior Kaylee Brown, junior Crystal Kemp, sophomore Alicia Rhymes and senior Blair Waltz have each started once.
Kemp (Topeka, Kan.), the returning team MVP, will anchor the inside game. At 6-2, Kemp is the tallest player on the KU roster. Rhymes (Shreveport, La.), freshman Jamie Boyd (Underwood, Iowa) and McIntosh (Wichita, Kan.) will bolster the Jayhawk frontcourt.
As a result of a lack of height, Henrickson may choose to go with a four-out, one-in type of offense, and she has six quality players to work with on the perimeter. Hallman (Covington, Ky.) will carry the brunt of the workload at the point, while Brown (Arcadia,Okla.), Waltz (Leawood, Kan.), Burras (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and sophomore Sharita Smith (Dallas, Texas) will operate on the wings. Junior Heather Hayes (Derby, Kan.), a late addition to the team, will also see time on the wing.
Today’s Opponent – Denver Pioneers
Denver (0-2) comes to Lawrence after opening its season with a pair of losses against San Franciso (62-59) on Nov. 21 and at Wyoming (55-54) on Nov. 26.
Last game against Wyoming, the Pioneers were paced junior forward Venice Adams with 15 points and six boards. Freshman forward Jenna Cole added 14 points, five rebounds and four assists. Senior center Sarah Cyran rounded out the double-figure scoring with 10 points.
Through two games, Cyran leads the team with 12.0 points per game. Adams is second in scoring with 10.5 points and leads the team with 7.5 boards per game. Senior guard Tasha Jones is also in double figures with 10 points per game.
Denver is scoring 56.5 points per game on 39.3 percent shooting and grabbing 37.0 boards per game, while giving up 58.5 points per game on 39.3 percent shooting and 35.0 boards per contest.
The Pioneers are coached by Pam Tanner who is 138-118 in her 10th year at Denver and overall.
Series Notes
The game marks the second-straight year the two teams have met. Last year in Denver, the Pioneers escaped with a 69-63 win in the championship game of the Denver Wells Fargo Tournament. Kansas won the only other meeting between the two teams, a 66-50 victory for KU in the Loyola Marymount Classic in Los Angeles, Calif.
Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson is 1-0 all-time against Denver. She defeated the Pioneers 77-57 in the 2001 NCAA Tournament. DU coach Pam Tanner is 1-1 against KU.
KU/Denver Last Meeting
DENVER, Colo. — Kansas had its five-game win streak snapped by the University of Denver, falling 69-63 in the Denver Wells Fargo Tournament championship game. Crystal Kemp was named to the all-tournament team as the Jayhawks dropped to 5-3 on the season.
The Pioneers led through most of the first half until KU’s Erica Hallman connected on a three-pointer at the 5:24 mark to give the ‘Hawks a 22-21 lead. The teams exchanged leads until DU pulled ahead on two consecutive treys with under two minutes remaining and led 31-24 at the half.
Denver jumped to a 16-point lead in the second half but KU rallied back to within five points on a 9-1 run late in the stanza. Still down by five, Kansas was forced to foul in the last minute. Denver went 8-8 from the charity stripe to close the game and won 69-63.
KU was led by Aquanita Burras, who scored 15 points and pulled down nine rebounds. Kemp and Erica Hallman rounded out the KU offense with 14 points each as the ‘Hawks shot just 36.8 from the floor. Junior Blair Waltz sat out of the game with the flu.
Ragan Neblett of Denver scored 24 in the Pioneers’ win and was named tournament MVP.
Kansas Signs Four
Kansas signed four players during the early signing period for the 2005-06 season including Ivana Catic (E-von-uh Cot-ich), Shaquina Mosley (Sha-KWAH-nah MOSE-lee), Jennifer Orgas (Or-GUS) and Sophronia Sallard (Suh-FRONE-yuh SUH-lard). Catic, Orgas and Sallard will join the Jayhawks as freshmen, while Mosley will be a junior after transferring from Central Arizona College.
Kansas Signees At-a-Glance
Ivana Catic (point guard, 5-8, Wheeling, W.V. – Mt. deChantal Academy)
Shaquina Mosley (point guard, 5-6, Lancaster, Calif. – Antelope Valley HS/Central Ariz. College)
Jennifer Orgas (forward, 6-2, Omaha, Neb. – Skutt Catholic HS)
Sophronia Sallard (guard/forward, 5-10, Syracuse, N.Y. – Nottingham HS)
A Kansas Win Would
Make KU 2-1 all-time against Denver … Give KU a three-game winning streak … Make head coach Bonnie Henrickson’s record 3-1 (.750) at KU and 161-63 (.719) in her career … Make the Jayhawks 600-399 all-time.
A Kansas Loss Would
Make KU 1-2 all-time against Denver … Snap KU’s two game winning streak … Make head coach Bonnie Henrickson’s record 2-2 (.500) at KU and 160-64 (.714) in her career … Make the Jayhawks 599-400 all-time.
Returning For The Jayhawks
Kansas returns seven players and three starters from last year’s team that finished 9-19 overall and 2-14 in the Big 12. Leading the returners is 2003-04 team MVP junior Crystal Kemp who averaged 13.4 points and 5.8 rebounds last year. Other returners with starting experience include senior Blair Waltz, senior Aquanita Burras, junior Kaylee Brown, junior Erica Hallman and sophomore Sharita Smith. Also returning is sophomore Alicia Rhymes.
The Newcomers
Joining the team in 2004-05 are three newcomers including two freshmen and one junior. Below is a quick look at the new faces.
No., Name, Pos., Ht., Cl., Notes
10, Jamie Boyd, F, 6-0, Fr., Winner of the 2004 Ms. Iowa Basketball award.
13, Taylor McIntosh, F, 5-11, Fr., Wichita Heights product scored over 1,400 points.
22, Heather Hayes, G, 5-8, Jr., Began her career at Oral Roberts. Spent last season as a redshirt walk-on for the Jayhawks.
An All-Star Staff
Joining Bonnie Henrickson on the sidelines in her first season at KU are assistant coaches Karen Lange, Kyra Elzy, Katie O’Connor. Also joining the staff is director of operations Trena Anderson and administrative assistant Katie Wulf. Lange, O’Connor and Anderson followed Henrickson from Virginia Tech, while Elzy and Wulf both join KU from Western Kentucky. Prior to WKU, Elzy also worked as an administrative assistant for Henrickson at Virginia Tech. At an average age of less than 28 years old, Henrickson’s three assistant coaches (Lange, Elzy, O’Connor) have already been a part of 19 NCAA tournaments, eight Sweet 16s, five Elite Eights, four Final Fours and two National Championships, combined.
Random Notes
– Senior Aquanita Burras owns the team’s longest starting streak at 60 games. She has started every game of her Kansas career.
– Junior Erica Hallman is in the all-time top 10 at Kansas for three-pointers made (63, 8th), three-pointers attempted (185, 8th) and three-point field goal percentage (34.1 percent, 9th).
– Junior Crystal Kemp ranks 10th on the KU all-time free throw percentage list (minimum 50 made). She has connected on 166-of-230 free throws for 72.2 percent.
– Kansas is playing its 37th season of women’s basketball, and it’s 32nd season of basketball in Allen Fieldhouse.
– KU will play its 1,000th all-time game on Thursday, Dec. 2, vs. Washburn in Allen Fieldhouse.
– Bonnie Henrickson is the fifth head coach in KU history.
Preseason Polls
Texas was picked by both the conference media and league coaches to win the Big 12 Championship in 2004-05. In the Coaches Poll, Texas received 11 first place votes and Kansas State took one first place nod. In the Media Poll, Texas received 12 first place votes while K-State received two votes. Kansas was picked to finish 11th in both preseason polls.
Home Court Advantage
Kansas fans will have plenty of opportunities to check out the Jayhawks in Allen Fieldhouse this season. KU plays a total of 18 games this year in Lawrence including two exhibition games, eight non-conference contests and eight conference matchups. Other than conference play, KU will only take to the road three times. KU plays at No. 14 Minnesota on Dec. 5, at Creighton on Dec. 21 and at Ball State on Dec. 30.
20 Games On TV
KU’s television package in 2004-05 is the finest in school history. The Jayhawks will play four times on national television (two each on Fox Sports Net and CSTV), four times on Metro Sports out of Kansas City, nine times on Sunflower Broadband in Lawrence, once on the Jayhawk Television Network and at least two other road Big 12 games. All 16 regular season home games will be on the tube, in addition to games at Texas, Colorado, Kansas State and Iowa State.
Increased Radio Coverage
The Jayhawk Radio Network has improved its coverage of the Jayhawks in 2004-05. Stations carrying the Jayhawks included KLWN 1320-AM in Lawrence, KWIC 99.3-FM in Topeka, KFH 98.7-FM in Wichita and either KMBZ 980-AM or KXTR-1660-AM in Kansas City.
Up Next For KU
After the game with Denver, the Jayhawks have a quick turnaround to play Washburn on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse. The game will air on Sunflower Broadband channel 6. Following the Washburn, KU will get its first road test when it heads to Minneapolis, Minn., to face Big Ten power Minnesota on Dec. 5.
