Women's Basketball To Play At Minnesota

Dec. 3, 2004

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Kansas Jayhawks (3-2) vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-1)

Game #6 – Sun., Dec. 5, 2004 – 2 p.m. – Williams Arena (14,625)

Radio/Television

Jayhawk Radio Network: Nate Bukaty (play-by-play) and Brian Hanni (color analyst) call the action. TV: None.

Records

Kansas is 3-2 after having a three game winning streak snapped by Washburn on Thursday. Minnesota is 5-1, and has won its last four.

Rankings

Kansas is not ranked. Minnesota is ranked No. 18 in both the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches’ Poll and Associated Press poll.

Coaches

Bonnie Henrickson is 3-2 in her first year at Kansas and 161-64 in her eighth year as a head coach overall. The Golden Gophers are coached by Pam Borton, who is 55-16 in her third year at Minnesota 124-62 in her seventh year overall.

Jayhawk Storylines

– Kansas is 3-2 after falling to Washburn 62-59 on Thursday. KU led by as many as 18 points before the Lady Blues took the lead midway through the second half.

– Junior Erica Hallman notched a season-high in points for the second game in a row against Washburn. Hallman pumped in 18 against WU just two days after scorching the nets for 17 against Denver.

– KU is 13-2 all-time against Minnesota including a 4-2 mark in games played in Minneapolis, Minn. The two teams first met in 1978, and last met on Nov. 21, 1998 when KU topped the Gophers 62-53 in overtime in Hawaii.

– The Jayhawks are 20-11 all-time against teams from the Big Ten. KU’s last game against a team from the Big Ten was on Nov. 28, 2000 when KU defeated Illinois 73-60 in Lawrence.

– KU head coach Bonnie Henrickson and UM head coach Pam Borton have met several times before. The bulk of the meetings occurred when Henrickson was at Virginia Tech and Borton was associate head coach at Boston College between 1997 and 2002.

Today’s Game

Kansas (3-2) heads north to face the No. 18 University of Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-1) on Sunday, Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. in UM’s Williams Arena. The game in Minneapolis will be the Jayhawks’ first road test of 2004-05 after a five-game home-stand to open the season.

KU will be playing its third game in six days, after falling 62-59 at the hands of Washburn on Thursday, and defeating Denver, 67-44, on Tuesday. Both games represented milestones in Kansas women’s basketball history as the Denver game marked KU’s 600th all-time win, and the Washburn contest marked KU’s 1,000th all-time game.

Against Washburn, KU got strong play from junior point guard Erica Hallman, who posted a season-high 18 points. Senior Aquanita Burras added 16 points and a team-high six rebounds.

For the season, junior Crystal Kemp leads the team with 15.2 points and 6.8 boards per game. Hallman adds 11.8 points per game, and freshman Taylor McIntosh is tied with Kemp with 6.8 rebounds per outing. As a team, Kansas is scoring 56.2 points per game on 40.6 percent shooting and grabbing 34.6 rebounds per game. KU opponents are averaging 48.6 points per game on 35.2 percent shooting and pulling 35.6 boards per contest.

Minnesota has been hot to open the season with its lone loss coming at Washington in the WBCA Classic. Sophomore guard Jamie Broback is pouring in 18.3 points per game and grabbing 6.3 rebounds per game to lead the Gophers. National Player of the Year candidate Janel McCarville suffered a preseason injury but is back and averaging 12.5 points and 10.0 rebounds in four games played.

Minnesota is coached by Pam Borton, who is 55-16 in her third year at UM and 124-62 in her seventh year overall.

Kansas leads the all-time series 13-2 including a 4-2 mark in Minneapolis. The two teams last squared off on Nov. 21, 1998 in Honolulu, Hawaii. KU won that game 62-53 in overtime.

Last Time Out

Kansas led 35-19 at halftime, after shooting 10-of-20 from the field in the first stanza, but was outscored by visiting Washburn 43-24 in the second half. The Jayhawks fell 62-59 in the 1,000th game in KU women’s basketball history.

“It was a tremendous effort by Washburn tonight,” head coach Bonnie Henrickson said. “Defensively we played the same the whole game, they just hit their shots in the second half.

“We didn’t shoot well in the second half or get any offensive rebounds for second chance points. We beat ourselves tonight, we didn’t adjust to what was happening in the game.”

The Lady Blues got 21 second-half points from Jennifer Harris to complete the comeback.

It was a tale of two halves as the Jayhawks turned up the heat defensively in the first half, holding Washburn to just 26 percent shooting and forcing 12 turnovers. KU also connected on 6-of-10 from three-point range in the first half in what looked like a lopsided affair.

In the second half, KU missed all eight of its three point attempts.

Kansas junior guard Erica Hallman led the way as she scored 18 points. Senior guard Aquanita Burras added 16 points to round out double figure scoring for the Jayhawks. Juniors Crystal Kemp and Kaylee Brown added eight points each.

Harris led all-scorers with 21 points. Washburn also got double figure efforts from Juwanna Rivers who scored 12 points and Brooke Ubelaker who chipped in with 11 points.

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.

Finding The Right Mix

KU has used four different starting lineups in its first five games with freshman Taylor McIntosh, senior Aquanita Burras and junior Erica Hallman starting each game. Junior Kaylee Brown (3 starts), junior Crystal Kemp (3), sophomore Alicia Rhymes (2) and senior Blair Waltz (2) have also made starts.

A Quick Look At the Jayhawks

Junior Crystal Kemp (Topeka, Kan.), the returning team MVP, anchors the inside game. At 6-2, Kemp is the tallest player on the KU roster. Sophomore Alicia Rhymes (Shreveport, La.), freshman Jamie Boyd (Underwood, Iowa) and freshman Taylor McIntosh (Wichita, Kan.) 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. Junior Erica Hallman (Covington, Ky.) will carry the brunt of the workload at the point, while junior Kaylee Brown (Arcadia,Okla.), senior Blair Waltz (Leawood, Kan.), senior Aquanita 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.

Tonight’s Opponent – Minnesota Golden Gophers

Minnesota (5-1) enters the game against Kansas on a four-game winning streak. The Golden Gophers have wins this season over UNLV, Arkansas State, Virginia Tech, Creighton and Detroit. UM returns three starters among eight letterwinners to a team that went 25-9 in 2003-04 and finished its season in the NCAA Final Four.

Last game against Detroit, the Gophers were paced by National Player of the Year candidate senior center Janel McCarville with 19 points and nine boards. Sophomore guards Kelly Roysland and Jamie Broback added 16 and 14 points, respectively. UM used a suffocating defense to hold down the Titans. Detroit shot just 27.3 percent in the game and scored only one basket in the first 11 minutes of the second half.

Through six games, Broback leads the team with 18.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Junior guard Shannon Schonrock and Roysland each have scored 10.7 points per outing. McCarville, who missed part of the preseason with an injury, has played in four games and posted averages of 12.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.

Minnesota is scoring 76.8 points per game on 49.8 percent shooting and grabbing 40.7 boards per game, while giving up 57.8 points per game on 35.9 percent shooting and 30.2 boards per contest.

Minnesota is coached by Pam Borton, who is 55-16 in her third year at UM and 124-62 in her seventh year overall.

Series Notes

Kansas leads the all-time series 13-2, including a 4-2 mark in Minneapolis, 6-0 mark in Lawrence and 3-0 record at neutral sites. KU coach Bonnie Henrickson has never faced UM as a head coach. UM coach Pam Borton has never faced KU.

Kansas/Minnesota Connections

– KU coach Bonnie Henrickson and UM coach Pam Borton have been on opposite benches several times in their coaching careers. The last meeting between the two was on Jan. 9, 2001 when Henrickson was head coach at Virginia Tech and Borton was associate head coach at Boston College. Tech won the game over BC 73-52.

– Minnesota freshman guard Brittney Davis hails from the same hometown and high school (Portland, Ore., Jefferson HS) as Aaron Miles and Michael Lee of the KU men’s basketball team.

– KU coach Bonnie Henrickson is a native of Minnesota. Henrickson grew up in Willmar, Minn., which is roughly two hours west of Minneapolis

Henrickson Homecoming

The game against Minnesota is a homecoming of sorts for KU head coach Bonnie Henrickson. A Willmar, Minn., native, Henrickson graduated from St. Cloud State University in 1986. As a player, she helped SCSU win three Northern Sun Conference championships and advance to three NCAA Division II quarterfinals.

In her four years as a player, SCSU compiled a 97-25 overall record, including a 31-4 mark in her sophomore season. She still ranks among the school leaders in points (4th – 1,731), rebounds (3rd – 995), free throws (1st – 507) and free throw percentage (4th – .790). She also was named to the all-conference team three times. Henrickson served as team captain her junior and senior years. She was inducted into the SCSU Hall of Fame in 1996.

A Kansas Win Would

Make KU 14-2 all-time against Minnesota … Make KU 5-2 against UM in Minneapolis, Minn. … Give KU its fourth win in its last five games … Snap a streak of 28 straight losses to opponents ranked in the top-25 … Give KU its first win over a ranked opponent since a 69-61 over No. 6 Iowa State on Feb. 17, 2001 … Make head coach Bonnie Henrickson’s record 4-2 (.667) at KU and 162-64 (.717) in her career … Make the Jayhawks 601-400 all-time.

A Kansas Loss Would

Make KU 13-3 all-time against Minnesota … Make KU 4-3 against UM in Minneapolis, Minn. … Give KU a two game losing streak … Extend KU’s streak to 29 straight losses to opponents ranked in the top-25 … Make head coach Bonnie Henrickson’s record 3-3 (.500) at KU and 161-65 (.712) in her career … Make the Jayhawks 600-401 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 62 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 (69, 7th), three-pointers attempted (196, 7th) and three-point field goal percentage (35.2 percent, 8th).

– Junior Crystal Kemp has been moving in and out of the top 10 on the KU all-time free throw percentage list (minimum 50 made). She currently has connected on 168-of-234 free throws for 71.8 percent, which moves her eight one thousandths of a percent out of 10th place.

– Kemp ranks 10th on the KU career field goal percentage list at 50.9 percent (299-587).

– Kansas is playing its 37th season of women’s basketball, and it’s 32nd season of basketball in Allen Fieldhouse.

– Bonnie Henrickson is the fifth head coach in KU history.

Program Milestones

With a 67-44 win over Denver on Nov. 30, Kansas became the 30th school in NCAA Division I history to record 600 wins. Two days later on Dec. 2, Kansas played its 1,000th all-time game against Washburn.

Tenacious D

KU has held its last three opponents to under 20 points in the first half (UMKC-19, Denver-15, Washburn-19). Additionally, KU is is holding all opponents to 48.6 points per game which ranks second in the Big 12. The Jayhawks rank fifth in the league in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 35.2 percent from the field. KU also ranks fifth in the conference in turnover margin at +4.4.

Up Next For KU

After the game with Minnesota, the Jayhawks return to Allen Fieldhouse for a game against Western Illinois on Wednesday, Dec. 8 at 7:05 p.m. Following the WIU game, KU will get a needed rest before playing Dartmouth in Lawrence on Dec. 18. Both games will be aired live on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6.

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.

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)

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.

Woodard To Be Enshrined In Women’s HOF

The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame announced its seventh group of inductees, the Class of 2005, on Sunday, November 14. The six members of the Class of 2005 are Joe Ciampi, Kelli Litsch, Hunter Low, Edna Tarbutton, Dixie Woodall and Lynette Woodard.

Woodard, a Kansas legend, scored 3,649 points to become the all-time leading scorer in Division I women’s collegiate basketball en route to becoming a four-time Kodak All-American and winning the 1981 Wade Trophy. She then went on to become a two-time Olympian, serving as captain of the USA’s 1984 gold medal-winning squad, and the first female to play for the Harlem Globetrotters before playing professionally in Japan and Italy and two seasons in the WNBA.

The six individuals in the Class of 2005 will be formally enshrined as members of the Hall of Fame during a weekend of induction festivities to be held Friday and Saturday, June 10-11, 2005, in Knoxville.

Woodard becomes the second Jayhawk to be enshrined to in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, joining former Kansas coach Marian Washington who was enshrined in June of 2004.