Jayhawks Open Road Swing At San Jose State Wednesday
Dec. 18, 2007
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Game Notes
OPENING TIP
After five-straight home games, the University of Kansas women’s basketball team will hit the road for a pair of games in the state of California. KU will open the road trip with a contest at San Jose State on Wednesday, Dec. 19. The Jayhawks (8-1) and Spartans (1-9) will tip-off at 9 p.m. (CST) in The Event Center.
FAST BREAKS
-Sophomore guard Sade Morris set a new career high in points with 20 in leading KU to a 62-49 win over UC Riverside in the Jayhawks’ last outing. Morris has now bested her career high mark in scoring three times this season.
-Junior guard Ivana Catic has knocked down nine of her last 11 shots from the field, spanning the last three games. Catic made 3-of-4 from the field versus Marquette. She was a perfect 4-of-4 against Indiana and then hit 2-of-3 from the field in the win over UC Riverside.
-The Jayhawks only committed a season-low 12 turnovers in the win over UC Riverside. On the season, KU is averaging 19.2 miscues per game on the season. Junior point guard Ivana Catic played a season-high 37 minutes in the game, all error free.
-KU is out-rebounding its opponents by nearly six rebounds per game. The Jayhawks are averaging 40.6 caroms per contest and have won the rebounding battle in every game with the exception of the Creighton game.
-Kansas is currently ranked No. 13 in the RPI according to collegerpi.com. The Jayhawks’ strength of schedule ranks 36th on the site.
KANSAS-SAN JOSE STATE SERIES HISTORY
The Jayhawks own a 1-0 all-time mark versus San Jose State, having defeated the Spartans, 81-72, on December 30, 1980 in game played in San Jose, Calif.
A LOOK AT SAN JOSE STATE
The Spartans are 1-9 on the season, with their lone win coming at Cal State Northridge. SJSU has has fallen twice in overtime and of their nine losses, five have been by four points or less. San Jose State is led by junior guard Natalie White with 16.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. White has also collected 16 assists and 11 steals for the Spartans. Sophomore forward Brittany Powell adds 7.9 points per outing for SJSU, while leading the team with 13 blocks through the first 10 games. Freshman forward Christine Martin contributes 7.2 points and 4.1 caroms per contest in her initial collegiate campaign. The Spartans are coached by Pam DeCosta, who is in her first season with the program. DeCosta’s overall coaching record stands at 46-75 in her fifth season on the sidelines.
A LOOK AT KANSAS
The Jayhawks enter Sunday’s game with a 8-1 mark, including five-straight wins over Creighton, Saint Louis, Marquette, Indiana and UC Riverside. The Jayhawks are led by a pair of sophomores as Danielle McCray (16.6) and Sade Morris (13.7), who both average double figures in scoring. The duo has been aided by the presence of senior forward Taylor McIntosh and freshman center Krysten Boogaard. McIntosh is contributing 8.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, while Boogaard is adding 8.1 points and 4.2 rebounds a game off the bench. McCray pulls down 8.0 rebounds an outing to lead the Jayhawks, while also ranking third on the team in assists (20) and steals (12). Junior guard Ivana Catic is dishing just over 4.4 assists per game and is also the steals leader with 2.1 per game. KU is coached by Bonnie Henrickson, who owns a 48-50 mark in her fourth season. Henrickson is 206-112 in her 11th season overall.
SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION
– Kansas does not have any players from the state of California, and likewise the Spartans do not have any native Kansans on their roster.
– KU sophomore forward Porscha Weddington is a native of Temple, Texas, however, her parents have relocated and currently reside in Semi Valley, California.
– San Jose State head coach Pam DeCosta spent 10 seasons as an assistant coach under former head coach Marian Washington. DeCosta had two separate stints at KU, both under Washington. She originally was a member of the Jayhawk staff from 1993-96, before leaving to join Sherri Coale’s staff at Oklahoma. DeCosta then rejoined Washington’s staff from 1998-03 before leaving to beomce head coach at Lynn University.
– San Jose State Director of Basketball Operations KC Hilgenkamp is a 2003 KU graduate, having earned two letters as a membef of the Jayhawk women’s basketball team. She is KU’s career free throw percentage leader at .828 (72-of-87) and is seventh all-time in three-point field goals made (70), eighth in three-point attempts (187) and fourth in three-point percentage (.374). After finishing her playing career, Hilgenkamp interned with the Kansas women’s basketball program.
