Women's Hoops Returns On Dec. 28 Against San Diego State

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Dec. 23, 2004

Kansas Jayhawks (5-4) vs. San Diego State Aztecs (3-5)
Game #10 – Tues., Dec. 28, 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 5-4 after falling last game at Creighton. San Diego State is 3-5 and has lost its last two games.

Rankings
None.

Coaches
Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson is 5-4 in her first year at Kansas and 163-66 in her eighth year as a head coach overall. The Aztecs are coached by Jim Tomey, who is 20-43 in his fifth year at San Diego State and overall.

Jayhawk Storylines
– Kansas is 5-4 after falling to Creighton 63-68 on Dec. 21 in Omaha, Neb. Junior Erica Hallman tied a career-high 20 points. Junior Crystal Kemp notched her second double-double with 16 points and a career-high 17 rebounds.
– The Jayhawks rank first in the Big 12 in scoring defense, holding all opponents to an average of 51.7 points per game. In the last NCAA statistics report through games of Dec. 20, KU was listed fifth nationally in scoring defense.
– KU is 0-1 all-time against San Diego State. The only meeting came in the championship game of the San Diego State Dial Classic on Dec. 30, 1987. SDSU won 76-63.
– Kansas is 2-3 all-time against teams from the Mountain West Conference. KU has not played a team from the conference since the 1987 meeting against San Diego State.
– The Jayhawks have a travel day on Wednesday (Dec. 29) before playing the Ball State Cardinals on Dec. 30. The game against BSU will be the final non-conference game of the season.

Tonight’s Game
The University of Kansas (5-4) returns to Allen Fieldhouse for its final home game before the New Year when it takes on San Diego State (3-5) on Tuesday, Dec. 28, in Allen Fieldhouse. The game is aired live on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6.

SDSU is coming off an 80-36 loss at SMU on Dec. 22. Senior forward Lindsey Casey led the way with 11 points and seven boards. For the season, sophomore Michelle Elliott leads the team with 10.3 points per game, but has only played in three games due to injuries. Casey is the only other player in double figures with 10.0 points per contest. The Aztecs are led in rebounding by freshman Ashley Cheesman with 7.5 boards per game. Freshman Kate Eveland passes out 2.4 dimes per game to lead SDSU.

Kansas takes the floor after a 68-63 loss at Creighton on Dec. 21. Creighton iced the game with strong free throw shooting, hitting 6-of-6 free throws in the final minute. Junior Erica Hallman tied her career-high with 20 points. Junior Crystal Kemp notched her second double-double of the season and the ninth of her career with 16 points and 17 rebounds. The 17 boards shattered her previous career-high of 13 rebounds.

For the season, Kemp has been impressive with 16.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Hallman is second on the team with 11.2 points to go with 5.7 assists per game. Senior Aquanita Burras rounds out the double-figure scorers with 10.2 points per game.

The matchup will mark the second all-time meeting between the two schools. San Diego State won the first meeting, 76-63, on Dec. 30, 1987 in San Diego in the championship game of the San Diego State Dial Classic.

Last Time Out
The Jayhawks fell to Creighton 68-63 on Tuesday, Dec. 21 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Neb. KU moved to 0-2 in road games.

Kansas placed three players in double-figures. Junior Erica Hallman led the way tying a career-high 20 points, while fellow junior Crystal Kemp had a very strong game with 16 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. Senior Aquanita Burras scored 13 points to go along with seven boards.

“We just didn’t defend our tendencies well,” Kansas head coach Bonnie Henrickson said. “It was disappointing to struggle that much in a defensive effort.

“The positives are that we made some runs,” Henrickson added. “We also pressed and forced some steals.”

The Jayhawks forced nine steals and 15 turnovers on the night.

Angie Janis led the way for Creighton with 24 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the field. Laura Spanheimer added 18 points for the Jays, while Kristi Woodard added 16 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

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.

Jayhawk Starters
KU has used four different starting lineups in nine games with freshman Taylor McIntosh, senior Aquanita Burras and junior Erica Hallman starting each game. Junior Kaylee Brown (7 starts), junior Crystal Kemp (7), sophomore Alicia Rhymes (2) and senior Blair Waltz (2) have also made starts. The combo of McIntosh, Burras, Hallman, Brown and Kemp have started the last six contests, and the team owns a record of 3-3 in that stretch.

Taking Care of the Ball
The Jayhawks have taken care of the ball well. Consider the following:
– KU ranks third in the Big 12 in turnover margin at +4.22.
– Through games of Dec. 20, KU ranked fourth in the conference and 26th in the nation for fewest turnovers per game at 14.6.
– Point guard Erica Hallman ranks fifth in the Big 12 in assist/turnover ratio at 2.43.

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.) carries 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, also sees time on the wing.

Kemp has posted seven double-figure scoring games and led the team in scoring in six times. McIntosh has led the team in rebounding in four games and Hallman has led in assists in seven games. KU has recorded three double-doubles, including two by Kemp and one by McIntosh.

Tonight’s Opponent – San Diego State Aztecs
San Diego State (3-5) enters the game against Kansas after falling 80-36 at SMU on Dec. 22. San Diego State returns three starters among seven letterwinners to a team that went 8-20 overall and 3-11 in the Mountain West Conference in 2003-04. Picked to finish seven the MWC this season, the Aztecs have wins over Cal State Stanislaus, Northern Colorado and Cal State Fullerton.

The Aztecs are led in scoring by sophomore Michelle Elliott with 10.3 points per game, but she has only played in three games due to injuries. Senior forward Lindsey Casey is the only other player in double figures with 10.0 points per contest. The Aztecs are led in rebounding by freshman Ashley Cheesman with 7.5 boards per game. Freshman Kate Eveland passes out 2.4 dimes per game to lead SDSU.

Last game against SMU, Casey led the charge with 11 points and seven rebounds. The Aztecs struggled from the field, shooting only 27.6 percent and were outrebounded 58-28 by the Mustangs.

As a team, the Aztecs are scoring 57.5 points per game on 34.2 percent shooting and pulling down 34.6 rebounds per game. SDSU is giving up 63.9 points per game on 43.0 percent shooting and 42.0 boards per game to its opponents.

San Diego State is coached by Jim Tomey, who is 20-43 in his third year at SDSU and overall.

Kansas vs. SDSU Series Notes
San Diego State leads the all-time series 1-0, with the first meeting taking place at SDSU. In the championship game of the San Diego State Dial Classic, the Aztecs downed the Jayhawks 76-63. Kansas is 2-3 all-time against teams in the Mountain West Conference.

Kansas/San Diego State Last Meeting
San Diego State defeated Kansas 76-63 in the championship game of the San Diego State Dial Classic on Dec. 30, 1987.

Kansas was led by Lisa Braddy with 17 points and six assists. Sandy Shaw came off the bench for KU to score 15 points. Lisa Baker grabbed a team-high nine rebounds. Chana Perry of San Diego State pumped in a game-high 26 points and 12 rebounds. Jessica Haynes added 22 points and Brooke Meadows chipped in 12 points.

The Jayhawks led at halftime 32-29 before SDSU came from behind for the win. Five players (3 for KU and 2 for SDSU) fouled out in the contest.

Connections
– SDSU forward Lindsey Casey began her college career in the Big 12 Conference at the University of Oklahoma. Casey played for the Sooners in 2001-02 when OU made its run to the national title game. On Feb. 2, 2002, against KU (in Norman), Casey played six minutes and scored two points on 1-of-2 shooting to go with a steal and a foul.

A Kansas Win Would
Make KU 6-4 for the second straight season … Make KU 1-1 all-time against San Diego State … Make KU 1-0 against the Aztecs in Lawrence, Kan. … Give KU its third win in its last four games … Give Kansas a 6-2 record at home this season … Make head coach Bonnie Henrickson’s record 6-4 (.600) at KU and 164-66 (.713) in her career … Make KU 603-402 all-time.

A Kansas Loss Would
Make KU 5-5 for the first time since 1986-87 … Make KU 0-2 all-time against San Diego State … Make KU 0-1 against the Aztecs in Lawrence, Kan. … Give KU a two-game losing streak … Make the Jayhawks 5-3 at home this season … Make head coach Bonnie Henrickson’s record 5-5 (.500) at KU and 163-67 (.709) in her career … Make KU 602-403 all-time.

Returning For The Jayhawks
Kansas returns seven players and three starters from 2003-04, led by 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 and 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 66 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 (73, 5th), three-pointers attempted (209, 6th) and three-point field goal percentage (34.9 percent, 8th).
– Hallman is approaching the KU all-time top-10 in assists. Currently at 239 career assists, Hallman needs eight more dimes to catch Jaclyn Johnson for 10th place (247 career assists).
– Junior Crystal Kemp is currently in 10th place on the KU career field goal percentage list at 50.9 percent (333-654).
– At her current pace, Kemp appears to be on track to become Kansas’ 18th all-time 1,000-point scorer, and first since Jaclyn Johnson, Brooke Reves and Jennifer Jackson all accomplished the feat during the 2000-01 season. With 843 career points and a current season average of 16.7 points per game, she is on pace to reach the milestone during the Oklahoma game on Feb. 2.
– 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 four opponents to under 20 points in the first half (UMKC-19, Denver-15, Washburn-19, Western Illinois-13). Also at Minnesota, the Jayhawks held the Gophers to 27 points, which was a Minnesota season-low. Prior to playing KU, the Gophers averaged 40.5 points in the first half.

Additionally, KU is is holding all opponents to 51.7 points per game which ranks first in the Big 12. Through games of Dec. 20, the Jayhawks ranked fifth in the nation in scoring defense.

A Tale Of Two Halves
KU has been impressive in the first half, outscoring its opponents 291-208 (or 32.3-to-23.1 points per game), and leading at the break in seven out of nine games. But in the second half, KU is trailing 257-240 and three of four losses have come after leading at intermission. As a team, the Jayhawks are averaging 32.3 points per first half on 46.4 percent (117-of-252) shooting from the field. In the second half, however, KU is connecting on only 36.6 percent (90-of-246) of its shots and averaging 26.7 points. As a team, KU has shot at least 10 percentage points lower in the second half than the first half in the last seven games.

Putting In Their Time
Part of the reason KU has had trouble holding off opponents in the second half is the amount of minutes that several of the players are having to play. Three players (Erica Hallman-35.44, Aquanita Burras-33.56 and Crystal Kemp-31.56) are playing 31 minutes per game or more, and each rank in the top 10 in the conference in time played per game.

Up Next For KU
After the game with San Diego State, the Jayhawks have a quick turnaround before playing their final non-conference game on Thursday, Dec. 30 at Ball State at 6 p.m. After the new year, KU kicks off Big 12 play at Texas on Jan. 5.

Kemp Off To A Fast Start
Junior forward Crystal Kemp paces the team with 16.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. She has played in all nine games with seven starts. She possesses an impressive array of post moves and can knock down the open jumper. The smooth lefty from Topeka, Kan., has come a long way since arriving at KU and as she has accepted the new system of the new coaching staff, she has continued to grow even more in her play. As a freshman, Kemp struggled to be the same player night in and night out, especially offensively. But as a sophomore, she focused on becoming more consistent which she did, scoring in double figures in 23 games and shooting 50 percent from the field. For her efforts, she was named team MVP. This season, Kemp has already faced some of the top competition in the nation and performed well. She held Janel McCarville of Minnesota to 15 points while scoring 17 points of her own. She also outscored 6′-7″ Mid-Con preseason Player of the Year Zane Teilane of Western Illinois, 17-12. She reached 800 career points on Dec. 8 vs. Western Illinois. Kemp currently ranks 25th in the country shooting 56.3 percent from the field.

Burras An All-Around Threat
Perhaps Kansas’ top all-around player, senior Aquanita Burras does the little things with hustle and intense defense. She is third on the team with 10.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. She also ranks second on the team with 29 assists and leads the team with 18 steals. At just 5’9″, she is second on the team with six blocked shots and third on the squad with 15 offensive rebounds. She rarely comes out of the game, averaging 33.6 minutes per game. In three years at KU, she has started all 66 games of her career.

Hallman Adjusting Well To The Point
Junior Erica Hallman, who primarily played on the wing last season, has started all nine games this season at point guard and is getting more and more comfortable with each game. She is second on the team with 11.2 points per game and is tied for the most on the team with 15 three-pointers made. She provides KU with a solid ball-handling and long-range shooting option. Her 2.43-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks first on the team and fifth in the Big 12. She dished a career-high 13 assists against Dartmouth on Dec. 18, which ranks second on the KU single game list. She is in the all-time top 10 at KU for three-pointers made (73, 5th), three-pointers attempted (209, 6th) and three-point field goal percentage (34.9 percent, 8th). At Creighton on Dec. 21, she tied a career-high 20 points.

McIntosh A Crowd Favorite
Freshman forward Taylor McIntosh has quickly become a fan favorite for the Jayhawks in her first season. A Wichita, Kan., native, McIntosh has started all nine games and has made her reputation doing the little things in her young career. She is second on the team with 6.9 rebounds per game and first on the team with 29 offensive rebounds. Her 3.22 offensive boards per game ranks third in the Big 12. On offense, she is steadily improving her ball-handling and is looking to become more reliable with the ball in her hands. She recorded her first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds against Dartmouth. She posted a career-high 13 rebounds versus UMKC on Nov. 27.

Brown From Downtown
Junior guard Kaylee Brown has played in all nine games with seven starts. A hard-nosed player, Brown is not afraid to sacrifice her body to take a charge (she has taken three this season). She is a patient player who sees the floor well, and has the ability to score from long range. Is tied for the team-lead with 15 three-pointers made. Has connected for at least one three-pointer in each of the last eight games. Owns an average of 8.2 points and 1.7 boards per game.

Smith First Off The Bench
Sophomore guard Sharita Smith is in her first full season after missing the first half of her freshman season due to injury. This season, she has been the first player off the bench a team-high six times and is averaging 2.8 points and 1.1 rebounds in 14.3 minutes per game. She had her best game of the season when she had 10 points, two assists and two rebounds versus Dartmouth on Dec. 18. She operates at point guard and on the wing.

Waltz Back For Senior Season
Senior Blair Waltz is the only four-year senior on the team. She has played in seven games with two starting assignments and averages 2.9 points and 1.3 rebounds per game. Her best game this season was a nine-point, four-assist effort versus Sacred Heart on Nov. 24.

Rhymes A Hard Worker
Sophomore forward Alicia Rhymes is in her third year at KU after spending her first year as a redshirt and last season as a reserve. This season, Rhymes has played in six games with two starting assignments. She has posted 2.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per outing. She is shooting 45.5 percent from the field on 5-of-11 field goals. One of just four players to stand at least six feet tall, she operates primarily out of the high post. She was described by the coaches as the player who improved the most during summer workouts.

Boyd Plays Valuable Reserve Role
Freshman forward Jamie Boyd is in her first year with the Jayhawks after a standout career at Underwood (Iowa) High School where she was named Miss Iowa Basketball. She has played in eight games this season in a reserve role and has posted 2.5 points and 2.8 boards in 16.1 minutes per game. A physical player who works hard in the low post on defense, she is also capable of knocking down the jumper from the high post.

Hayes Added Late
Junior guard Heather Hayes was a late addition to the team after practice had already begun in October. A native of Derby, Kan., Hayes began her career at Oral Roberts in 2001-02. She spent the first half of her sophomore season at Seward County CC before enrolling at Butler County CC in the spring of 2003. Hayes enrolled at KU in the summer of 2003 and spent the 2003-04 season as a redshirt walk-on with the Jayhawks. She left the team following the season but returned when offered a scholarship by the coaching staff. She has seen action in one game so far.

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 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 played at No. 14 Minnesota on Dec. 5, at Creighton on Dec. 21 and will also play 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 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 are 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.