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San Francisco Opens West Coast Conference Play At Saint Mary's
Jan. 10, 2003 SAN FRANCISCO ON THE ROAD (STILL) - DESTINATION MORAGA: USF women's basketball continues their eight game road trip - the longest in program history - when they travel across the Bay Bridge to open the 2003 West Coast Conference season at Saint Mary's. The Lady Dons, winners of three consecutive road contests look to continue their success on the road and must do so against a Gaels squad boasting a 5-2 home record at McKeon Pavilion and have won four of their last six games. Saint Mary's owns a 7-6 overall record heading into league action. The two teams split the 2002 WCC series with each club holding serve at home. The Saint Mary's game is the sixth consecutive contest away from home for the Lady Dons' who last played a home contest in a 53-44 loss to Southern Mississippi Dec. 17. LADY DONS AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS: Two Lady Dons rank in the top-15 among NCAA Division I statistical leaders, as released Jan. 6. Sophomore guard Toni Russell ranks 10th in steals per game at 4.1 swipes per outing. Junior forward Carey Sauer, who finished the 2001-2002 season ranked third in free throw percentage at .918 (90-98), currently rates tied for 11th at .912 (42-46). LONG ROAD AHEAD FOR THE LADY DONS: San Francisco continues the longest road trip (eight games) in program history when they travel to Moraga for the 2003 West Coast Conference opener against Saint Mary's Saturday, Jan. 11. The Lady Dons will not play a contest in the friendly confines of War Memorial Gym until the third week of West Coast Conference action when they host WCC and Bay Area rival Santa Clara Friday, Jan. 24.
PROBABLE USF LADY DONS STARTERS (As Of 1/5/03): G. #3 Charmaine Ramos, 5-9, Fr. (1.4 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.4 assists) G. #22 Joy Hollingsworth, 5-10, Fr. (8.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.9 steals) G. #13 Merisa Leatherman, 5-10, Jr. (5.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.6 assists) C. #5 Leeane Jensen, 6-3, So. (4.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 0.2 blocks) F. #42 Carey Sauer, 6-0, Jr. (15.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.1 assists) Key San Francisco Reserves G. #2 Toni Russell, 5-3, So. (8.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.7 assists, 4.1 steals) F. #4 Lisa Whiteside, 5-9, Sr. (9.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.3 assists) C. #23 Mary Jane Krueger, 6-2, Jr. (7.6 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.5 blocks) SCOUTING SAINT MARY'S: The Gaels are off to a 7-6 start this season and appear to be adjusting to life without the Dosty twins, having won four of their last six contests. Saint Mary's posted an impressive home victories against Montana (68-62) and Cal (71-64) and defeated Pacific (73-53) on the road. In their last outing, the Gaels dropped a home contest against Colorado State (64-46) Jan. 4. Saint Mary's averages 63.5 points per game, while converting on .395 (296-750) from the floor, while limiting their opponents to 62.3 points per night on .388 (305-787) from the field. Sophomore center Triola Jackson has erupted for the Gaels this season and leads the West Coast Conference in scoring (18.3), rebounding (9.9) and field goal percentage, hitting at a .519 (98-189) pace. Senior forward Julie Morris adds 13.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest, but is listed as questionable for the league opener against USF due to an ankle injury. Senior forward Katie Davis chips in with 9.2 points per game and 3.5 rebounds. Michelle Jacoby is in her third season at the controls for Saint Mary's and owns a sparkling 49-25 record with a 20-8 WCC record. Jacoby has guided the Gaels into the postseason in both if her seasons in Moraga. SERIES RECORD/STREAK: USF leads 18-16/SMC one game LAST MEETINGS: at USF 74, Saint Mary's 67 (1/16/01); at Saint Mary's 79, USF 73 (1/20/02)
LAST TIME AGAINST THE LADY DONS: Four days after a 74-67 win at War Memorial Gym, USF dropped a 79-73 contest at Saint Mary's. Senior guard Lindsey Huff lead the way for the Lady Dons with 17 points, six rebounds and four assists, while junior guard Lisa Whiteside added 12 points. SHUFFLING THE DECK: Following an ugly loss at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, head coach Mary Hile-Nepfel shuffled her starting lineup in an effort to jump start a sagging offense and create bench scoring. After a three-game winning streak, the moves seem to have paid off as USF rattled off wins at Wisconsin (70-67 ot), Long Beach State (67-47) and UC Irvine (70-66). Hile-Nepfel inserted freshman point guard Charmaine Ramos, sophomore post Leeane Jensen and junior guard Merisa Leatherman and began using former starters junior post Mary Jane Krueger, sophomore guard Toni Russell and senior forward Lisa Whiteside as key reserves. Following is the statistical breakdown of the old versus revamped starting lineup. The numbers are compelling.
TEAM COMPARISONS LAST THREE GAMES (3-0): Team PPG Margin FG% 3-FG% FT% RPG APG TOPG SPG BPG USF 69.0 +9.0 .426 .341 .694 41.0 13.0 16.3 12.0 2.0 Opp. 60.0 -9.0 .385 .366 .711 34.7 15.0 17.7 8.0 5.3 BENCH SCORING SUDDENLY RESURGENT: One of the most immediate changes with the lineup switch instituted after the loss at Wisconsin-Milwaukee came in the form of bench scoring. In the first 11 games of the season, USF was getting an anemic 7.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game from their reserves. San Francisco's bench was held scoreless for the third time this season against the Panthers (#6 Stanford, Southern Mississippi). In the last three games USF reserves averaged 29 points to go along with 17.3 rebounds per game. USF IN WEST COAST CONFERENCE OPENERS: San Francisco owns a 9-7 record in West Coast Conference openers as they head into the 17th season of league play Jan. 11 at Saint Mary's. The Lady Dons open the season against the Gaels for the first time since the WCC's inaugural year in 1986, with USF capturing a 73-67 victory at War Memorial Gym. The Lady Dons lost their 2001-2002 season opener at Loyola Marymount 76-58. CAREY SAUER BACK FOR THE LADY DONS: Junior forward Carey Sauer returns for USF after posting an outstanding sophomore campaign on the Hilltop. Sauer, a 2002 All-West Coast Conference First Team selection, averaged 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game last season. In addition, the Newport, WA native ranked third in the nation in free throw percentage at .918 (90-98) and set a USF single-season record in free throw percentage. Sauer provided most of the offense in the Lady Dons' opener at #18 Colorado State in the 2002 Preseason WNIT, pouring in a team-high 17 points on 6-of-12 from the floor. Sauer turned in a terrific performance against #6 Stanford, scoring 16 points, including 2-of-3 from long distance. In three games against the top-25, Sauer has been sweet, averaging 17.3 points on .474 (18-38) from the floor to go along with 5.0 rebounds. In USF's convincing win against Seton Hall, Sauer went 12-for-12 at the free throw line, finishing with a team-high 18 points to go along with eight boards and added a game-high 22 points against Syracuse. It was the third time in her career that Sauer went 12-of-12 from the charity stripe. Sauer leads the team in scoring (15.1), free throw percentage .913 (42-46) and is the leading 3-point shooter, converting on .414 (24-58). Sauer leads the West Coast Conference and ranks tied for 11th among NCAA Division I leaders at the free throw line. TONI RUSSELL - MASTER THIEF: Sophomore guard Toni Russell prepares for her second season of basketball on the Hilltop and looks to build off her 2002 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year campaign. Russell, a relentless defender and clutch shooter, led the WCC in steals last season (2.6) and led the team in assists (3.1). Russell scored 10 points to go along with four steals in the 2002-2003 season opener at #18 Colorado State in the 2002 Preseason WNIT. In a win against Nevada-Reno, Russell scored nine points, pulled down four rebounds and dished out five assists. Russell was equally impressive against #6 Stanford, scoring 13 points to go along with six assists, six steals, four rebounds in 37 minutes of action. Russell was a big spark in USF's victory against Seton Hall, scoring nine points to go along with six steals and three assists in 37 minutes. Russell poured in a career-high 16 points in the loss against Montana. In a rout of Long Beach State, Russell recorded a career-high 10 steals in just 28 minutes of playing time. On the season, Russell leads the team in assists (3.7), steals (4.1) and ranks third in scoring (8.8). In addition, Russell leads the West Coast Conference and rates 10th among NCAA Division I leaders in steals. WHITESIDE ADDS SENIOR LEADERSHIP TO LADY DONS: Senior forward Lisa Whiteside looks to put an exclamation point on her final season of basketball on the Hilltop. Whiteside, the lone senior on the Lady Dons roster will be looked upon to set the tone for USF, especially on the defensive side once again this season. Whiteside established career-highs in virtually every category last season, including points (7.7), rebounds (4.8) assists (2.3) and steals (1.7). Whiteside turned in a career performance in a tough loss against #19 BYU, scoring a carer-high 23 points on 9-of-12 from the floor in 36 minutes. In road wins against Wisconsin and UC Irvine, Whiteside was terrific scoring 13 points against the Badgers and a team-high 19 against the Anteaters. Whiteside leads the team in field goal percentage at .485 (47-97), rates second in assists (2.3) and scoring (9.0). MARY JANE KRUEGER A BOARD WARRIOR: Redshirt junior center Mary Jane Krueger makes a much-anticipated return to the lineup for the Lady Dons this season. Krueger missed the entire 2001-2002 season after tearing her right ACL November 3, 2001. In USF's win against Nevada-Reno in the 2002-2003 home opener, Krueger scored seven points and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds, 10 coming in the first half. Krueger followed it with a six point, 12 rebound effort against #6 Stanford. In USF's win against Seton Hall, Krueger posted her first double-double of the season with a 11 point, 12 rebound night and followed it with another with a 11 point, 13 rebound effort against Syracuse. It was the fourth straight game Krueger pulled down at least 10 boards. Krueger was one rebound shy of her third double-dip of the season against Montana finishing with 11 points and nine boards. Krueger chipped in her sixth double-digit rebound performance with 15 in a win at Long Beach State. On the season, Krueger leads USF in rebounds (8.5) and blocked shots (1.5) and is fifth in scoring (7.6). SAUER APPROACHING SCORING MILESTONES: Junior forward Carey Sauer has continued her assault on the USF career scoring charts and the next stop is 800 career points after surpassing 700 against Seton Hall (11/29/02). Following a 12-point night in a win at UC Irvine, Sauer has scored 860 points in two-plus seasons on the Hilltop and is the 21st player in program history to reach 700 points and first since Lindsey Huff (1997-2002) achieved the plateau in 2000-2001. Sauer needs 34 points to crack the top-15 scorers in USF women's basketball history. Alice Solis (1987-90) holds the 15th spot, scoring 893 career points. Sauer has reached double-figures in scoring 43 times during her career on the Hilltop in 72 career games. A 2002 All-West Coast Conference First Team selection, Sauer scored a season-high 22 points against Syracuse, marking the third time in her career she has surpassed 20 points in a game. JOY HOLLINGSWORTH TURNS IT ON: Freshman guard Joy Hollingsworth made a huge splash in her second start of the season against #6 Stanford. Hollingsworth poured in a game-high 18 points on 6-of-9 from the floor, including 5-for-6 from beyond the 3-point arc. The 2002 Washington State Player of the Year nearly sparked USF to a historic upset against the Cardinal, but gave the Lady Dons a big glimpse at the future. Hollingsworth scored 10 points and pulled down seven rebounds at Washington in front of about 100 friends and family members in Seattle. In USF's victory at UC Irvine, Hollingsworth scored 15 points and added five rebounds. On the season, Hollingsworth averages 8.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game. VERSATILE LEATHERMAN MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS: Junior guard Merisa Leatherman started in the backcourt for the Lady Dons in the opening round of the 2002 Preseason WNIT against #19 Colorado State. Leatherman, a junior college transfer from American River College, scored seven points and pulled down four rebounds in her Division I debut versus the Rams. Leatherman sparked USF in their win against Nevada-Reno in the 2002-2003 home opener with a team-high 16 points off the bench in 25 minutes of playing time. Leatherman scored five points in the loss against Montana and pulled down three rebounds off the bench. Since returning to the starting lineup against Wisconsin, Leatherman has averaged 8.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists, with 12 points in the win against Long Beach State. On the season, Leatherman averages 5.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.
USF ON THE RADIO AND THE NET: USF women's basketball begins its seventh season on the radio and in cyberspace for the 2002-2003 season. All 28 USF Lady Dons regular season games will be broadcast this year on both the air (KUSF, 90.3 FM) and the web, courtesy of YahooBroadcast. Women's hoops fans can access the internet broadcasts from their personal computers from the official website of the USF Athletic Department, www.usfdons.com. George Devine, the Dean of women's basketball broadcasters in the West Coast Conference returns for his seventh season of bringing all the exciting play-by-play from his position courtside.
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