March 21, 2001
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This Week in the NCAA Tournament
West Regional
Spokane Arena (12,000)
Spokane, Wash.
Hosted by Washington State University
Regional Semifinal
Saturday, March 24
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 SW Missouri St.
7 p.m.
followed 30 minutes after by (approx. 9:30 p.m.)
No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 6 Washington
Regional Championship Game
7 p.m., Monday, March 26
Winner advances to Final Four in St. Louis, Mo.
Game 31
Washington Huskies
(21-9 overall, 12-6 Pac-10/1st-tie)
vs.
Oklahoma Sooners
(28-5 overall, 15-1 Big 12)
The Coaches
Washington
June Daugherty (Ohio St. Ô78)
Record at UW: 80-65 (5th yr.)
Career record: 203-139 (12th yr.)
Oklahoma
Sherri Coale (Oklahoma Christian '86)
Record at OU/Career: 81-68 (5th yr.)
Huskies in Spokane
WestCoast River Inn
N. 700 Division
(509) 326-5577
Contact Susan Reid or Dan Lepse for media requests.
West Region Ticket Information
Available through the Husky Ticket Office
(206) 543-2200
or
All G&B Ticket Outlets
Spokane Arena Box Office
800-325-SEAT / 509-325-SEAT
On-line at www.ticketswest.com
The Tournament:
After traveling across the country for its first and second
rounds, the Washington women's basketball team (21-9) returns to its home
state to face Oklahoma (28-5) in the West Region of the 2001 NCAA Women's
Basketball Tournament in Spokane, Wash.
The Huskies, a six-seed who earned an at-large bid and were sent to
Florida for their first and second round games, meet the Sooners, a two-seed
out of the Big 12 Conference, for their semifinal in the second game of the
day, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Sat., March 12 at the Spokane Arena. No. 1
seed Duke (30-3) and fifth-seeded Southwest Missouri State (27-5) meet in
the first game of the day, at 7 p.m.
Washington is in its 13th NCAA Tournament and third under Husky head
coach June Daugherty. Appearing in the tournament for the first time since
1998, the Huskies advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1995.
Television / Radio / Internet
Washington's regional semifinal game versus Oklahoma will be televised live
on ESPN at approximately 9:30 p.m. PST. Michelle Tafoya and Doris Burke will
call the action. It will be carried live on the radio at KOMO am 1000 with
Steve Sandmeyer calling the game. Games can also be heard live on the
internet by going to www.gohuskies.com where fans will be directed to:
http:www.broadcast.com/sports/ncaa/washington
The game is scheduled to tip-off 30 minutes following the Duke-SW
Missouri game.
How They Got Here
The Huskies received the lengthiest travel schedule of the tournament
but didn't let it faze them as they opened their first NCAA appearance since
1998 with a last second buzzer-beating shot to defeat 11-seed Old Dominion,
67-65, in the first round of action at the O'Connell Center in Gainesville,
Fla. They followed that performance, and the shot that earned a spot on
ESPN's Plays of the Week, with an upset of host and No. 3 seed Florida,
86-75, to advance to the round of 16 for the fifth time in school history.
Oklahoma advanced after defeating Oral Roberts, 70-64, and Pac-10 foe
Stanford, 67-50 in Norman, Okla. Duke advanced after defeating
Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 96-63, and Arkansas, 75-54, in Durham, North Carolina.
SWMS advanced after defeating Toledo, 89-71, and four-seed Rutgers, 60-53.
About the West Region Field
Washington finished the regular season with a record of 19-9 overall
and 12-6 in the Pacific-10 Conference. The Huskies were crowned conference
co-champions along with Stanford and Arizona State, who also finished with
league marks of 12-6. Stanford earned the automatic bid to the tournament
through the conference tiebreaker. Washington was the highest seed among the
four Pac-10 teams participating in the tournament, as Stanford is at 10, ASU
11 and Oregon 13. The Huskies are the only Pac-10 remaining in the
tournament.
Oklahoma, ranked No. 7 in the most recent AP Top 25 poll, earned an
at-large invitation and No. 2 seed after finishing the regular season with a
record of 26-5 overall and 15-1 in the Big 12. The Sooners are making their
fourth appearance in the tournament. The regional match-up will mark the
second meeting between OU and UW.
Duke earned a top seed and automatic berth in the tournament after
finishing its regular season with a record 28-3 and 13-3 mark in the
Atlantic Coast Conference. The Blue Devils are making their eighth
appearance in the postseason tournament. Southwest Missouri State, which
boasts the NCAA's all-time leading scorer in Jackie Stiles, earned an
automatic bid through the Missouri Valley Conference after finishing its
regular season with a mark of 25-5. The Lady Bears are making their 10th
appearance.
Along with Spokane, the other regional sites are: East - Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania (Mellon Area), Mideast - Birmingham, Alabama
(Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex Area), and Midwest - Denver,
Colorado (Pepsi Center). The four regional winners will meet at the NCAA
Women's Final Four, March 30 and April 1, at the Savvis Center in St. Louis,
Missouri.
NCAA Tournament History:
On the strength of a remarkable regular season
that has seen the Huskies engineer one of the greatest turnarounds in the
country, Washington is making its 13th appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
The most recent visit was in 1998 when the current Husky senior class were
freshmen. Washington has an overall mark of 13-12 in tournament games and
has advanced as far as the Elite Eight, in 1990.
The Huskies first appeared in 1985, the fourth year of the tournament,
and had a string of seven straight years in which they advanced to
postseason. After missing out in 1992, when they finished 17-11, the Huskies
returned every year from 1993-95.
Washington is 7-3 in first round games, 5-5 in second round games and
1-3 in regional semifinal games. UW owns a record of 2-4 in NCAA tournament
games played on a neutral court.
Been There, Done That:
Washington's six-player senior class was the last UW
group to appear in the NCAA Tournament, when they were freshmen in 1998. The
Huskies lost in the first round, 88-71, at Purdue.
Washington advanced to the second round of the WNIT in 1999.
Top Twenty:
Washington surpassed the 20-win plateau for the first time
since 1994-95 ... the Huskies finished 25-9 that year and advanced to the
Mideast Regional Semifinal before falling to Texas Tech (67-52) ... UW has
posted 11 twenty-win seasons since 1974-75 ... UW's highest win total was in
1990, when that team finished 28-3 after advancing to the Elite Eight (where
it lost to Auburn, 76-50).
Top Dawgs:
When Washington earned a share of the Pac-10 women's basketball
title, it became the fourth conference crown for a Husky sports team this
year. The men's and women's soccer teams each won Pac-10 titles, as did the
Husky football team.
The men's soccer team advanced to the second round of the NCAA
Tournament while the women reached the Sweet 16. The Husky football team
earned a berth in the Rose Bowl where it defeated Purdue, 34-24.
Bottom to Top:
Washington's first place finish in the Pac-10 Conference
marked the single greatest turnaround by a team, from one year to the next,
since Pac-10 play began in 1986-87. The Huskies, who share the Pac-10
championship with Arizona State and Stanford, finished ninth last year. No
other team has ever made that great a leap in one season. Previously, the
most dramatic turnaround was an Oregon team that went from fourth place in
1997-98 to Pac-10 champions in 1998-99.
Pac-10 History:
Washington has claimed three Pac-10 titles since the
conference began women's play in 1986-87. The Huskies won the second title
awarded, in 1988, when they finished with an overall record of 25-5 and 16-2
in conference play. That team advanced to the NCAA West Region Semifinal,
where it lost to Long Beach State, 104-78, in Long Beach. The Huskies were
co-champions with Stanford in 1990 when they posted Washington's best record
ever, at 28-3 overall, with a 17-1 conference mark. The Huskies, who
finished the year ranked No. 3, advanced to the Elite Eight, where the
season ended with a 76-50 loss to Auburn at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa
City.
In the 14 previous years of Pac-10 play, the conference's automatic
qualifier hosted NCAA first round games. In 1990, when Washington and
Stanford were co-champions, both were No. 1 seed and hosted tournament
games. When UCLA and Oregon shared the title in 1999, the Bruins had the
automatic bid and hosted while the Ducks played at Iowa.
Quick Fact:
All 23 of Washington's athletic teams are referred to simply as
"Huskies."
The term "Lady Huskies" is not used by the University of Washington.
Senior Salute:
Six Huskies are entering the home stretch of their
collegiate careers. This year is the second NCAA Tournament appearance for
Sarah Duncan, Melissa Erickson, Megan Franza, Carli Halpenny, Jill Pimley
and LeAnn Sheets. Together the class has combined to lead Washington to a
78-65 record over the last four years, including the Huskies' most recent
NCAA Tournament visit, when they were freshmen in 1998. They helped lead UW
to a 10-0 start and a No. 7 national ranking in '97-98 and have engineered
the fourth-greatest turn-around in the country, from one season to the next,
this year. All six players will graduate in June.
Top Turnaround:
Washington has engineered a dramatic turnaround from last
season, when the Huskies played their home games in downtown Seattle, were
continually plagued by injuries and lacked a senior class. At the end of
last season, Washington had a record of 8-22, the first losing season in
school history, and a ninth place finish in the Pac-10 ... this year, the
Huskies finished the regular season at 19-9 and as Pac-10 co-champions.
With an overall record of 21-9, Washington more than doubled its win
total from last season when it finished 8-22. Here is a look at how
Washington ranks among other teams around the country that have also posted
similar turnarounds this season:
Washington and Oklahoma Common Opponents
Ironically, Washington and Oklahoma have both faced Stanford twice this
season. The Huskies split with the Cardinal, losing in Palo Alto, 76-68, and
winning in Seattle, 95-87. The Sooners swept Stanford, 102-98 in overtime
Dec. 27 in Norman, and in the second round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament last
Monday night, 67-50, also in Norman, Okla.
Series History:
The Huskies and Sooners have met just once before, during
the 1986-87 season. Washington defeated Oklahoma, 83-64, to capture its own
Husky Classic tournament title. Washington owns a record of 12-14 against
schools in the Big 12 Conference, including a pair of victories this season,
at Oklahoma State (66-59) and versus Nebraska (69-57).
Washington is 2-0 versus Duke, with the most recent meeting in 1993.
The Huskies are also 2-0 versus SWMS, with the most recent win in 1995.
Washington coach June Daugherty has not faced any of the three schools
in the regional field during her career.
Random Series Trivia:
Although the women's basketball programs have met
just once before, Washington and Oklahoma share an interesting bit of
college football trivia. Diehard Husky fans often recount the memorable 1985
Orange Bowl when fourth-ranked Washington benefited from a penalty as a
result of Oklahoma's Sooner Schooner Conestoga wagon appearing on the field
prematurely. The Huskies turned the game around with 14 straight points and
earned a 28-17 victory over No. 2 Oklahoma. The Football News tabbed
Washington, which finished with a record of 11-1, as National Champions
over BYU for the 1984 football season.
NCAA First and Second Round Recaps
Second Round versus Florida, March 18
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Two losses at the end of the regular season sent
Washington on a 3,000-mile trip that few teams could expect to survive.
Talk about making the best of it.
The Huskies kept alive their long and unlikely adventure in the NCAA
tournament Sunday night, thanks to good shooting and a clutch 14-point
effort from freshman Andrea Lalum in an 86-75 upset victory over Florida.
Washington made its first six shots, shot 49 percent from the field and
hit all but seven of their 34 free throws in a near wire-to-wire victory
over the third-seeded Gators (24-6).
Freshman Giuliana Mendiola led Washington with 18 points, but nobody
came through bigger than Lalum, who hit two 3-pointers to open the game,
then made four key baskets down the stretch to help hold off a strong
Florida rally.
The Gators matched the program record for victories this season, but
joined Georgia as the second Southeastern Conference team that couldn't
advance out of a subregional on its home court.
Brandi McCain led the Gators with 23 points, but shot just 8-for-29
(7-for-26 from 3-point range) as part of the team's awful 34 percent
shooting night. By the time McCain got hot, midway through the second half,
Florida trailed by 19.
This game had none of the drama of Friday night, when Huskies guard
Loree Payne hit a jumper at the buzzer to lift her team to a thrilling 67-65
victory over Old Dominion.
Trailing 62-43, McCain hit three 3-pointers and center Vanessa Hayden
scored nine points as part of a 26-11 run that pulled the Gators within
four. But Lalum kept answering during that stretch, keeping the Huskies in
the lead.
After pulling within four at 73-69, Florida missed five straight shots,
and started sending the Huskies to the foul line, where they hit 11 of 15
down the stretch.
First Round versus Old Dominion, March 16
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Loree Payne got Washington's tournament off to a magical
start, hitting a 15-foot jump shot at the buzzer to lift the Huskies past
Old Dominion 67-65 in the first round of the West Regional.
With 0.7 seconds remaining, Payne, a sophomore, took the inbounds pass
from Megan Franza, spotted up on the baseline and swished home the game
winner as the buzzer blared.
The sixth-seeded Huskies (20-9) rushed off the bench and mobbed Payne,
pushing her into press row, as they celebrated a triumphant return to the
tournament after a two-season absence.
No. 11 seed Old Dominion (21-9) trailed by as many as 10, but chipped
away, and when Monique Coker hit a layup, the Lady Monarchs tied the game at
65 with 54 seconds remaining. After a Washington turnover, Old Dominion had
a chance for the go-ahead bucket, but lost the ball after shooting an air
ball, then getting whistled for a shot-clock violation.
The Huskies brought the ball down, and Franza missed a 15-foot jumper.
But the ball went out of bounds off Old Dominion, giving Payne her chance to
be the hero.
It was a quick turnaround for Washington, which blew its chance to win
the Pac-10 outright with two bad losses to to UCLA and USC - both at the
bottom of the conference - to close the regular season.
The Huskies, who depend largely on their 3-point shooting, won despite
making just 7 of 22 from long range. Payne hit four 3-pointers and led
Washington with 20 points. Franza, an All Pac-10 first-teamer, finished with
12 points and six assists.
Long a powerhouse in the women's game, Old Dominion came into the
tournament with its lowest seed ever, even though it won its 10th straight
Colonial Athletic Association title.
Myriah Spence came off the bench to lead the Monarchs with 13 points
while teammate Hamchetou Maiga had 11 points and seven rebounds. The was
ODU's first opening-round loss since 1995.
In the Rankings:
Washington was in The Associated Press Top 25 twice this
season, most recently at No. 22 for the week of March 5. The Huskies broke
into the poll for the first time this season at No. 23 on Feb. 12. The
Huskies received votes in the most recent March 11 poll.
When Washington moved into the rankings Feb. 12, it marked the first
time a Husky team had been in the top 25 since the 1997-98 season. They were
ranked the week of Feb. 28, 1998, at No. 23. The current six-player senior
class was in its freshman season then and helped lead Washington to its last
NCAA Tournament appearance. That team was ranked as high as No. 7, after
starting the season on a 10-0 run.
UW's highest ranking in the AP Top 25 was No. 3 in the final poll of
the 1990 season.
Hear the Roar:
Washington's home attendance has increased dramatically this
season, the first year of play in the newly remodeled Hec Edmundson
Pavilion. The Huskies brought an average of 4,185 fans per home game, up
from last year's mark of 2,338 from last season and 3,608 from the 1999
season. That's an increase of 1,847 from last year to this year and up 577
from two years ago.
Dawgbite:
Washington ranks sixth in the nation in three point field goals
made per game. The Huskies average 7.4 per contest. The national leader is
Iowa State at 9.2.
Three Point Barrage:
Washington is first in the Pac-10 in three point field
goals made with 222 in 30 games ... the Huskies broke the Pac-10 single
season record in the first round of the NCAA Tournament versus Old Dominion
after they tallied seven in that game for a total of 215 (old mark - 213,
Stanford, 2000) ... the team has far surpassed the previous UW season high
of 150 three pointers made in 1998. The Huskies broke the single game mark
when they sank 16 from long range against Arizona Feb. 8. Stanford tied that
mark when it hit 16 against Washington Feb. 24.
Some Pac-10 Notes:
UW continues to lead the Pac-10 in rebounding, at 42.9
boards per game ... the Huskies are second in scoring offense (73.7 ppg) ...
second in assists (16.53 apg) ... first in offensive rebounds and defensive
rebounds ... first in three point field goals made (7.43) and first in
assist to turnover margin (0.91).
Dawgbite:
Fifth-year Husky coach June Daugherty has engineered one of the
greatest turnarounds in the Pac-10 and the nation this season ... she enters
the NCAA West Regional with a 12-year career mark of 203-139. Daugherty is
80-65 in her five years at Washington. Her UW record is third-best among
Washington coaches and with two more wins, she will tie Kathie Nier
(1975-79) for most second-most UW victories.
Daugherty currently stands fifth among Pac-10 coaches in career
victories, behind Stanford's Tara VanDerveer, Arizona's Joan Bonvicini,
USC's Chris Gobrecht and Caren Horstmeyer at Cal. She collected career
victory No. 200 Feb. 24 versus Stanford.
UW Against Ranked Teams:
Washington has a record of 3-3 versus ranked teams
this season, most recently knocking off Florida on its home floor in the
second round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament.
Washignton made a statement the week of Feb. 8 when it knocked off both
No. 22 Arizona and No. 23 Arizona State, the first ranked opponents UW had
defeated this season. The effort moved UW into the rankings, at No. 23, for
the first time since 1998.
The losses to ranked opponents have been as follows: No. 1 Connecticut
(100-54), No. 22 Arizona (88-72) and No. 18 Oregon (67-53).
Senior Strength:
Husky coach June Daugherty continually points to the
six-player senior class as a major reason for UW's success this year,
crediting the group with strong leadership in practice and during games.
Senior captains Megan Franza and Jill Pimley headline the group. Franza has
been a constant in the starting lineup since her freshman year and is a
leader on the court. Pimley is in her second season as a team captain and is
a vocal leader whether she is playing or on the bench. LeAnn Sheets, who has
struggled with injuries throughout her career, is healthy and gives the
Huskies a veteran presence in the post. Melissa Erickson, until she injured
her knee Jan. 27, brought experience off the bench, giving the Huskies added
height inside. Sarah Duncan was named Most Inspirational last season and
continues to fill that role this year. Carli Halpenny rounds out the group.
A redshirt junior, she has opted to graduate this year in order to spend the
spring quarter studying in Italy. The move puts her back in the class she
entered with in 1997 and strengths the leadership the six-player group
provides.
Washington had no seniors on its roster last season when it posted an
8-22 record, the only losing season in school history.
Take Note:
Washington, a tri-champion in the Pac-10, was picked to finish
sixth in a preseason vote of Pac-10 coaches. The Huskies were picked seventh
in the media poll.
Fabulous Freshmen:
While Washington's six player senior class has played a
large role in the Huskies' success this year, the freshmen class has been
just as vital to the winning season. Versatile guard Giuliana Mendiola and
center Andrea Lalum are mainstays in the starting lineup and average 30
minutes and 22 minutes a game, respectively. Mendiola has a team-leading
five double-doubles this year and Lalum has four.
Mendiola, who plays point guard and either wing position, led the
Huskies in rebounding all season and is currently second on the team with
6.3 boards per game. She is the second-leading scorer, with 11.0 points a
game and her assist to turnover ratio (1.70) is third in the Pac-10.
Mendiola, who was the Husky Classic MVP earlier this season, has started 28
of 30 games this season.
Lalum, who moved into the starting lineup a month ago, is among the
Huskies' leaders in field goal percentage at 44 percent from the field. She
has averaged a team-best 47 percent from the field in conference games.
Lalum, who grew an inch last year up to 6-foot-4, is a versatile player
who provides the Huskies with a physical inside presence but has also
connected on 21 three-point shots this year. She was 3-for-3 from behind the
arc as a part of her 19-point effort at Stanford. She also blocked four
shots against St. Mary's Dec. 17, the highest single game mark by a Husky
player since Amber Hall swatted four away at Texas, Dec. 2, 1996. Hall, then
a junior, went on to finish her career as Washington's career-leading
rebounder (1,003 rebounds, 1996-99).
Fellow freshman Gioconda Mendiola, the older sister of Giuliana,
returned to action after missing three games because of surgery on her
thumb. Mendiola graduated from high school in June, 1999 and then remained
at home in California for a year before starting school. She and Giuliana
wanted to start college at the same time and play four years together.
Rounding out the freshman class is Sarah Keeler, who is redshirting
this season.
Healthy Huskies:
While crediting the senior class with leading the Huskies,
coach Daugherty also points to a healthy lineup as cause for celebration.
Washington's frontline was beset by injuries last season, causing Daugherty
to constantly shuffle her lineup. No less than five different players were
on the bench with injuries at one point or another last year. LeAnn Sheets
missed the first eight games of the season after foot surgery. Cheryl
Sorenson ended up redshirting after a torn ACL in preseason. Melissa
Erickson was hampered by a sore shoulder during the non-conference portion
of the schedule. Carli Halpenny was limited by a stress reaction in her hip
and was initially declared out for the season and Kellie O'Neill had a
premature end to her freshman year after suffering a severe ankle sprain
midway through the season.
The healthy lineup has given the Huskies increased depth this season, a
factor that was particularly evident in the triple overtime win against USC
Jan. 7. The Trojans had four key players foul out while the Huskies were
able to constantly rotate fresh players in the game.
Only recently have the Huskies been hit by the injury bug. Cheryl
Sorenson missed two weekends with a sore knee as did Carli Halpenny, with a
sore hip. Sorenson returned to the lineup three weeks while Halpenny saw her
first action in more than a month in the Florida game.
Dawgbite:
Washington's 95 points against Stanford Feb. 24 marked the 12th
time a June Daugherty-coached Husky team has topped the 90-point barrier,
including four times this season. They scored 91 points at WSU, matched the
effort in a triple overtime game against USC and then scored 98 against
Arizona. The Huskies topped the barrier once last year, nearly reaching the
century mark with 99 points against Idaho. Two years prior, in 1998-99, the
high-scoring Huskies scored 90 or more points four times. The Washington
school record for points in a game is 114 versus Weber State in 1985.
Franza Facts
Megan on the Move:
Senior guard Megan Franza is nearing the conclusion of a
stellar four year career at Washington, capped by a return to the NCAA
Tournament.
She became the Huskies' career leader in three-point field goals made March
3 and continues as the leading scorer on the team with 16.2 points per game.
Twice this season Franza has scored 22 points in the first half of a game,
at California en route to a 30-point performance and again at home against
Arizona. Here are a few notes on what Franza is doing in her final season as
a Husky:
- Kodak All-America Finalist
- Verizon/CoSIDA Second Team Academic All-American ... one of the top 10
players in the country to make the first and second teams.
- Broke her own school record for three pointers made when she hit seven
treys in the final regular season game of the year at UCLA, March 10 ...
Tied her own school record with six three pointers at Cal (shares record
with two others).
- Matched her 22-point first half effort at Cal (1/27), against No. 22
Arizona (2/8) ... scored 21 points in the second half against California
(2/22) after not attempting a shot in the first half
- UW single season high 68 three pointers made entering NCAA West Regional
- Season-high 30 points at California, Jan. 27
- Third career performance of 30 or more points (35 vs. Idaho, 12/18/99, 33
vs. Stanford, 1/27/00)
- Started 115 of last 117 games ... last time not starting was Nov. 15,
1998, vs. Iowa sophomore year ... broke school record for game day starts
against Florida, with 115.
- Reached double figure scoring in 51 of last 57 games ... has led UW in
scoring last two seasons
- Career scoring average of 13.4 points per game
Franza on the UW Career Charts
- No. 1 on three point field goals made chart (207 made) ... passed all-time
leader Jamie Redd (192) March 3 vs. Washington State
- No. 1 on career three point field goal attempts chart (695) ...equalled
her career high attempts with 13 versus Nebraska this season (Dec. 6)
- No. 7 on UW career scoring chart with 1,583 points ... needs 13 points to
pass former Husky great Karen Deden (1,596 pts., 1988-91).
- No. 8 on career field goals made chart (589) ... No. 3 on field goal
attempts chart (1,501)
- A first team All-Pac-10 selection last year, Franza became the 16th Husky
to top the 1,000-point barrier and only the eighth player to pass the mark
as a junior.
Franza on the Pac-10 Conference Career Charts
- Points - No. 19 with 1,583 ... needs 14 to pass UW great Karen Deden and
move to No. 17 on the conference chart
- Three point field goal attempts - No. 2 with 695 ... needs 52 to hit No. 1
- Three point field goals made - No. 3 with 207 ... needs 4 to pass No. 2
Vanessa Nygaard (210, Stanford, 1995-98).
- Field goal attempts - No. 9 with 1,501
Chart Topper:
Megan Franza's game-winning shot with 4.5 seconds on the clock
against Oregon State (Jan. 20), capped a 28-point performance for the senior
guard. That was followed by her 30-point performance two games later at
California. Here is a look at Franza's top seven scoring marks:
35 -- vs. Idaho, Dec. 18, 1999
33 -- vs. No. 24 Stanford, Jan. 27, 2000
30 -- at California, Jan. 27, 2001
28 -- vs. Oregon State, Jan. 20, 2001
27 -- at Colorado State, Dec. 29, 1999
26 -- at Nebraska, Dec. 6, 1999
26 - vs. No. 22 Arizona, Feb. 8, 2001
On the Rebound:
Washington's rebounding efforts have improved tremendously
from last season. After a cumulative -4.3 rebounding margin in 2000, the
Huskies have a margin of +3.6 over opponents this season. The Huskies had
averaged nearly a +4.7 margin through most of the regular season, to lead
the Pac-10. Washington has outrebounded all but 12 opponents this season.
The team is averaging 42.9 rpg, first in the Pac-10. Senior LeAnn Sheets
leads the team with 6.6 rpg with freshman Giuliana Mendiola right behind at
6.3 per game.
Injury Update:
Carli Halpenny has a sore left hip and will continue to be
evaluated this week. She played four minutes at Florida.
Loree Payne missed the first six games with a stress fracture in her
left foot but returned Dec. 21. LeAnn Sheets suffered a left ankle sprain at
Boise State and missed the Nebraska and Oklahoma State games. Sarah Keeler
had a minor meniscus tear in December and is redshirting this season.
Erickson Out for the Year:
Senior forward Melissa Erickson (Littleton,
Colo.) tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee at California,
Jan. 27, and is out for the remainder of the year. She had an MRI Jan. 31
to determine the extent of the injury and proceeded with surgery, Feb. 5.
Erickson, who had played in 18 games this season, concludes her collegiate
career having played in 92 games over four years for the Huskies. She had a
career scoring mark of 2.46 points per game.Erickson, who started nine games
as a junior, had career-bests of 13 points, at Hawaii, and 10 rebounds at
Arizona, both last season She will graduate in June, with a degree in
sociology, and plans to pursue a career in coaching basketball.
Huskies Honor UW Football Player:
The women's basketball team is wearing a
patch with the initials "CW" on its jerseys this season, to support senior
football player Curtis Williams, who suffered a spinal cord injury during
the Oct. 28 football game at Stanford. Williams, who attended the Rose Bowl,
is currently in a rehabilitation center in San Jose, Calif.
Huskies in Overtime:
Washington's 64-60 overtime loss at Oregon Feb. 17 was
its third extra period game this year. The Huskies have a mark of 1-2 in
overtime games this season, with a 77-74 loss at the buzzer in one overtime
period at Indiana and a 91-79 triple overtime win at home against USC. The
triple overtime game against USC was the first in UW school history.
Washington's all-time record in overtime is 8-10 since 1976.
Only one other time has a Washington team played three overtime games
in one season, during the 1991-92 year. The Huskies were 2-1 in OT games
that year.
Huskies Among National Leaders in RPI Rankings
Washington's impressive stand in the RPI rankings continues. In the
March 11 Collegiate Basketball News Women's RPI Ratings, UW stands at No. 31
in the nation and its strength of schedule is listed at No. 39. The Huskies
are just behind Pac-10 counterpart Stanford while ASU is listed at No. 46
and Oregon is at No. 50.
Halpenny Selected to Study Abroad
Carli Halpenny is one of 25 University of Washington undergraduates selected
to participate in a prestigious international study program during the
spring quarter. She was chosen from a pool of 50 applicants to participate
in the UW's Comparative History of Ideas (CHID) program. Halpenny, a
redshirt junior, will spend the spring, 2000 academic quarter at school in
Rome, Italy in the program that involves the study of literature,
architecture and the culture and language of the country. She was one of 12
students chosen from outside the UW architecture school to join the
25-person travel party.
The program allows Halpenny, who maintains a 3.75 grade point average,
to complete her undergraduate degree in zoology and graduate in June, 2001.
She has elected to complete her basketball eligibility at the conclusion of
this season, a move that now gives the Huskies a six-player senior class.
Halpenny joins Sarah Duncan, Melissa Erickson, Megan Franza, Jill Pimley and
LeAnn Sheets in their final year of eligibility.
Halpenny, a 6-foot-3 center, enters this season healthy for the first
time since her arrival in 1997-98. She has played in all six games this year
and is averaging 10 minutes and 2.8 points per game. Halpenny suffered a
torn anterior cruciate ligament in her knee upon her arrival in 1997 and
used a redshirt season for her rehabilitation. She saw limited action in her
first two seasons, playing in eight games as a redshirt freshman in 1999 and
nine games as a sophomore last year.
Home Sweet Home:
Over the last year and a half, Bank of America Arena at
Hec Edmundson Pavilion has undergone an extensive renovation. On Nov. 24 the
Huskies, who hosted defending national champion Connecticut, moved back into
their on-campus arena -- a venue that provides the charm of its original
1920s style along with all the modern conveniences of today. Over $40
million dollars in improvements have been made and the new transformation
ensures that every person in the building has a great seat with no
obstructed views.
The Huskies have enjoyed remarkable success in Hec Edmundson Pavilion,
now called Bank of America Arena, building a long-standing tradition of
top-notch women's basketball on the west coast and across the country.
This season marks the 72nd year of service for the historical building
that has an entirely new look on the inside. The renovation gives Washington
a much-needed new competition and practice facility for several of its
teams. The seating capacity has been increased from 7,900 to 10,000 and gone
are the supports pillars that have obstructed views from the upper level
seats since the buildings inception. The renovation design of Hec Edmundson
Pavilion began in the summer of 1997. Construction began in March, 1999 with
completion in fall 2000.
Recapping 1999-2000:
Faced with a spate of injuries to its front line and a
young squad with no seniors, Washington suffered through its first losing
season in school history with a record of 8-22 overall and 4-14th for a
ninth place finish in the Pac-10. The season was not without its highlights
though, the biggest coming back on Jan. 27 when the Huskies upset No. 24
Stanford and captured the 500th win for the women's basketball program. It
was the second victory in a row over Stanford and career win No. 180 for
coach June Daugherty. Washington was led by the scoring duo of Loree Payne
(17.4 ppg) and Megan Franza (17.2 ppg), who combined to form the highest
scoring duo from the same school in Pac-10 history. Franza was named to the
All-Pac-10 First Team, continuing a tradition which has seen Washington have
a player on the first team every year but two since the league began play in
the 1986-87 season. Payne finished the year as one of the most prolific
freshman players in UW history. She broke eight freshman records,
highlighted by her scoring mark of 521 points.
Departures:
Although Washington did not lose anyone to graduation, two
players did not return to the team this season. Starting point guard Julia
Gray transferred to UNLV and reserve center Tiffiany Diggins left the
program. Washington returns four of its starters from a year ago.
Dawg Bites
- Washington is participating in its 13th NCAA Tournament. The Huskies are
13-12 all-time in the tournament.
- UW's last NCAA Tournament appearance was in 1998. The Huskies lost, 88-71,
to Purdue.
- The Huskies' last Sweet 16 appearance was in 1995. They lost, 67-52, to
Texas Tech in Knoxville, Tenn.
- Washington has reached the round of 16 four times.
- Washington was the highest seed among four Pac-10 Conference teams
appearing in the tournament. The Huskies are the lone remaining Pac-10 team.
- Sixth-seeded Washington is the second-lowest seed remaining in the
tournament. No. 10 Missouri is the lowest seed still alive.
- UW broke the Pac-10 single season mark for three pointers made in the
first round of the NCAA Tournament . The Huskies have hit 222 treys this
season, surpassing the old mark of 213 set by Stanford in 2000.
- The Huskies broke the Pac-10 record for three pointers in a game with 16
versus Arizona, Feb. 8.
- The Huskies have hit at least five three point baskets in all but four
games this season.
- The Huskies' lead the Pac-10 in rebounding with 42.5 boards per game.
- The victory at Florida gave head coach June Daugherty win No. 80 in her
fifth year at UW. She has a five-year mark of 80-65 and a 12-year career
record of 203-139.
- UW's all-time record is 523-254 in 27 years of women's basketball at UW.
- Washington has won 20 games for the first time since 1995.
- LeAnn Sheets posted a season-high 15 rebounds versus Old Dominion in the
firsr round.
