Jan. 29, 2002
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The Loyola Marymount women's basketball team gears up to face crosstown rival Pepperdine University twice this week. The Lions first travel to the Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu on Wednesday for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off. LMU then returns home to welcome the Waves to Gersten Pavilion on Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. game which will be telecast live on Fox Sports West.
Recently
The Lions split last weekend's games going 1-1 in conference action for the third straight week. LMU claimed its third WCC victory with a 73-65 win over San Diego on Friday night. Freshman Mary Turner lit up the floor picking up a game-high 23 points in the contest, the a personal-best for Turner. Saturday night did not have the same outcome though as the Lions suffered a 58-73 loss to Santa Clara. Junior Kate Murray was the highlight of that game scoring a career-best 28 points against the Broncos.
The Lions Den
The Lions suffered only their second loss of the year at home last weekend at the hands of the Santa Clara Broncos. LMU's only previous loss came against Saint Mary's in the opening weekend of conference play. The Lions are now 7-2 when playing in Gersten Pavilion. Should LMU win its remaining home games it would be 10-2 at home this season, coming one win shy of last years 11 home wins mark. The 1992-93 squad also put up 11 home wins, they own the best home record in program history at 11-2.
Murray Ties Junior Record
With the 28 points she scored against Santa Clara last Saturday night junior Kate Murray not only reached a new career-high, but she also tied the record for most points scored in a game by a junior. Kristen Bruich (1988-91) set the record on Dec. 18, 1989 when she scored 28 points against Western Michigan in her junior year. Murray, who's previous career-high of 25 points (New Mexico-1/2/01), had only seven points at halftime against the Broncos. She came out on fire in the second half putting up 21 points and finishing with the game-high of 28. Her career night came on 11-of-16 shooting from the floor and a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe. The 11 made field goals matched her career-best which she set against Xavier (11/25/00) last year.
Swattin' Slaughter
Sophomore Adrianne Slaughter has proved herself a force to be reckoned with defensively. The 6-foot-2 center continues her collection of blocks as her total this year now stands at 48. She opened conference play by stuffing the San Francisco Lady Dons with seven blocks in the game, tying for fourth best in the LMU single-game record book (Jan.11) . Slaughter is averaging nearly three blocks per game, and aside from being the leading shot blocker in the conference she is also currently ranked No. 15 in the nation in blocks per game. She has moved to third in the all-time record with 98 career blocks.
The Fab Five
It's the Fab Five California style. All five of the Lions' current starters have led the squad in scoring at least once this season. Bryn Britton, Kate Murray, Adrianne Slaughter, Mary Turner and Rosa Bernasconi are also the only Lions to lead a game in scoring. Leading the way is Britton who has been LMU's high scorer six times this season. She is followed by Murray who has led the Lions in scoring five times. Slaughter has been the points leader four times and Turner three times. Bernasconi has claimed the Lions' game-high points total once this year. Recently, each of the Lions' Fab Five scored in double-digits while facing the Portland Pilots at the Chiles Center in Portland, Ore. Turner was the leader in that game with 15 points. She was followed by Bernasconi and Murray who had 12 and 11 points, respectively. Britton and Slaughter each collected 10 points against the Pilots.
Slaughter Slays Sophomore Record
Blocks are not enough for center Adrianne Slaughter. The 6-foot-2 sophomore prides herself in rebounding as well as was evident last Friday night. Slaughter went to work on the boards collecting 16 rebounds against the University of San Diego Toreros, matching her career-best total and setting a new sophomore rebounding record. The previous record of 14 was first set by Joelle Longobardi (1989-92) against Arizona State (12/10/89). It was then matched four times by Nicole Taylor (1989-90), Amy Lundquist (1993-94), Sharmayne Murphy (1995-99) and Dana Hunter (1997-00). Slaughter, who twice collected 16 rebounds as a freshman, now stands alone in the sophomore record books. She currently leads the squad with 136 rebounds on the year.
Turner Tunes Up Toreros
Freshman Mary Turner, who made her first start as a Lion at Colorado State (1/4/02), tagged the University of San Diego Toreros for 23 points last Friday night. Not only was it a game-high but also a personal-best for the rookie who's previous points high was the 15 she picked up at Portland. The 5-foot-10 native of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., has scored in double-digits five times this season. She is averaging 7.6 points per game which leads all newcomers on the squad. During West Coast Conference games Turner is averaging 11.7 points per game ranking her 17th among WCC scoring leaders.
The Bernasconi Bulletin
Senior Rosa Bernasconi is inching her way into LMU history. The 5-foot-6 Arizona native currently has 934 career points and is 66 points away from reaching the 1,000 point plateau. Bernasconi tallied 265 points as a freshman, 423 as a sophomore and 117 during an injury shortened junior season.
Britton Now LMU's All-Time Leading Scorer
With the 11 points she scored against No. 20 Colorado State, senior guard Bryn Britton became the new all-time leading scorer at LMU. A native of Porterville, Calif., Britton broke the mark previously set by former Lion and current Asst. Coach Lynn Flanagan (1988-91). Flanagan's record of 1,436 career points stood for 11 years before being toppled. Britton is the Lions' leading scorer this season with 277 points, her career points total now stands at 1,525.
Britton Named WCC Player Of The Month
Senior Bryn Britton earned the WCC/Rawlings Player of the Month honor for December by helping Loyola Marymount earn an 8-2 overall record. Britton started the season on a high note, scoring 22 points against Arizona State on 9-of-16 shooting from the floor. Her standout performance of the year so far, has been against Long Beach State, where she scored a career-high 34 points. Britton was on fire that night, shooting 13-of-20 from the field (.650), 3-of-6 from behind the arc (.500), and 5-of-7 from the charity strip (.714). Britton has scored in double figures in all but two games this year. She also tied her career mark in assists (8) and blocks (2) against Cal Poly earlier in the season. For the month, Britton averaged 16 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
Bombs Away
Three's were the name of the game for the Lions while playing No. 20 Colorado State in Fort Collins, Col., earlier this season. As a team the Lions drained nine field goals from long distance recording a season game-high. The nine 3-point field goals came one shy of tying the school record for team 3-pointers in a single game. Junior Kate Murray and freshman Jackie Woods led the effort with three each while senior Bryn Britton followed with two and senior Rosa Bernasconi added in one.
Injury Report
Sophomore Jasmin Matthews is listed as day-to-day after suffering a hip flexer/groin pull during practice last week. Matthews is averaging 2.4 points per game on the season.
The Wilhoit File
Head Coach Julie Wilhoit captured the WCC Coach of the Year Award for the second straight season in 2000-01. Wilhoit, who enters her seventh season at the helm of the women's basketball program at LMU, led the Lions to a record breaking season last year. Under her direction, LMU set new school records for single-season overall wins (21) and single-season conference wins (10). She led the Lions to a 21-10 overall record, a 10-4 mark in conference play, to within a game of LMU's first ever regular-season conference championship, to their first appearance in the WCC tournament championship game and to their first ever postseason game. She was the first LMU women's basketball coach to earn the top coaching nod in 1999-00, the first to have earned it in consecutive seasons at LMU and only the second coach in WCC history to garner the award two straight years. She was named the fourth head coach in the program's history on June 30, 1995. Wilhoit came to LMU after a two-year stint at the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford. With the Lions, she holds a 73-114 (.390) overall record and 30-66 (.313) record in West Coast Conference play. Wilhoit is in her 14th year as a head coach and owns a 194-184 (.513) overall record.
Wilhoit Win Watch
Head Coach Julie Wilhoit is nearing a milestone in her 14 year coaching career. Wilhoit, a native of Osgood, Ind., has recorded 194 career coaching victories and is just six wins away from achieving her 200th win as a head coach. She will become the first head coach to reach that milestone while at LMU.
The Word On The Waves
Pepperdine enters this weekend as the only undefeated team during West Coast Conference play. The Waves own a 15-4 overall record and unblemished 6-0 mark in the WCC standing atop the conference standings. Pepperdine is riding a 12-game winning streak which dates back to Dec. 17, 2001. The Waves last lost (77-71) came in overtime at the hands of Illinois. Damaris Hinojosa is Pepperdine's offensive leader averaging 13.4 points per game. She has also racked up a team-leading 73 assists this season. Shandrika Lee and Tamara McDonald are the Waves No.2 and 3 scorers. Lee is averaging 10.5 points per game while McDonald averages 10.3. Nadja Morgan cleans up the glass for Pepperdine. She owns a 7.8 rebounds per game average. The Waves hold a 33-7 advantage in the all-time series against the Lions. LMU split last year's meetings with Pepperdine, as each team won its respective home game.
Weekend Review
vs. San Diego - Jan. 25
LMU defeated the San Diego Toreros 73-65 in a West Coast Conference match-up before a crowd of 552 fans at LMU's Gersten Pavilion last Friday night. Freshman forward Mary Turner led all scorers in the contest with a career-high 23 points. The Lions jumped out to an early 15-6 lead in the match, while the Toreros were able to bring the game back to a 25-all ball game with six minutes remaining in the first half of play. From then on the Lions held the lead throughout the first half to go into the break leading 43-31. Turner led the first-half of play with 13 points. Junior center, Erin Malich, led the Toreros in the first half with 10 point of her own. Sophomore center Adrianne Slaughter led the Lions on the boards throughout the contest with her career-high game as well. Slaughter set her new career-best at 16 boards, including seven offensive and nine on the opposing side. LMU's all-time leading scorer, Bryn Britton put her own mark on the game with 19 points. LMU held the largest margin of the game when they were up by 12 points at the half. San Diego pulled the game within one point (56-55) with seven minutes remaining in the game, but the Lions held their lead and never looked back. The sealed the 73-65 to hold a tie for second place in the WCC standings. Overall, Malich led the Toreros' scoring with 20 points, while junior guard Kerri Nakamoto picked up 14 added to sophomore center, Marta Menuez's 13 points.
vs. Santa Clara - Jan. 26
The Lions suffered a 73-58 loss at the hands of Santa Clara University last Saturday night in front of a crowd of 629 at Gersten Pavilion. Junior Kate Murray led the Lions offense with a career-high 28 point night. LMU fell behind early 9-0 being shutout in the first four minutes of the game. Lion freshman Mary Turner's layup gave the Lions their first points of the game at the 16:13 mark of the first half. Santa Clara kept the pressure on as it continued to stretch out its lead. The Broncos pushed the deficit to 18-points (38-20), the largest of the half, with just over one minute remaining until the break. SCU went into the lockerroom with a 15-point cushion (38-25). Early in the second half was more of the same as the Broncos were dominating the game offensively. SCU's Kendra Rhea gave the Broncos their largest lead of the night, 21-points (56-35), as she sunk both free-throws after drawing a foul from Lion freshman Jackie Woods. Rhea finished with nine points and seven rebounds. The Lions fought back feverishly though as a jumper by LMU's Murray cut the Broncos lead to just seven points (56-49) with 5:47 remaining in regulation. That would be as close as LMU would come though as SCU closed out the remaining five minutes of the game with a 17-9 run and capturing the 15-point victory. For the Lions, Murray's career points night came on 11-of-16 shooting from the floor which included two 3-pointers and a perfect 4-for-4 performance from the charity stripe. Turner was LMU's only other double-digit scorer. She collected 10 points, three rebounds and three assists. Sophomore Adrianne Slaughter led the effort on the glass for the Lions picking up eight rebounds on the night.
Lions On The Airwaves
For the first time in program history catch every game of Loyola Marymount women's basketball live on the Lions' Broadcast Network. Every game will be on KLMU or KXLU radio, student-ran stations on the campus of LMU. In addition, the audio will be cybercast live on www.LMULions.com. Calling the action will be sophomore Matt Calkins.
Hottest Ticket In Town
The 2001-02 season started with more than 200 individuals holding season tickets. The inaugural women's basketball ticket campaign exceeded its goal of $15,000 in its first year. For season ticket information please contact the LMU ticket office at (310) 338-6095.
