Nov. 21, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

Briefly
After a very successful trip to Hawai'i to open the season, LMU begins its home schedule on Monday when it hosts Long Beach State. This will be the first of three straight home games for the Lions, who will play seven of their next 10 games at Gersten Pavilion.

Listen To And Follow The Lions Live On The Web
Loyola Marymount University, in conjunction with Stretch Internet, is proud to present FREE live audio broadcasts over the World Wide Web on www.LMULions.com. Join Angie Kiel all season long for all the Lion home and games in 2008-09. Angie will be joined on select home broadcasts by Patrick Duggan and Will Callanen. Just click on the "Listen" or "Archive" link next to the game of your choice. All broadcasts will be archived within 72 hours of their original airing and will include both the pre-game and post-game shows.
All home games and select away games will be available live on Gametracker through the LMU website. Check www.LMULions.com for all Gametracker live stats information.

Media Guide
The 2008-09 LMU women's basketball media guide is now available to download at www.LMULions.com. Copies are also available through the LMU Media Relations Office for $10 per guide.

Coming to a Game?
If you are planning to attend a game at LMU this season, then be sure to reserve your tickets today by ordering online at www.LMULions.com or calling the LMU Ticket Office at (310) 338-LION. The Loyola Marymount University campus is located in Westchester at 1 LMU Drive, approximately four miles north of the Los Angeles International Airport. Visitors must use the main entrance off of Lincoln Blvd. on LMU Drive. Parking for Gersten Pavilion will be in General Parking Lot A.

About Long Beach State (0-1)
Long Beach State opened the season last Sunday with a 67-59 home loss to San Diego State. The 49ers got 14 points from Courtney Jacob and 13 points and eight rebounds from Whitney Fields. LBSU travels to San Jose State on Friday before visiting the Lions on Monday. They were picked seventh in the preseason Big West Conference Coaches Poll and fifth in the Media Poll.
Mary Hegarty is 69-79 in five seasons as head coach in Long Beach. Last year, the 49ers went 9-20 overall and 7-9 in the Big West. They return four starters and 13 letterwinners.
LMU has won eight in a row over Long Beach State, including last season's 83-66 victory in Long Beach. The Lions are 8-3 overall against the 49ers.

Last Week Recap: Big Success on Big Island
LMU's season-opening trip to the Big Island of Hawai'i turned out to be a big success as the Lions went 2-1 over the weekend at the Bank of Hawai'i Invitational in Hilo. After touring Kilauea volcano on Thursday, the Lions opened up on Friday against the Rainbow Wahine of the University of Hawai'i. LMU used a 10-0 run in the first half to pull ahead and extended that advantage in the second half thanks to some staunch defending to win 63-47. It was the program's first win in its season opener since 2002. Sophomore Aleyse Evans led the way with a career-high 15 points while senior Cassady Moore added 14 points and sophomore Renahy Young had 10.
The laid-back vibe of the islands gave way to tense drama on Saturday as LMU and Arizona battled through regulation and three overtimes. The Lions led by as many as 14 in the first half but the Wildcats inched back to tie it in the second half. UA led 59-57 with the ball but LMU forced a shot-clock violation to regain possession with eight seconds left. Young took the game in her hands, driving the length of the court for the game-tying jumper with two seconds left to send the game into overtime. That's when the fun really got started. In the first OT, Arizona again led with 10 seconds left, 69-66, but junior Kavita Goss knocked down a three with six seconds left to force a second overtime. Goss was just warming up as she scored all 10 of LMU's points in the second overtime, including knocking down three three-pointers but this time it was the Wildcats' turn to score late, knotting the game at 79-79 on a jumper with four ticks left. Facing their first-ever three-overtime game, the Lions turned to Young in the third extra stanza as the sophomore scored all nine points. Arizona was too strong down the stretch, however, pulling out a 93-88 victory despite a career-high 31 points from Young and a career-high 21 from Goss. Moore chipped in 11 points.
Despite the loss to Arizona, LMU still had a chance to claim the tournament title with a Sunday win over Toledo. The Rockets had other ideas, however, jumping out to a 24-6 lead after six minutes. LMU hung in there, though, and began to find its offense, outscoring UT 41-21 to go into the locker room with a 47-45 halftime lead. The second half was all about free throws, as LMU converted 16-of-20 from the line, led by Young's 9-for-10 effort, to hold off the Rockets for an 81-74 victory. Young finished with a team-high 17 points while sophomore Aleyse Evans (14 points, 15 rebounds) and freshman Mikah Maly-Karros (15 points, 11 rebounds) each posted their first career double-doubles. Moore had her third straight double-digit scoring effort with 12 points.

Was LMU The Tournament Champion? Technically... No
LMU went 2-1 at the Bank of Hawai'i Invitational, posting the same record as both Arizona and Toledo. So why don't the Lions have a trophy in their cabinet? With three teams tied for first place, the first tie-breaker used in the tournament was head-to-head match-up. Well, LMU defeated Toledo and Toledo defeated Arizona but Arizona defeated LMU, meaning that all three teams were still tied. The second tiebreaker used was fewest points allowed, as the tournament organizers wanted to reward defense. That meant that the Lions, who allowed 214 points in the three games, were relegated to third. Toledo (205 points allowed) garnered the runners-up trophy while Arizona (202 points allowed) walked away with the championship. In an ironic twist, Hawai'i, who went 0-3 on the weekend, allowed the fewest points of any team, giving up a mere 192 points in its three games.

Young, Moore Named Bank of Hawai'i All-Tournament
Sophomore Renahy Young and senior Cassady Moore got the season off to an award-winning start as both were named to the Bank of Hawai'i Invitational All-Tournament Team. Young averaged 19.3 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game and hit her career-high with 31 points in the loss to Arizona. Young and Moore were the only Lions to score in double figures in all three games as Moore went for 14, 11, and 12 points, respectively.

LMU in Season Openers
The Lions' win over Hawai'i made them 13-14 all-time in season openers. In Julie Wilhoit's tenure, LMU this year snapped a four-game losing streak in season openers, all on the road, and is 4-9.

LMU in Home Openers
The Lions are 16-10 in home openers. Under Wilhoit, LMU is 8-5 in its first game of each year at Gersten Pavilion. LMU's last win in a home opener came on November 21, 2006 in a 61-38 victory over Long Beach State.

Overtime Madness
In the last two years, LMU has taken the opinion that if you're going to play overtime, why settle with just one extra period? LMU played one overtime game in 2007-08 but that one, against Cal State Bakersfield, went into double overtime and finished with a 95-90 Lion win. This year, the Lions decided to top that, playing the first triple-overtime game in school history. Unfortunately, three was not the magic number for LMU against Arizona, as the Wildcats won 93-88.

Three-Point Attack
With explosive shooters like juniors Lisa Helmers and Kavita Goss and sophomore Renahy Young on the court, it is quite possible that the Lions will set some three-point shooting records this year. Already Helmers and Goss have been peppering the single-game record of seven made threes, with Helmers going for eight in the exhibition game and Goss knocking down six against Arizona. As a team, the Lions hit 11 against the Wildcats, falling one shy of the school-record of 12, set at UC Riverside on December 5, 2003.

Quick Out of the Gate
Don't worry about the hype overwhelming sophomore guard Renahy Young. After being named to the WCC All-Freshman and Honorable Mention teams in 2007-08 and to this year's Preseason All-Conference squad, Young went out and earned Bank of Hawai'i Invitational All-Tournament honors on the season's opening weekend. Young had a quiet 10 points in the opening win over Hawai'i but exploded for a career-high 31 points in Saturday's triple-overtime loss to Arizona. Young was solid all game, scoring 13 points in the first half and forcing overtime with a driving jumper with three seconds left in regulation. She tried to carry the Lions in the third overtime, scoring all nine of the team's points. Young did it all from all over the court, shooting 10-for-21 overall, knocking down two three-pointers, and going 9-for-12 from the line to become the first LMU player to break the 30-point plateau since Bryn Britton in 2001. Free throws continued to be the theme for Young on Sunday. On a day when she was outright horrible (1-for-16) from the floor, Young showed her greatness by continually driving to the hoop and drawing fouls, setting a new LMU single-game record with 15 free throws made (on 19 attempts).
Through the season's opening weekend, Young is among the WCC leaders in six categories (individual ppg, assists, free throw percentage, 3-point percentage, 3-pointers made per game, and assist/turnover ratio).

Defensive Stopper Shows Offensive Side
For the last three seasons, Cassady Moore has been one-half of a prolific defensive tandem, joining up with Amanda DeCoud to wreak havoc in the backcourt. Now that DeCoud has graduated as the school's #2 all-time thief, it is time for Moore to take the spotlight in her senior season. With 115 career steals, Moore is on pace to finish among the LMU top-10, needing just 33 steals to enter the ranks. Offensively, Moore started last season with a bang, leading the Lions with 12 points in each of the season's first two games. Unfortunately, a knee injury sidelined her for the next five games and she only reached double figures once the rest of the way. Once again healthy, Moore is off to another torrid start, averaging 12.3 ppg and 4.0 rpg through the season's first three games.

Toughness in the Post
With the graduation of Valerie Ogoke, all eyes will be on sophomore Aleyse Evans as the Lions' newest defensive and rebounding force. Evans and Ogoke were dominant last season, with each finishing among the WCC leaders in rebounds and blocks per game. Although just a redshirt freshman at the time, Evans opened her college career with back-to-back double-digit rebound outings, going on to pull down a career-high 15 boards against Saint Mary's on January 19. LMU's 1-5 finish to the season can be partly attributed to a late-season foot injury that kept Evans out of two games and severely limited her production in the other three. Another year older, healthier, and stronger, Evans has worked to improve her game on offense as well as defense. She showed that in the opener vs. Hawai'i, making her first four shots en route to a game-high and new career-high 15 points. She then recorded her first career double-double against Toledo, going 7-for-9 from the floor for 14 points and equaling her career-best with 15 boards. Evans is currently tied for third in the WCC in rebounds per game (8.7) while shooting 62.5% from the floor. She is among the league leaders in points per game, total rebounds per game, field goal percentage, steals, blocked shots, offensive rebounds per game, and defensive rebounds per game.

Helmers Takes the Helm
On a team with 11 underclassmen, it is up to the juniors and seniors to take the lead. Junior Lisa Helmers has adopted that mantle and has been named a team captain for 2008-09. LMU's best long-range threat in 2007-08, Helmers hit 59 three-pointers, the fourth-most in a single season at LMU and scored in double figures 10 times. She was also the only player to be named to the all-tournament teams at both of LMU's home tournaments, averaging 12.7 ppg while sinking 14 triples in the four games. This year, she could not have had a better exhibition game, connecting on what would have been a school-record eight three-points for a game-high 24 points, which would have topped her career-high of 16 had the game counted. She has struggled from the floor to start the regular season but is still averaging 5.0 ppg and is primed to break out any day now.

Sybesma Hobbled
LMU suffered a big blow to its frontcourt during preseason practice when senior Jenna Sybesma went down with a knee injury. Sybesma underwent surgery on November 11 and is working to get back to the court as soon as she can. The Lions will miss her offense down low, as Sybesma reached double figures in each of the final nine contests on 2007-08 to finish the year third on the team at 10.0 ppg while shooting 49% from the floor.

Goss Gets Rolling
Shooters are known to get on hot streaks and junior Kavita Goss certainly found her rhythm against Arizona. After connecting on three three-pointers in the win over Hawai'i, Goss went off against the Wildcats with six triples. Goss made the final seconds of the first overtime and all of the second her own, as her three-pointer with six seconds left forced the second overtime and she hit three more in the second extra frame to score all 10 of LMU's points. She finished with a career-high 21 points and is averaging 11.3 through the season's opening weekend.

Jess is Back
Although Evans' injury was a factor in LMU's limp towards the finish, it was the torn ACL suffered by Jessica Vargas on December 5 that had a larger impact on the direction of LMU's season. At the time of her injury, Vargas was averaging 8.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 51.8% from the floor. Vargas' injury could be a blessing in disguise for LMU as she was granted a medical redshirt and is still just a sophomore, although she adds another upperclassman presence. She has come off the bench in the season's first three games, averaging 2.7 ppg and 2.3 rpg.

Posts Play Big
Two players who made immediate impacts in Hawai'i were sophomores Melanie Ysaguirre and Maggie Burkett. Ysaguirre has started all three games and is eighth in the conference in rebounding at 7.0 per game. She had a game-high eight rebounds in the season opener, then went for four points and five boards despite playing 11 minutes due to foul trouble against Arizona. In the tournament finale, she had four points and seven boards, including four on the offensive end.
Burkett has become LMU's go-to player off the bench after seeing limited time last season. Burkett played a total of 51 minutes in 2007-08 but nearly topped that in one game, logging a team-high 43 minutes against Arizona. Due to foul trouble for Evans and Ysaguirre, Burkett was forced to be the dominant player in the post and she responded, pulling down a career-high nine boards.

Freshmen Effective in Debuts
Adding to LMU's deep bench are freshmen Alex Cowling and Mikah Maly-Karros. The duo both had typical rookie weekends with some ups and some downs but overall the Lions are happy with their performances. Cowling made the most of her debut, registering eight points and six boards against Hawai'i but then was hit with three quick fouls and saw just eight minutes of action against Arizona. She bounced back against Toledo, going 4-for-5 from the floor and hitting three big baskets down the stretch to finish with nine points and four rebounds in 13 minutes.
Maly-Karros should have her picture listed under the term "coming out of nowhere." The freshman played a total of three minutes in the weekend's first two games but then exploded against Toledo. With LMU trailing by 18 within the first six minutes, Maly-Karros provided the spark her team needed by making her first four shots and hustling to grab and offensive rebound and lay it in to complete the Lions' comeback and give them their first lead. Her determination and hustle kept the Lions going as she recorded her first career double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass.

Lions Picked Second in WCC Preseason Coaches Poll
Coming off a fourth-place finish in 2007-08, LMU has been picked to finish second in the WCC in 2008-09, according to the preseason coaches poll. The Lions return eight letterwinners and 12 players overall on a roster that features 11 freshmen and sophomores. Regular season champions Gonzaga were the top vote-getters with 49 points and seven first place votes. LMU received 40 total votes and one first-place vote. WCC Tournament champions San Diego were picked third with 37 points, followed by Saint Mary's (29 votes), Santa Clara (20), Pepperdine (19), Portland (16), and San Francisco (14).

Young Selected to Preseason All-WCC Team
Announced at the same time as the preseason coaches poll was the 2008-09 preseason all-conference team. Included in that group is sophomore Renahy Young, who is one of three sophomores on the list. Last year, Young became just the second freshman to lead LMU in scoring at 10.9 ppg while earning spots on the All-Freshman and Honorable Mention teams. She was LMU's top scorer in nine games, notching three 20+ point outings and scoring in double figures 17 times.

Takin' a Look at the Schedule
The word for 2008-09 is "tournaments". LMU has three non-conference tournaments lined up to get them ready for the 2009 WCC Tournament, which for the first time will be held at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The Lions kick-off the season in Hilo, Hawai'i, as they face Hawai'i, Arizona, and Toledo with three games in three days. After the home opener against Long Beach State, the Lions will host the 12th annual Ayres Hotels Thanksgiving Tournament. LMU will look to defend its title, opening against Idaho State and then facing either Georgetown or North Dakota State. The 2008 calendar year comes to a close with the Courtyard by Marriott L.A. Westside Holiday Tournament at Gersten Pavilion, in which the Lions will welcome San Jose State, Delaware, and Stony Brook. The WCC season will again be a tough one as the teams gear up for Vegas.