Lady Griz wrap up pre-Christmas schedule with Cougars, Bulldogs
12/17/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The University of Montana women's basketball team will close out its pre-Christmas schedule this week with home games against Washington State and Montana-Western. The Lady Griz (6-3), riding a three-game win streak, will host the Cougars (3-6) Tuesday and the Bulldogs (10-2) Wednesday. Both games start at 7 p.m. at Dahlberg Arena.
Montana won its only game last week, a 77-52 home-court victory over Idaho Saturday night.
After the Christmas break, UM will host the 28th Lady Griz Holiday Classic Dec. 28-30. Montana will host UC Santa Barbara Friday, Dec. 28, UCSB will play Mississippi Saturday, Dec. 29, and the Lady Griz will face the Rebels on Sunday, Dec. 30.
Montana will open Big Sky Conference play Friday, Jan. 4, when the Lady Griz host Montana State.
"Washington State has a good ball club," Montana coach Robin Selvig said Monday. "June (Daugherty) is a very good coach and has them very competitive with a new system. It will be a tough ball game.
"They've got some quality wins playing a good schedule. They have good size and good perimeter players and are pretty balanced offensively.
"(UM-Western coach) Kevin (Engellant) lost a lot to graduation last year, but they've definitely picked things up right where they usually are. They've already got 10 wins under their belt, so they will definitely come in with some confidence."
Media: Both games this week will be broadcast on KLCY-AM (930) in the Missoula area, with Tom Stage (play-by-play) and Dick Slater (color) on the call. MontanaGrizzlies.com will provide live stats for both games and a link to the KLCY audio broadcast. Full post-game coverage will be available shortly after the game.
Morales Doubtful This Week: Junior guard Mandy Morales, the 2007 Big Sky Conference MVP and a 2007-08 Wooden Award candidate, is doubtful for this week's games. She has missed Montana's last four games, during which the Lady Griz have gone 3-1.
"You like to have all your players, but you play with what you've got available," Selvig said. "I have confidence in all the kids.
"I think Laura (Cote) and Lauren (Beck) have done a good job at the point. Laura is playing with great confidence and has given us good leadership.
"The fact that we've been able to win without Mandy certainly helps our confidence. We've done a good job making up for her absence."
Scouting Washington State: The Cougars are currently 3-6 on the season after Sunday afternoon's 78-72 overtime victory over San Jose State. Tuesday's game will be just WSU's second true road game of the season. Washington State's six losses this season have come to teams currently 22 games over .500. Losses have come to the likes of Texas Tech (currently 10-1), North Carolina State (9-3) and Santa Clara (7-3).
The Cougars have three common opponents this season with Montana. WSU lost at home to Portland, 70-40, in its season opener, defeated Idaho at home, 67-49, and lost to Boise State at home, 71-64, squandering a 14-point lead in the game's final 8:37.
In Sunday afternoon's overtime victory over San Jose State, junior guard Katie Appleton had a game-high 29 points on 11-of-20 shooting, hitting all four of her 3-point attempts. She also added nine rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Appleton is Washington State's lone player averaging in double figures at 14.8 points per game. She also leads the team in rebounding (5.2/g) and steals (2.8/g).
The Cougars are shooting just 34.7 percent on the season while allowing their opponents to shoot 43.8 percent. WSU is also getting out-rebounded by over six boards per game.
Washington State went 5-24 last year, closing out the season on an 18-game losing streak. The Cougars finished 10th in the Pac-10 at 1-17, ending their season with a 72-58 loss to UCLA in the opening round of the conference tournament.
WSU is coached by June Daugherty. She is in her first season with the Cougars and has a 317-219 career record in her 19th year, spending seven seasons at Boise State (1989-90 to 1995-96) and the last 11 at Washington. Daugherty led the Broncos to one Big Sky Conference regular-season title (1992) and one NCAA Tournament appearance (1994).
Scouting Montana-Western: The Bulldogs, who returned just one starter, are 10-2 after having their eight-game win streak snapped last Saturday at home to Dickinson State, 61-55. Western was done in by the Blue Hawks' 11-for-18 performance from 3-point range.
Wednesday's game will be counted as an exhibition game for the Bulldogs. UMW lost at Utah, 95-36, in another exhibition game on Nov. 3.
Montana-Western is shooting 45.3 percent for the season while limiting its opponents to 35.2 percent. The Bulldogs shoot 40.9 percent from 3-point range and are out-scoring their opponents by over 18 points per game.
Senior forward Jill Dana averages 14.3 points per game and has hit 44 3-pointers while shooting 43.6 percent from behind the arc. Freshman center Chloe Mosey averages 9.3 points per game and has a team-high 81 rebounds (6.8/g) while shooting a team-best 62.5 percent.
Montana-Western went 26-6 in 2006-07, finishing second in the Frontier Conference at 11-3. The Bulldogs advanced to the NAIA national tournament for the eighth straight year.
Western is coached by Kevin Engellant, who is 252-106 in his 12th season.
Series Histories: Montana leads the all-time series with Washington State, 20-9. The two teams competed as conference rivals in the Northwest Women's Basketball League from 1976-77 to 1981-82. The Lady Griz are 11-4 at home against the Cougars, having won the last 11 meetings in Missoula.
Montana has defeated WSU in their last seven overall match-ups, including last December's 71-60 victory at Pullman, Wash. In that game Mandy Morales scored 33 points and the Lady Griz shot 42.9 percent while holding the Cougars to 30.9 percent shooting.
Montana leads the all-time series with UM-Western, 8-0. Seven of those wins have come at home, with the other a neutral-site victory in Bozeman, Mont. The Bulldogs have never reached 50 points against Montana, averaging 45.6 points per game in the previous eight meetings.
Montana Wins Third Straight: The Lady Griz won their third straight game Saturday night with a 77-52 victory over Idaho. Montana had a one-point lead, 37-36, with just over 13 minutes to play then out-scored the Vandals 40-16 the rest of the way.
Junior Sonya Rogers had a game-high 16 points, with 14 coming in the second half. Freshman Sarah Ena scored in double figures for the second straight game with 10 points, all coming in the second half.
The Lady Griz shot 54.2 percent in the second half and 46.2 percent for the game and forced 25 Idaho turnovers.
Lady Griz Notes: Montana is 3-0 at home this season and has won 18 of 19 at Dahlberg Arena dating back to the start of last season. ... Senior Johanna Closson grabbed her 500th career rebound against Idaho and played her 2,000th career minute. ... Junior Tamara Guardipee scored in double figures for the first time this season with 12 points against the Vandals. ... In three home games this season, junior Sonya Rogers is shooting 66.7 percent (16-for-24) from the field and 69.2 percent (9-for-13) from 3-point range. ... Montana picked off a season-high 12 steals Saturday night and has forced 49 turnovers in its last two games. ... The Lady Griz have gone 12-for-22 (.545) from 3-point range in their last two games.
Montana won its only game last week, a 77-52 home-court victory over Idaho Saturday night.
After the Christmas break, UM will host the 28th Lady Griz Holiday Classic Dec. 28-30. Montana will host UC Santa Barbara Friday, Dec. 28, UCSB will play Mississippi Saturday, Dec. 29, and the Lady Griz will face the Rebels on Sunday, Dec. 30.
Montana will open Big Sky Conference play Friday, Jan. 4, when the Lady Griz host Montana State.
"Washington State has a good ball club," Montana coach Robin Selvig said Monday. "June (Daugherty) is a very good coach and has them very competitive with a new system. It will be a tough ball game.
"They've got some quality wins playing a good schedule. They have good size and good perimeter players and are pretty balanced offensively.
"(UM-Western coach) Kevin (Engellant) lost a lot to graduation last year, but they've definitely picked things up right where they usually are. They've already got 10 wins under their belt, so they will definitely come in with some confidence."
Media: Both games this week will be broadcast on KLCY-AM (930) in the Missoula area, with Tom Stage (play-by-play) and Dick Slater (color) on the call. MontanaGrizzlies.com will provide live stats for both games and a link to the KLCY audio broadcast. Full post-game coverage will be available shortly after the game.
Morales Doubtful This Week: Junior guard Mandy Morales, the 2007 Big Sky Conference MVP and a 2007-08 Wooden Award candidate, is doubtful for this week's games. She has missed Montana's last four games, during which the Lady Griz have gone 3-1.
"You like to have all your players, but you play with what you've got available," Selvig said. "I have confidence in all the kids.
"I think Laura (Cote) and Lauren (Beck) have done a good job at the point. Laura is playing with great confidence and has given us good leadership.
"The fact that we've been able to win without Mandy certainly helps our confidence. We've done a good job making up for her absence."
Scouting Washington State: The Cougars are currently 3-6 on the season after Sunday afternoon's 78-72 overtime victory over San Jose State. Tuesday's game will be just WSU's second true road game of the season. Washington State's six losses this season have come to teams currently 22 games over .500. Losses have come to the likes of Texas Tech (currently 10-1), North Carolina State (9-3) and Santa Clara (7-3).
The Cougars have three common opponents this season with Montana. WSU lost at home to Portland, 70-40, in its season opener, defeated Idaho at home, 67-49, and lost to Boise State at home, 71-64, squandering a 14-point lead in the game's final 8:37.
In Sunday afternoon's overtime victory over San Jose State, junior guard Katie Appleton had a game-high 29 points on 11-of-20 shooting, hitting all four of her 3-point attempts. She also added nine rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Appleton is Washington State's lone player averaging in double figures at 14.8 points per game. She also leads the team in rebounding (5.2/g) and steals (2.8/g).
The Cougars are shooting just 34.7 percent on the season while allowing their opponents to shoot 43.8 percent. WSU is also getting out-rebounded by over six boards per game.
Washington State went 5-24 last year, closing out the season on an 18-game losing streak. The Cougars finished 10th in the Pac-10 at 1-17, ending their season with a 72-58 loss to UCLA in the opening round of the conference tournament.
WSU is coached by June Daugherty. She is in her first season with the Cougars and has a 317-219 career record in her 19th year, spending seven seasons at Boise State (1989-90 to 1995-96) and the last 11 at Washington. Daugherty led the Broncos to one Big Sky Conference regular-season title (1992) and one NCAA Tournament appearance (1994).
Scouting Montana-Western: The Bulldogs, who returned just one starter, are 10-2 after having their eight-game win streak snapped last Saturday at home to Dickinson State, 61-55. Western was done in by the Blue Hawks' 11-for-18 performance from 3-point range.
Wednesday's game will be counted as an exhibition game for the Bulldogs. UMW lost at Utah, 95-36, in another exhibition game on Nov. 3.
Montana-Western is shooting 45.3 percent for the season while limiting its opponents to 35.2 percent. The Bulldogs shoot 40.9 percent from 3-point range and are out-scoring their opponents by over 18 points per game.
Senior forward Jill Dana averages 14.3 points per game and has hit 44 3-pointers while shooting 43.6 percent from behind the arc. Freshman center Chloe Mosey averages 9.3 points per game and has a team-high 81 rebounds (6.8/g) while shooting a team-best 62.5 percent.
Montana-Western went 26-6 in 2006-07, finishing second in the Frontier Conference at 11-3. The Bulldogs advanced to the NAIA national tournament for the eighth straight year.
Western is coached by Kevin Engellant, who is 252-106 in his 12th season.
Series Histories: Montana leads the all-time series with Washington State, 20-9. The two teams competed as conference rivals in the Northwest Women's Basketball League from 1976-77 to 1981-82. The Lady Griz are 11-4 at home against the Cougars, having won the last 11 meetings in Missoula.
Montana has defeated WSU in their last seven overall match-ups, including last December's 71-60 victory at Pullman, Wash. In that game Mandy Morales scored 33 points and the Lady Griz shot 42.9 percent while holding the Cougars to 30.9 percent shooting.
Montana leads the all-time series with UM-Western, 8-0. Seven of those wins have come at home, with the other a neutral-site victory in Bozeman, Mont. The Bulldogs have never reached 50 points against Montana, averaging 45.6 points per game in the previous eight meetings.
Montana Wins Third Straight: The Lady Griz won their third straight game Saturday night with a 77-52 victory over Idaho. Montana had a one-point lead, 37-36, with just over 13 minutes to play then out-scored the Vandals 40-16 the rest of the way.
Junior Sonya Rogers had a game-high 16 points, with 14 coming in the second half. Freshman Sarah Ena scored in double figures for the second straight game with 10 points, all coming in the second half.
The Lady Griz shot 54.2 percent in the second half and 46.2 percent for the game and forced 25 Idaho turnovers.
Lady Griz Notes: Montana is 3-0 at home this season and has won 18 of 19 at Dahlberg Arena dating back to the start of last season. ... Senior Johanna Closson grabbed her 500th career rebound against Idaho and played her 2,000th career minute. ... Junior Tamara Guardipee scored in double figures for the first time this season with 12 points against the Vandals. ... In three home games this season, junior Sonya Rogers is shooting 66.7 percent (16-for-24) from the field and 69.2 percent (9-for-13) from 3-point range. ... Montana picked off a season-high 12 steals Saturday night and has forced 49 turnovers in its last two games. ... The Lady Griz have gone 12-for-22 (.545) from 3-point range in their last two games.
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