LAIE -- The Cougars defeated Wright State 56-50 in the first game of the Hukilau Invitational Friday, behind a steady offensive effort from the team.

“I’m proud of how the girls handled their pressure,” said BYU head coach Jeff Judkins. “ We’re getting better and better with each game.”

BYU started slow and trailed through most of the first half. Mindy Nielson and Shawnee Slade kept the Cougars close and they tied the game 24-24. The team’s first lead of the game came with 1:45 left in the first half when Nielson hit a three-pointer to put the Cougars out in front.

The teams went into the break tied at 29 a piece.

Three-point shooting helped pace BYU through the second half. The team is now 3-2 when it makes at least five three-pointers.

Nielson led all scorers with 19 points for her third double-digit point effort this season. Slade chipped in fifteen. It is the 24th time in her career she has scored in double figures. The Cougars out-rebounded Wright State 31-30.

“I thought we executed better in the second half,” said Judkins. “Mindy and Kristen had good games for us.”

BYU able to overcome the first-half deficit and fend off the Raiders through the second half despite committing a season-high 23 turnovers.

The Cougars’ record improves to 4-2, while Wright State falls to 2-3.

BYU’s Hawaiian trip continues Saturday, Dec. 6, when they face off against Pac-10 power USC (4-1) at 4:00 p.m. BYU Radio’s live audio feed of the game can be accessed by visiting the schedule page at www.byucougars.com/basketball_w/.

Following the end of the tournament, the Cougars return home to host two games against in-state foes Weber State and Utah State. The game against the Wildcats will tip off at 7:00 p.m., and the Utah State game will start at 3:00 p.m. Live stat and audio feeds will be available online, and both games will broadcast on BYUTV.

Official Basketball Box Score
WSU vs Brigham Young
12/5/08 1:00PM at Laie, HI
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VISITORS: WSU 2-4
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
03 THOMAS, LaShawna.... *  5-9    1-3    4-6    5  3  8   1  15  2  5  0  4  38
05 DAVIS, Ta-myra...... *  3-4    0-0    5-6    1  1  2   3  11  0  4  0  1  28
11 PEDDY, Shey......... *  3-10   0-3    1-2    1  0  1   2   7  2  3  0  1  27
23 DIXON, Charne....... *  0-3    0-0    1-2    1  1  2   2   1  2  5  0  2  26
25 RICHARDSON, Erica... *  0-2    0-0    0-0    2  1  3   1   0  0  0  0  0  10
10 WARD, Kanisha.......    2-7    2-5    0-0    2  2  4   4   6  3  4  0  3  27
32 SCOTT, Tanni........    0-0    0-0    0-0    1  0  1   0   0  0  0  0  0   7
33 BENNETT, Maria......    0-1    0-1    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  1  1  0  0   3
55 HALL, Tatianna......    4-14   0-1    2-3    4  4  8   3  10  1  4  0  1  34
   TEAM................                            1  1
   Totals..............   17-50   3-13  13-19  17 13 30  16  50 11 26  0 12 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-26 38.5%   2nd Half:  7-24 29.2%   Game: 34.0%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  1-6  16.7%   2nd Half:  2-7  28.6%   Game: 23.1%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  8-10 80.0%   2nd Half:  5-9  55.6%   Game: 68.4%    2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOME TEAM: Brigham Young 4-2
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
03 FOREMAN, Jazmine.... *  1-3    0-2    0-1    0  4  4   3   2  8  8  0  2  37
22 NIELSON, Mindy...... *  8-12   2-5    1-1    1  3  4   2  19  1  2  0  3  37
32 SLADE, Shawnee...... *  6-10   3-5    0-0    2  4  6   3  15  3  8  0  1  34
45 MOEAKI, Keilani..... *  1-4    0-0    1-2    2  3  5   4   3  1  5  1  1  20
54 KING, Cassie........ *  1-2    0-0    2-2    1  1  2   3   4  0  2  0  0  16
01 JACKSON, Jenteal....    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  0  0  0   3
14 HOSTETTER, Sarah R..    0-2    0-1    1-2    1  0  1   0   1  0  2  0  0   9
23 WOOD, Coriann.......    1-3    0-2    3-4    1  4  5   3   5  0  3  0  1  19
35 RILEY, Kristen......    2-4    0-0    3-4    1  1  2   3   7  2  2  1  2  25
   TEAM................                         1  1  2
   Totals..............   20-40   5-15  11-16  10 21 31  21  56 15 32  2 10 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-20 50.0%   2nd Half: 10-20 50.0%   Game: 50.0%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  3-9  33.3%   2nd Half:  2-6  33.3%   Game: 33.3%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  6-7  85.7%   2nd Half:  5-9  55.6%   Game: 68.8%    2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Officials: Pat Sueoka, Bart Baldwin, Tony Collazo
Technical fouls: WSU-None. Brigham Young-None.
Attendance: 89
Score by Periods                1st  2nd   Total
WSU...........................   29   21  -   50
Brigham Young.................   29   27  -   56

BYU’s women’s basketball team (3-2) heads to Laie, Hawaii to play two games at the Hukilau Invitational co-sponsored by BYU and BYU-Hawaii. The Cougars battle Wright State (2-2) on Fri., Dec. 5 at 1 p.m., then play Pac-10 foe USC (3-1) on Sat., Dec. 6 in a 4 p.m., tip off. All games will be played at the Cannon Activity Center on the BYU-Hawaii campus.

Game Information

When:12/5/08 vs:Wright St. Tip: 1 p.m. Arena: Cannon Activity Ctr.

When:12/6/08 vs:USC Tip: 4 p.m. Arena: Cannon Activity Ctr.

Broadcast Plans

Internet: Audio streaming is available for both games via the internet at BYU Radio with Jay Monsen calling the action. A link is available by going to http://www.byucougars.com/basketball_w/

Stats: Live stats through GameTracker are available as well. A link is available by logging on to the BYU women’s basketball home page at http://www.byucougars.com/basketball_w/

BYU Probable Starters

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

03 Jazmine Foreman G 5-5 So 7.2 2.8

22 Mindy Nielson G 5-10 So 12.8 2.6

32 Shawnee Slade F 5-11 Sr 12.0 4.6

45 Keilani Moeaki F 6-2 So 6.8 2.8

54 Cassie King C 6-3 Sr 6.6 5.4

Off the Bench

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

23 Coriann Wood F 6-1 So 7.4 3.8

35 Kristen Riley C 6-3 Fr 3.8 3.6

14 Sarah Hostetter G/F 5-11 Sr 3.0 1.0

55 Megan Marks F 6-3 So 2.0 0.6

01 Jenteal Jackson G 5-7 Fr 1.0 1.3

24 Dani Peterson F 6-1 Fr 0.8 1.2

13 Jaime Judkins G 5-6 Jr 0.4 0.2

21 Stephanie Buhler F 6-1 Fr (rs) 0.0 0.0

2008-09 Cougar Stats Summary --

-- Shooting from the field: (.392, 124-316)

-- Shooting from the free-throw line: (.726, 53-73)

-- Shooting from three-point line: (.298, 28-94)

-- Average points per game: 65.8

-- Average assists per game: 14.2

-- Average steals per game: 9.4

-- Average blocks per game: 3.6

-- Average turnovers per game: 15.8

Team Summary for 2008-09

The Cougars return 12 letterwinners and two starters.

-- Three seniors: Shawnee Slade, Cassie King

and Sarah Red Hostetter. Slade, who started in every game last year, was second on the team in both scoring and rebounding averaging 7.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. King, a 6-3 center played in all games with an average of 4.7 points and 2.7 boards per contest. Red-Hostetter played in 21 games last year and averaged 2.7 points per game.

-- Key returners include Mindy Nielson and Haley Hall. Nielson started in 19 games last year and averaged 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and led the team in assists with a total of 80 for an 2.8 average. Point-guard Haley Hall is out the rest of this season after suffering a torn ACL to her right knee at the Portland State game on 11/14/08. Hall played in seven games during the 2006-07 season before an ACL injury ended the season. After a year of rehabilitation, Hall was set to return to her point-guard spot in 2007-08, but reinjured the same knee and did not play last year.

-- Jaime Judkins is the lone junior on the squad. She will be relied on to continue her hard working attitude and strong play this year.

-- Also back for their second collegiate season are four additional sophomores: Jazmine Foreman, Megan Marks, Keilani Moeaki and Coriann Wood. The four return after playing significant minutes as freshmen and learning to compete at the college level.

-- The six newcomers include Stephanie Buhler, a 6-0 freshman forward who redshirted last season.

-- 2008-09 Freshman Class:

Jenteal Jackson, a 5-7 guard from Salt Lake City and Skyline HS

Alexis Kaufusi, a 6-1 forward from Provo and Timpview HS

Dani Peterson, a 6-1 forward from Salt Lake City and Skyline HS

Kristen Riley, a 6-3 forward from San Clemente, CA and San Clemente HS. Riley’s older sister Lauren played four seasons on the BYU program, graduating in 2008.

Last Game

With a 70-64 victory over SUU, the Cougars ended a three-game homestand on a winning note. Shawnee Slade led all scores with 18 points picking up new season highs. Coriann Wood added 10 points for the Cougars, while Mindy Nielson recorded a team-high six rebounds. As a team, BYU forced 26 turnovers, including 15 steals. Both teams shot well as the first half wound down, trading baskets back-and-forth, with Nielson scoring her first bucket of the game with 10 seconds remaining.

The Cougars were strong coming out of the halftime break, including Slade, who scored eight of BYU’s 10 points to start the half. BYU’s defense held the Thunderbirds scoreless during that streak. Point guard Jazmine Foreman led the Cougars’ defensive efforts—recording three steals in three minutes for BYU. The Cougars shot 42 percent from the field and 61 percent from the line.

Injury Report

Near the conclusion of the game at Portland St., sophomore point-guard Haley Hall suffered a season ending injury to her right knee. She has a torn ACL. Hall has had two other ACL injuries both on her left knee prior to the 2008-09 season.

-- Of Note in 2008-09 --

TEAM

-- With the 70-64 home victory over SUU, the Cougars are 2-1 in the Marriott Center this season.

-- The Cougars had two players (Slade, Wood) in double figures vs. SUU, marking the fourth time this season more than two Cougars have scored in double figures.

-- BYU defeated the Thunderbirds 70-64, with a margin of six points. It is the first win for the Cougars this season where the margin of victory has been less than ten points.

-- The Cougars dished out a season high18 assists vs. SUU, and had 14 steals for new season highs as well.

-- In the game vs. UConn, BYU went 7-8 from the free-throw line (87 percent), making it the second best of the year.

-- There were 3,109 fans in attendance at the UConn game, the highest crowd of the season to date.

-- The Cougars hosted the nation's No. 1 ranked UConn Huskies on Tuesday, Nov. 25. They were highest ranked women's basketball team to ever play in the Marriott Center and the highest ranked team that BYU has ever played.

-- Five players scored in double digits at Nevada on Nov. 18.

-- Three players contributed with double figure scoring in two games to date; at Portland St., on 11/14/08 and vs. Oregon on 11/21/08.

-- So far this season, the Cougars have played four games with teams from three different conferences. Portland State, from the Big Sky; Nevada, from the WAC; and Oregon, from the Pac-10. Tuesday’s game vs. UConn will be the fourth team from the fourth conference. The Huskies are from the Big East Conference.

-- In the victory at Nevada, BYU was perfect from the line in the first half going 9-9, and finished the game making 17 of 18.

-- With the 67-45 victory over Oregon on Fri., Nov. 21, coach Jeff Judkins improved to 7-1 in home openers.

PLAYER

-- Megan Marks’ eight points vs. SUU were new career highs. She was also perfect 4-4 from the field.

-- With nine points, Kristen Riley set a new career high vs. SUU. She was 4-6 from the field.

-- Shawnee Slade’s 18 points vs. SUU were new season highs. She has scored in double figures in three games during the 2008-09 campaign.

-- With 14 points vs. UConn, sophomore guard Mindy Nielson has scored in double digits in two contests this season.

-- Nielson picked up new season and career highs in points with 27 at Nevada on 11/18/08. She was also 9-10 from the free throw line.

-- Nielson leads the team in points with an average of 12.8 points per game.

-- Senior center Cassie King tops the team’s list in the rebound category, grabbing 5.4 boards per game.

-- Jazmine Foreman tops the leader board in assists on the team dishing out a total of 18 to date for a 3.6 average. She tallied six in the game vs. UConn on 11/25/08 for new season highs.

This Week’s Cougar Opponents

Wright State (Dec. 5, 2008) in Laie, HI at Hukilau Invitational - 1 p.m.

Wright State has compiled a 2-2 record to date, hosting Miami on Dec. 2 before traveling to Laie. The Raiders returns four starters and nine letterwinners from a team that went 16-16, 11-7 in the Horizon League.

Leading the team in scoring is sophomore guard LaShawna Thomas who is averaging 16.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Another guard Shey Peddy follows with 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and has a team high 22 steals on the year. Leading in the rebound category is 6-1 junior forward Erica Richardson who’s grabbing 6.8 boards per game. Head coach Bridgett Williams is in her eighth season with Wright State.

Wright State Probable Starters

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

03 LaShawna Thomas G 5-6 So 16.8 4.5

11 Shey Peddy G 5-6 So 13.5 5.0

23 Charne Dixon G 5-7 Jr 0.8 1.5

25 Erica Richardson F 6-1 Jr 5.8 6.8

05 Ta-myra Davis C/F 6-1 So 4.8 5.0

Stat Comparison

Category BYU Wright St.

Points: 65.8 57.0

FG: .392 .406

FT: .726 .613

3FG: .298 .213

Reb: 34.0 36.2

Series Information

Record: Wright State leads the series 1-0

Last Meeting: Dec. 21, 2004. Both teams met for the first time at the Hilton Woodland Hills Beach Classic at Pepperdine Univ. In that game the Raiders defeated the Cougars by a score of 64-56.

USC (Dec. 6, 2008) in Laie, HI at Hukilau Invitational - 4 p.m.

Heading into this week’s game, the University of Southern California (USC) has a 3-1 overall record and are on a three-game winning streak. USC has three starters and nine letterwinners back for this season after a 17-13 and 10-8 Pac-10 record. Four Trojans are scoring in double figures led by Nadia Parker, a 6-3 senior center who’s averaging 13.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Brianna Gilbreath and Ashley Corral contribute 13.3 points each with 5.3 boards from Gilbreath and 5.0 from Corral. Camille LeNoir rounds out the scoring with her 10.0 points. Aarika Hughes, a 6-2 junior guard/forward tops the leader list in the rebound category grabbing 8.8 boards per game. Mark Trakh is at the helm of USC’s women’s basketball program and is in his fifth season.

USC Probable Starters

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

24 Ashley Corral G 5-9 Fr 13.3 5.0

15 Briana Gilbreath G/F 6-1 Fr 13.3 5.3

01 Camille LeNoir G 5-6 Sr 10.0 2.3

21 Aarika Hughes F 6-2 Jr 4.8 8.8

13 Kari LaPlante C 6-5 So 5.3 3.3

Stat Comparison

Category BYU USC

Points: 65.8 67.0

FG: .392 .407

FT: .726 .730

3FG: .298 .289

Reb: 34.0 42.8

Series Information

Record: USC leads the series 4-2

Last Meeting: Dec. 18, 2004. In the last meeting between these two teams, the Cougars picked up the 76-73 home win. When the teams play on a neutral court, USC has a 1-0 advantage.

Travel Itinerary

Flight: 12/2/08 - Delta #1105 departs from Salt Lake City at 12 p.m., and arrives in Honolulu at 3 p.m.

Flight: 12/6/08 - Delta #1104 departs Honolulu at 10:35 p.m., and arrives in Salt Lake City at 7:40 a.m. on Sun. Dec. 7.

Team hotel: Turtle Bay Resort, 57-091 Kamehameha Hwy., Kahuku, Oahu, 808-293-6000, fax 808-293-9147.

Hukilau Invitational

BYU team schedule for practices and games - Cannon Activity Center on the BYU-Hawaii Campus.

Wed. Dec. 3 - practice 8-10 a.m.

Thurs., Dec. 4 - practice 10-11:30 a.m.

Fri., Dec. 5 - shoot-around 9-9:30 a.m.

Fri., Dec. 5 - game vs. Wright State, 1 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 6 - shoot-around 10-10:30 a.m.

Sat., Dec. 6 - game vs. USC, 4 p.m.

What’s Next

After playing in the tournament in Hawaii, the Cougar squad will return home for two games against instate opponents. BYU hosts Weber State on Dec. 10 at 5 p.m., followed by a matchup with Utah State on Dec. 13 in a 3 p.m., start. Both games will air live on BYUTV.