Saturday's Home Game Is Against Pac-10 Foe USC

BYU's women's basketball team is back at home for one game this week, hosting USC on Sat., Dec. 18. The Cougars and USC have compiled similar 5-2 records so far this season.

Teams: BYU (5-2) vs. USC (5-2) Date: 12/18 Time: 4 p.m. Arena: Marriott Ctr

Follow the women's basketball action live on BYU Radio

All of the women's basketball games can be heard live on BYU radio via the internet. Veteran BYU broadcaster Jay Monsen calls the action. Fans can also access BYU Radio on the Dish Network, Direct TV.

BYU's Probable Starters

Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

G/F 01 Nancy Seljaas 6-0 Jr 5.1 2.0

G 14 Julie Sullivan 5-8 Sr 8.7 2.1

F 35 Melinda Johnsen 5-10 So 2.1 2.0

F 32 Kristin Kozlowski 6-2 Sr 12.9 5.0

F 51 Danielle Cheesman 6-2 Sr 8.6 9.3

Cougar Players Off The Bench

Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

F 33 Ambrosia Anderson 6-2 Jr 12.9 6.9

G 30 Mallary Gillespie 5-10 Fr 9.6 2.1

F 50 Mary Martha Abell 6-3 Fr 3.3 2.0

C 52 Lauren Riley 6-3 Fr 2.0 1.3

G/F 25 Kali Taylor 5-11 Sr 2.8 2.0

G 13 Tiari Goold 5-7 So 1.0 1.0

F/G 15 Jennie Keele 5-10 Jr. 1.0 0.7

G 10 Laura Stratton 5-6 Jr 0.5 0.8

2004-05 Team Stats --

4 Shooting from the field: (.442, 179-405)

4 Shooting from the free-throw line: (.729, 86-118)

4 Shooting from three-point line: (.362, 38-105)

4 Average points per game: 68.9

Previous Game Recap

While competing at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Invitational, BYU defeated Southeast Missouri State 62-52 and lost to Hawai'i 44-56. In the game vs. SEMO, Ambrosia Anderson came off the bench for a season high performance in points (20) and in rebounds (12) to lead the Cougars to victory. Teammate Kristin Kozlowski also scored in double figures with 16 points. Kozlowski continued her strong performance in the second game of the tournament for BYU. She tallied 14 points and four rebounds in the disappointing loss to Hawai'i. The Cougars had a dismal shooting performance, finishing the game with a low 21 percent. The team only managed 15 points in the first half. Both Kozlowski and Anderson were named to the All-Tournament Team.

About BYU

u To date, the Cougars have compiled a 5-2 record.

u The team's leading scorer is senior forward Kristen Kozlowski, who tallies 12.9 points.

u Senior forward Danielle Cheesman tops the list in the rebound category with 9.3 per game.

u Cheesman picked up her first double double of the season with 12 points and 13 rebounds against Arizona on 11/27/04. It was her eighth overall.

u Cheesman is nearing BYU's elite 1,000 point club. She needs 26 points to reach the list. She's currently at 965.

u Senior point guard Julie Sullivan is the team's best free throw shooter, with a percentage of .778, (21-27).

u Sullivan has scored in double figures in four of seven games to date.

u Ambrosia Anderson's points are all coming off the bench. She's averaging 23 minutes of playing time per game.

u Anderson picked up her first double double of the 2004-05 campaign with the 20 points and 12 rebounds against SEMO on 12/10/04.

u To date, Kristin Kozlowski has scored in double figures in four games.

u In the past seven games, the Cougars have shot 50 percent or better from the field twice, vs. GW on 12/06/04 (50.0, 27-54) and vs. SUU on 11/19/04 (52.6, 30-57).

u Freshman Mallary Gillespie put in seven three pointers in the game vs. Nevada on 11/24/04, that's two shy of BYU's all-time record holder in three pointers, Erin Thorn. Thorn tallied nine treys vs. Arkansas Pine-Bluff at a tournament in Denver on 12/14/01.

About USC

The Women of Troy come to play at the Marriott Center with a 5-2 record and a four game winning streak. The team's two losses were against Notre Dame and De Paul. Freshman Brynn Cameron tops USC in scoring with 9.7 points a game. Senior forward Rachel Woodward leads the team in the rebound category, grabbing 5.4 boards a game. After seven games, the Women of Troy are shooting 39 percent from the field and 67 percent from the free throw line. Head Coach Mark Trakh is in his first season with USC.

USC Probable Starters

Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

G 11 Brynn Cameron 5-10 Fr 9.7 2.0

G 2 Jamie Hagiya 5-4 So 4.6 2.1

F 33 Rachel Woodward 6-1 Sr 9.3 5.4

F 41 Jamie Funn 6-2 So 9.0 4.9

C 50 Chloe Kerr 6-3 So 6.7 4.4

Series Record: 1-4, in favor of USC.

Last Meeting: USC and BYU played on Nov. 29,2001 where the Cougars rallied to a 75-73 overtime victory in Los Angeles. USC has not played in Provo since 1986 when they defeated the Cougars 93-83. When playing at the Marriott Center, BYU has yet to pick up a victory over USC.

Head Coach - Jeff Judkins

Overall Record: 63-37, begins his fourth season at BYU.

Under Coach Judkins, the team has gone to back-to-back NCAA appearances as well as to the title games of the MWC Championships, winning the title game in 2001-02.

An all-state selection in basketball, football and baseball, Judkins played basketball for the University of Utah Utah from 1974-78. While playing for the Utes, he helped the team win one conference championship and two berths in the NCAA Tournament.

He was a second-team academic All-American and three-time first-team District VII academic selection. Judkins earned three first-team All-WAC honors and was a member of the 1977 United States World Games team that captured the gold medal.

He played five years in the NBA for the Boston Celtics, Portland Trailblazers, Detroit Pistons and the Utah Jazz. He was a second-round pick by the Celtics in 1978, the same year the Celtics selected Larry Bird with the sixth pick overall.

After his NBA career, he returned to the U of U in 1989, and remained with the men's program for 10 years. Judkins, a Salt Lake City native, graduated from Utah in 1978 with a degree in health and physical education. He is a member of the Utah Sports Hall of Fame and the Crimson Club Hall of Fame.

He and his wife Mary Kay, are the parents of five children: Jessica (24), Jordan (22), Jenna (20), Jaime (17), Jaxson (14).

2004-05 Roster Breakdown

Seniors (4):

Danielle Cheesman, Kristen Kozlowski, Julie Sullivan, Kali Taylor

Juniors (5):

Ambrosia Anderson, Julie Cross, Jennie Keele (Overdiek), Nancy Seljaas, Laura Stratton

Sophomore (3):

Dani Kubik, Tiari Goold,Melinda Johnsen

Freshman (4):

Mary Martha Abell, Mallary Gillespie, Lauren Riley, Summer Sykes

By Position

Forward (6):

Mary Martha Abell, Ambrosia Anderson, Danielle Cheesman, Kristen Kozlowski,

Summer Sykes

Guard (6):

Julie Cross, Mallary Gillespie, Tiari Goold, Laura Stratton, Julie Sullivan, Kali Taylor

Guard/Forward (3):

Melinda Johnsen, Jennie Keele, Nancy Seljaas

Center /Forward(2):

Dani Kubik, Lauren Riley

Team's Practice Schedule/Media Interviews

The BYU team practices at the Marriott Center from 11 a.m., to 2 p.m., on Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's. On Tuesday's , practice time is from 1 to 3 p.m., and from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., on Thursdays.

Media interviews with coach Judkins and players can be done prior to or at the end of practice. All interviews must be scheduled in advance with the women's basketball athletic communications director, Norma Collett at 801-422-4908, 801-372-0989 during regular business hours or via email at: collett@byucougars.com

No interviews will be given the day of a game until after the game. Updated information on the women's basketball team is available 24 hours a day on the BYU web site at www.byucougars.com/basketball_w/

Stats on the team are updated on the web site every Monday morning. Media members may contact Norma Collett to receive news releases and game notes via email.

All working media personnel will be put on a media gate list for entry into the arena. The list will be available by the elevators near the main ticket office in the Marriott Center. No other credentials are needed. Media will be assigned a seat on press row to cover each home game.

What's Next

The Cougars make their final December road trip to Malibu, Calif. They will participate in the Hilton Woodland Hills Beach Classic, playing Vanderbilt Dec. 20, and either Pepperdine or Wright State on Dec. 21. December ends with a home game against Weber State on the 30th.