Two Games At Home Bring Big Sky Conference Opponents

After a short holiday break, BYU's women's basketball team gets ready to host instate foe, Weber State on Dec. 30 and Montana State on Jan.3. Both games tip off at 7 p.m., from the Marriott Center

Teams: BYU (6-4) vs. Weber State (6-3) Date: 12/30/04Time: 7 p.m. Arena: Marriott Ctr.

Teams: BYU (6-4) vs. Montana St. (6-3) Date: 1/04/05 Time: 7p.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.

BYU's Probable Starters

Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

G/F 01 Nancy Seljaas 6-0 Jr 4.2 2.0

G 14 Julie Sullivan 5-8 Sr 10.0 3.2

F 35 Melinda Johnsen 5-10 So 3.4 2.2

F 32 Kristin Kozlowski 6-2 Sr 10.8 4.3

F 51 Danielle Cheesman 6-2 Sr 8.1 9.3

Cougar Players Off The Bench

Pos. # Name Ht.Yr. PPG RPG

F 33 Ambrosia Anderson 6-2 Jr 12.0 6.5

G 30 Mallary Gillespie 5-10 Fr 9.0 2.0

F 50 Mary Martha Abell 6-3 Fr 2.7 1.8

C 52 Lauren Riley 6-3 Fr 2.5 1.4

G/F 25 Kali Taylor 5-11 Sr 2.3 1.4

G 13 Tiari Goold 5-7 So 0.9 0.8

F/G 15 Jennie Keele 5-10 Jr. 0.8 0.7

G 10 Laura Stratton 5-6 Jr 0.3 0.4

C 45 Dani Kubik 6-3 So (is eligible to play starting with the Weber State game)

2004-05 Team Stats --

4 Shooting from the field: (.435, 242-556)

4 Shooting from the free-throw line: (.737, 126-171)

4 Shooting from three-point line: (.340, 51-150)

4 Average points per game: 66.1

Previous Game Recap

It was another sluggish start for the women who were unable to regain the lead in an eventual loss to Wright State University in the consolation game of the Hilton Woodland Hills Beach Classic in Malibu on Tuesday night. The Cougars tied the game at 50 with 3:04 remaining in the game but were left behind in a 14-6 finish that sealed the victory for the Raiders at 64-56.

Both teams struggled shooting the ball in the first half with WSU shooting 36 percent while the Cougars were only able to hit on 21 percent shooting. Despite the low marks, BYU had a one-point lead, 13-12, with 6:40 remaining in the half.

The women, who had troubles with turnovers against Vanderbilt, continued to have problems committing 11 to WSU's six. The differential led to a Raider lead at the half at 26-19.

The Cougars began to claw their way back into the game with a late 10-0 run in the second half to tie the game up at 50-50 after Ambrosia Anderson scored on a lay-up. The following possessions WSU was able to capitalize on two three point plays to put the Raiders up 56-50.

Just before the two-minute mark, Danielle Cheesman hit a free throw that cut the lead to five, 56-51, but that was the closest the Cougars would come. During the final two-minutes the Raiders shot well at the line to come away with the victory 64-56, despite the late rally by the Cougars.

Cheesman finished the game with a game and team-high 12 rebounds. Julie Sullivan led all Cougar players with 12 points while Mallary Gillespie scored 10 off the bench.

About the Cougars

u To date, the Cougars have compiled a 6-4 record.

u The team's leading scorer is junior forward Ambrosia Anderson, who tallies 12.0 points.

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

u Cheesman picked up her second double double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds vs. USC on 12/18/04. It was her ninth overall.

u Cheesman is nearing BYU's elite 1,000 point club. She needs just 5 points to reach the list. She's currently at 995.

u Senior point guard Julie Sullivan is one of the team's best free throw shooter, with a percentage of .816, (31-38).

u Sullivan has scored in double figures in six of 10 games to date.

u Sullivan was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Hilton Woodland Hills Beach Classic in Malibu, Calif., on Dec. 20-21.

u Ambrosia Anderson's points are all coming off the bench. She's averaging 22 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 five games.

u In the past 10 games, the Cougars have shot 50 percent or better from the field three times, vs. USC on 12/18/04 (55.3, 26-47), 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.

Remodeled Team Facilities To Be Named

Recently, the women's basketball team facilities, including the training room, study room, a state-of-the-art film editing room and the women's locker rooms were remodeled after the team received the generous donation. The new facilities will be named the Roselle Judkins Women's Basketball Facilities.

At half-time of the women's basketball game between BYU and Weber State, Roselle Judkins, grandmother to head coach Jeff Judkins will be honored and the new facilities will be named in her honor.

Roselle Judkins, who is the mother of coach Judkin's father (Barry), is 92 years old, has six children, 32 grandchildren, 78 great-grand children and four great, great grand children. Many members of the family will be in attendance at Thursday's ceremonies.

About Weber State

The Wildcats come to Provo and the Marriott Center with a 6-3 record that includes back to back wins over Wyoming and Boise State. Their losses were to Pacific, Arizona and Utah. Senior Julie Gjertsen leads Weber State in points with an average of 18.4 points a game. She's also the team's leading rebounder, grabbing 9.4 boards a game. Teammate Becky O'Neil is also scoring in double digits, contributing 10.9 points per game. The Wildcats are shooting 43 percent from the field, 70 percent at the free throw line and 34percent from three-point range. Weber State is scoring 67.3 points and holding opponents to just 64.7 points a game. On the road, the Wildcats currently have a 3-2 record.

Weber State Probable Starters

Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

G 12 Julie Gjertsen 5-10 Sr 18.4 9.4

G 14 Laura Porter 5-8 So 7.4 2.6

F 05 Sara Tuomi 6-0 Fr 5.9 3.0

F 30 Brooke Hansen 6-0 Sr 6.8 2.1

C 55 Becky O'Neil 6-0 So 10.9 5.3

Series Record: 33-8, at the Marriott Center, the Wildcats are 1-15. The last time Weber State won in Provo was back in 1989 with a 93-87 win.

Last Meeting: These two instate schools played in Ogden last year with BYU getting the 68-51 victory.

About Montana State

Montana State has a 6-3 record and will play two road games before meeting the Cougars in Provo on Jan. 3rd. The Bobcats play at Baylor on the 29th and at Utah State on the 31st. So far this season, senior forward Kati Burrows leads the team in scoring with an average of 15.6 points a game. She also tops the list in rebounding, grabbing a team-high 8.1 boards a game. Scotta Morton, a sophomore forward also scored in double figures with 12.3 points per game. Montana State returns two starters from last year's 15-14 team. The Bobcats are shooting 41 percent from the field and 67 percent from the free throw line. From three-point range they shoot 38 percent. Montana State is scoring 68.3 points a game and allowing opponents to score 61.2 points. The team is being directed by interim Head Coach Greg Kudrna.

Montana State Probable Starters

Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

G 23 Hillary Scott 5-9 Sr 9.9 2.3

G 24 Alyssa Nelson 5-5 So 7.0 4.0

F 32 Kati Burrows 5-10 Sr 15.6 8.1

F 20 Scotta Morton 5-10 So 12.3 3.4

C 34 Whitney Connolly 6-3 So 2.7 4.3

Series Record: 9-3. When playing at the Marriott Center, the Bobcats are 1-5.

Last Meeting: Both of these teams played during last year's season in Bozeman on Jan. 6, 2004. In that contest, BYU picked up the 67-55 win.

Head Coach - Jeff Judkins

Overall Record: 64-39, 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

BYU will play its final pre-season game on Jan. 8, hosting Portland State in a 2 p.m. tip off. The following week, the Cougars open up MWC play hosting Wyoming and CSU.