Team Plays At San Diego State, Hosts TCU

As the MWC race winds down, no. 21 BYU controls first place with two of four league games remaining. The (20-3, 10-2) Cougars battle at SanDiego State (3-20, 0-13) Wednesday, Feb. 22 in a 7 p.m. tip, before playing their final home game hosting TCU, Sat. Feb. 25 at 2 p.m.

Seniors Recognized At Final Home Game

Three seniors (A. Anderson, N. Seljaas and L. Stratton) will be recognized at the TCU game on Sat., Feb. 25 at 2 p.m.

Teams:BYU(20-3, 10-2)@ SDSU (3-20, 0-13) Date:02/22/06 Time: 7 p.m. Arena: Cox Arena

Teams:BYU(20-3, 10-2) vs. TCU (14-9, 8-4) Date: 02/25/06 Time: 2 p.m. Arena: Marriott Ctr.

BYU vs. TCU Game To Air Live on BYUTV

Saturday afternoon's final home game between the Cougars and Horned Frogs will air live on BYU TV. Holly Rowe will call the action with analysis from former Cougar standout Kristin Kozlowski.

Follow the women's basketball action on BYU Radio*

All of the women's basketball games can be heard on BYU radio via the internet at www.byuradio.org Veteran BYU broadcaster Jay Monsen calls the action. Fans can also access BYU Radio on the Dish Network.

* BYU radio will take the SDSU game in progress, immediately following the conclusion of the men's game.

BYU's Probable Starters

Pos.#NameHt. Yr.PPGRPG

G/F15Jennie Keele5-10 Jr 4.63.5

G30Mallary Gillespie5-10 So10.04.0

F35Melinda Johnsen5-10 Jr4.34.4

F33Ambrosia Anderson6-2 Sr18.67.3

C45Dani Kubik6-3 Jr 10.05.8

Cougar Players Off The Bench

Pos.#NameHt.Yr.PPGRPG

F01Nancy Seljaas6-0Sr3.61.4

G10Laura Stratton5-6Sr1.30.5

G23Brit Brown5-7So0.40.3

G24Vanessa Hutson5-4Fr3.01.3

G/F32Shawnee Slade5-11 Fr3.11.9

F41Brittany Faddis6-0Fr1.00.4

C52Lauren Riley6-3So5.85.7

C54Cassie King6-3Fr1.11.4

2005-06 Team Stats --

-- Shooting from the field: (.426, 563-1322)

-- Shooting from the free-throw line: (.629 , 239-380)

-- Shooting from three-point line: (.333, 140-420)

-- Average points per game: 65.4

Notables in 2005-06

-- Leading scorer: Ambrosia Anderson - 18.6 ppg

-- Leading rebounder: Ambrosia Anderson - 7.3 rpg

-- Assist leader: Melinda Johnsen- 3.70 apg

-- Blocks leader(s): L. Riley- 14 to date and Dani Kubik- 13 to date -- Steals leader: Melinda Johnsen - 47 to date, 2.04 spg

-- BYU continues its best record and start in school history. During the 2002-03 season they went 5-0 through the first five games before the team's first loss.

-- BYU has outrebounded its opponents in 16 of 23 games to date

BYU Team Gets Top 25 Ranking

For the first time since the 2002-03 season, BYU's women's basketball team and its 13-1 record breaks into this week's 01/16/06 AP Poll at the no. 23 spot, and also rank 23rd in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches Poll. The team's last top 25 ranking came during the 2002-03 year when the Cougars had tallied a 5-1 record before losing at George Washington who was ranked 22nd, on 12/11/02. BYU also finished ranked 17th after its first-ever Sweet Sixteen finish in 2001-02.

For the week beginning Jan. 23, BYU jumped to the no.20 spot in both polls.

The week of Jan.30, the team is ranked 19th by both polls.

The week of Feb. 6, the Cougars are ranked 18th in both polls.

Feb. 13, BYU was ranked 19th by AP Poll, and stayed 18th in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches Poll.

Cougars dropped in the AP Poll to no. 21 from no. 19 on Feb. 20, 2006.

Anderson Joins 1,000-Point Club

After the 14 points scored by Ambrosia Anderson in the game at Wyoming on Jan. 18., she becomes one of only 18 players in BYU women's basketball history to eclipse the 1,000 point mark. As of Feb. 20, she has tallied, 1,139 total points in her four-year career.

Gillespie's Buzzer Beater Winning Basket Makes ESPN Highlights

Sophomore guard Mallary Gillespie's game-winning basket at Utah on 01/07/06 made that night's ESPN Sports Center list of the 10 best Plays of the Day. It also took the number seven spot on Chris Birman Plays of the Week on Sunday, Jan. 8.

Cougars By The Numbers

2 games where four players have scored in double figures (@ Stony Brook and @ UC Riverside)

3 games where the Cougars have shot at least 50 percent: @ AF on 2/4/06, vs. UNLV 01/14/06 and vs. NAU, 50.8

6 games in which the Cougar defense has held opponents to under 30 percent shooting from the field (vs. UCSB, @ Seton Hall, @ Weber State, @ Wyoming, vs. SDSU, vs. CSU)

8 games in which three players have scored in double figures

9 assists by Melinda Johnsen, the team's assist leader (vs. UNLV on 1/11/06)

10 games in which A. Anderson has been the team's leading rebounder

11 games won by the Cougars on the road

11 longest winning streak of the 2005-06 season, ended on 2/8/06 with 52-70 loss to Utah in Provo

11 career games where A. Anderson has picked up a double double

12 games in which two players have scored in double figures

14 rebounds grabbed by Dani Kubik, team's second leading rebounder (vs. SDSU on 1/21/06)

16 games where BYU has outrebounded opponents

16 games where BYU has made at least five three-pointers

17 games won by BYU when leading at the half

22 games where Ambrosia Anderson has scored in double figures

26 season and career high points by Ambrosia Anderson (vs. NAU on 12/10/05)

34 biggest margin of victory, vs. NAU 82-48

42 most first half points scored, vs. CSU on 1/28/06

Cougar Honors To Date

Ambrosia Anderson was named the MWC Player of the Week on Nov. 28, 2005.

Player Injury Report

Sophomore forward Mary Martha Abell, from Monroe, Louisiana suffered a torn ACL injury in the exhibition game against Westminster College on Nov. 1. She will use this season as an injury redshirt year.

MWC PreSeason Poll

Cougars Picked To Finish 6th In PreSeason Poll

Rk. Team (1st-place votes) Points

1. Utah (23) 214

2. New Mexico (2) 180

3. TCU (1) 164

4. UNLV 137

5. Colorado State 117

6. BYU 107

7. Wyoming 90

8. San Diego State 45

9. Air Force 31

Head Coach - Jeff Judkins

Overall Record: 97-49

Jeff Judkins is in his fifth year as head coach after serving one year as the Director of Basketball Operations at BYU. He was also the scheduling coordinator. He has been involved in coaching for 16 years.

The longtime University of Utah coach and player came to Provo with a proven record of success dating back to his high school days at Highland High School in Salt Lake City. An all-state selection in basketball, football and baseball, Judkins went on to play for the University of Utah from 1974-78.

While playing at Utah, Judkins helped lead the Utes to one conference championship and two berths in the NCAA tournament. He was a second-team academic All-American and three-time District VII academic selection. He also earned three first team All-WAC honors and was a member of the 1977 United States World Games team that captured the gold medal.

Judkins also played five years in the National Basketball Association for the Boston Celtics, Portland Trailblazers, Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz. He was a second-round pick of the Celtics in 1978, the same year the Celtics selected Larry Bird with the sixth pick overall. He made second-team all-rookie in 1979 with the Boston Celtics.

After his NBA career, he returned to Utah in 1989 and was an instrumental part of the program's success during his 10 years with the program, recruiting such players as Keith Van Horn, Andre Miller, Mike Doleac, Hanno Mottola, Alex Jensen, Trent Whiting, Garner Meads, Jeff Johnsen and Britton Johnsen.

Judkins, graduated from the University of Utah in 1978 with a degree in health and physical education. He and his wife Mary Kaye are the parents of five children: Jessica (25), Jordan (23), Jenna (21), Jaime (18), and Jaxson (15).

Nearing 100 Wins Mark

With the 55-51 win at UNLV on Sat., Feb. 11, 2006, Head Coach Jeff Judkins has 97 total wins in his fifth season as head coach of BYU. He's just four victories away from reaching 100-wins coaching milestone.

Judkins Record vs. MWC School

SchoolRecordIn 2006

Air Force8-02-0

CSU3-51-0

New Mexico4-71-0

San Diego State 8-01-0

UNLV7-42-0

Utah3-61-1

Wyoming 5-41-1

TCU1-11-0

This Week's Cougar Opponents

San Diego State

In the final two weeks of regular season MWC games, SDSU is in last place with an 0-13 league record after losing to UNLV 48-64 at home and then dropping a 49-80 game at TCU. Head Coach Beth Burns is in her first season at the helm of the program. The Aztecs have only won three games this season, vs. Portland State, Boise State and UC Davis. The team returns two starters and five letterwinners from last year's team that compiled an 8-20, 2-12 record. Senior forward Michelle Strawberry tops the list in scoring and in rebounding with 13.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Veronica Shaw, a senior guard, follows with 9.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. The team is shooting 35 percent from the field, 62 percent at the line, and 25 percent from behind the three-point arc. SDSU is averaging 53.7 points per game while opponents are scoring an average of 68.6 points a game.

SDSU Probable Starters

Pos.#Name Ht.Yr.PPGRPG

F20Michelle Strawberry5-10 Sr13.75.6

F22Shanna Demus5-8So6.3 4.3

C32Desiree Johnson6-2Jr7.0 5.6

G11Kate Eveland5-8So2.6 1.7

G21Veronica Shaw5-7Sr9.1 3.5

Series Record: 21-9 in favor of the Cougars

Last time this season: Played in Provo on Jan. 21, 2006

The No. 23 BYU rode its bench to take a 64-39 victory over San Diego State in front of a season high 1,169 fans. During the first half of action, the two teams stayed close until the 3:30 mark when BYU ripped off a 13-2 run to take a 33-18 advantage into the half. Nancy Seljaas led the Cougars off the bench, finishing with 14 points in the half.

The Aztecs went on a 10-3 run at the beginning of the second half to cut the lead to 38-29. Both teams stayed even until the 7:55 mark when BYU used a 10-3 run of their own to take a 55-37 lead with 2:43 left.

BYU Stats:

Most Points: Nancy Seljaas -- 15

Most Rebounds: Dani Kubik -- 14

Most Steals: Melinda Johnsen -- 6

Team FG Percentage: 45.1% (23/51)

Team 3FG Percentage: 33.3% (6/18)

Team FT Percentage: 58.3% (12/20)

In last year's meetings between the Cougars and Aztecs, BYU swept the series with a 62-49 win at home on February 3 and a close 69-61 victory in San Diego on Mar. 5. At Cox Arena, the Cougars have an 8-7 record.

TCU

Newcomer TCU has not played in the Marriott Center since the 2002-03 season when they lost to BYU 79-74. In the most recent MWC standings, the Horned Frogs are tied for third place with New Mexico both tallying 8-4 league record. They host CSU on Wed., Feb. 22, before playing at BYU on Saturday. Head Coach Jeff Mittlie is in his seventh season with the Frogs. Junior guard Natasha Lacy is one of three players scoring in double figures for TCU with 14.5 points and team high 7.4 rebounds per game. Another guard, sophomore Adrianne Ross follows with 12.6 points and 2.7rebounds. Ashley Davis rounds out the scoring with her 11.1 points while grabbing 3.7 boards a game. The team is shooting 39 percent from the field, 70 percent at the line and 26 percent from three-point range. After 23 total games, TCU is averaging 68.7 points per game and allows opponents 66.5 points.

TCU Probable Starters

Pos.#NameHt.Yr.PPGRPG

F14Lorie Butler-Rayford5-11 So8.5 6.5

F40Jenna Lohse6-2So6.63.3

G10Moneka Knight5-7So2.81.5

G11Natasha Lacy5-10 Jr14.57.4

G 33Adrianne Ross5-8So12.62.7

Series Record: 4-2 favoring BYU

Last time this season: Played in Fort Worth, Texas on Jan. 25, 2006

Behind the play of senior Ambrosia Anderson, No. 20 BYU came up big when it mattered, defeating TCU, 67-64. The Horned Frogs showed confidence and dominance in the opening minutes of the game, jumping out to an early 11-3, but BYU came storming back under Anderson's leadership. She scored back-to-back layups, followed by a Melinda Johnsen three pointer and two more three-point buckets from Anderson. The run gave BYU its first lead of the game, 14-11. For the remainder of the first half, both teams battled back and forth with the Horned Frogs earning a seven-point advantage by the half, 35-28.

TCU had numerous opportunities in the second half, but every time TCU seemed like it was going to dominate, the Cougars immediately came right back. With eight minutes on the clock, Mallary Gillespie fired and nailed a much needed three-pointer to tie the score at 51 points apiece. Minutes later, BYU took the lead off a three pointer from Anderson, followed by a Dani Kubik lay-up and yet another three pointer from Anderson, giving the Cougars a lead they would not lose.

BYU Stats:

Most Points: Ambrosia Anderson -- 24

Most Rebounds: Ambrosia Anderson -- 10

Most Steals: Ambrosia Anderson, Dani Kubik and Mallary Gillespie -- 2

Team FG Percentage: 39.7% (23/58)

Team 3FG Percentage: 66.7% (10/24)

Team FT Percentage: 68.8% (11/16)

Up Next

The Cougar team plays its final two regular league games on the road, playing at CSU on Mar. 2 and at New Mexico on Mar. 4. BYU then travels to Denver for the MWC Women's Basketball Championships set for Mar. 7-11 at the Pepsi Center. The winner of the conference championship gets an automatic bid into this year's NCAA tournament.