Final Home Game in 2008 Brings Arkansas St. to M.C.

On a six-game winning streak and an 8-2 record, the Cougar women look to finish 2008 strong with one more home game. BYU hosts Arkansas State (5-6) on Tues., Dec. 30 at 7 p.m.

Game Information

When:12/30/08 vs: Arkansas St. Tip: 7 p.m. Arena: Marriott Ctr.

Broadcast Plans

Television: Tuesday night’s game will air live worldwide on BYUTV with Jarom Jordan and Kristen Kozlowski.

Internet: Audio streaming is available for the game 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 7.3 3.3

22 Mindy Nielson G 5-10 So 11.7 3.1

32 Shawnee Slade F 5-11 Sr 12.6 4.7

45 Keilani Moeaki F 6-2 So 5.9 3.9

54 Cassie King C 6-3 Sr 8.3 5.3

Off the Bench

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

23 Coriann Wood F 6-1 So 9.4 4.8

35 Kristen Riley C 6-3 Fr 3.5 3.1

14 Sarah Hostetter G/F 5-11 Sr 2.4 1.0

55 Megan Marks F 6-3 So 1.4 0.7

01 Jenteal Jackson G 5-7 Fr 0.9 1.0

24 Dani Peterson F 6-1 Fr 1.1 1.6

13 Jaime Judkins G 5-6 Jr 0.3 0.3

21 Stephanie Buhler F 6-1 Fr (rs) 0.4 0.2

2008-09 Cougar Stats Summary --

-- Shooting from the field: (.404, 243-601)

-- Shooting from the free-throw line: (.739, 116-157)

-- Shooting from three-point line: (.267, 51-191)

-- Average points per game: 65.3

-- Average assists per game: 14.4

-- Average steals per game: 9.6

-- Average blocks per game: 3.8

-- Average turnovers per game: 17.9

Injury Report

Sophomore point-guard Haley Hall suffered a season ending torn ACL injury to her right knee at Portland St. Hall has had two other ACL injuries both on her left knee prior to the 2008-09 campaign.

TEAM NOTABLES

-- With an 8-2 record, the team is off to its best start since the 2005-06 season when BYU began the year 8-1.

-- Grabbed a season high 55 rebounds vs. Utah St., tying for second place in the programs history. Last time BYU had 55 rebounds vs. CS Northridge on 12/9/06.

-- The overtime win against USU breaks a five-season long overtime losing streak. BYU’s last overtime win came against USC on 11/29/01. BYU is now 4-1 overall when playing two overtime periods.

-- In the game vs. Weber St., shot 49.2 percent (29-49) from the field; and shot 49.0 percent (24-49) against USC in Hawaii on 12/6/08, tying for the second best field goal percentages of the season. The best field goal percentage to date is 50.0 (20-40) on 12/5/08 vs. Wright State.

-- Four players scored in double figures in the win over Weber St., making it the first time this season four players scored in double digits in back-to-back games. The team had four score in double figures vs. USC.

-- Had five blocks vs. Weber State on 12/10/08 for the second best total of the season. Had a season-high seven blocks vs. Oregon back on 11/21/08.

-- Has a 4-2 record when making at least five three pointers a game. Had five vs. Wright State and eight vs. USC. The eights vs. the Trojans are the second best of the year. Also had eight treys in the win at Nevada.

-- Dished out a season high 19 assists vs. USC. Had 18 in the home win vs. Weber St., on 12/10/08 as well as vs. SUU on 11/28/08 and vs. Oregon on 11/21/08.

-- With the 65-64 win over USC in Hawaii, BYU improved to 2-0 against Pac-10 schools this year. Head Coach Jeff Judkins is 9-4 overall against the Pac-10.

-- Had 14 steals vs. SUU for season bests, and 13 vs. Long Beach St., marking its second-best defensive effort

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

-- When the nation's No. 1 ranked UConn Huskies were in town on 11/25/08, they were the highest ranked women's basketball team to ever play in the Marriott Center and the highest ranked team that BYU has ever played.

-- 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.

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

-- Team was perfect from the line in the first half going 9-9 in the game at Nevada, finishing making 17 of 18.

-- The 67-45 victory over Oregon on 11/21, improved coach Jeff Judkins record in home openers to 7-1.

-- BYU has the second-youngest squad in the nation this season. The Cougars have 14 underclassmen filling out their 2008-09 roster. They are the second-youngest to Northwestern State, who has 15 underclassmen this season.

PLAYER NOTABLES

Shawnee Slade:

-- scored 18 points vs. SUU on 11/28 for new season highs.

-- led the team in scoring with 14 points at Long Beach St., on 12/20 marking her seventh double digit performance of the season and 27th overall.

-- tops the list in scoring on the team with 12.6 points per contest.

-- recorded a season best eight boards vs. Utah St., on 12/13.

Mindy Nielson:

-- tallied 12 points in the win at Long Beach St., on 12/20 for her fifth double figure contest this year and her 12th overall. In that same game had season highs in blocks with three.

-- scored 11 points in the victory over Weber St., for her fourth double digit game of the season and 11th overall, also dished out a season-high seven assists.

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

throw line.

Cassie King:

-- has scored 14 points twice to date for season and career bests vs. Utah St. on 12/13 and vs. USC on 12/6.

-- tops the list in the rebound category grabbing 5.1 boards a game.

Jazmine Foreman:

-- grabbed a season high eight rebounds vs. Utah St., on 12/13 five coming in the first half.

-- scored a season and career high 19 points vs. USC on 12/6 and went 4-4 from the free-throw line, two of those sealed the win in the final seconds of the contest.

-- dished out eight assists vs. Wright St., on 12/5 for new season highs and tops this category on the team with a total of 40 for a 4.44 average.

-- picked up new season and career high four steals vs. Weber St., on 12/10.

Keilani Moeaki:

-- had two steals vs. Long Beach State, tying for season and career bests in that category.

-- grabbed eight rebounds which mark a new career best vs. Utah St. on 12/13.

Coriann Wood:

-- contributed 10 points in the victory over Long Beach St., on 12/20 (all in the first half) marking the sixth time this season and seventh career time she has scored in double figures.

-- had two blocks in the Long Beach win for new season and career highs in the category.

-- scored 13 points vs. Utah St., on 12/13, her fifth double digit game of the year and sixth overall, the points also mark three back-to-back double figure performances on the year.

-- tallied a season and career high 15 points vs. Weber St., on 12/10 for her fourth this season and fifth double digit performance of her career. The 15 points are just one more than her 14 points scored before fouling out of the game against USC on 12/6.

Kristen Riley:

-- set a new career high nine points, vs. SUU and was 4-6 from the field.

Megan Marks:

-- eight points vs. SUU were new career highs and was perfect 4-4 from the field.

Jenteal Jackson:

-- scored four points in the win over Weber State for season and career highs.

This Week’s Cougar Opponent

Arkansas State (Dec. 30, 2008) in Provo, UT - 7 p.m.

The Arkansas State Red Wolves will be making their first ever trip to Provo and the Marriott Center. As of Dec. 24, they are at 5-6 on the year and host Alcorn State before the matchup with the Cougars. Veronica Smith, a 5-10 junior guard, tops the list in scoring with an average of 9.9 points and a team high 7.1 rebounds per game. Also nearing 10 points a game is Ebonie Jefferson who contributes 9.6 points and grabs 2.7 boards. Britney Hiles is the team’s assist leader dishing out a total of 30 for a 2.73 average. Arkansas State returns all five starters from last year’s team that went 20-12 and finished second in the Sun Belt Conference. Head Coach Brian Boyer is in his 10th season with the Red Wolves.

Arkansas State Probable Starters

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

22 Sherina Scott F 6-2 So 8.8 6.5

24 Veronica Smith G 5-10 Jr 9.9 7.1

21 Shania Hurst G 5-10 Fr 8.6 4.0

01 Jazmine Taylor G 5-8 Jr 6.1 2.2

11 Ebonie Jefferson G 5-9 Jr 9.6 2.7

Stat Comparison

Category BYU AR.ST.

Points: 65.3 65.6

FG: .404 .372

FT: .739 .650

3FG: .267 .310

Reb: 36.5 41.5

Series Information

Record: Arkansas State leads the series 1-0.

Last Meeting: Nov. 13, 2007. These two teams met for the first time last season where the Red Wolves picked up the one-point 54-53 victory.

What’s Next

One more non-conference game is on the schedule for the Cougar women. They are at the University of Portland on Jan. 3 before the start of the MWC race. The 2009 league battle begins at home as BYU hosts CSU on Sat., Jan. 10 in a 3 p.m. tip off, before playing at TCU on Jan. 13.