Women's Hoops Battles Kent Wednesday
11/30/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Women's Hoops Battles Kent Wednesday
11/30/1999
All-Time Series
The matchup between Pittsburgh and Kent marks the 12th all-time in a series that dates back to 1976-77. The Panthers hold an 8-3 advantage in the series.
The two teams have not met since the 1992-93 season when the Golden Flashes won a 77-61 decision Dec. 22 on their home court. Pittsburgh's last victory over Kent came with a 111-97 shootout at Fitzgerald Field House on Dec. 18, 1990. The Panthers actually have surpassed the century twice. They also defeated the Golden Flashes by a score of 110-82 on Dec. 6, 1988. Both contests were regulation games.
The Panthers' largest margin of victory over the Golden Flashes came in their first-ever meeting, Jan. 19, 1977 with a 98-38 win at Fitzgerald. Two of Pittsburgh's victories in the series came by a margin of two points or less, and six have been by 10 or more points.
Pittsburgh Head Coach
Traci Waites is in her second season as head coach at Pittsburgh where she has compiled a 11-19 overall record.
During her debut last season, Waites sent the Panthers on a dramatic 4-0 run to start the year, a feat that had not been accomplished since the 1982-83 season. She additionally led Pittsburgh to eight victories on the year, marking two more than it achieved in all of the prior season.
Waites joined the Panthers after serving four seasons at the University of Arizona as an assistant coach, including the last two as associate head coach. While there, Waites was instrumental in the Wildcats' emergence as a Top 10 program, helping them to three straight 20-win seasons and two NCAA Tournament berths.
Prior to Arizona, Waites was the head coach at Santa Monica Community College in Santa Monica, Calif., from 1993-94 after serving the program as an assistant for three years. During her tenure, Waites' teams finished second in the Western States Conference and qualified for the state playoffs each year.
Waites enjoyed an outstanding collegiate playing career, first at Georgia and then at Long Beach State. She played in the NCAA Tournament each of her four seasons and went to two Final Fours. She holds the distinction of being the only player to appear in the Final Four for two different teams.
Kent Head Coach
Bob Lindsay enters his 11th season as head coach at Kent. While at the helm he has compiled a 188-106 mark, including a 120-52 record against Mid-American Conference (MAC) teams.
Currently the MAC's all-time winningest coach, Lindsay has led the Golden Flashes to 20-win seasons in six of the last seven years. His teams have ranked among the nation's leaders in annual grade-point average and he has produced nine All-MAC first team players, including a two-time MAC Player of the Year (1995 and 1996) in Amy Sherry.
Lindsay was twice named the MAC Coach of the Year (1996 and 1998), while leading his team to the NCAA Tournament both seasons.
Prior to Kent, Lindsay served as the first assistant coach at Holy Cross from 1984-89. While there, the Crusaders compiled a 103-42 record, twice competed in the NCAA Tournament and won two Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference titles.
Today's Probable Starting Lineups
Kent Golden Flashes
F #11 Kristen Buelow (5-10, So.) 4.0 ppg., 3.0 rpg. F #30 Jamie Rubis (6-0, So.) 9.3, ppg., 6.5, rpg. C #44 Julie Studer (6-4, Jr.) 12.0, ppg., 5.0, rpg. G #5 Carrie Nance (5-7, Jr.) 10.3 ppg., 3.8 rpg. G #14 Dawn Zerman (5-7, Sr.) 14.8, ppg., 4.0, rpg.
Pittsburgh Panthers
F #32 Dallas Williams (6-0, Fr.) 8.3 ppg., 5.0 rpg. F #50 Mandy Wittenmyer (6-2, Fr.) 10.7 ppg., 6.7 rpg. C #40 Nickeia Morris (6-7, Sr.) 7.7, ppg., 9.0, rpg. G #14 Gina Montesano (5-9, Sr.*) 5.7 ppg., 4.3 rpg. G #24 Monique Toney (5-5, Jr.) 14.3, ppg., 3.0, rpg.
Scouting Kent
Kent heads into tonight's game with a 2-2 overall mark. Most recently, the Golden Flashes lost to Auburn, 72-56, Nov. 27 in the Auburn Thanksgiving Classic. Their other loss came at the hands of Vermont, 87-77, Nov. 20 in the Howard Bank Classic. The wins came in a 80-77 decision over Dartmouth in the season-opener Nov. 19 and an 83-66 margin over Alabama State Nov. 26.
Kent, which currently owns a 21-game home winning streak, had a 22-7 record during its 1998-99 campaign and returns all five starters and seven letterwinners from that squad.
Successful Openers
The Panthers have a strong history of success in their season-openers. With the 80-43 rout of Lafayette Nov. 21, Pittsburgh increased its overall mark in opening contests to 19-7 and 13-3 at Fitzgerald. Additionally, the 37-point victory over the Leopards stands tied for the Panthers fifth-largest margin of victory over an opponent in the 25-year history of the program. Pittsburgh's largest margin of victory came in a 109-45 win over Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Dec. 12, 1975.
Following is a breakdown of Pittsburgh's largest victories:
Date Opponent Score Margin 12-12-75 IUP 109-45 64 pts. 12-6-74 Duquesne 91-32 59 pts. 11-22-83 Fairmont State 100-55 45 pts. 11-14-98 Robert Morris 89-49 40 pts. 12-2-77 Temple 77-40 37 pts. 11-21-99 Lafayette 80-43 37 pts.
Putting Points on the Board
The Panthers' most recent success on the court can be attributed to many factors, but most importantly, scoring. Pittsburgh is averaging 67.0 points per game, almost eight more than last year's 59.6 average, to help it start the season on a 3-0 run. Prior to the low-scoring contest with Cincinnati (58-55), the Panthers' numbers had been even more impressive. They were averaging 71.5 points.
In contrast, Pittsburgh is allowing its opponents just 47.7 points per game for a plus-19.3 margin, which ranks second in the Big East.
Tough Slate
Pittsburgh has 13 home games on its slate this year, the most since the 1996-97 season when it had 15 home contests.
The Panthers will also face some tough competition on their schedule, including six teams which advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 1998-99.
Additionally, five of Pittsburgh's opponents are ranked in the USAToday/ESPN Coaches and Associated Press polls, including Connecticut, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Penn State and Boston College.
Three of the Panthers' ranked opponents are members of the Big East Conference to make the league the only one to have three members included in the Associated Press Top 10.
Pittsburgh Ranked Opponents
Connecticut (First - AP and USAToday/ESPN)
Notre Dame (Sixth/AP, Eighth USAToday/ESPN)
Rutgers (Eighth/AP, Seventh USAToday/ESPN)
Penn State (Ninth/AP, 11th USAToday/ESPN)
Boston College (18th/AP, 22nd USAToday/ESPN)
Looking for Another Good Start
This season, Pittsburgh is looking to duplicate the early success it enjoyed last year and so far it is on the right track. The Panthers increased their record to 3-0 on the season after recording a dramatic 58-55 decision over Cincinnati Nov. 28. They also achieved wins over Robert Morris, 63-45, Nov. 24 and Lafayette, 80-43, Nov. 21.
Pittsburgh had a strong start to the 1998-99 season, going 4-0 through its first four games, a feat that had not been accomplished since the 1982-83 season when it went 5-0.
Pittsburgh recorded wins over Robert Morris (89-49), Miami (Ohio) (75-56), Penn State (49-46) and Richmond (69-66). Its first loss did not come until Dec. 2 in a 75-40 setback to Ohio State.
Nonconference Foes
The Panthers play a 12-game nonconference schedule in 1999-2000 which began Nov. 21 against Lafayette. The slate includes 8th-ranked (USA Today/ESPN) Penn State and Cincinnati, and they will play eight games prior to Christmas. Following the holiday break, the Panthers travel to Atlanta for the Georgia Tech Tournament, where the field includes the host Yellow Jackets, Campbell and Western Michigan.
Last season, the Panthers were 5-4 overall against nonconfernce foes, including an impressive 3-0 mark on their home court. Their home wins included decisions over Robert Morris, Miami (Ohio) and an upset-win over Penn State.
Road Rules
A key for the Panthers this season will be their ability to bring home victories when they are on the road. Pittsburgh has already doubled its total number of victories from last year in away contests this season. The Panthers are 2-0 with wins over Robert Morris and Cincinnati already under their belt.
The Panthers struggled on the road last season, winning only one contest out of 13. Their only victory came in a 53-46 decision over Wake Forest Dec. 21 in the Oakland Tribune Classic.
Without a Loss
Pittsburgh ranks as one of only two teams in the Big East Conference to boast an undefeated record through November. The Panthers are 3-0 while Connecticut holds a perfect 4-0 record.
Second Comings
The Panthers have come out of intermission refocused and on a swift pace in each game this season. In their last two games, they have rallied from a first-half deficit to come away with a victory. Additionally, the Panthers have outscored their opponents 106-64 after intermission.
Against Robert Morris, Pittsburgh trailed by only one point, 28-27, but began the second half on an 11-2 run by capitalizing on 10 Colonial turnovers to go on to the eventual win.
The Panthers had a similar situation at Cincinnati. After trailing 30-27 at intermission, Pittsburgh went on 12-2 through the initial five minutes of the period to take a seven-point advantage.
Discipline and Defense
So far this season, the Panthers have stuck to their motto of discipline and defense and it has paid off in the won-loss column.
Pittsburgh is playing very disciplined basketball committing an average of 17.3 turnovers a game. In contrast, the Panthers are forcing their opponents into 22.0 per game for a plus-4.67 margin to rank them tied for second in the Big East Conference with Miami. Rutgers currently leads the list with a plus-six turnover margin.
The Panthers have also been very strong in defending their opponents shots both from the field and behind the arc. They are holding their opponents to just 32.7 percent (55-of-168) shooting from the field and 22.4 percent (11-of-49) from 3-point range, ranking second in the Big East in both categories.
In contrast, Pittsburgh is shooting 45.9 percent (83-of-181) overall and 33.3 (10-of-30) from behind the arc.
Solid on the Boards
The Panthers have established themselves on the boards so far this season, outrebounding each of their opponents.
In their season-opener, the Panthers had a plus-12 rebounding margin with their 46 boards, compared to Lafayette's 34. Against Robert Morris, the Panthers grabbed 42 rebounds to the Colonials' 34 and at Cincinnati they had 37 to the Bearcats' 32.
New Faces
Pittsburgh will have one of the youngest lineups in the Big East Conference when they take the court in 1999- 2000. The Panthers welcome eight new faces to their lineup this year, including five freshmen who all will vie for time in the lineup.
Pittsburgh also boasts two junior college transfers in Autumn Alexander and Celeste Barkley, as well as Bettina Love, a transfer from Old Dominion, to complement the six returnees from 1998-99. (Love will be ineligible this season due to the NCAA transfer rule.)
Freshmen Impact
This season's freshmen have made an immediate impact. The youngest class has accounted for almost half (48.7 percent) of Pittsburgh's scoring this season. They have 98-of-201 total points scored this year. The freshmen's largest scoring output came with 43 of 80 points against Lafayette.
Pittsburgh's frosh have also been solid on the boards. The freshmen are grabbing 52.8 percent (66-of-125) of the Panthers' rebounds.
Additionally, two freshmen have emerged in the starting rotation. Forward Mandy Wittenmyer earned the nod in each game along with Dallas Williams.
Welcome Back
This season the Panthers welcome back one of their most experienced veterans on the court in Gina Montesano.
Montesano sat out last season with a knee injury and returned this year to lead the Panthers' offense. She was sidelined after being the Panthers' second-leading scorer in 1997-98 with 8.7 points per game while adding 56 assists and 30 steals.
Montesano returned in possibly the best shape of her career and has seemed to not even miss a beat. She has been one of Pittsburgh's most vocal leaders on the court so far this season and her solid experience has benefitted a young lineup.
Mandy Madness
Pittsburgh freshman Mandy Wittenmyer has made her mark in the Panthers' lineup this season. The 6-2 forward from Mechanicsburg, Pa., is the team's second-leading scorer and rebounder with her 10.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
Wittenmyer earned the starting nod in the season-opener and has continued to impress. She put up a 12-point effort in the opener against Lafayette while adding five assists and six rebounds. Wittenmyer added her second double-figure performance with 14 points at Cincinnati.
Dazzling Dallas
Freshman Dallas Williams has dazzled the Panthers' coaching staff so far this season and earned herself a spot in the starting rotation. The Mason, Ohio native, came off the bench in Pittsburgh's first exhibition contest before receiving the starting nod against the Premier All-Stars when she had eight points and six rebounds. Williams chipped in another eight points in the first official start of her career against Lafayette in 21 minutes of play.
Against Robert Morris she continued her stellar play and was the Panthers' second-leading scorer with nine points and seven rebounds in a season-high 30 minutes of action.
Williams, a two-time Cincinnati Player of the Year out of Mason High, also had an impressive performance in front of her home crowd against Cincinnati. She contributed eight points and six rebounds.
Motorin' Monique
Junior Monique Toney has had an impressive start to the 1999-2000 campaign. The 5-5 guard earned a starting role this season and has been a key factor in all three of Pittsburgh's wins. She is the Panthers' leading scorer with 14.3 points per game while also tallying a team-high 13 assists.
After posting an 11-point effort in the opener, Toney went on to spark a second-half rally against Robert Morris Nov. 24 to lead the Panthers to a 63-45 victory. Pittsburgh trailed 28-27 at halftime, but Toney scored 13 of her 18 points in the second half for the comeback win.
Toney had another clutch performance at Cincinnati Nov. 28 when she hit the game-winning 3-pointer with just five seconds remaining to break a tie and give Pittsburgh the 58-55 win.
Lovely Laine
Although she is only a freshman, Laine Selwyn has already produced one of Pittsburgh's top clutch performances this season. Against Cincinnati, Selwyn tied the score at 55 apiece with her 3-pointer with just 15 seconds remaining on the clock. Not only did she hit the game-tying shot, but the freshman guard recorded a key steal on Cincinnati's ensuing possession to give Pittsburgh the ball back and allow for Monique Toney's game-winning 3-pointer.
Selwyn had eight points on the day versus the Bearcats to go along with three rebounds and two steals. For the season, she is averaging 6.7 points and 2.0 rebounds.
Familiar Face
Local Pittsburgh fans may recognize a familiar face in the Panthers' lineup in Brooke Stewart. The 5-8 guard is an area fan-favorite and product of East Allegheny High School. Stewart, who finished her high school career with over 3,000 points, averaged 29.0 points in her career and 31.2 as a senior.
Through the Panthers' first three games, Stewart is averaging 4.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13 minutes of play. She sank a season-high eight points versus Lafayette in her first collegiate game, while adding three rebounds and two assists.
Noting Nickeia
Returning for her senior campaign is 6-7 center Nickeia Morris. The tallest women's basketball player in Pittsburgh history is back in the starting lineup after being the Panthers' leading rebounder and scorer last season. She averaged 13.1 points and 8.2 rebounds as a junior and saw 30.4 minutes of action.
Morris took home her first double-double of the 1999-2000 season with a game-high 11 rebounds and 11 points versus Lafayette and added 10 rebounds and six points against Robert Morris.
She is currently averaging 7.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. She also has contributed a team-high 10 blocks to rank her first in the Big East.
Magical Morris
Morris will be one Pittsburgh player to watch this season. She entered her senior campaign ranked 10th in Pittsburgh's annals with 533 career rebounds and has already moved into the number-nine spot with 27 boards this season. Her 9.0 rebounds per game rank her sixth in the Big East. Last season, she had 222 on the season and finished the year ranked fourth in the Big East.
Morris is already off to a quick start this season, and if she matches her numbers from 1998-99, she will rank among the top seven rebounders in Pittsburgh history when she completes her career.
Career Rebound Leaders
Name Total Morris Needs 1. Wanda Randolph. . . . . 1,107 . . . . 548 2. Gail Aughburns. . . . . 1,007 . . . . 448 3. Jennifer Bruce. . . . . 998 . . . . . 439 4. Pam Miklasevich . . . . 968 . . . . . 409 5. Jonna Huemrich. . . . . 954 . . . . . 395 6. Lorri Johnson . . . . . 908 . . . . . 349 7. Latia Howard . . . . .664. . . . . .105 8. Sally Sheerer . . . . . 580 . . . . . 21 9. Nickeia Morris. . . . . 560
Blocking Bliss
Morris has also been one of Pittsburgh's best and most consistent blockers throughout her career. She ranked eighth on the all-time list with 145 career blocks heading into this season, but elevated herself to seventh all-time with five blocks against Lafayette. She has already recorded a team-high 10 blocks this season. If Morris continues on this pace and matches her 1998-99 numbers, she could rank as high as third on the all-time list.
Career Blocked Shots Leaders
Name Total Morris Needs 1. Gail Aughburns. . . . . 241 . . .87 2. Wanda Randolf . . . . . 211 . . .57 3. Jennifer Bruce. . . . . 203 . . .49 4. Connie Hurt. . . . . . 189. . . 35 5. Kim Tirik. . . . . . . 170. . . 16 6. Jill McElhinny. . . . . 162 . . . 8 7. Nickeia Morris. . . . . 155
The Road Ahead
Pittsburgh will play one more home contest this week before taking the road for its next two games. The Panthers host Ohio Saturday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. They will then travel to Rutgers, Dec. 8 and Hampton, Dec. 11.
Pittsburgh vs. Kent
Series History...
Pittsburgh Leads, 8-3
1976-77 98-38 (H)
1981-82 67-72 (H)
1982-83 59-58 (A)
1983-84 73-71 (H)
1985-86 59-88 (A)
1986-87 73-63 (H)
1987-88 81-69 (A)
1988-89 110-82 (H)
1989-90 77-66 (A)
1990-91 111-97 (H)
1992-93 61-77 (A)
Waites Signs Three
Head Coach Traci Waites announced the signing of three prospects to national letters-of-intent for the 2000-01 season. The signees marks her second full recruiting class.
The three recruits include Jackie Fournier, a 5-9 guard from Swansea, Mass.; Jennifer Kelleher, a 6-1 forward from Plymouth, Mass.; and Sheila Stufflet, a 6-2 center/forward from Sinking Spring, Pa.
"As a whole, this class exemplifies the things our program believes in," Waites said. "They have a great work ethic, they are winners, but most importantly, they are good students.
"They will add more depth to our lineup because of their versatility. All three can play dual roles."
Fournier, a two-time second-team All-State selection, is a three-year starter at St. Raphael's Academy in Pawtucket, R.I. She led her team with 16.8 points and 2.5 steals and averaged 5.7 rebounds as a junior. She was a 1999 Street & Smith's honorable mention All-American and named one of the top players to watch by USAToday. Fournier additionally is one of the top softball players in Rhode Island, where she is a three-time All-State honoree and leads the state in career no-hitters.
Kelleher averaged 14.5 points and seven rebounds at Plymouth North High as a junior. She is a three-time Atlantic Coast League All-Star selection and was named to the 1999 Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic girls basketball team. A team captain, Kelleher was selected to the 1998-99 Rising Stars, East Region edition of America's Best. Additionally, Kelleher was a member of four AAU state champion teams and is a four-time United States Junior Nationals competitor.
Stufflet, a 1999 Street & Smith's honorable mention All-American and a USAToday top player to watch, is a three-year starter at Wilson Senior High. She averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 3.5 steals as a junior and was selected All-District. She is a two- time All-Berks County honoree and scored her 1,000th-career point during the 1998-99 season. Stufflet is also a member of the Philadelphia Belles AAU team and has attended the NIKE Invitation Blue Star Camp.
Panthers on the Air
"The Traci Waites Show" This season Pittsburgh fans have the opportunity to keep up with the Panthers and Head Coach Traci Waites on the weekly "Traci Waites Show." Pittsburgh's own WPTS 92.1 FM will host the first-ever women's basketball coach's radio show on Thursdays from 4:30-5 p.m. Coach Waites and host Patrick Robertson will discuss the team's progress and its upcoming opponents. Special guest appearances will also be made from select Panther players throughout the year.
NOTE: The "Traci Waites Show" will not air on Dec. 23 and 30 due to holiday breaks.
The Home of the Panthers...
WPTS 92.1 FM will also carry every Panther home game over the airwaves. You can tune in at game time to hear all of the excitement at Fitzgerald Field House - the home of Pittsburgh Basketball. Stay tuned at the conclusion of each game for live interviews from Pittsburgh players and coaches.
