Jan. 4, 2005

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USF OPENS WEST COAST CONFERENCE PLAY THIS WEEK: San Francisco opens the 2005 West Coast Conference campaign Thursday, January 6 when they host defending league champion Loyola Marymount at War Memorial Gym. USF looks to bounce back after a tough 63-52 loss at No. 25 New Mexico on New Year's Eve. The Lions enter the conference opener with a 6-7 record after an impressive 59-58 victory against perennial power UC Santa Barbara Sunday at Gersten Pavilion. After taking on LMU, USF will host Pepperdine Saturday afternoon. The Waves own a 4-9 non-conference record and have played no fewer than four top-25 teams this season. Pepperdine defeated Georgia State (58-41) before falling in the title game to the host Green Wave (62-49) in the Tulane Classic last weekend.

Toni Russell FIVE STEALS SHY OF WCC CAREER SWIPES RECORD: With her first steal against William and Mary, senior guard Toni Russell passed Tami Adkins (1989-93) as the most prolific thief in USF women's basketball history. Now Russell eyes the league title entering Thursday's league opener against Loyola Marymount. Russell needs five to pass Portland's Deana Lansing (1993-97) for the top spot on the West Coast Conference career steals list and currently sits alone in second place. For perspective, USF men's basketball stars Gerald Walker (344) and Orlando Smart (279) rank first and second respectively in WCC history in steals. Russell needs 31 steals to be the most prolific thief in USF basketball history. The San Francisco native leads the WCC in steals and has posted five or more steals in five games and has 19 in her last three contests with seven at Seton Hall (12/20), eight against Marist (12/28/04) and four at No. 25 New Mexico (12/31/04).

KRUEGER CLIMBS TO FIFTH PLACE ON USF REBOUND LEADER BOARD: Sixth-year senior center Mary Jane Krueger has already pulled down 115 rebounds in just 13 games this season and has moved into fifth place on the USF career rebound list with 734. After a six rebound performance at No. 25 New Mexico (12/31/04), Krueger is just two boards shy of passing former standout Linda Walsh (1980-84), currently in fourth place with 735 caroms. USF head coach Mary Hile-Nepfel (1977-81) is the all-time leader with 1,602. On the season, Krueger ranks second in the West Coast Conference in rebounding, has recorded 10 or more boards in five games and has led the team 12 times.

USF VERSUS THE TOP-25: San Francisco played their second top-25 opponent of the season when they squared off against No. 25 New Mexico on New Year's Eve at The Pit. USF battled, but suffered a 63-52 setback against the Lobos. The Dons dropped a 80-51 decision to then No. 2 Stanford December 12. USF's last victory against a top-25 opponent came with a 66-60 victory against No. 19 Oregon (1/2/00) at War Memorial Gym.

USF ON THE RADIO AND THE NET: USF women's basketball returns to the airwaves and cyberspace for the 2004-2005 season and all games will be available live at USFDons.com and at KUSF 90.3 FM. Join George Devine for the play-by-play of all 28 games of the 2004-2005 schedule. USF women's basketball is in its ninth season on the radio and in cyberspace. Other features include GameTracker, courtesy of College Sports with live scoring and play-by-play. A new feature for the 2004-2005 season is live streaming video of non televised home contests, courtesy of YahooSports.

GAME #14 - SCOUTING LOYOLA MARYMOUNT: The Lions enter the 2005 West Coast Conference season with a 6-7 overall record and open defense of their league title Thursday at War Memorial Gym against USF. LMU took an impressive 59-58 victory against UC Santa Barbara in its last non-conference tuneup last Sunday at Gersten Pavilion and has won two of their last three contests, following a four game losing streak. Senior forward Jacquelyn Woods leads the way for the Lions offensively, averaging 10.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, while junior guard Bianca Ziemann adds 9.8 points and converts on .484 (15-31) from 3-point range. Loyola Marymount shoots at a .403 clip from the field, .317 from long distance and average 58.8 points and 35.8 rebounds per night. Julie Wilhoit is in her 10th season at the helm for the Lions and guided LMU to a season of firsts last year with inaugural regular season and tournament WCC titles and a berth in the 2004 NCAA Tournament. A three-time WCC Coach of the Year, Wilhoit owns a 120-147 record in Los Angeles and a 241-217 overall record in her 17th year as head coach.

LAST MEETINGS: LMU 74, at USF 58 (1/31/04); at LMU 64, USF 46 (2/26/04)

SERIES RECORD/STREAK: USF leads 26-15/LMU won 2

LAST TIME AGAINST USF: LMU shot at a .482 clip from the field, including .429 (6-14) from 3-point range to dispatch USF 64-46 to complete the season sweep. Sophomore guard Joy Hollingsworth scored a team-high 15 points to go along with eight rebounds, while junior center Mary Jane Krueger added 10 points. USF committed 18 turnovers and shot .309 (17-55) from the field and did not make a shot from long range.

GAME #15 - SCOUTING PEPPERDINE: The Waves enter the 2005 West Coast Conference season with a 4-9 overall record after playing a rugged non-conference schedule featuring four top-25 opponents. Last week Pepperdine defeated Georgia State 58-41 before falling to the host Green Wave 62-49 in the championship game of the Tulane Classic. On the season, the Waves average 54.8 points on .360 shooting from the field and connect on .246 from 3-point range. Senior forward Jennifer Lacy leads the way for the club offensively, scoring 15.1 points to go along with 8.8 rebounds. Sophomore guard Lauren Wenski chips in 9.2 points, while sophomore forward Teiosha George adds 7.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Head coach Julie Rosseau is in her first season as head coach after serving as an assistant coach at Stanford under coaching legend Tara VanDerveer. The Waves were picked to finish second in the 2005 WCC Preseason Coaches Poll.

LAST MEETINGS: PEP 71, at USF 55 (1/29/04); at PEP 75, USF 48 (2/28/04)

SERIES RECORD/STREAK: PEP leads 22-20/PEP won 2

BEFORE USF: at San Diego (1/6/04)

LAST TIME AGAINST USF: Pepperdine completed the season series sweep, holding USF to just 14 first-half points en route to a 75-48 victory in the 2004 West Coast Conference regular season finale in Malibu at Firestone Fieldhouse. Junior guard Toni Russell scored a team-high 11 points, while senior forward Carey Sauer added 11 points and seven rebounds. USF shot .327 (18-55), while the Waves connected at a .492 (30-61) clip and forced 22 Dons turnovers.

Toni Russell - 2004 WCC DEFENDER OF THE YEAR: Throughout her career, USF senior guard Toni Russell built a reputation as one of the toughest defenders in the West Coast Conference and earned the hardware to prove it, capturing 2004 Defender of the Year honors. The 2002 WCC Freshman of the Year, turned in a career season as a junior, setting new marks in scoring (9.9), rebounds (3.7) and assists (4.1). Russell entered the season in second place on the USF career steals list with 264, needing just seven to surpass Tami Adkins (1989-93) as the all-time leader. Russell passed Adkins mark with her first steal in a win against William and Mary (11/26/03). Russell currently ranks second on the career WCC steals chart with 314 and needs five to pass Portland's Deana Lansing (1993-97) as the league's best thief. An excellent playmaker, Russell enters Thursday's game against Loyola Marymount ranked sixth in career assists with 371 and is the first Don to lead the team in assists and steals in three consecutive seasons since Adkins accomplished the feat from 1991-93. Up next on the list is former teammate Lindsey Huff (1997-2002), who dished out 398 A member of the 2003 and 2004 odwalla Classic All-Tournament Team, Russell scored a career-high 28 points in a win at San Diego (1/24/04). During the non-conference season, Russell averages 9.9 points, 3.2 rebounds 4.4 assists and 3.8 steals per game.

Mary Jane Krueger BACK FOR MORE: Sixth-year senior center Mary Jane Krueger makes a welcome return to the lineup for the 2004-05 season. One of the most relentless rebounders in the West Coast Conference, Krueger enters her final season on the Hilltop ranked fourth in program history in rebounds per game (7.64). After posting 115 rebounds in her first 13 games, including a 16-rebound effort at Denver (11/20/04). Krueger currently has 734 and needs just two boards to surpass former standout Linda Walsh (1980-84) who pulled down 735. Krueger also ranks eighth in blocked shots with 70 and needs two more to surpass former teammate Kim Whisler (1997-2001), who sits in seventh place with 71 career swats. This season, Krueger averages 11.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game and has recorded two double-doubles, elevating her career tally to 21. On the year, Krueger has led the team in scoring four times and has been the top rebounder 12 times.

Dominique Carter - WCC PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Freshman guard Dominique Carter made an immediate impact for USF in her first two games in the Green and Gold and was selected as West Coast Conference Player of the Week in the process after averaging 15.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Carter poured in a game-high 22 points on 8-for-15 from the floor to go along with 11 rebounds for her first career double-double in only her second collegiate contest at Denver (11/21/04). Carter earned all-tournament honors at the 2004 odwalla Classic, scoring 37 points to go along with six rebounds and a pair of steals against William and Mary and Oakland. Carter turned in her second double-dip of the season at Cal Poly (12/5/04) with 17 points and 13 boards. So far this season, Carter averages a team-high 14.4 points on .481 (75-156) shooting to go along with 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. Carter has recorded nine double-digit scoring nights and has led the team in scoring in seven games this season.

SAN FRANCISCO SHARP SHOOTERS: USF enters the 2005 West Coast Conference season ranked second in the league in field goal percentage, connecting on .425 (302-710) from the field. The Dons have four players converting on .400 of their attempts or better, led by senior center Mary Jane Krueger at .487 (57-117). USF also ranks second in free throw percentage at .724 (157-217), but have little success from behind the arc, connecting on just .312 (43-138) from long distance, good for sixth place in the WCC.

DONS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF CHARITY: USF has led the West Coast Conference in free throw percentage in two of the last three seasons and so far early returns look as though the Dons will challenge once again this year. San Francisco has converted on .724 (157-217) at the charity stripe this season. The Dons have shot better than their opponents at the line in eight of their 13 contests this season. Two players are connecting at .800 or better, led by senior guard Toni Russell at .839 (26-31).

JENSEN PICKING UP WHERE SHE LEFT OFF: Senior center Leeane Jensen showed little signs of rust for USF in the opening weekend of the 2004-2005 season. After missing all of 2003-2004 with an illness, Jensen averaged 8.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals against Colorado State and Denver. A West Coast Conference Player of the Week selection in 2003, Jensen averaged 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds as a junior. Jensen enjoyed a strong effort off the bench against UC Davis (11/30/04), tallying eight points and five rebounds in 22 minutes. Playing in front of family and friends at Cal Poly, Jensen, from nearby Morro Bay, scored six points, three rebounds and a pair of assists in 22 minutes of playing time. Jensen scored a season-high 13 points in 13 minutes against Marist (12/28/04). So far this season, Jensen chips in 5.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game for the Dons.

Lisa Olden CONTRIBUTING AS A STARTER: Freshman center Lisa Olden has shown a lot of promise for USF during the start of the 2004-2005 season and made her first career start against UC Davis (11/30/04). Olden scored a career-high 12 points to go along with six rebounds and five steals against San Jose State (12/2/04) and followed with eight points and five rebounds in a road win at Cal Poly (12/5/04). Olden scored 10 points and pulled down seven rebounds in a win against Sonoma State (12/17/04). On the year, Olden averages 5.2 points to go along with 4.1 rebounds per game. Olden leads the team from the field at .500 (23-46) and is third at the free throw line at .792 (19-24).

Mary Hile-Nepfel COLLECTS WIN #250: USF's 62-59 road victory at Denver (11/21/04) gave USF head coach Mary Hile-Nepfel her 250th career victory, all coming at her alma mater. In her 18th season on the Hilltop, Hile-Nepfel is one of just three coaches in USF athletic history to reach the milestone, joining Steve Negoesco (544) of men's soccer and baseball's Dante Benedetti (373).

DONS READY FOR THEIR CLOSEUP: USF's 2004-2005 home opener against William and Mary in the 2004 odwalla Classic marks the debut of live streaming video, courtesy of Yahoo Sports. Dons fans with a high speed internet connection can access the stream by clicking on the live video link under the upcoming events menu. All 14 of USF's home games will be broadcast live via video streaming with the exception of the February 19 contest against Portland, which will be televised by Fox Sports Net.