Jan. 25, 2005

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USF RETURNS HOME FOR SAINT MARY'S & SANTA CLARA: San Francisco returns home to War Memorial Gym to host Bay Area rivals Saint Mary's and Santa Clara in West Coast Conference play. The Dons look for a return to the win column after dropping their last three league contests on the road. Last weekend USF suffered a sweep in the Pacific Northwest, falling to league-leading Gonzaga (81-62) and Portland (57-52). Both the Gaels and the Broncos earned a home split against the Los Angeles schools with Saint Mary's dispatching Pepperdine, while Santa Clara downed Loyola Marymount. Last season the Gaels swept the season series against San Francisco, while the Broncos defeated the Dons three times, including a WCC Tournament victory in the opening round.

Toni Russell EXTENDS WCC CAREER SWIPES RECORD WITH 331: Senior guard Toni Russell made a permanent mark on the West Coast Conference record books against Pepperdine (1/8/05) and after a three steal outing at Portland has 331 in her career. Russell tied the previous mark of 318 held by Portland's Deana Lansing (1993-97) in the WCC opener against Loyola Marymount and now has at least 10 more games to possibly put the mark out of reach. Earlier this season, Russell passed Tami Adkins (1989-93) as the most prolific thief in USF women's basketball history. 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 14 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 six games. Russell ranks in the top-20 nationally among Division I leaders in steals (3.7).

KRUEGER CLIMBS TO THIRD PLACE ON USF REBOUND LEADER BOARD: With her ninth rebound in a win against Pepperdine (1/8/05), sixth-year senior center Mary Jane Krueger moved into third place on the USF career rebound list with 755, passing former standout Joy Boyenga (1988-92), who pulled down 752 during her career on the Hilltop. After a season-high 17 rebounds at Portland, Krueger has 786 career caroms. Melinda Harrison (1985-89) is next up on the list with 808, while current 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 seven games and has led the team 16 times.

CARTER ON PACE: Freshman guard Dominique Carter continues to lead USF in scoring (13.9) and is on pace to be one of the better freshmen scorers in program history. So far, Carter has scored 250 points in 18 games. Joy Hollingsworth (2002-2004) tallied 309 (10.7 ppg) during her West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year campaign in the highest frosh tally since current Dons assistant coach Brittany Lindhe poured in 447 (15.4 ppg) as a freshman in 1994-95.

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. New for the 2004-2005 season is live streaming video of non televised home contests, courtesy of YahooSports.

GAME #19 - SAINT MARY'S: The Gaels enter the fourth week of West Coast Conference play with a 10-8 overall record with a 10-8 overall record and a 2-3 league slate. Saint Mary's has won one out of its last four contests after a season-high four-game winning streak. The Gaels earned a split last week at McKeon Pavilion with a win against Pepperdine (74-64), before falling to Loyola Marymount (70-45). Saint Mary's averages 59.9 points on .377 shooting from the field and hold a huge 39.3-35.8 rebound advantage. Senior center Triola Jackson leads the way for the Gaels with 15.0 points and 9.3 rebounds, while junior guard Evynn Van Burger adds 10.1 points and 3.7 rebounds. Head coach Michelle Jacoby is in her fifth season as the Gaels' head coach and owns a 78-58 overall record in Moraga. Jacoby guided Saint Mary's to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in her first season and led the Gaels into the Postseason WNIT in 2002.

LAST MEETINGS: SMC 75, at USF 57 (2/7/04); at SMC 74, USF 66 (2/19/04)

SERIES RECORD/STREAK: SMC leads 19-17/SMC won 3

LAST TIME AGAINST USF: Senior forward Carey Sauer scored a team-high 17 points, while junior center Mary Jane Krueger added a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds but it was not enough as USF dropped a 74-66 decision to the Gaels at War Memorial Gym. The Gaels connected on .500 (24-48) from the field and were better from long distance, hitting at .583 (7-12). Sophomore Evynn Van Burger poured in a game-high 20 points, leading four Saint Mary's players in double-digits.

GAME #20 - SANTA CLARA: The Broncos enter the fourth week of West Coast Conference play with a 9-9 overall record and a 3-2 slate in league action. Winners of six of its last eight, Santa Clara earned a home split last weekend with a victory against Loyola Marymount (54-51), before suffering a loss to Pepperdine (80-65). The Broncos score 71.0 points per game on .409 from the field and hit at a remarkable .384 (163-425) clip from 3-point range. Senior guard Quinn Thomas averages a team-high 14.9 points and converts on .373 (44-118) from long distance. Sophomore guard Ashley Graham adds 11.6 points, hitting at a .471 (41-87) rate from deep, while junior guard Michelle Cozad adds 11.2 points, connecting on .439 (29-66) from downtown. Michelle Bento-Jackson is in her third season as the Bronco boss and owns a 38-40 overall record. Bento-Jackson guided Santa Clara to the 2003 Postseason WNIT in her first season at the helm.

BEFORE USF: Santa Clara at San Diego (1/27/05)

LAST MEETINGS: SCU 49, at USF 48 (1/10/04); at SCU 75, USF 45 (1/22/04); at WCC SCU 71, USF 66 (3/4/04)

SERIES RECORD/STREAK: SCU leads 27-14/SCU won 3

LAST TIME AGAINST USF: Santa Clara wrapped up their third win against USF in a nine-win season with a 71-66 victory in the first round of the 2004 West Coast Conference Tournament. The Broncos connected on a remarkable .614 (27-44) from the field for the game, including a .739 (17-23) in the first half. The Dons forced 20 Santa Clara turnovers, but failed at the charity stripe converting on just .444 (8-18). Sophomore guard Joy Hollingsworth scored a game-high 26 points for the Dons.

Heidi VanDerveer AT THE HELM: With head coach Mary Hile-Nepfel out indefinitely with an illness, top assistant coach Heidi VanDerveer assumed day-to-day coaching duties of the team prior to the Dons road contest at Seton Hall December 20. A professional and collegiate coaching veteran, VanDerveer served as head coach of the Sacramento Monarchs (1997-98) and Minnesota Lynx (2002) of the WNBA, following three seasons as the head coach at Eastern Washington (1995-97). USF's 63-48 victory against Pepperdine (1/8/05) was the first win for VanDerveer as the acting head coach.

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). With her first steal against Pepperdine, Russell passed Portland's Deana Lansing (1993-97/318) as the league's best thief and currently owns 331 swipes. An excellent playmaker, Russell enters Thursday's game against Saint Mary's ranked sixth in career assists with 388 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). On the season, Russell averages 10.1 points, 3.6 rebounds 4.1 assists and 3.7 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 167 rebounds in her first 18 games, including a 17-rebound effort at Portland (1/22/05). Krueger currently has 786, good for third place on the career board charts. Melinda Harrison (1985-89) is next up on the list with 808. Krueger owns seventh place on the blocked shots list with 72 after passing former teammate Kim Whisler (1997-2001) at 71 career swats. This season, Krueger averages 10.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game and has recorded four double-doubles, elevating her career tally to 23. On the year, Krueger has led the team in scoring five times and has been the top rebounder 16 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 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 and scored a career-high 23 points against Loyola Marymount. So far this season, Carter averages a team-high 13.9 points on .470 (102-217) shooting to go along with 4.4 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. Carter has recorded 13 double-digit scoring nights and has led the team in scoring in 10 games this season.

SAN FRANCISCO SHARP SHOOTERS: USF enters the fourth week of the 2005 West Coast Conference season ranked second in field goal percentage, connecting on .414 (410-990) from the field. The Dons have five players converting on .400 of their attempts or better, led by freshman guard Dominique Carter at .470 (102-217). USF also ranks fourth in free throw percentage at .707 (210-297), but have little success from behind the arc, connecting on just .299 (60-201) from long distance, good for seventh 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 .707 (210-297) at the charity stripe this season. The Dons have shot better than their opponents at the line in 10 of their 18 contests this season. Senior guard Toni Russell leads the way for the Dons at .841 (37-44) and rates second among league leaders at the stripe.

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 6.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game for the Dons. In WCC play Jensen averages 10.0 points and 5.7 rebounds.

Lisa Olden CONTRIBUTING AS A FRESHMAN: 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 4.6 points to go along with 3.7 rebounds per game.

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).