Nov. 30, 2004

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USF SET TO HOST AGGIES AND SPARTANS: San Francisco continues its season-long four-game homestand when they host UC Davis Tuesday and San Jose State Thursday at War Memorial Gym. The Dons are fresh off a runner-up showing in the 2004 odwalla Classic. After defeating William and Mary 79-48 in the opener, USF fell in the championship game to Oakland, 82-65. The contest against the Aggies Tuesday marks the start of a busy week for the Dons, who play three games in six days, including a road trip to San Luis Obispo to take on the Mustangs of Cal Poly Sunday in a 2:00 PM contest at Mott Gym.

Mary Hile-Nepfel COLLECTS WIN #250: USF's 62-59 road victory at Denver 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). Hile-Nepfel collected victory number 200 with a 71-63 victory against Cal Poly (12/21/00).

Toni Russell SETS USF CAREER STEALS 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, entering Tuesday's contest against UC Davis with 278 career steals. Russell needs 41 to pass Portland's Deana Lansing (1993-97) for the top spot on the West Coast Conference career steals list. 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 67 steals to be the most prolific thief in USF basketball history.

Dominique Carter AND Toni Russell ALL-TOURNAMENT: USF's starting backcourt of freshman Dominique Carter and senior Toni Russell earned all-tournament honors at the 2004 odwalla Classic. Carter was dominant in USF's opening round victory against William and Mary, scoring a game-high 21 points, including 17 in the first half against the Tribe. Carter followed it up with a 16-point, six rebound performance against Oakland in the championship game. Russell was magnificent against the Golden Grizzlies, scoring a team-high 23 points to go along with seven assists and three steals. For the tournament, Russell dished out 11 assists and recorded eight swipes. It is the second odwalla Classic All-Tournament selection for Russell.

KRUEGER CLIMBING REBOUND LEADER BOARD: Sixth-year senior center Mary Jane Krueger has already pulled down 36 rebounds in just four games this season and has moved into ninth place on the USF career rebound list with 655. Next up on the list in current Dons assistant coach Brittany Lindhe (1994-99), who sits in eighth place with 661.

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 #5- SCOUTING UC DAVIS: The Aggies welcome back eight letter-winners and three starters from their 2003-2004 squad which posted a 16-12 overall record with a 11-11 CCAA slate, good for a share of sixth place in the league standings. UC Davis is making the move to Division I and is a provisional member of the Big West Conference. The Aggies enter the week with a 1-3 record on the season after taking a 58-50 victory against Sacramento State last Saturday at the Hornet Nest. UC Davis dropped their season opener against Louisiana-Lafayette (73-72) and fell at Air Force (75-61). As a team, UCD shoots at a .432 clip from the floor, including .381 from 3-point range and average 43.7 rebounds, 18.0 assists, 7.8 steals and 3.3 blocks on the young season. Sophomore center Ellen Porshneva leads the way for the Aggies offensively, averaging 18.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Junior guard Kimberly Smith adds 13.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists, while junior guard Jackie Turpin chips in 10.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists per night. Sandy Simpson is in her eighth season as the head coach at her alma mater and has posted a career record of 139-59, all at Davis.

LAST MEETING: USF def. UC Davis 68-42 (1978-79).

SERIES RECORD/STREAK: USF leads 2-0/USF won two.

LAST MEETING: Although the two schools are less than two hours apart, this is just the third meeting between UC Davis and USF. The last time the two teams squared off, current Dons head coach Mary Hile-Nepfel was a sophomore and the teams played twice with the Dons winning both contest by the score of 68-42.

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). Russell currently ranks sixth on the career WCC steals chart and needs 41 to pass Portland's Deana Lansing (1993-97) as the league's best thief. An excellent playmaker, Russell enters the third week of the 2004-2005 season ranked fifth in career assists with 393 and is first Don to lead the team in assists and steals in three consecutive seasons since Adkins accomplished the feat 1991-93. Russell needs just six assists to move past former teammate Lindsey Huff (1997-2002) for fourth place on the all-time list. 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). Last season Russell led the team in scoring seven times, paced the team in assists 19 times and set the steals standard 20 times. In the early going of the 2004-2005 season, Russell averages 11.0 points, 3.0 rebounds 4.5 assists and 3.3 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 36 rebounds in her first four games, including a 16-rebound effort at Denver (11/20) Krueger needs just seven more boards to move past current USF assistant coach Brittany Lindhe (1994-99) into eighth place on the USF all-time caroms list. Krueger also ranks eighth in blocked shots with 60 and needs 12 more to surpass former teammate Kim Whisler (1997-2001), who sits in seventh place with 71 career swats.

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. So far this season, Jensen chips in 4.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game for the Dons.

A LOOK AHEAD: USF hosts San Jose State Thursday night at War Memorial Gym in the last game of the current homestand. San Francisco looks to avenge a 66-53 road loss to the Spartans last season (12/2/03). The Dons then travel to San Luis Obispo for a Sunday afternoon contest at Cal Poly at Mott Gym. USF defeated the Mustangs last season at War Memorial Gym 64-62 (12/21/03).

Mary Hile-Nepfel: USF women's basketball legend Mary Hile-Nepfel prepares for her 18th season as the head coach at the University of San Francisco and her fifth season as sole head coach of the Dons. Hile-Nepfel was named sole head coach following the 1999-2000 season, taking charge of a program she directed to national prominence with her husband Bill Nepfel for 13 seasons. Entering her 22nd season associated with the university, Hile-Nepfel is energized for the upcoming 2004-2005 season and believes the talented recruiting class and solid core of returning players can challenge in the West Coast Conference this year. Senior guard Toni Russell, the WCC Defender of the Year in 2004 and sixth-year senior center Mary Jane Krueger look for a strong finish to their collegiate careers and headline a solid batch of veteran players. The incoming crop of freshmen boast no fewer than four players nominated for McDonald's High School All-American honors. Hile-Nepfel entered the season needing just one win to reach 250 career victories, all coming at USF and with a 62-59 win at Denver (11/21/04) became one of just three coaches in the history of the USF athletic department to reach the milestone, joining Steve Negoesco (544) of men's soccer and baseball's Dante Benedetti (373).

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 scored eight points in just 14 minutes in San Francisco's season opening loss at Colorado State and stepped up with a tremendous performance at Denver, leading the Dons to a 62-59 victory. 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. 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.