Wake Forest Athletics
Women's Basketball Plays Host to No. 14 Clemson
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
February 17, 1999
Wake Forest vs No. 14 Clemson
Thursday, February 18, 1999 * 7:00 pm
Joel Coliseum * Winston-Salem, NC
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.
-The Wake Forest women's basketball team hosts No. 14 Clemson in its final home game of the 1998-99 season this Thursday, February 18th, at 7:00 pm at Joel Coliseum. The Demon Deacons are fresh off an 80-68 win over Florida State on Monday night which snapped a nine-game losing streak and moved Wake into seventh place in the ACC standings. Clemson is currently fourth in the ACC standings and recently handed first-place Duke its only conference loss with an 80-75 decision on Sunday. The Tigers have won three straight and are ranked No. 14 in this week's AP Poll and 16th in the USA Today/ESPN poll.
Scouting Wake Forest (7-17, 3-11 ACC)
Senior forward Emon McMillian scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as Wake Forest defeated visiting Florida State, 80-68, at Joel Coliseum on Monday night, snapping a nine-game losing streak. Wake Forest led by as many as eight points in the first half and held a 36-32 halftime advantage, but Florida State rallied midway through the second period. The Seminoles tied the game at 56-56 on an Angela Sutton layup with 8:51 to go, then ran off five more points to take a 61-56 lead. The Deacs responded with a 24-7 run over the game's final 7:20, however, to record their first win since January 4th. FSU forced 28 Wake turnovers, converting them into 28 points, but the Deacons outrebounded the 'Noles by a commanding 49-22 margin and hit 11-of-20 three-pointers (55 percent). Sophomore guard Janae Whiteside recorded a team- and career-high 16 points, hitting 5-of-8 threes, while senior guard Heidi Coleman added 13 points. For Florida State, freshman guard April Traylor scored 16 points, while Sutton added 13 and sophomore forward Brooke Wyckoff recorded 11 points and a team-high six rebounds.
Through 24 games, sophomore forward Olivia Dardy leads the team in both scoring (9.7 ppg) and rebounding (7.4 rpg), while McMillian ranks second in both categories with 9.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Wake Forest is averaging 63.8 points per game on 38 percent shooting, and the Deacs have outrebounded opponents by a +2.5 margin. WFU averages 5.8 three-pointers per game, hitting 32 percent of its treys. In ACC games, the Deacs average 60.3 points per outing on 37 percent shooting and outrebound opponents by a 1.1 margin.
Scouting Clemson (20-5, 10-5 ACC)
Thursday's game marks the season finale for No. 14 Clemson, who currently stands in fourth place in the ACC. The Tigers have won three straight since suffering back-to-back losses to Virginia and North Carolina. On Sunday, CU upset No. 7 Duke, 80-75, as senior point guard Itoro Umoh and senior forward Natasha Anderson each netted 24 points. Through 25 games, Clemson has four starters averaging in double figures, led by senior guard Amy Geren (14.7 ppg), one of the league's top three-point shooters. Umoh averages 12.8 points and an ACC-best 6.0 assists per game, while Anderson (12.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and senior forward Nikki Blassingame (10.2 ppg, 8.0 rpg) lead the Tigers on the boards. Clemson averages 74.4 points per game on 42.9 percent shooting, and the Tigers lead the ACC in scoring defense (59.0 ppg), field goal percentage defense (36.7%), and rebound margin (+7.2).
Series History
Clemson holds a 31-7 advantage over WFU in the all-time series, which dates back to the 1977-78 season. The Tigers have won 14 of the last 15 outings, including a 78-38 rout of the Deacs in Clemson earlier this year. WFU's last win over Clemson came in the 1996-97 season, when the Deacs handed the Tigers a 69-60 loss in Winston-Salem.
Earlier This Year
Itoroh Umoh netted a triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists as 16th-ranked Clemson routed visiting Wake Forest, 78-38. Clemson held Wake to 24.1 percent shooting (13 of 54) while forcing 20 turnovers and outrebounding the Deacs, 49-35. While no Deacon scored in double figures, sophomore forward Olivia Dardy led the team with seven points and five rebounds.
Fountain of Youth
The Deacs feature an extremely youthful squad this season, with 10 of 14 players in only their freshman or sophomore years of eligibility. The young squad is anchored by four veterans, however, including two fifth-year players (Heidi Coleman, Emon McMillian), one true senior (Jenn Miklic), and one junior (Alisha Mosley), all of whom are starters.
Free Throw Woes
Wake Forest has struggled from the free throw line this season, with the Deacs hitting just 63.4 of their shots from the charity stripe. In ACC games, Wake has hit just 60.1 percent of its foul shots, though the Deacs did sink 18 of 19 vs. UNC on Jan. 2 - a school record of 94.7 percent.
In Search of Point Production
Last season, the Deacs consistently struggled to put points on the board. No player finished the season in double figures, and the team averaged just 57.4 points per game. This year, Wake showed improvement in the scoring department early on, averaging 77 points in the first five games. The team has topped 70 points just four times in its last 19 games, however, and has scored less than 60 points 10 times. In the seven of the last nine games (excluding Maryland and FSU), the Deacs struggled with poor shooting, hitting just 32% from the floor (142-441), 19% from three-point range (27-141), and 57% from the line (66-116). Against UM and FSU, Wake shot a combined 46% from the floor (51-110), 50% from three-point range (19-38), and 74% from the line (25-34).
Interior Improvements
The Deacs boast a stronger inside game and better rebounding this season with the return of some key players and the addition of some new faces. Three returning forwards - senior Emon McMillian (9.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and sophomores Olivia Dardy (9.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick (7.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg) - have demonstrated much-improved inside games this year, ranking as the team's top three rebounders and three of the top four scorers. All three have posted double-doubles this year. In addition, 6-4 freshman centers LaChina Robinson (6.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg) and Elizabeth Biedrycki (2.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg) have provided additional size and defensive presence in the paint.
Double-Digit Deacons
Although no Deacons are averaging in double figures on the season, 12 of Wake's 13 active players have recorded double digits in either points, rebounds, or assists during the year. A look at Wake's double-digit performances:
Name Pts Rebs Ast D-D's Elizabeth Biedrycki 1 0 0 0 Heidi Coleman 4 0 0 0 Olivia Dardy 10 6 0 5 Adell Harris 0 0 1 0 Brenda M. Kirkpatrick 6 2 0 1 Val Klopfer 3 0 0 0 Emon McMillian 11 2 0 2 Alisha Mosley 10 0 0 0 LaChina Robinson 4 0 0 0 Liz Rogers 1 0 0 0 Kristen Shaffer 1 0 0 0 Janae Whiteside 2 0 0 0
Guards Boast Improved Assist-to-Turnover Ratios
Another area of dramatic improvement this year is in the Deacon guards' assist-to-turnover ratio. Last season, only one player registered a positive ratio for the season (Heidi Coleman was 57-to-55) and the backcourt as a whole stood at -1.13. This year, every guard but one boasts a positive or even assist-to-turnover ratio. Junior guard Alisha Mosley leads the backcourt with a +1.36 ratio (57-to-42), while Coleman owns a +1.15 ratio (47-to-41). Freshman guard Val Klopfer holds a 1.25 ratio (25-to-20), while sophomore Janae Whiteside stands even at 1.00 (35-to-35), and rookie Adell Harris rates at -1.20 (41-to-49). As a unit, the Deacon backcourt checks in at +1.10 (205-to-187).
Bench Scoring
Wake Forest boasts an extremely deep lineup, and head coach Charlene Curtis has utilized her entire bench in nearly every game this year. In fact, the Wake bench has contributed almost half of the team's points on the season (742-of-1531, 48.5%) and has outscored the starters in 13 of 24 games. In the last 12 games, the bench has outscored the starters nine times, contributing 53% of the team's points (348 of 659).
Raining Threes
Wake Forest has utilized an arsenal of three-point shooters this season to rank as one of the top long-distance teams in the ACC. After averaging 6.3 threes per game in its first 16 outings, the Deacs hit a four-game dry spell in which they sunk just 3.5 threes per game and hit only 18 percent of their attempts (14-76). Wake has gotten back on track in three of its last four games, however, draining eight treys vs. Ga. Tech and Maryland and hitting a season-high 11-of-20 (55%) vs. FSU. Senior point guard Heidi Coleman remains Wake's top three-point threat, (35-98, 36%), although her backup, Val Klopfer (23-59, 39%) has emerged as a long-distance danger as well. Junior Alisha Mosley (26-85, 31%), sophomore Janae Whiteside (20-66, 30%), and freshman Adell Harris (6-23, 26%) have all contributed some clutch threes as well. Whiteside has stepped up to hit 9-of-16 threes in the last three games (56%), including a career-high 5-of-8 treys vs. FSU. Two of the Deacs' post players also have the ability to step out and hit a three as well - sophomore forwards Olivia Dardy (23-74, 31%) and Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick (4-16, 25%).
Coleman Climbs Three-Point Shooting Charts
Senior point guard Heidi Coleman already ranks as one of the top three-point shooters in school history, and she is closing in on the Wake Forest records for threes made and attempted in a career. Coleman owns a 35.3 career three-point shooting percentage and ranks second all-time at WFU in three-pointers made (178) and attempted (504). Those numbers rank her 12th and 10th (respectively) in the ACC record book. Coleman also holds the school single-season records in both categories, hitting 61-of-179 treys in 1996-97. Last year she nearly matched those marks, hitting 57-of-166. Coleman ranks as Wake's eighth all-time assist leader with 275, and is 16th in points with 898.
Rookies Stepping it Up
Charlene Curtis' first recruiting class has started coming into its own recently, highlighted by the contributions of several rookies in the team's win over Georgia Tech on Jan. 4th. Center LaChina Robinson (6.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 0.8 bpg) has started all 24 contests and has been a solid addition to the Deacons' inside game with her rebounding and shot-blocking ability. She has proven to be a scoring threat as well, netting four double-figure outings on the year. She tallied a career-best 22 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks vs. Georgia Tech to earn ACC Rookie of the Week honors, and grabbed a career-high nine boards vs. FSU. Elizabeth Biedrycki (2.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg) backs up Robinson at center and has been a steady contributor off the bench. She posted a career-best 12 points vs. Providence. Point guard Val Klopfer (4.1 ppg) has seen her playing time steadily increase, and she now usually splits time at the point with starter Heidi Coleman. She has proven to be a dangerous three-point shooter (23-59, 39%) and has three double-figure outings, including a career-high 18 points vs. Georgia Tech on Jan. 4. Guard Adell Harris (2.0 ppg, 1.7 apg) has also seen increased court time of late and shown to be a great playmaker. She put on a show-stopping performance in the final 10 minutes of the Georgia Tech game on Jan. 4, dishing 10 assists and making three steals to key the Deacs' come-from-behind win. Swing player Liz Rogers (2.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg) has consistently provided a spark off the bench with her hustle and determination. Although averaging just 4.7 minutes per game, Rogers is one of the most productive Deacons in terms of points, rebounds, and steals per minute. She netted her first double-figure outing vs. Duke on Feb 11th, tallying a career-high 10 points in just 11 minutes of play.
The sixth member of the freshman class, 6-4 center LaTisha Pearson, has not yet dressed for a game but continues to practice with the team to further develop her skills. She will redshirt the 1998-99 season.
Dardy Leads Deacs in Scoring, Rebounding, Steals
Sophomore forward Olivia Dardy continues to lead the Deacons in scoring (9.7 ppg), rebounding (7.4 rpg), and steals (1.3 spg). She ranks as the ACC's seventh-leading rebounder overall and is fifth with 7.8 boards per ACC game. A versatile player who can play the three, four, or five position, Dardy can score both in the paint and from three-point range. She has played primarily small forward this season after playing mostly center as a rookie. She holds a 31.1 three-point shooting percentage (23-74) and has notched five double-doubles on the year. Earlier this year, Dardy earned All-Tournament honors at the Fairfield-Warner's Classic, racking up 31 points and 21 rebounds in two games. She earned ACC Co-Player of the Week honors on Dec. 13th for her 17-point, 15-rebound outing in the win over Maryland. Last season, Dardy led the team in scoring and rebounding in ACC games (8.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg) and was named to ACC Athlete's All-Freshman Team.
McMillian Anchors the Post
Senior forward Emon McMillian serves as one of the Deacs' primary anchors this season, bringing veteran experience to a young frontcourt. A fifth-year player, McMillian is in her second season as the Deacs' starting power forward. She currently ranks second on the team in both scoring (9.2 ppg) and rebounding (5.6 rpg) and she has posted 11 double-figure scoring outings, including seven of the last 11 games in which she hasn't been injured (out at FSU with shoulder sprain; played just two minutes at Ga. Tech due to ankle sprain). McMillian's best outing of the season came in the Deacs' win over Providence, where she netted a career-high 23 points and 12 rebounds. She recently netted her fifth career double-double in the win over Florida State, collecting 15 points and 12 rebounds. She currently ranks 17th on Wake's all-time rebounding list with 433 career boards. McMillian's father, Jim, played in the NBA and was a member of the Lakers' 1972 championship team.
Mosley An Offensive Key
Junior guard Alisha Mosley has been one of the Deacs' key playmakers in the first 24 games, averaging 8.3 points and a team-high 2.4 assists per outing. Mosley has scored in double figures 10 times this year (including a career-high 23 points vs. VCU) and has led the team in scoring four times. She has led the team in assists in eight games, dishing a career-high six set-ups vs. both FDU and UNC. Mosley also ranks among the team's top three-point shooters (26-85, 31%) and owns a team-high +1.36 assist-to-turnover ratio (57-to-42). She was named to the California-Oakland Tribune Classic All-Tournament Team after totalling 31 points and seven assists in two games. An ACC All-Freshman pick in 1996-97, Mosley averaged 7.6 points and 2.1 assists per game last year.
Miklic a Defensive Stopper
Senior forward Jenn Miklic serves as the team's top defensive player, often receiving the assignment of covering an opponent's top scorer. An aggressive player and a strong athlete, Miklic has started 22 games at small forward and averages just over 11 minutes per game. Her best offensive game of the year came vs. Pittsburgh in the California-Oakland Tribune Classic, where she netted eight points and five rebounds. In the loss to NC State, Miklic dished a career-high six assists in just 18 minutes.
Kirkpatrick a Key Contributor
Sophomore forward Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick continues to provide a spark for the Deacons off the bench with her strong play and tremendous hustle. Kirkpatrick averages just over 17 minutes per game but ranks as the team's fourth-leading scorer (7.1 ppg) and third-leading rebounder (4.3 rpg). She has tallied six double-figure scoring outings on the year and grabbed double-figure rebounds twice, netting her first career double-double vs. West Virginia (13 pts, career-high 13 rebs). She netted a career-best 15 points in back-to-back games at the Fairfield Warner's Classic (vs. FDU and ECU) earlier this year.
Whiteside White-Hot From Three-Point Range
Sophomore guard Janae Whiteside has been white-hot from three-point range in the past three games, hitting 9-of-16 treys (56%). She tallied a team- and (then) career-high 13 points vs. Maryland on Feb 6th, hitting 5-of-6 from the floor and 3-of-4 from three-point range. That performance earned her a starting job in the next two games, and she responded with a career game vs. Florida State on Feb. 15th. She exploded for a career-high 16 points, hitting 5-of-8 threes - the most treys by a Deacon in a game this year - and also made a career-high four steals. Whiteside plays both point and shooting guard and averages 12.6 minutes per game, contributing 3.8 points and 1.4 assists per contest. She dished a career-high five assists vs. both West Virginia and Maryland earlier this year.
Shaffer Steps Up Too
Sophomore forward Kristen Shaffer has also stepped up her offensive contributions of late. She notched her first double-figure outing of the season vs. Maryland on Feb 6th, netting 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting, and contributed seven points on 3-of-6 shooting vs. FSU last Monday. A versatile swing player who excels in the open court game, Shaffer averages just over nine minutes per game on the year, contributing 2.8 points per outing.
Dardy, Robinson Earn ACC Honors
Sophomore forward Olivia Dardy and freshman center LaChina Robinson have both earned weekly honors from the ACC this season. Dardy was the ACC Co-Player of the Week on Dec. 14 after posting 17 points and 15 rebounds to lift WFU to a win over Maryland, snapping a 17-game ACC losing streak. Robinson was the ACC Rookie of the Week on Jan. 11th after collecting 22 points, eight rebounds, three blocks, and two steals - all career highs - to help Wake to a win over Georgia Tech.
ACC Leaders
As of Feb. 15th, sophomore forward Olivia Dardy ranked seventh in the ACC in rebounding (7.4 rpg) while freshman center LaChina Robinson was eighth in blocks (0.8 bpg). In ACC games, Dardy ranks fifth in rebounding (7.8 rpg), while Robinson is fifth in blocks (0.9 bpg).
Team Rankings
Through games of Feb. 15th, Wake Forest ranked second in the ACC in three-pointers per game (5.8) and third in three-point percentage (.323). Other rankings: 8th in scoring (63.8 ppg), 8th in scoring defense (72.2 ppg), 8th in scoring margin (-8.4), 9th in field goal percentage (.382), 8th in field goal percentage defense (.436), 9th in free throw percentage (.634), 8th in blocks (2.2 bpg), 9th in steals (7.0 spg), 8th in turnover margin (-3.5), and 5th in rebound margin (+2.5).
Honors and Accolades
Olivia Dardy (So, F) - Fairfield-Warner's Classic All-Tournament Team, 11/28; ACC Co-Player of the Week, 12/14. Alisha Mosley (Jr, G) - California-Oakland Tribune Classic All-Tournament Team, 12/21. LaChina Robinson (Fr, C) - ACC Rookie of the Week, 1/11.
School Records
The Deacs attempted a school-record 27 three-pointers vs. Georgia Tech on Feb. 3...the seven turnovers vs. UMBC on Dec. 29th tied the school record for fewest TOs in a game (set in 1982)...Wake hit a school-record 94.7 percent of its foul shots (18-19) vs. UNC on Jan. 2 ....the Deacs drew a school-record 3,214 fans to the Duke game on Jan. 11.
Tip-Ins
Wake Forest has outrebounded 16 of its first 24 opponents...the Deacs have hit 10 or more three-pointers on four occasions (vs. FDU, UVa, UMBC, and FSU)...the season-opening win over VCU snapped a 16-game losing streak, the longest in school history...the Dec. 13th win over Maryland broke a 17-game drought vs. ACC foes...Adell Harris' 10-assist performance vs. Georgia Tech marked the first double-figure assist game for a Deacon since Gretchen Hollifield dished 11 vs. Maryland on Jan. 31, 1996...Wake's 38 points vs. Clemson on Jan. 17th were the fewest since a 78-35 loss to Virginia on Jan. 2, 1980...Wake is 5-1 when leading at halftime...the Deacs have shot 50% or better from the floor this year only once (51% vs. Maryland)...four opponents have shot 50% or better vs. Wake (Colorado St., Ga. Tech, Maryland, and Duke).
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
Pos. No. Name Ht. Yr. GP/GS PPG RPG Other F 5 Emon McMillian 6-1 Sr. 23/23 9.2 5.6 1.2 apg F 12 Jenn Miklic 6-0 Sr. 23/22 1.5 1.5 1.0 apg C 34 LaChina Robinson 6-4 Fr. 24/24 6.0 4.3 0.8 bpg G 11 Alisha Mosley 5-6 Jr. 24/21 8.3 2.5 2.4 apg G 22 Heidi Coleman 5-6 Sr. 24/24 6.3 2.8 2.0 apg Reserves F 32 Olivia Dardy 6-1 So. 24/2 9.7 7.4 1.3 spg F 50 Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick 6-0 So. 24/1 7.1 4.3 1.0 apg G 10 Val Klopfer 5-6 Fr. 22/0 4.1 0.9 1.1 apg G 21 Janae Whiteside 5-7 So. 24/3 3.8 1.1 1.5 apg G/F 20 Kristen Shaffer 5-10So. 24/0 2.8 1.3 0.5 spg G/F 45 Liz Rogers 5-10Fr. 20/0 2.2 1.3 0.4 spg C 33 Elizabeth Biedrycki 6-4 Fr. 23/0 2.2 2.2 0.3 bpg G 23 Adell Harris 5-8 Fr. 24/0 2.0 0.9 1.7 apg
STATISTICAL COMPARISONWake Forest Statistic Clemson 63.8 Scoring Offense 74.4 72.2 Scoring Defense 59.0 -8.4 Scoring Margin +15.4 38.2 Field Goal Percentage 42.9 43.6 Field Goal Pct Defense 36.7 32.3 3-Pt FG Percentage 32.2 5.8 3-Pt FG Per Game 3.3 63.4 Free Throw Percentage 70.4 15.4 Assists 14.8 19.5 Turnovers 15.5 2.2 Blocks 3.5 7.0 Steals 9.7 -3.4 Turnover Margin +4.6 40.8 Rebounds 42.7 +2.5 Rebound Margin +7.1
1998-99 SCHEDULE (7-17 overall, 3-11 ACC) November Sat. 14 at Va. Commonwealth 81-71 W Tue. 17 DAVIDSON 75-82 L Tue. 24 at Providence 80-73 W Fairfield-Warner's Classic Fri. 27 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson 79-45 W Sat. 28 vs. East Carolina 70-78 L Mon. 30 at West Virginia 57-67 L
December Fri. 4 at Virginia* (15/18) 45-65 L Sun. 13 at Maryland* 65-47 W Thu. 17 FURMAN (rg) 59-72 L Cal-Oakland Tribune Classic Sun. 20 vs Colorado St. (9/9) 69-84 L Mon. 21 vs Pittsburgh 46-53 L Tue. 29 UMBC (rg) 71-41 W
January Sat. 2 N. CAROLINA* (6/6) 75-100 L Mon. 4 GEORGIA TECH* 77-72 W Mon. 11 DUKE* (12/16) 54-79 L Thu. 14 at Florida State* 57-80 L Sun. 17 at Clemson* (16/12) tv 38-78 L Sun. 24 NC STATE* tv 60-85 L Thu. 28 VIRGINIA* (19/18) 50-81 L Sun. 31 at N. Carolina* (14/10) 66-88 L
February Wed. 3 at Georgia Tech* 58-74 L Sat. 6 MARYLAND* (rg) 66-68 L Thu. 11 Duke* (7/7) 48-86 L Mon. 15 FLORIDA STATE* 80-68 W Thu. 18 CLEMSON* (14/16) 7:00 Sat. 20 at NC State* 2:00 F26-M1 ACC Tournament @ Charlotte
* ACC games (x/x) - Opponent's AP/USA Today ranking rg - Home game at Reynolds Gym tv - Broadcast on the ACC Regional Sports Network (HTS, Fox Sports South, Sunshine)
