Wake Forest Athletics
Blue Devils Come to Town
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
January 8, 1999
WAKE FOREST VS. NO. 13 DUKE
Monday, January 11, 1999 * 7:00 pm
Joel Coliseum * Winston-Salem, NC
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.-Fresh off a thrilling ACC victory over Georgia Tech, the Wake Forest women's basketball team will look to make it two in a row as the Demon Deacons play host to the No. 13 Duke Blue Devils this Monday, January 11th, at 7 p.m. at Joel Coliseum. The Deacs (6-8, 2-2 ACC) have been off since last Monday's 77-72 come-from-behind win over the Yellow Jackets, while Duke (12-4, 4-0) pummeled Georgia Tech, 113-46, on Thursday night. The Wake-Duke game will be broadcast locally on WXII Newsradio 830 AM and cybercast on the WFU athletics webpage at www.wakeforestsports.com.
Scouting Wake Forest (6-8, 2-2 ACC)
The freshman trio of LaChina Robinson, Val Klopfer, and Adell Harris keyed a dominating second-half run to lift the Wake Forest women's basketball team to a 77-72 victory over visiting Georgia Tech last Monday, marking the Demon Deacons' first home ACC victory since the 1996-97 season. Wake Forest trailed 35-30 at halftime and fell behind by as many as 12 points early in the second half before exploding on a 28-7 run over a span of 6:28 to take the lead for good. Robinson scored 12 points during that run, while Klopfer added eight. Harris was the true key to the run, however, dishing seven assists and making two steals in that stretch. Tech made a late rally and got within one point, 73-72, with 18.4 seconds to go, but Deacon rookie Liz Rogers scored a fast-break layup and senior forward Emon McMillian sunk two free throws to seal the win. Georgia Tech outrebounded Wake Forest, 51-39, but the Deacons forced 26 turnovers in the game and converted them into 28 points. Robinson finished with career highs of 22 points, eight rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. Klopfer netted a career-best 18 points, while Harris dished a jaw-dropping 10 assists, all in the game's last 10 minutes. McMillian added 10 points and eight rebounds for the Deacs.
Through 14 games, sophomore forward Olivia Dardy leads the team in both scoring (10.5 ppg) and rebounding (7.4 apg), while McMillian and junior guard Alisha Mosley both average 9.6 points per game. Wake is averaging 67.8 points per game on 40.3 percent shooting from the floor, and the Deacs have outrebounded opponents by a +3.0 margin. WFU averages an ACC-high 6.2 three-pointers per game, hitting an impressive 36.9 percent from behind the three-point arc.
Jamming Joel
The Deacs will be looking to "Jam Joel" for Monday night's Duke game in an attemptto break the women's basketball program's single-game attendance record. The current record of 3,071 fans was set on January 18th, 1992, vs. Duke at Joel Coliseum.
Scouting No. 13 Duke (12-4, 4-0 ACC)
Duke returned nearly everyone from its 1998 squad which won the ACC regular-season champion and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight. After earning a preseason top five rating, the Blue Devils suffered a rash of injuries which hurt the team during a brutal early-season schedule. They dropped three of their first four contests (to No. 3 UConn, Virginia Tech, and No. 11 Notre Dame), but as the injuries healed, Duke quickly returned to form. Currently ranked No. 13 in the nation, the Blue Devils have won 11 of their last 12 games, including a 113-46 dismantling of Georgia Tech on Thursday night. The Blue Devils are led by senior center Michele VanGorp, who averages 15.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Duke averages 83.4 points per game on an ACC-best 48.8 percent shooting from the floor. The Blue Devils have outrebounded opponents by a +7.5 margin and average 5.9 three-pointers per game.
Series History
Duke holds a 28-19 advantage in the all-time series with Wake Forest, and the Blue Devils have won the last 11 straight meetings. Wake's last win over Duke came during the 1992-93 campaign, when the Deacs took two of three meetings (64-60 in Durham, 70-69 in the first round of the ACC Tournament). Last season, Duke swept Wake, winning 73-60 in Winston-Salem and 79-55 in Durham. Duke owns a 13-8 record vs. the Deacs in Winston-Salem, and, interestingly enough, the Blue Devils have never lost a game to Wake Forest in Joel Coliseum (7-0).
Looking for Leaders to Emerge
In the hopes that the leadership of the Demon Deacon team will emerge naturally, head coach Charlene Curtis has elected not to appoint team captains for the 1998-99 season. However, game captains will be selected for each contest by the coaching staff.
Fountain of Youth
The Demon Deacons feature an extremely youthful squad this season, with 10 of 14 players on the roster in only their freshman or sophomore years of eligibility. This young squad is anchored by four seasoned veterans, however, including two fifth-year players (Heidi Coleman and Emon McMillian), one true senior (Jenn Miklic), and one junior (Alisha Mosley).
Deacs Show Increased Scoring in 98-99
Last season, despite a strong defensive game, the Deacons consistently struggled to put points on the board. No player finished the season averaging in double figures, and the team as a whole averaged just 57.4 points per game. This year, the Deacs have shown solid improvement in the scoring department, averaging 67.8 points per game in their first 14 outings - an increase of over 18 percent. Only one player is averaging in double figures - sophomore forward Olivia Dardy (10.7 ppg) - but eight different players have recorded at least one double-digit scoring outing thus far (Dardy, senior guard Heidi Coleman, senior forward Emon McMillian, junior guard Alisha Mosley, sophomore forward Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick, freshman guard Val Klopfer, and freshman centers LaChina Robinson and Elizabeth Biedrycki). After averaging 77 points per outing in their first five games, WFU suffered a bit of a scoring drought with just 56.8 points over its next six contests. The Deacs have gotten back on track recently, however, averaging 74.3 points in their last three games.
Interior Improvements
The Deacs have benefitted from a stronger inside game this season with the return of some key players and the addition of some new faces. Three returning forwards - senior Emon McMillian (9.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg) and sophomores Olivia Dardy (10.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick (7.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg) - have demonstrated much-improved inside games this year, ranking as the team's top three rebounders and three of the top five scorers. All three have led the team in scoring or rebounding at least once. In addition, freshman centers LaChina Robinson (5.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and Elizabeth Biedrycki (2.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg) have provided the size and defensive presence in the paint that Wake lacked last year.
Guards Boast Strong Assist-to-Turnover Ratio
Another area of dramatic improvement this year is in the Deacon guards' assist-to-turnover ratio. Last season, only one Deac registered a positive assist-to-turnover ratio for the season (senior point guard Heidi Coleman was 57-to-55) and the backcourt as a whole stood at -1.13. This year, however, every guard on the roster boasts a positive assist-to-turnover ratio. Coleman owns a +1.27 ratio (33-to-26), while junior shooting guard Alisha Mosley boasts a +2.23 ratio (49-to-22), and sophomore guard Janae Whiteside holds a +1.69 mark (22-to-13). The three own a combined +1.70 ratio on the season, while the backcourt as a whole (including rookie reserves Adell Harris and Val Klopfer) checks in at +1.50 (141-94).
Preseason Prognostications
The Deacs were picked to finish ninth in the 1998-99 ACC Media Preseason Poll, released October 26th. Duke was the overwhelming favorite to finish first, collecting 207 points and 17 of 24 first-place votes. Virginia came in second, followed by North Carolina, NC State, Clemson, Florida State, Maryland, Georgia Tech, and Wake Forest.
Coleman Closing in On Three-Point Shooting Records
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. In her career as a Deacon, Coleman owns a 36.0 three-point shooting percentage and ranks second all-time in three-pointers made (168) and attempted (467). Both career marks are held by Nicole Levesque '94, who went on to play with the WNBA's Charlotte Sting.
Coleman currently holds the school single-season records in both categories, hitting 61-of-179 treys as a sophomore in 1996-97. Last year she nearly matched those record marks, hitting 57-of-166 threes. Coleman also ranks as the school's eighth all-time assist leader with 261 assists in her career. The all-time record of 488 is also held by Levesque.
Rookies Stepping it Up
Charlene Curtis' first recruiting class has started coming into its own over the past few games, highlighted by the contributions of several rookies in the team's recent win over Georgia Tech. Freshman center LaChina Robinson (5.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg) has started all 14 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 17 points vs. Providence and exploding for a career-best 22 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks vs. Georgia Tech. Classmate Elizabeth Biedrycki (2.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg) continues to share time with Robinson at center, and has been a steady contributor off the bench. She posted a career-best 12 points vs. Providence.
Rookie point guard Val Klopfer has earned increased playing time lately, averaging over 17 minutes per game in the last four outings. She has contributed nine points per game in those four contests - including a career-high 18 points vs. Tech - while hitting 56 percent of her three-pointers (9-of-16). Guard Adell Harris has also seen increased court time in the past three games. She put on a show-stopping performance in the final 10 minutes of the Georgia Tech game, dishing 10 assists and making three steals to key the Deacs' come-from-behind win. Swing player Liz Rogers has consistently provided a spark off the bench with her hustle and determination. Although averaging just 4.5 minutes per game, Rogers has been the most productive Deacon this season in terms of points per minute (0.48) and steals per minute (0.09). She had a season-high eight points in the win over GT.
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 and work on further developing her skills. She will likely redshirt the 1998-99 season.
Raining Threes
Wake Forest has utilized an arsenal of three-point shooters this season to rank as the top long-distance shooting team in the ACC. Through games of Jan. 5, WFU led the ACC in threes per game (6.2) and three-point percentage (36.9), while ranking 17th and 23rd in the nation in those respective categories. Senior guard Heidi Coleman remains Wake's top three-point threat (see above), ranking second in the league in three-point percentage (25-61, 41.0) and fourth in threes per game (1.8). Junior guard Alisha Mosley owns a 31.6 percentage (18-57) and averages 1.3 treys per game. Reserve guards Janae Whiteside (8-30, 26.7%), Val Klopfer (11-24, 45.8%), and Adell Harris (5-13, 38.5%) have also contributed some clutch threes. In addition to backcourt players, however, two of the Deacs' post players have the ability to step out and hit a three when needed - sophomore forwards Olivia Dardy (15-37, 40.5%) and Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick (4-8, 50.0%).
Dardy A Versatile Threat
Sophomore forward Olivia Dardy continues to lead the Demon Deacon sin both scoring (10.5 ppg) and rebounding (7.4 rpg), and she ranks among the top ten board-getters in the ACC (sixth). A versatile player who can play either 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, and boasts a 40.5 three-point shooting percentage (15-37). On the season, Dardy has notched three double-doubles (six double-digit scoring games and three double-figure rebound games overall). Earlier this year, she earned All-Tournament honors at the Fairfield-Warner's Classic, racking up 31 points and 21 rebounds in two games to help WFU to a runner-up finish. She also earned ACC Co-Player of the Week honors on Dec. 13th for her 17-point, 15-rebound outing in Wake's victory 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.
Mosley Dishes it Off
Sophomore guard Alisha Mosley has been one of the Deacs' top offensive weapons in the first 14 games, averaging 9.6 points and a team-high 3.5 assists per outing. Mosley has scored in double figures seven times this year (including a career-high 23 points vs. VCU) and has led the team in scoring four times. More impressively, she has led the team in assists in eight of the first 14 games, setting a new career best with six set-ups vs. both FDU and UNC. Mosley ranks among the team's top three-point shooters (18-57, 31.6%) and boasts an impressive +2.23 assist-to-turnover ratio on the year (49-to-22). 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.
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 lineup. A fifth-year player in grad school at Wake Forest, McMillian is in her second season as the Deacs' starting power forward. She currently ranks second on the team in both scoring (9.6 ppg) and rebounding (5.4 rpg) and she has posted seven double-figure scoring outings thus far, including the last three straight games. McMillian's best outing of the season came in the Deacs' win over Providence, where she netted the fourth double-double of her career with a career-high 23 points and 12 rebounds. McMillian has been particularly hot from the floor in the team's last three outings, posting double figures in each game and shooting 78 percent from the floor (14-18). McMillian's father, Jim, is a former NBA player who played on the Lakers' 1972 championship team.
Miklic a Defensive Stopper
Senior guard/forward Jenn Miklic continues to serve as one of the team's top defensive players, often receiving the assignment of covering an opponent's top offensive threat. An aggressive player and a strong athlete, Miklic has started the past 12 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.
Shaffer, Whiteside Contribute Off the Bench
Sophomores Kristen Shaffer and Janae Whiteside continue to serve as valuable reserves on the perimeter for the Demon Deacons. Shaffer, a versatile swing player who excels in the open court game, has averaged just under nine minutes a game, contributing 2.0 points and 1.1 rebouds per game. Whiteside can play either point or shooting guard and has shown dramatic improvement in her ballhandling skills over the past year. She has averaged 12 minutes per game off the bench, contributing 3.0 points and 1.6 assists per contest. Whiteside owns an impressive +1.69 assist-to-turnover ratio, and she set a new career high this year with five assists vs. both West Virginia and Maryland.
ACC Leaders
As of Jan. 5th, senior guard Heidi Coleman ranks as the ACC's second-most accurate three-point shooter (41.0%) and ranks fourth in threes per game at 1.8. Junior guard Alisha Mosley ranks eighth in assists (3.5 apg), while sophomore forward Olivia Dardy is sixth in rebounding (7.4 rpg) and freshman center LaChina Robinson is seventh in blocks (1.0 bpg). In ACC games only, Coleman is eighth in three-point percentage (31.6) and threes per game (1.5), while freshman guard Adell Harris and Mosley are tied for seventh in assists (3.3 apg). Dardy is third in rebounding in ACC outings (8.8 rpg), while Robinson is fourth in blocks (1.5 bpg).
Team Rankings
Through Jan. 5th, Wake Forest leads the ACC in three-pointers per game (6.2) and three-point percentage (36.9). Other rankings: 8th in scoring (67.8 ppg), 6th in scoring defense (67.9 ppg), 7th in scoring margin (-0.1), 9th in field goal percentage (.403), 6th in field goal percentage defense (.407), 7th in free throw percentage (.654), 8th in blocks (2.5 bpg), 9th in steals (6.5 spg), 8th in turnover margin (-1.6), and 6th in rebound margin (+3.0).
Honors and Awards
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.
Tip-Ins
Wake has outrebounded 10 of its first 14 opponents...the Deacs have drained 10 or more three-pointers on three occasions (FDU, Virginia, UMBC)...the seven turnovers vs. UMBC tied the school record for fewest TOs in a game (set in 1982)...the season-opening win over VCU snapped a 16-game losing streak for the Deacs, the longest in school history...Wake hit an impressive 94.7 percent of its foul shots (18-19) vs. UNC, the eighth-best single-game percentage in NCAA Division I this year...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. 31st, 1996.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
Pos. No. Name Ht. Yr. GP/GS PPG RPG Other F 5 Emon McMillian 6-1 Sr. 14/14 9.6 5.4 1.4 apg F 12 Jenn Miklic 6-0 Sr. 13/12 2.2 1.8 0.8 apg C 34 LaChina Robinson 6-4 Fr. 14/14 5.5 4.2 1.0 bpg G 11 Alisha Mosley 5-6 Jr. 14/13 9.6 2.6 3.5 apg G 22 Heidi Coleman 5-6 Sr. 14/14 8.1 3.2 2.4 apg Key Reserves F 32 Olivia Dardy 6-1 So. 14/2 10.5 7.4 2.2 apg F 50 Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick 6-0 So. 14/0 7.9 4.5 0.9 apg G 10 Val Klopfer 5-6 Fr. 12/0 3.8 1.0 1.0 apg G 21 Janae Whiteside 5-7 So. 14/1 3.0 0.9 1.6 apg C 33 Elizabeth Biedrycki 6-4 Fr. 14/0 2.5 2.1 0.4 bpg
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
Wake Forest Statistic Duke 67.8 Points Per Game 83.4 67.9 Points Allowed Per Game 62.8 -0.1 Scoring Margin +20.6 40.3 Field Goal Percentage 48.8 40.7 Field Goal Pct Defense 36.7 36.9 3-Point Field Goal Percentage 38.4 6.2 3-Point Field Goals Per Game 5.9 65.4 Free Throw Percentage 68.1 16.8 Assists 19.6 18.4 Turnovers 18.7 2.5 Blocks 3.2 6.5 Steals 9.4 -1.5 Turnover Margin +1.1 41.4 Rebounds 44.0 +3.0 Rebound Margin +7.5
1998-99 SCHEDULE
(6-8 overall, 2-2 ACC) November Sat. 14 at Virginia C'wealth 81-71 W Tue. 17 DAVIDSON 75-82 L Tue. 24 at Providence 80-73 W Fairfield-Warner's Classic Fri. 27 vs. Fairl. Dickinson 79-45 W Sat. 28 vs. East Carolina 70-78 L Mon. 30 at West Virginia 57-67 LDecember 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* (13/17) 7:00 Thu. 14 at Florida State* 7:00 Sun. 17 at Clemson* (TV) 12:30 Sun. 24 NC STATE* (TV) 12:30 Thu. 28 VIRGINIA* 7:00 Sun. 31 at North Carolina* 1:00
February Wed. 3 at Georgia Tech* 7:00 Sat. 6 MARYLAND* (RG) 2:00 Thu. 11 Duke* 7:00 Mon. 15 FLORIDA STATE* 7:00 Thu. 18 CLEMSON* 7:00 Sat. 20 at NC State* 2:00 F26-M1 ACC Tournament @ Charlotte
All times Eastern;* 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)
