Wake Forest Athletics
Women's Basketball Faces Devil of an Opponent
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
February 9, 1999
Wake Forest at No. 7 Duke
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest women's basketball team looks to snap an eight-game losing streak as the Demon Deacons travel to No. 7 Duke this Thursday, February 11th, at 7:00 pm in Durham. The Deacs are coming off a 68-66 loss to Maryland on Saturday at home, while the Blue Devils recently edged Georgia Tech, 74-73, on Sunday in Atlanta. Duke remains undefeated in the conference with a perfect 12-0 record, while the Deacs need a third ACC win to put them two games ahead of last-place Florida State - their next opponent.
Scouting Wake Forest (6-15, 2-9 ACC)
Branka Bogunovic and Tiffany Brown each hit a free throw in the
final 14 seconds to lift Maryland to a 68-66 win over Wake Forest at
Reynolds Gym on Saturday. Maryland led 32-27 at halftime, but the Deacs
hit 10 of their first 14 shots in the second period to take the lead.
Wake went up 49-48 on a Kristen Shaffer layup at the 9:49 mark, then pulled
ahead by four before Maryland used a 14-7 run to take a 66-63 lead. Janae
Whiteside hit a three-pointer at 0:44 to tie the score, but Bogunovic was
fouled with 14 seconds left and hit one of two free throws. Brown hit the
front end of a one-and one two seconds later to put UM up by two, and
Whiteside overshot the goal on a last-second three-point attempt. Both
teams shot over 50 percent from the floor for the game, with Maryland
hitting 54 percent of its shots (28-52) and Wake hitting 51 percent
(26-51). The Terps outrebounded the Deacs by a 30-25 margin. Deedee
Warley led the Terps with 23 points and eight rebounds, while Kelley Gibson
added 20 points and Bogunovic had 18 points. Four Wake Forest players
netted double figures: Whiteside (13 pts), Emon McMillian (12), Olivia
Dardy (10), and Shaffer (10). Dardy grabbed a team-high seven rebounds for
WFU.
Through 22 games, Dardy leads the team in both scoring (10.0 ppg) and rebounding (7.4 rpg), while McMillian averages 9.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Wake Forest is averaging 63.8 points per game on 38.2 percent shooting, and the Deacons have outrebounded opponents by a +1.2 margin. WFU averages 5.7 three-pointers per game as a team, hitting 32 percent of its treys. In ACC games only, the Deacs average just 59.7 points per outing on 36.5 percent shooting, are outrebounded by a 1.7 margin, and commit 20.5 turnovers per game.
Scouting Duke (20-4, 12-0 ACC)
Ranked No. 7 in both the AP and USA Today polls, Duke has won 15
straight games and remins undefeated in the ACC at 12-0. The Blue Devils
are coming off a 74-73 scare at Georgia Tech on Sunday, and need two more
wins to lock up the No. 1 seed in the ACC tourney. Duke is led by senior
center Michele VanGorp, who averages 16.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game,
while senior guard Nicole Erickson adds 10.2 points per game. Duke
averages 81.6 points per game as a team, shooting an ACC-best 48.5 percent
from the floor. The Blue Devils outrebound opponents by a +6.3 margin and
lead the ACC in threes per game (6.1) and three-point percentage (39.5).
Series History
Duke holds a 29-19 advantage in the all-time series with Wake
Forest, and the Blue Devils have won the last 12 straight meetings,
including a 74-59 decision in Winston-Salem earlier this year. WFU's last
win over Duke came in the 1992-93 campaign, when the Deacs took two of
three meetings (64-60 in Durham, 70-69 in the first round of the ACCs).
Last year, Duke swept Wake, winning 73-60 in Winston and 79-55 in Durham.
Earlier This Year
Peppi Browne tallied 22 points and nine rebounds to lift No. 12
Duke to a 74-59 victory over Wake Forest in front of a school-record 3,214
fans at Joel Coliseum on Jan. 11th. Duke led 30-24 at the half and pulled
ahead by 12 in the second half. Wake used a 13-6 run to get within five
points, but the Devils answered with an 18-2 run to put the game out of
reach. Michele VanGorp added 18 points for Duke, while Payton Black had
14. For WFU, Olivia Dardy netted 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Alisha
Mosley and Emon McMillian added 11 points each.
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 63.3 of their shots from the charity stripe.
In ACC games, Wake has hit just 59.3 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.
Looking for More Point Production
Last season, the Deacs consistently struggled to put points on the
board. No player finishing the season in double figures, and the team
averaged just 57.4 points per game. This season, Wake showed visible
improvement in the scoring department early on, averaging 77 points per
game in their first five games. The team has topped 70 points just three
times in the last 17 games, however, and has scored less than 60 points
nine times. In the six losses prior to the Maryland game, the Deacs
struggled with poor shooting, hitting just 32% from the floor (121-381),
19% from three-point range (24-126), and 58% from the free throw line
(63-108). Against UM, Wake hit a season-high 51% from the floor (26-51),
44% from three-point range (8-18), and 75% from the line (6-8).
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 (9.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and
sophomores Olivia Dardy (10.0 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick
(7.2 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 four
scorers. All three have posted at least one double-double on the year. In
addition, 6-4 freshman centers LaChina Robinson (6.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and
Elizabeth Biedrycki (2.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg) have provided additional size and
defensive presence in the paint.
Double-Digit Deacons
Although Olivia Dardy (10.0 ppg) is the only Deacon averaging in
double figures on the season, 11 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 3 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 10 1 0 1
Alisha Mosley 10 0 0 0
LaChina Robinson 4 0 0 0
Kristen Shaffer 1 0 0 0
Janae Whiteside 1 0 0 0
Guards Boast Improved Assist-to-Turnover RatiosAnother 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 assist-to-turnover ratio. Junior guard Alisha Mosley leads the backcourt with a +1.50 ratio (54-to-37), while Coleman owns a +1.19 ratio (44-to-37) and sophomore guard Janae Whiteside stands at +1.24 (31-to-25). The three own a combined +1.30 ratio on the season (129-to-99), while the backcourt as a whole (including rookies Adell Harris and Val Klopfer) checks in at +1.17 (189-to-161).
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 (673-of-1403, 48%) and has outscored the starters in
12 of 22 games. In the last 10 games, the bench has outscored the starters
eight times, contributing 53% of the team's points (279 of 531).
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, Wake 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). In the last two games, Wake has returned
to form, however, draining eight treys vs. both Ga. Tech and Maryland.
Senior point guard Heidi Coleman remains Wake's top three-point threat,
(32-90, 35%), although her backup, Val Klopfer (21-55, 38%) has emerged as
a long-distance danger as well. Junior Alisha Mosley (24-82, 29%),
sophomore Janae Whiteside (14-54, 26%), and freshman Adell Harris (6-22,
27%) have all contributed some clutch threes from the two-guard position.
In addition to guards, two of the Deacs' post players have the ability to
step out and hit a three as well - sophomore forwards Olivia Dardy (23-70,
33%) and Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick (4-15, 27%).
Coleman Chasing 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. Coleman owns a
35.3 career three-point shooting percentage and ranks second all-time at
WFU in three-pointers made (175) and attempted (496). 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 also ranks as the school's eighth all-time assist leader with 272, and is 16th in points with 885.
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 (6.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 0.8 bpg) has started all 22 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. Elizabeth Biedrycki (2.2 ppg, 2.2 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.
Point guard Val Klopfer (4.2 ppg) has seen her playing time steadily increase, and she now nearly splits time at the point with starter Heidi Coleman. She has proven to be a dangerous three-point shooter (21-55, 38%) and has three double-figure outings, including a career-high 18 points vs. Georgia Tech on Jan. 4. Guard Adell Harris (1.8 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 (1.9 ppg, 1.2 rpg) has consistently provided a spark off the bench with her hustle and determination. Although averaging just 4.5 minutes per game, Rogers has been one of the most productive Deacons this season in terms of points, rebounds, and steals per minute. 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 to further develop her skills. She will redshirt the 1998-99 season.
Dardy Leads Deacs in Scoring, Rebounding
Sophomore forward Olivia Dardy continues to lead the Deacons in
both scoring (10.0 ppg) and rebounding (7.4 rpg). She ranks as the ACC's
seventh-leading rebounder overall and is sixth 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 32.9 three-point shooting percentage (23-70) and has
notched five double-doubles on the year. Earlier this year, she 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.
Mosley An Offensive Key
Junior guard Alisha Mosley has been one of the Deacs' key
playmakers in the first 22 games, averaging 8.7 points and a team-high 2.5
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 (24-82, 29%) and boasts a +1.50
assist-to-turnover ratio (54-to-37). 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. 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 (5.2 rpg) and she has posted 10 double-figure scoring
outings, including six of the last nine games in which she hasn't been
injured (FSU - out with shoulder sprain; Ga. Tech - played just two minutes
due to ankle sprain). 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. She currently
ranks 18th on Wake's all-time rebounding list with 413 career boards.
McMillian's father, Jim, played in the NBA and was a member of the Lakers'
1972 championship team.
Miklic a Defensive Stopper
Senior forward Jenn Miklic continues to serve as the team's top
defensive player, often receiving the assignment of covering an opponent's
top offensive threat. An aggressive player and a strong athlete, Miklic
has started the past 20 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 of play.
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 under 18 minutes per game but ranks as
the team's fourth-leading scorer (7.2 ppg) and third-leading rebounder (4.5
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.
Shaffer, Whiteside Come Up Big vs. Maryland
Sophomore reserves Kristen Shaffer and Janae Whiteside posted their
best outings of the year in the Deacs' recent loss to Maryland, with each
notching her first double-figure outing of the season. Shaffer netted 10
points on 5-of-8 shooting vs. UM, while Whiteside had a team- and
career-high 13 points, hitting 5-of-6 shots from the floor and 3-of-4 from
three-point range. A versatile swing player who excels in the open court
game, Shaffer averages 9.1 minutes and 2.6 points per outing on the year.
Whiteside can play point or shooting guard and has shown dramatic
improvement in her skills since last year. She averages 11.5 minutes per
game, contributing 3.0 points and 1.4 assists per contest. Whiteside owns
a +1.24 assist-to-turnover ratio (31-to-25), and she dished a career-high
five assists vs. both West Virginia and Maryland.
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. 8th, sophomore forward Olivia Dardy ranked seventh in
the ACC in rebounding (7.4 rpg) while freshman center LaChina Robinson is
ninth in blocks (0.8 bpg). In ACC games only, Dardy ranks sixth in
rebounding (7.8 rpg), while Robinson is fifth in blocks (0.8 bpg).
Team Rankings
Through games of Feb. 8th, Wake Forest ranked second in the ACC in
three-pointers per game (5.7) and fourth in three-point percentage (31.6).
Other rankings: 8th in scoring (63.8 ppg), 8th in scoring defense (71.7
ppg), 8th in scoring margin (-8.0), 9th in field goal percentage (.382),
8th in field goal percentage defense (.431), 8th in free throw percentage
(.633), 9th in blocks (2.2 bpg), 9th in steals (7.1 spg), 8th in turnover
margin (-2.6), and 7th in rebound margin (+1.1).
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 Wake committed vs. UMBC 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 won the battle of the boards in 14 of its first 22
games...the Deacs are 5-9 when they outrebound opponents and 1-7 when they
don't...the Deacs have hit 10 or more three-pointers on three occasions
this year (vs. FDU, Virginia, UMBC)...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 were the fewest by a Deacon
team since a 78-35 loss to Virginia on Jan. 2, 1980...Wake is 4-1 when
leading at halftime...the Deacs have shot 50% or better from the floor this
year only once (51% vs. Maryland)...three opponents have shot 50% or better
vs. Wake Forest (Colorado State, Georgia Tech, and Maryland).
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
Pos. No. Name Ht. Yr. GP/GS PPG RPG Other F 5 Emon McMillian 6-1 Sr. 21/21 9.2 5.2 1.2 apg F 12 Jenn Miklic 6-0 Sr. 21/20 1.7 1.7 1.0 apg C 34 LaChina Robinson 6-4 Fr. 22/22 6.3 4.0 0.8 bpg G 11 Alisha Mosley 5-6 Jr. 22/21 8.7 2.6 2.5 apg G 22 Heidi Coleman 5-6 Sr. 22/22 6.2 2.6 2.0 apgReserves
F 32 Olivia Dardy 6-1 So. 22/2 10.0 7.4 1.2 spg F 50 Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick 6-0 So. 22/1 7.2 4.5 1.0 apg G 10 Val Klopfer 5-6 Fr. 20/0 4.2 0.9 1.1 apg G 21 Janae Whiteside 5-7 So. 22/1 3.0 1.1 1.4 apg G/F 20 Kristen Shaffer 5-10 So. 22/0 2.6 1.4 0.5 spg C 33 Elizabeth Biedrycki 6-4 Fr. 22/0 2.2 2.2 0.3 bpg G/F 45 Liz Rogers 5-10 Fr. 18/0 1.9 1.2 0.4 spg G 23 Adell Harris 5-8 Fr. 22/0 1.8 1.0 1.8 apgSTATISTICAL COMPARISON
Wake Forest Statistic Duke 63.8 Scoring Offense 81.6 71.7 Scoring Defense 63.8 -8.1 Scoring Margin +17.8 38.2 Field Goal Percentage 48.5 43.1 Field Goal Pct Defense 38.3 31.6 3-Pt FG Percentage 39.5 5.7 3-Pt FG Per Game 6.1 63.3 Free Throw Percentage 70.5 15.4 Assists 18.8 18.9 Turnovers 18.2 2.2 Blocks 2.8 7.1 Steals 8.7 -2.6 Turnover Margin +0.3 40.5 Rebounds 41.8 +1.2 Rebound Margin +6.3
