Wake Forest Athletics
Women's Basketball Hosts Seminoles
1/2/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 2, 2000
Demon Deacons (4-7)vs. Florida State (7-3)
January 3, 2000LJVM ColiseumWinston-Salem, N.C.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest women's basketball team gets back into conference play this week with two home ACC contests in a span of four days. The Demon Deacons kick off the new year with a matchup against Florida State on Monday, Jan. 3rd, at 7:00 pm in LJVM Coliseum. The Seminoles come into the game with a 7-3 overall mark after winning four straight games, while Wake Forest stands at 4-7 overall after splitting two non-conference games last week.
The game will be broadcast in the Winston-Salem area on WXII NewsRadio 830 AM and on the internet at www.wakeforestsports.com.
Last Week in Review
A stingy Wake Forest defense allowed only 14 first-half points as the Demon Deacons defeated visiting California, 57-48, at Reynolds Gym last Tuesday. Wake never trailed in the game, holding the Golden Bears to just 15.6 percent shooting in the first period (5 of 32). The Deacs led by 14 points at intermission and withstood several late runs by Cal to earn the win. The Bears got as close as five points twice in the game's final 3:30, but the Deacon defense stiffened to preserve the win. Wake Forest held a 43-37 rebounding advantage in the game and hit 22 of 28 free throws (.786). Sophomore center LaChina Robinson led a balanced WFU scoring attack with 12 points, while junior forward Kristen Shaffer added 10. Junior forward Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.
The tables were turned on Wake two days later, however, when Liberty's strong defense held the Deacs to just seven first-half points in a 64-40 defeat in Lynchburg, Va, on Thursday night. Wake Forest was held scoreless for the game's first 7:05 and trailed 31-7 at intermission after hitting just 2 of 23 field goals (.087) in the first period. Liberty led by as many as 34 in the second half, but Wake used a 32-18 run to pull within 20 points with 1:54 remaining. Overall, WFU shot just 26 percent for the game (12-47) and was outrebounded by a whopping 47-29 margin. Senior guard Alisha Mosley scored 16 of her game-high 17 points in the second half, hitting 4 of 7 three-pointers. Kirkpatrick scored 12 of her 13 points after intermission and led the team in rebounding with six boards on the night.
Scouting Wake Forest
Through 11 games, the Deacs have struggled to put points on the board, averaging just 58.5 points per outing and shooting 38 percent from the floor. Junior forward Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick is the only Deacon averaging in double figures with 10 points per game while senior guard Alisha Mosley averages 9.7 points per outing off the bench. Despite having numerous three-point shooters on the roster, WFU has struggled from behind the arc, hitting only 22 percent of its trey attempts. Defensively, the Deacs have played well, though, holding opponents to 62.1 points per game and a field goal percentage of .385. On the boards, Wake has been outrebounded by a 4.1 margin. Kirkpatrick leads the team with 7.1 boards per game.
Scouting Florida State
After a disappointing 7-20 season in 1998-99, Florida State is off to an impressive 7-3 start this year, buoyed by the return of senior forward Latavia Coleman to the lineup. Coleman ranked second in the ACC in scoring as a sophomore (17.7 ppg) and was averaging 20.8 points per outing last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury (torn ACL) in late December. Through 10 games this year, Coleman leads the Seminoles and ranks second in the ACC with 19.4 points per game, shooting 51.4 percent from the floor and averaging a team high 7.4 rebounds per outing.
Sophomore guard April Traylor (13.3 ppg, 5.0 apg) and junior forward Brooke Wyckoff (10.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg) also average in double digits for the 'Noles. Wyckoff is back in the lineup after missing the first five games. As a team, FSU is shooting an impressive 44.9 percent from the floor, averaging 78.2 points per contest (while giving up 69.6). On the glass, the Semioles have outrebounded opponents by a +5.0 margin.
Series History
Wake Forest holds an 11-7 advantage over Florida State in the all-time series, which dates back to the 1991-92 season. Florida State had won three straight over the Deacs until WFU won the teams' second meeting last year, an 80-68 decision in Winston-Salem on Feb. 15th. (FSU had won the first match in Tallahassee, 80-57, on Jan. 14th.) Overall, the Demon Deacons have won 7 of the last 10 matchups between the two ACC rivals.
PROBABLE DEMON DEACON LINEUP
| Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Yr. | GP/GS | PPG | RPG | Other |
| F | 20 | Kristen Shaffer | 5-10 | Jr. | 11/11 | 8.3 | 3.1 | 1.2 apg |
| F | 50 | Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick | 6-0 | r-Jr. | 11/11 | 10.0 | 7.1 | 2.3 apg |
| C | 34 | LaChina Robinson | 6-4 | So. | 11/11 | 8.7 | 4.4 | .563 FG% |
| G | 10 | Val Klopfer | 5-4 | So. | 11/11 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 1.3 apg |
| G | 21 | Janae Whiteside | 5-6 | Jr. | 11/11 | 5.6 | 2.9 | 3.0 apg |
KEY RESERVES
| G | 11 | Alisha Mosley | 5-6 | Sr. | 11/0 | 9.7 | 2.5 | .838 FT% |
| G | 23 | Adell Harris | 5-6 | So. | 11/0 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 1.4 apg |
| F | 24 | Tiffani Listenbee | 6-1 | Fr. | 11/0 | 2.0 | 1.8 | .500 FG% |
| F | 32 | Olivia Dardy | 6-1 | Jr. | 6/0 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 1.0 spg |
A QUICK LOOK AT BOTH TEAMS
| CATEGORY | WAKE FOREST | FLORIDA STATE |
| Location | Winston-Salem, NC | Tallahassee, FL |
| Enrollment | 3,836 | 30,519 |
| Nickname | Demon Deacons | Seminoles |
| Colors | Old Gold & Black | Garnet & Gold |
| Conference | Atlantic Coast | Atlantic Coast |
| Head Coach | Charlene Curtis | Sue Semrau |
| Alma Mater, Year | Radford '76 | UC-San Diego '85 |
| Record at School | 16-50 (3rd yr) | 23-41 (3rd yr) |
| Career Record | 178-200 (14th yr) | 23-41 (3rd yr) |
| 1998-99 Record | 8-20 (3-13 ACC) | 7-20 (2-14 ACC) |
| Starters Ret/Lost | 2/3 | 3/2 |
| Letterwin. Ret/Lost | 9/3 | 8/5 |
| Scoring Offense | 58.5 ppg | 78.2 ppg |
| Scoring Defense | 62.1 ppg | 69.6 ppg |
| Rebound Margin | -4.0 | +5.1 |
| FG Percentage | .379 | .449 |
| 3FG Percentage | .218 | .278 |
| FT Percentage | .675 | .650 |
Dardy Recovering From Foot Injury
Junior forward Olivia Dardy returned to lineup briefly vs. Liberty last week after missing five games after suffering a stress fracture in her foot. Though not a starter, Dardy has been one of the first post players off the bench for WFU in each of the past three years. She was the team's leading returning scorer and rebounder this season (9.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg in 98-99).
Preseason Prognostications
Despite their strong finish in 1998-99, the Deacs were selected to finish ninth in the ACC Preseason Media Poll. North Carolina earned the top spot, collecting 320 points and 22 first-place votes, followed by NC State (302), Virginia (260), Duke (208), Georgia Tech (192), Clemson (166), Florida State (110), Maryland (88) and Wake Forest (64).
ACC PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
| 1. North Carolina (22) | 320 |
| 2. NC State (14) | 302 |
| 3. Virginia (2) | 260 |
| 4. Duke | 208 |
| 5. Georgia Tech | 192 |
| 6. Clemson | 166 |
| 7. Florida State | 110 |
| 8. Maryland | 88 |
| 9. Wake Forest | 64 |
Mosley Climbs Career 3-Point Charts
Senior guard Alisha Mosley already ranks among the top five players all-time at Wake Forest in terms of three-point field goals made and attempted. A look at her climb up the career charts:
3-Pt Field Goals Made
| 1. | Nicole Levesque (1990-94) | 193 |
| 2. | Heidi Coleman (1994-99) | 191 |
| 3. | Sabrina Slone (1989-93) | 113 |
| 4. | Gretchen Hollifield (1992-96) | 104 |
| 5. | Alisha Mosley (1996-pres) | 98 |
3-Pt Field Goals Attempted
| 1. | Nicole Levesque (1990-94) | 550 |
| 2. | Heidi Coleman (1994-99) | 527 |
| 3. | Alisha Mosley (1996-pres) | 331 |
Biedrycki Leaves Team
Sophomore center Elizabeth Biedrycki recently elected to leave the Demon Deacon women's basketball program. A 6-4 native of Charlotte, N.C., she announced her intention to transfer following the team's game at LSU on Dec. 22nd. She has not yet decided to which school she plans to transfer. As a freshman in 1998-99, Biedrycki played just under 10 minutes per game in 27 contests, averaging 1.7 points and 0.9 rebounds per outing. She saw just 2.8 minutes per game in five games this year, contributing six points and seven rebounds.
A Silent Three-Point Arsenal
Wake Forest ranked No. 1 in the ACC and No. 19 in the nation last year in three-point shooting, averaging 6.1 threes per game and shattering the school records for threes made (172) and attempted (502) in a season. This year, all of Wake's long-range gunners returned but one, and eight players on the roster have legitimate three-point range.
Janae Whiteside emerged as a white-hot three-point shooter late last year, connecting on 50 percent of her threes and averaging 5.4 treys per game in the last seven games. Val Klopfer hit 38 percent of her threes last season, while Alisha Mosley ranks among the top five all-time three-point shooters at WFU (see above). Guard Adell Harris, forwards Kristen Shaffer, Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick, Olivia Dardy and Heather Miller also have three-point range, as does rookie center Johanna Bjorkund.
Despite all those outside weapons, however, Wake is off to a very slow start from behind the three-point arc this year. The Deacs have hit just 35 of 157 threes in the first 11 games (22.3 percent). Almost half of those treys have come from senior guard Alisha Mosley, who is shooting 34 percent from the arc (16 of 47) while the rest of the team is 19 of 110 (.173). Starting guards Val Klopfer and Janae Whiteside, both of whom shot over 37 percent from three-point range last year, are still looking to find their long-range rhythm (they are currently 8-of-40 and 5-of-35, respectively).
1998-99 3-POINT SHOOTING TOTALS
| 172 | 3-Pt FG Made* |
| 502 | 3-Pt FG Attempted* |
| 34.3 | 3-Pt FG Percentage |
| 6.1 | 3-Pt FG Per Game (16th NCAA) |
TOP RETURNING 3-POINT SHOOTERS
| G | Janae Whiteside | 36-95 (.379) |
| G | Alisha Mosley | 26-88 (.295) |
| F | Olivia Dardy | 25-83 (.301) |
| G | Val Klopfer | 23-60 (.383) |
Reaching New Heights
Upon her arrival, head coach Charlene Curtis made a commitment to improving the Deacons' inside game. Wake Forest has steadily improved in that area since her arrival, boasting more height and a greater defensive presence in the paint. This season, WFU has seven players on the roster who stand 6-0 or taller and four who top the 6-4 mark. An ACC All-Freshman pick last year, 6-4 sophomore center LaChina Robinson has become more of an offensive force this year, averaging 8.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Freshman center Johanna Bjorkund, the tallest player ever to don a Deacon uniform at 6-5, has provided strength and defensive presence inside, averaging 2.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in just over nine minutes a game. Redshirt freshman LaTisha Pearson, who stands 6-4, has seen limited action at both center and power forward.
Kirkpatrick A Force Down Low
Redshirt junior forward Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick, a team co-captains, has emerged as a force down low for the Deacs this year. In her first year as a starter after serving as a backup to Emon McMillian for two seasons, Kirkpatrick currently leads the Deacs in scoring (10.0 ppg) and rebounding (7.1 rpg). In the last five games, she has averaged an impressive 13.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, recording a double-double in the loss to Furman with a career-high 20 points and 10 rebounds. On the season, Kirkpatrick has netted double-figure points seven times and double-figure rebounds twice.
| Opponent | Pts | Rebs | Opponent | Pts | Rebs |
| Fairfield | 11 | *8 | Furman | *20 | *10 |
| Davidson | 1 | 3 | New Orleans | 12 | *8 |
| Arizona St | 12 | 3 | LSU | 12 | *8 |
| Richmond | 10 | *8 | California | 8 | *8 |
| NC State | 6 | *10 | Liberty | 13 | *6 |
| High Point | 5 | 6 | (* denotes team highs) |
Shaffer's Shooting Frenzy Slows
Junior forward Kristen Shaffer was particularly hot from the floor in the first four games, notching double figures in each and leading the team in scoring three times. She averaged a team-best 12.3 points per game in those first four outings, but has since netted just 5.3 points per outing in the last seven games, hitting double figures just once (10 points vs. New Orleans, including the game-winning shot with 0.8 second to go). On the year, she ranks as the team's fourth-leading scorer (8.3 ppg).
Mosley Strong Off the Bench
The Deacs' lone senior, guard Alisha Mosley, ranks as the Deacs' second-leading scorer on the year despite coming off the bench in all 11 games. Mosleywas fairly hot from the floor in the early season, netting double figures in four of the first five games (11.8 ppg). In the last six outings, Mosley has hit double figures twice (14 pts. vs. New Orleans, 17 vs. Liberty) and averaged 7.8 points per outing. Mosley, who ranks among the top five three point shooters all-time at WFU, is hitting a team-best 34 percent of her three-point shots (16 of 47) and leads the ACC in free throw percentage (31 of 37, .838).
A Look at the Rookies
All three of the Deacs' rookies have seen time in the early season, with forward Tiffani Listenbee leading the way at 10.3 minutes per outing. A quick, athletic player, Listenbee has averaged 2.0 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. She netted five points on two occasions and grabbed five boards vs. High Point. Center Johanna Bjorkund, a native of Sweden, has also played in every game, averaging 9.2 minutes off the bench. Her best outings came against Arizona State (6 rebounds, 4 assists in 12 minutes) and High Point (8 points, 3 blocks in 13 minutes). Swing player Heather Miller has contributed 3.1 points and 1.6 rebounds per game in 8.4 minutes of action. She showed big-game potential with 17 points vs. No. 13 LSU, hitting 5 of 8 from the floor and 5 of 6 from the line.
Backcourt Rotation
The Deacs have utilized a fairly consistent four-guard rotation in their first 11 games, helping to keep their backcourt players fresh. Starting two-guard and team captain Janae Whiteside has logged the most time on the floor at 28.9 minutes per game and leads the team in assists (3.0 apg) and steals (1.7 spg). Starting point guard Val Klopfer (23.1 mpg) has contributed 3.3 points and 1.6 assists per outing. Although she's come off the bench in every game, Alisha Mosley has averaged a significant 18.5 minutes per outing and leads the backcourt with 9.7 points per outing. Freshman Adell Harris is also a regular backcourt player (12.1 mpg). Harris usually backs up Klopfer at point guard, while Whiteside and Mosley play both point and shooting guard.
From the Stripe
With the exception of two games, Wake Forest has been fairly sharp from the free throw line this season. Discounting NC State (where they shot a miserable 37.5 percent from the line) and Liberty (57.1 %), the Deacs have hit a respectable 72.7 of their foul shots (counting those two games, WFU owns a .675 free throw percentage). Free throw shooting was a concern last year for the Deacs, who hit just 64.4 percent from the stripe.
In Remembrance
The Deacs wear black bands on their uniforms this season in remembrance of former assistant coach Stacy Cox, who died in a car accident on Nov. 8th. Cox, 35, played under current WFU head coach Charlene Curtis at Radford, then served as an assistant coach on Curtis' staffs at Radford, Temple and Wake Forest. She left the Deacs in August for a teaching and coaching position at an elementary school in New Jersey.
ACC Leaders
Through games of Dec. 31st, senior guard Alisha Mosley led the ACC in free throw percentage (.838), while junior forward Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick was ninth in rebounds (7.1 rpg) and ninth in free throw percentage (.714). Sophomore center LaChina Robinson ranked fifth in blocks (0.8 bpg).
Oh Captain, My Captain
Redshirt junior forward Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick and junior guard Janae Whiteside were selected as the Demon Deacons' team captains for the 1999-2000 season by vote of their teammates and coaches.
HEAD COACH CHARLENE CURTIS
Head coach Charlene Curtis is in her third season at Wake Forest, bringing a wealth of experience, a commitment to excellence, and a drive to bring the program to new heights. Curtis came to WFU from UConn, where she was an assistant for two seasons and helped the Huskies to a 67-5 record, two Big East titles, and a Final Four appearance. Curtis was also head coach at Temple (1991-95), where she compiled a 41-97 record and coached four Atlantic 10 All-Rookie players, and Radford (1985-90), where she was Big South Coach of the Year twice and had a 121-53 record. Curtis has served as an assistant at Georgetown (1984), Virginia (1982-83), and with USA Basketball, and was a floor coach for the Olympic Trials. A 1976 Radford graduate, Curtis was the school's first 1,000-point scorer and was inducted as a charter member of the Radford Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. She earned her master's degree from Virginia in 1982. Curtis is currently 16-50 at Wake Forest (.242) and 178-200 overall (.471) as a head coach.
DEACON HOOPS ON THE AIR
More fans than ever before will have the opportunity to follow Wake Forest women's basketball this season with 12 regular-season games and all ACC Tournament games broadcast via radio, television, and the internet. The Wake Forest ISP Sports Network will broadcast 12 regular-season games and all ACC Tournament games this season on WXII NewsRadio 830 AM, with Tom Hart calling the play-by-play. WXII's 50,000-watt clear channel signal reaches a large portion of the Southeastern U.S. at night. All games broadcast on WXII 830 radio will be simulcast on the internet at the Wake Forest athletics website, www.wakeforestsports.com, so parents, fans and alumni around the world can tune into the action. The ACC Regional Sports Network (RSN) features live broadcasts of 16 regular-season ACC women's basketball games and four ACC Women's Basketball Tournament games to the six-state ACC region. Featured games are telcast every Sunday at 12:30 p.m. and every Monday at 7:00 p.m. on Home Team Sports, Fox Sports South, and the Sunshine Network. The Deacs are featured in three televised games on the ACC Network this year.
DEMON DEACONS ON THE AIR IN 1999-2000
| Date | Opponent | Time | Radio/Internet/TV |
| 11/19 | Fairfield | 7:00 pm | WXII/Internet |
| 11/23 | at Davidson | 7:00 pm | WXII/Internet |
| 11/26 | Arizona State | 7:00 pm | WXII/Internet |
| 11/28 | Richmond | 3:00 pm | WXII/Internet |
| 12/3 | at NC State | 7:00 pm | WXII/Internet |
| 12/28 | California | 7:00 pm | WXII/Internet |
| 1/3 | Florida State | 7:00 pm | WXII/Internet |
| 1/24 | at Clemson | 7:00 pm | WXII/Internet |
| 1/31 | NC State | 7:00 pm | WXII/Internet |
| 2/6 | at Georgia Tech | 12:30 pm | WXII/Internet/RSN |
| 2/14 | Duke | 7:30 pm | WXII/Internet/RSN |
| 2/20 | at Maryland | 12:30 pm | WXII/Internet/RSN |
| 3/3-6 | ACC Tournament | TBA | WXII/Internet |
