Wake Forest Athletics
Women's Hoops Closes Non-Conference Schedule Against Coastal Carolina
1/7/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 7, 2000
Wake Forest (5-8) at Coastal Carolina (8-4)
Sunday, January 9, 2000
Kimbel Arena, Conway, S.C.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The Wake Forest women's basketball team closes out its non-conference schedule this weekend as the Demon Deacons travel to Conway, S.C., to face the Coastal Carolina Lady Chanticleers. Wake Forest enters the game at 5-8 overall after suffering a 73-62 loss to Georgia Tech on Thursday night, while Coastal Carolina is 8-4 after falling to Western Carolina, 68-50, on Thursday.
Last Time Out
Four Georgia Tech starters scored in double figures as the Yellow Jackets defeated Wake Forest, 73-62, at LJVM Coliseum on Thursday night. Wake rallied from a seven-point deficit to take a 30-24 lead with 1:46 remaining in the first half, but Tech scored five straight points before halftime and eight straight at the start of the second period to regain the lead for good. The Demon Deacons got as close as two when freshman forward Heather Miller hit a three-pointer at the 12:01 mark, but Georgia Tech slowly pulled away to earn the win. Tech dominated the boards, outrebounding Wake 47-35 and collecting 21 offensive rebounds. Miller led Wake Forest in the losing effort with a career-high 21 points on 7 of 13 shooting, including 4 of 7 three-pointers. Senior guard Alisha Mosley added nine points and a career-high seven assists, while sophomore center LaChina Robinson grabbed seven rebounds.
Scouting Wake Forest
Through 13 games, WFU is averaging just 59.1 points per outing while shooting 38 percent from the floor. No player is averaging in double figures, but two Deacons average over nine points per game - senior guard Alisha Mosley (9.7) and sophomore center LaChina Robinson (9.0). Despite having numerous three-point shooters, WFU has struggled from behind the arc, hitting only 25 percent of its trey attempts. Defensively, the Deacs have played well, though, holding opponents to 62.7 points per game and a field goal percentage of .380. On the boards, Wake has been outrebounded by a 5.1 margin, including double-digit rebound deficits in the last three games. Junior forward Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick leads the team with 6.6 boards per game.
Scouting Coastal Carolina
Coastal Carolina returned three starters and eight letterwinners from a squad that posted an 18-10 overall record last year, and the Chanticleers are off to a solid 8-4 start in 1999-2000. Among the Chants' wins was a 69-54 defeat of Furman, who defeated Wake Forest 68-51 earlier this season. Coastal is coming off a 68-50 loss to Western Carolina. Leading the Chants through 12 games is senior forward Cheri McNeil, who averages 14.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Junior forward Alison Bach also averages double figures at 10.8 points per game, while senior center Kelly Gray grabs 6.6 boards per outing. As a team, Coastal is averaging 63.5 points per game (while allowing only 55.6 by opponents). The Chants are shooting 39 percent from the floor, 29 percent from three-point range and an impressive 73 percent from the line. CCU has been outrebounded by a 1.5 margin.
Series History
Wake Forest and Coastal Carolina have only met three times before, and the Demon Deacons have won all three outings. The school haven't met in a decade, however. WFU defeated Coastal three times in the 80s, winning 67-59 (1982-83), 101-34 (1986-87) and 91-54 (1989-90).
A QUICK LOOK AT BOTH TEAMS
| CATEGORY | WAKE FOREST | COASTAL CAROLINA |
| Location | Winston-Salem, NC | Conway, SC |
| Enrollment | 3,836 | 4,600 |
| Nickname | Demon Deacons | Chanticleers |
| Colors | Old Gold & Black | Coastal Green, Bronze & Black |
| Conference | Atlantic Coast | Big South |
| Head Coach | Charlene Curtis | Alan LeForce |
| Alma Mater, Year | Radford '76 | Cumberland '58 |
| Record at School | 17-51 (3rd yr) | 35-32 (3rd yr) |
| Career Record | 179-201 (14th yr) | 275-212 (18th yr) |
| 1998-99 Record | 8-20 (3-13 ACC) | 18-10 (6-4 Big South) |
| Starters Ret/Lost | 2/3 | 3/2 |
| Letterwin Ret/Lost | 9/3 | 8/4 |
| Scoring Offense | 59.1 ppg | 63.5 ppg |
| Scoring Defense | 62.7 ppg | 55.6 ppg |
| Rebound Margin | -5.1 | -1.5 |
| FG Percentage | .382 | .393 |
| 3FG Percentage | .246 | .294 |
| FT Percentage | .677 | .731 |
Miller Time
Freshman forward Heather Miller has had two big scoring bursts in the early season. After scoring nine points in the first eight games of the year, Miller exploded for 17 points in the loss to No. 13 LSU. She netted just five points in the next three games, then racked up a career-high 21 points and five rebounds in just 22 minutes vs. Georgia Tech - the highest scoring output by a Deacon this year. A USA Today All-American, Miller scored 2,395 points in her high school career.
Dardy Returns From Foot Injury
Junior forward Olivia Dardy has returned to the WFU lineup since missing five games with a stress fracture in her foot. She played just six minutes vs. Liberty on Dec. 30, then was a key to the Deacs' comeback win over Florida State on Jan. 3 with five points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal in the game's last 10 minutes. She added seven points and one rebound in 12 minutes vs. Georgia Tech on Thursday. On the year, Dardy is averaging 4.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. Though not a starter, she has been one of the first post players off the bench for 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).
Mosley Climbs Career 3-Point Charts
Senior guard Alisha Mosley ranks among the top five players all-time at WFU in three-point field goals made and attempted. This season, she's hit 30 percent of her treys (16 of 54). A look at her climb up the career charts:
3-Pt Field Goals Made in a Career
| 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) | 99 |
3-Pt Field Goals Attempted in a Career
| 1. | Nicole Levesque (1990-94) | 550 |
| 2. | Heidi Coleman (1994-99) | 527 |
| 3. | Alisha Mosley (1996-pres) | 339 |
Robinson Increases Offensive Output
Sophomore center LaChina Robinson has emerged as more of an offensive threat for the Deacons this season after establishing herself as a defensive force in the paint last year. Robinson earned ACC All-Freshman honors in 1998-99, averaging 5.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game. In 13 games this year, she has netted 9.0 points per game and scored in double figures seven times, including a 17-point performance in the win over Florida State. Robinson is shooting 55 percent from the floor and ranks fifth in the ACC in blocks (1.0 bpg).
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.
Mosley Strong Off the Bench
Senior guard Alisha Mosley ranks as the Deacs' leading scorer despite coming off the bench in all 13 games. Mosley is averaging 9.7 points per game, having hit double figures on seven occassions. She was fairly hot from the floor in the early season, netting double figures in four of the first five games (11.8 ppg), but saw her scoring output slow in the next six games (7.8 ppg). Mosley has been an offensive key again lately, however, netting 17 points vs. Liberty (including 4 of 7 three-pointers), adding 11 points, six rebounds and six assists vs. Florida State, and collecting nine points and a career-high seven assists vs. Georgia Tech.
A Quiet 3-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 Bjorklund.
Despite all those outside weapons, however, Wake has struggled from behind the three-point arc this year. The Deacs have hit just 46 of 187 threes in the first 13 games (25 percent). Most of those treys have come from senior guard Alisha Mosley, who is shooting 30 percent from the arc (16 of 54). 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 10 of 46 and 8 of 41, respectively). The Deacs had their best three-point outing vs. Georgia Tech on Thursday, hitting 9 of 21 attempts (.421).
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) |
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 6.3 points per outing in the last nine games. On the year, she ranks as the team's fourth-leading scorer (8.2 ppg).
Kirkpatrick A Force Down Low
Junior forward Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick, a team co-captain, has emerged as a force down low for the Deacs this year. In her first year as a starter, Kirkpatrick currently leads the Deacs in rebounding (6.6 rpg) and is third in scoring (8.8 ppg). She has seven double-figure scoring outings and two double-figure rebound games, including a double-double in the loss to Furman with a career-high 20 points and 10 rebounds. Kirkpatrick has been the team's leading rebounder in 8 of 13 games, but has been relatively quiet in the last two outings.
| Opponent | Pts | Rebs | Opponent | Pts | Rebs |
| Fairfield | 11 | *8 | New Orleans | 12 | *8 |
| Davidson | 1 | 3 | LSU | 12 | *8 |
| Arizona State | 12 | 3 | California | 8 | *8 |
| Richmond | 10 | *8 | Liberty | 13 | *6 |
| NC State | 6 | *10 | Florida State | 2 | 4 |
| High Point | 5 | 6 | Georgia Tech | 2 | 4 |
| Furman | *20 | *10 | (* denotes team highs) |
Solid From The Stripe
Senior guard Alisha Mosley has been solid from the free throw line this season, ranking fifth in the ACC with an 78.3 free throw percentage (36 of 46). Junior guard Janae Whiteside is also averaging over 80 percent from the line - although she doesn't go often enough to rank among the ACC leaders - having hit 17 of 20 foul shots (.850). Two other Deacs also average over 75 percent from the line - junior forward Kristen Shaffer (76.5) and freshman center Johanna Bjorklund (75.0).
With the exception of two games, Wake Forest has been quite good 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 72.3 of their foul shots (counting those two games, WFU owns a .677 free throw percentage). Free throw shooting was a concern last year for the Deacs, who hit just 64.4 percent from the stripe.
A Look at the Rookies
All three of the Deacs' rookies have seen time in the early season, with swing player Heather Miller leading the way. Miller has contributed 4.3 points and 1.8 rebounds per game in 9.3 minutes of action, including two double-figure outings (see previous note). Quick, athletic forward Tiffani Listenbee has also seen significant action at 10.1 minutes per outing, averaging 1.7 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. She netted five points on two occasions and grabbed five boards vs. High Point. Center Johanna Bjorklund, a native of Sweden, has averaged 8.8 minutes off the bench, averaging 2.3 points and 1.8 rebounds. Her best outings came against Arizona State (6 rebounds, 4 assists in 12 minutes) and High Point (8 points, 3 blocks in 13 minutes).
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 six players who stand 6-0 or taller and three 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 9.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Freshman center Johanna Bjorklund, the tallest player ever to don a Deacon uniform at 6-5, has provided strength and defensive presence inside, and redshirt freshman LaTisha Pearson, who stands 6-4, has seen limited action at both center and power forward.
Going Deep
In each of her three seasons at WFU, head coach Charlene Curtis has gone deep into her bench in nearly every game, keeping her players fresh and giving the young players significant playing time. In fact, the 11 returning Deacons this year had seen time in 98 percent of their career games, and the five upperclassmen had missed only one game between them. Curtis has continued to go deep into her bench this season, and 11 of 13 players are part of her regular rotation. She even substitutes all five players at once, replacing starters Val Klopfer, Janae Whiteside, Kristen Shaffer, Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick and LaChina Robinson with reserves Alisha Mosley, Adell Harris, Heather Miller, Tiffani Listenbee, Olivia Dardy and/or Johanna Bjorklund.
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.
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.
Noteable Deacon
A former Wake Forest women's basketball player earned a mention in Sports Illustrated's recent feature on the 50 greatest sports figures of the century from each of the 50 states. Nicole Levesque, who played for the Deacs from 1990-94 and ranks as the school's all-time leading three-point shooter, was No. 17 Vermont's list. Levesque is the only athlete from the state of Vermont ever to play in the WNBA.
ACC Leaders
Through games of Jan 6th, senior guard Alisha Mosley ranks fifth in the ACC in free throw percentage (.783), while sophomore center LaChina Robinson was fifth in blocks (1.0 bpg).
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 17-51 at Wake Forest (.250) and 179-201 overall (.471) as a head coach.
PROBABLE DEMON DEACON LINEUP
| Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Yr. | GP/GS | PPG | RPG | Other |
| F | 20 | Kristen Shaffer | 5-10 | Jr. | 13/13 | 8.2 | 3.2 | 1.1 apg |
| F | 50 | Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick | 6-0 | r-Jr. | 13/13 | 8.8 | 6.6 | 2.2 apg |
| C | 34 | LaChina Robinson | 6-4 | So. | 13/13 | 9.0 | 4.7 | 1.0 bpg |
| G | 10 | Val Klopfer | 5-4 | So. | 13/13 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 1.3 apg |
| G | 21 | Janae Whiteside | 5-6 | Jr. | 13/13 | 5.8 | 2.6 | 2.5 apg |
Key Reserves
| G | 11 | Alisha Mosley | 5-6 | Sr. | 13/0 | 9.7 | 2.8 | .783 FT% |
| F | 32 | Olivia Dardy | 6-1 | Jr. | 8/0 | 4.9 | 3.6 | 1.0 spg |
| F | 14 | Heather Miller | 5-10 | Fr. | 12/0 | 4.3 | 1.8 | |
| C | 12 | Johanna Bjorklund | 6-5 | Fr. | 13/0 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 0.3 bpg |
| G | 23 | Adell Harris | 5-6 | So. | 13/0 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 1.3 apg |
| F | 24 | Tiffani Listenbee | 6-1 | Fr. | 13/0 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 0.3 bpg |
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 |
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 |
Schedule subject to change.
