Women's Basketball Prepares to Host NC State
12/28/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 28, 2001
WFU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NEWS & NOTES
WAKE FOREST (6-5, 0-1 ACC) vs. #25 NC STATE (6-5, 0-0 ACC)
Sunday, Dec. 30/1:00 p.m.
Joel Coliseum (14,665)/Winston-Salem, N.C.
Tipoff: 1:00 pm
Broadcast: Locally on the flagship station of WFU athletics, WBRF 98.1 FM. Alan York calls the action with Roper Halverson providing color commentary. Also available worldwide on the internet at WakeForestSports.com.
Records: Wake Forest is 6-5 after having its four-game win streak halted at Valparaiso in its last outing. NC State is also 6-5 and riding a five-game losing skid.
The Series: NC State leads the series 44-6 and has won 10 straight dating back to 1996-97.
Up Next: WFU hosts Georgia Tech in its annual "Jam Joel" game on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2002 at 7:00 p.m.
Women's Basketball Jumps Into ACC Play with Final Game of 2001
The Wake Forest women's basketball team (6-5, 0-1 ACC) plays its final game of 2001 when it hosts ACC-rival NC State in Joel Coliseum on Sunday, Dec. 30 at 1:00 pm. The Deacons are playing their second conference game of the season, as they fell to North Carolina earlier this month. Sunday's game marks the ACC season opener for the Wolfpack women.
Wake Forest is coming off a pre-Christmas road trip at Western Michigan and Valparaiso. The Deacs avenged a loss from last season, defeating the Broncos by 12 points, 67-55. The trip ended, however, with a 28-point loss to Valpo (74-46) in the first meeting between the teams.
NC State has an identical record at 6-5. The 'Pack were ranked among the top 10 earlier this season as they built a 6-0 record, but have dropped five straight games and are currently ranked 25th in the USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll. Before Christmas, NC State traveled to Cancun, Mexico, falling to Mississippi State and Pittsburgh in a tournament.
The 2001-02 campaign marks the 31st season of women's basketball at Wake Forest University. The Demon Deacons' all-time record is 321-442.
Injury Update
* The team's leading scorer, sophomore forward Eafton Hill, has missed the last seven games with a broken bone in her right foot. She has been making progress and could be cleared to play soon.
* Junior forward Heather Miller has been out of action since preseason with a stress fracture in her back. She will also be re-evaluated in the coming days.
Demon Deacon Details
Wake Forest returns 11 letterwinners and three starters from last year's squad which produced an 11-17 record, its best in four seasons. The team's top returning scorer a year ago, 6-0 forward Eafton Hill, returns for her sophomore campaign after earning ACC All-Freshman honors. Although she is currently sidelined with a broken foot, Hill is currently the team's leading scorer (12.5 ppg). A strong shot-blocker, Hill was averaging an ACC-high 2.0 blocks per game before not having enough games to qualify for the rankings.
The senior class consists of two point guards and two centers. LaChina Robinson, who stands 6-4, is the most experienced Deacon on the roster with 97 appearances and 78 career starts. She reached a milestone in the Deacs' win over Radford, posting her first double-double with 15 points and 20 rebounds. She leads the team and ranks among the leaders in the ACC in rebounding (7.5 rpg), and also has a team-high 15 blocked shots (1.36 bpg). Another 6-4 senior, LaTisha Pearson, has seen limited action in her career but had a career-best performance against UNC Asheville with seven points and eight rebounds. Val Klopfer, a 5-4 senior, is the team's most experienced point guard (2.4 apg last season), but classmate Adell Harris has presented a strong challenge for playing time at the point as well as the shooting guard position, currently averaging 3.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and a team-high 3.5 assists.
Junior Tiffani Listenbee has already stepped into a much larger role this season. A 6-1 forward, Listenbee was the team's Most Improved Player last season and already broke her career scoring record with 15 points in the season opener versus ASU. She set another career best with 10 rebounds at Valparaiso. Junior Johanna Bj?rklund is the tallest player on the team (6-5) and provides depth at center. Slowed in the early goings with an ankle sprain, Bjorklund saw a season-high nine minutes of action versus UNCA, scoring six points. A third junior, 5-10 forward Heather Miller, is sidelined in the early goings with a nagging back injury.
In addition to Hill, the sophomore class consists of three other players who saw significant action last year. Point guard Bianca Brown got early starting nod, although she has been challenged by the two seniors. Shooting guard Tonia Brown is counted on heavily for point production, and has already delivered by breaking her career high three times this season. She is the team's second-leading scorer (12.4 ppg) with double figures in seven outings this season, including a 24-point performance at Western Michigan. Forward Tracy Alston, a 5-10, is a smothering defender and strong rebounder at the small forward position who got her first starting nod in place of Hill at Western Carolina. Alston had a career-best night against UConn, pulling down a game-high 10 rebounds and dishing five assists. She set a new career scoring high (10 points) at High Point.
This year's freshman class consists of 5-9 shooting guard Meredith Bell, 6-0 post player Erin Ferrell and 6-1 guard/forward Jennifer Johnson. All three have seen significant action already this season and are making an impact. Ferrell was the team's top scorer with a 16-point effort at WCU and is shooting a team-best 51 percent from the field (27-53). Johnson is contributing 5.4 points and 3.2 rebounds an outing, and had her best game of the season thus far with 16 points at North Carolina. Bell, last week's ACC Rookie of the Week, is a strong shooter who has already knocked down a team-high 17 three pointers this season and is averaging 6.4 points per game.
Head Coach Charlene Curtis
Head coach Charlene Curtis (Radford '76) is in her fifth season at the helm of the Demon Deacon program and just four wins shy of reaching the 200 career victories plateau. Her career coaching record of 198-236 (36-86 at WFU) also includes stints at her alma mater, Radford, and Temple.
Curtis' head coaching career began at Radford, where she posted a 121-53 mark in six seasons and was twice named Big South Coach of the Year. She then spent four seasons at Temple, producing a 41-97 record and four Atlantic-10 All-Rookie players. Before coming to WFU, Curtis spent two seasons at the University of Connecticut, serving as an assistant coach under Geno Auriemma and helping guide the Huskies to two BIG EAST titles and an NCAA Final Four appearance.
Curtis' coaching career also includes stints as an assistant coach at Virginia (1981-83), Georgetown (1984) and USA Basketball (1989-92, '94).
As a player at Radford, Curtis was the school's first 1,000-point scorer and was inducted as a charter member of RU's Hall of Fame in 1995. She earned a master's degree from UVa in 1982.
Scouting the Wolfpack
After jumping to a 6-0 start this season, the Wolfpack have fallen on hard times, dropping five straight games, beginning with a 93-56 loss to Tennessee on Dec. 2. The 'Pack has also lost to Wisconsin, Georgia, Mississippi State and Pittsburgh. Ranked among the nation's top 25 this season, NC State reached as high as ??? and are currently No. 25.
Wake Forest and NC State have played one common opponent this season - Radford. The Deacs defeated the Highlanders 79-65 while NC State topped them by a 84-47 score.
Sunday's game marks just the third road game of the season for the 'Pack. NC State won at Indiana and lost at Wisconsin in its only other games this year on their opponents' turf. Three other games have been played at neutral sites.
The Series with NC State
The series with NC State is one Wake's oldest rivalries, as the two teams have met 50 previous times on the hardwood ... the Wolfpack leads the series 44-6, and are riding an 10-game winning streak against the Deacs. ... the teams first met in the 1972-73 season, with Wake winning the first matchup, 65-50 ... the rivals have met at least once every year since the 1974-75 campaign ... Wake Forest's last victories over the 'Pack were a two-game sweep in the 1995-96 season ... the Deacs won 76-72 in the first meeting that year in Winston-Salem, then posted a 75-64 victory at NC State in Reynolds Coliseum ... that game was WFU's first and only win in Raleigh in the series ... NC State leads 19-4 when playing games in Winston-Salem ... head coach Charlene Curtis is has not yet defeated NC State during her tenure at WFU.
Deacon-Wolfpack Connections
Wake Forest assistant coach Sharon Manning was a standout player for the Wolfpack from 1988-91 and was MVP of the 1991 ACC Tournament ... Wake Forest freshman forward Tracy Alston is a Raleigh native who grew up an NC State fan ... Alston helped lead Southeast Raleigh High School to the 4A state championship in 1999 ... NC State assistant coach Charisse Mapp served as an assistant coach for four years under Wake Forest coach Charlene Curtis at Temple University ... current NC State senior associate athletic director and senior women's administrator, Nora Lynn Finch, served as Wake Forest's women's basketball coach during its first two seasons of existence (1971-73) ... Finch directed the Deacons to a 17-10 record during those seasons.
The Last Meeting with NC State ... Feb. 8, 2001
NC State seemed to have the Deacons' number in the 2000-01 season, as the 'Pack handed Wake Forest its two worst conference losses of the year. Wake Forest dropped a 69-35 contest to 21st-ranked North Carolina State at Lawrence Joel Coliseum in the last time these two teams met on Feb. 8.
Wake Forest was unable to get on track offensively, shooting 21% for the game, while falling victim to NC State's torrid shooting. The Wolfpack shot 53% in the first half and 48% for the game. WFU's 14 points at halftime were a season-low, while its 35 total points equalled its output from its January meeting with NC State in Raleigh, a 35-75 loss.
Ten different players scored for the Deacs who were led by LaChina Robinson's seven points off the bench. Eafton Hill led the Deacs on the boards, grabbing 10 rebounds. NC State was led by Carisse Moody's game-high 20 points and 10 rebounds.
In their first meeting of the 2000-01 campaign, the Deacons fell 75-35 in Raleigh.
Bell Rings In From Long Distance, Named ACC Rookie of the Week
Freshman Meredith Bell has stepped up as a scoring threat lately, as she averaged 15.0 points on 61 percent shooting in the two-game set against UNC Wilmington and High Point. Included in those scoring totals were eight three pointers. Versus UNC Wilmington she shot 5-of-8 from the field, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, for a career-best 13 points. She shattered that mark against High Point last Sunday, connecting on her first five attempts from three-point land and scoring a game-high 17 points. She shot 6-of-10 from the floor (5-of-7 from long range) against the Panthers.
Her performance at High Point earned the Waldorf, Md. product ACC Rookie of the Week honors on Dec. 17. It is the first such honor for WFU this season.
Bell is currently averaging 6.4 points per game and owns a team-high 17 three-pointers this year.
Tonia Brown Stepping Up in Starting Role
Sophomore Tonia Brown has certainly made an impact in the early goings of the 2001-02 campaign. After serving as a backup to senior starter Kristen Shaffer last season, Brown has stepped into the starting shooting guard position this year and is currently the team's second-leading scorer with 12.4 points per game. She has been the team's top scorer in six of 11 games this season and has posted seven double-figure games, including a career-best 24 points in the win over Western Michigan. Brown has also drained 15 three-pointers and ranks first on the team with 20 steals.
Brown, who has natural point guard abilities as well, also ranks second on the team with an average of 2.6 assists per game.
Youth Movement
Even with four seniors on the rosters, the overall makeup of the WFU women's basketball team is still quite young. One of Wake's most common starting lineups so far this season has consisted of one senior, one junior and three sophomores, while a pair of sophomores - Eafton Hill and Tonia Brown - lead the Deacs in scoring.
Also, a freshman or sophomore has led the Deacs in scoring in nine of 11 games this season. In fact, 26 of Wake's 38 points scored against top-ranked UConn were posted by either sophomores or freshmen.
Two members of this year's freshman class - Meredith Bell and Erin Ferrell - have each led the Deacs in scoring at least once this season.
Last year's freshman class of Hill, Brown, Tracy Alston and Bianca Brown is proving that the experience they gained last season is paying dividends this year, as all four have started at least one game this season and have each led the Deacs in either scoring, rebounding or assists at least once so far this year.
Deacon Shooters Warming Up
After struggling with its shooting in the early goings of the season, Wake Forest has started to warm up on the offensive end of the floor. The Deacons shot below 40 percent in the first four games of the year, but posted a five-game streak of 40 percent or better shooting before turning in 35 and 33 percent performances in its last outings at Western Michigan and Valparaiso.
Wake's 51 percent shooting at High Point was its best performance since shooting over 54 percent from the field in a 77-57 win over Coppin State on Dec. 2 of last season.
And although WFU shot just 20 percent (4-of-20) from three-point land against UNC Asheville, Deacon shooters have also improved from long range, as they shot 33 percent or better from beyond the arc against UNC, UNC Wilmington and High Point. In fact, the Deacs averaged 38 percent from three-point range over those three outings after sinking just 22 percent of its three-pointers in the first five games of the year.
A Little Shake-Up in the Lineup
Coach Curtis has tinkered with the starting lineup a little bit this season, as she's used four different starting lineups and eight different players have gotten the starting nod.
Wake opened the season 2-2 when sophomore Eafton Hill was in the starting lineup. After she was sidelined with an injury, Wake has gone 4-3 with three other lineups.
Senior center LaChina Robinson and sophomore guard Tonia Brown are the only Deacons to have started every game this season.
Starting Lineup Record
Alston, Listenbee, Robinson, T. Brown, Harris 3-1
Alston, Listenbee, Robinson, B. Brown, T. Brown 1-1
Ferrell, Robinson, B. Brown, T. Brown, Harris 0-1
Hill, Listenbee, Robinson, B. Brown, T. Brown 2-2
Among the League Leaders (as of December 24)
* LaChina Robinson ranks sixth in the league in rebounding (7.5 rpg) and is first in offensive boards (3.45) and 10th in defensive rebounds (4.0).
* Robinson also ranks fourth in blocked shots (1.36).
* Tonia Brown ranks tied for 16th among the top scoring leaders with 12.4 points per game. She also ranks 10th in three-pointers per game (1.36).
* Freshman Meredith Bell ranks ninth in three-pointers made per game (1.55).
* Senior Adell Harris ranks 10th in assists (3.55 apg) and seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.50)
* Junior Tiffani Listenbee ranks 10th in blocked shots (0.91 bpg) and 15th in rebounding (5.4 rpg).
The SWAT Team
Wake Forest set a new single season record and ranked third in the ACC last season in the blocked shot category, averaging 3.71 rejections a game (104 total). Through nine games this year, the Deacons have blocked 48 total shots, an average of 4.4 a contest. In contrast, Wake's opponents have blocked 23 shots the entire season (2.1 bpg), with seven of those coming in one game courtesy of top-ranked Connecticut.
Senior LaChina Robinson leads the Deacon "swat" team with 11 blocked shots so far this year. Her single-game career best of three rejections at High Point moved her into sixth place on Wake's all-time blocked shots chart, as she currently owns 67 career blocks. Despite missing the last four games, sophomore forward Eafton Hill leads the team in blocks per game (2.0). She already ranks eighth on the career list with 43.
Tough Schedule
Wake Forest faces a tough schedule in 2001-02. Four opponents on this year's slate are currently ranked among the top 25 teams in the Associated Press poll and USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll. For the second straight year, WFU has faced No. 1 UConn. ACC opponents Duke (No. 9), North Carolina (No. 20/19) and NC State (No. -/25) also appear in the polls.
Playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference presents a monumental task in itself as three other teams in the league - Clemson, Florida State, and Virginia - are among those currently receiving votes in the polls.
Coming Up Next
Wake Forest is now well underway in its ACC schedule, as the Deacons host Georgia Tech on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2002 at Joel Coliseum. It is "Jam Joel" night at the arena, as the ticket price is just $1.00 as the Demon Deacons try to break their attendance record for the fourth consecutive season.