Pioneers Set to Take on Kansas Jayhawks
11/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 23, 2004
Complete SHU vs. Kansas Game Notes in PDF Format
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GAME 2Sacred Heart University (1-0, 0-0 NEC)
vs.
University of Kansas (0-1, 0-0 Big 12)
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
7:00 pm CST
Allen Fieldhouse (16,300)
Lawrence, Kansas
The Storyline... The Sacred Heart and University of Kansas women's basketball teams will face-off in the second game of the season for both teams Wednesday night. The Pioneers are coming off a 66-53 win over Yale University Friday night, their sixth-straight over the Elis, to get the season under way. SHU's Nicolle Rubino and Kerri Burke led the Pioneer offense with 18 and 14 points each while it was a swarming defense that provided the real story forcing 33 Yale turnovers. The Pioneers made the most of the Bulldog's miscues, scoring 35 points off turnovers en route to the 13-point win. Tonight's game is a first for Sacred Heart as the Pioneers suit up for their first ever match-up with a team from the Big 12 Conference. KU lost in their season opener Sunday, falling to Texas-Arlington by the score of 53-49. The Jayhawks led by six at the half but shot just 34.5% for the game while committing 22 turnovers en route to the loss.
Series... Tonight's game marks the first ever meeting between the Pioneers and Jayhawks.
Scouting the Jayhawks... The University of Kansas Jayhawks enter tonight's match-up on the heels of a 53-49 loss to Texas-Arlington in their season opener Sunday afternoon. The Jayhawks enter a new era under head coach Bonnie Henrickson but will have eight letterwinners and four staters returning for her to work with. Last year's team MVP Crystal Kemp returns to anchor the middle for KU. Kemp averaged 13.4 points per game with 5.8 rebounds and a 49.6% shooting percentage. On the perimeter, the Jayhawks will rely on junior Erica Hallman to provide some scoring. Hallman averaged 6.9 points a year ago and was the team's top three-point threat at 36.7% from behind the arc for the year. The junior guard was also tops on the team with 3.3 assists per game. Also back to bolster the guard position are seniors Larisha Graves and Aquanita Burras. Graves averaged 7.2 points with 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists last season. Burras is the only other returning Jayhawk who averaged double figures last season at 10.1 points per game. Kansas finished 9-19 and tied for 11th in the Big 12 last season. The Jayhawks were picked to finish 11th in the 2004-05 Big 12 Women's Basketball Preseason Media Poll.
The Coaches... Ed Swanson (SHU '89) enters his 15th season as head coach at his alma matar. Swanson posts a 213-176 record in his career at Sacred Heart. His teams have a 86-57 record since joining the Division I ranks in 1999-00. Swanson is the program's longest tenured coach and is the all-time leader in coaching wins, (213) and winning percentage (.547). He also earned his first ever NEC Brenda Reilly Coach of the Year award after guiding SHU to a school record 21 wins last season. Bonnie Henrickson (St. Cloud State `86) is in her first season at the helm of the Kansas women's basketball program. Henrickson comes to Kansas after seven highly successful seasons at Virginia Tech, where she guided the Hokies to a 158-62 mark and seven post season appearances.
SHU vs. the Big 12... This will be the first meeting between the Pioneers and any team from the Big 12 Conference.
On the Road Again... For the fourth time in SHU's six years in Division I the Pioneers started a season on the road when the traveled to Yale last Friday night. The Pioneers posted a 66-53 win and in the process snapped an 0-5 skid in their last five road games that started a season. The Pioneers last got a win on the road to start a season in 1996-97 when they beat Quinnipiac 62-60 on November 16th. SHU is 8-9 all-time in season openers away from home.
Nothing beats a fast start... Sacred Heart has enjoyed strong starts to their seasons the past two years, jumping out at 5-1 last year and 4-1 in 2002-03. In their six years at the Division I level, the Pioneers have a 3-3 record in season opening games. SHU is 16-15 all-time in season openers.
Rubino...Always Quick out of the Gates... For the third consecutive season, junior Nicolle Rubino has been the Pioneers leading scorer in the opening game of the season. Rubino notched 18 in Friday's win at Yale to lead the Pioneers to a 66-53 win. Her freshman year she scored 14 in a loss at UMass and then tallied another 14 in last season opener at home against the Minutewomen.
Kerri Burke...not far behind... Sophomore Kerri Burke showed that the starting point guard role suits her just fine by posting some career-high numbers in the Yale win. Burke finished with a career-best 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting while tying her career mark with five rebounds. She also handed out two assists with two steals in 28 minutes.
Duggan's Block Party... After picking up one block in the win at Yale, senior Colleen Duggan is one away from her 100th career blocked shot. The 6-2 center led the NEC in blocks last season with 50.
