This year even more than previous could be the “have’s” and the “have-not’s”. Stanford is ranked # 2 and Cal is # 11, while ASU hovers at the # 25 level. Here’s my prediction for the final standings of the Pac 10:
10. Washington State (3-9, 0-1 with no quality wins). Good 3 point shooting by leading scorer Katie Appleton and a decent post in 6-3 Heather Molzen, but that’s about it. June has no Seniors and an incoming recruiting class that is getting better and better, but any Pac 10 wins this season will be a surprise, or because they turn off the heat in their Gym (which has happened).
Friday lost to Stanford, Sunday at Cal
9. Oregon State (7-4). It’s hard to fault Coach Wagner for playing an extremely weak pre-season schedule. She needs to build confidence in a team that has not had success for several years. OSU is led by SR Ashley Allen at 20.7 points per game. It’s the 2nd year in a row that a Sr from OSU has lead the conference in scoring. The only frosh contributing much is 5-11 Talisa Rhea, scoring 11 points per game. 6-2 Jr Tiffany Ducker has returned from a year off to average 9 points and nearly 7 rebounds.
Saturday, Oregon
8. Oregon (6-5, with a win over UCSB). Taylor Lilly is scoring just over 11 points per game, but her 3 point shooting is down 20% to 32%. Nothing here to get excited about.
Saturday at Oregon State
7. Arizona (6-5, with a win over New Mexico). Ashley Whisonant is leading the team in scoring at 14.6. Amina Njonkou has really stepped up, averaging 11 points and 6 rebounds while Frosh Ify Ibekwe has been a pleasant surprise averaging 11 points and almost 8 rebounds per game. Would be starters Hobson and Arnold have only played one game between them.
Friday lost to USC, Sunday, UCLA.
6. Washington (5-8, 0-1). Frosh Katelan Redmon leads the team in scoring at almost 13 per game, and she’s the 2nd leading rebounder on the team. Soph Sami Whitcomb is 2nd in scoring at over 11 per game, while the leading rebounder is 5-5 Jr Point Guard Emily Florence. They’ve had some injury problems and are very young. My guess is they will improve quite a bit as the season moves along.
Friday lost to cal, Sunday at Stanford.
5. USC (8-4, 1-0). Losing two starters before the season started has held back USC and makes it difficult for them to challenge for the top three. Center Nadia Parker is the leader scorer and rebounder at 11 and 6. Camille LeNoir has made a comeback after missing last season to average over 11 points per game. Morghan Medlock started off the conference season Friday night with a huge game against Arizona.
Friday, beat Arizona, Sunday at ASU.
4. UCLA (5-7, 0-1). While Sr Lindsey Pluimer leads the team in both scoring, 14, and rebounding, 7.5 per game, the next four leading scorers are Frosh. UCLA has played a tough schedule, almost won some big games and they have also lost some games they should have won.
Friday lost at ASU, Sunday at Arizona
3. ASU (7-5, 1-0). A hard team to figure, they lost all their tough pre-season games, and lost their top outside scoring treat, Danielle Orsillo for the season. They now play more of a power game with fine games recently from their two transfers, Lauren Lacey and Sybil Dotsy.
Friday beat UCLA, Sunday –USC
2. Cal (10-2 1-0). They have the # 11 ranking despite Hampton missing 9 of their first 12 games. Ashley Walker has really stepped up for the Bears, averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. Soph Rama N’diaye has shown great improvement, averaging 10 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
Friday beat Washington, Sunday, WSU
1. Who else, the # 2 team in the Nation, our Stanford Cardinal.
Friday beat WSU, Sunday, Washington
December 29, 2007
December 18, 2007
Pac 10 Preview-ASU
ASU has started off slowly this season compiling a 6-4 record. All four losses were to good teams: Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Auburn and North Carolina. Their victories include UCSB, Gonzaga and Iowa, none of whom are top teams. However an injury in the first game to sharp shooting Danielle Orsillo, has kept her out since. She opened with 21 points in 21 minutes, hard numbers to replace.
In the past ASU has been the team for Stanford to beat. If they get Orsillo back, and I can’t find a timetable, then they’ll be much better as their posts are playing better and better each game. Until then they may struggle a bit with other first division Pac 10 teams. They open with UCLA and USC at home after Christmas.
ASU could be very good in the post, quite a change from being a wing/guard oriented team recently. They start two big post players and three wing/guards. And they have five good and improving post players. Minnesota transfer 6-3 JR Lauren Lacey starts at one post position. She is averaging 11 points and 6 rebounds over 23 minutes. The other starter has been either 6-3 Jr Tennessee transfer Sybil Dosty or 6-6 Jr Kristen Thompson. Dosty is averaging 7 points and 6 rebounds in 16 minutes and Thompson 7 points and 3 rebounds in 14 minutes. The other two post players are 6-4 frosh Becca Tobin and 6-2 Jr Kayli Murphy. Tobin is averaging 4 points and 2 rebounds in 10 minutes, and Murphy 3 points and 3 rebounds in 16 minutes.
The other starters include 5-10 Sr and 6th year player, Jill Noe, and 5-8 Jr Briann January. Reagan Pariseau, a 5-5 Sr and Dymond Simon a 5-5 Soph have shared the 3rd spot as both have battled injuries. Pariseau just returned after missing 2 ½ games and Simon missed their game yesterday, but is day to day. And then there is the 5-9 JR Danielle Orsillo who has been out since the first game. The productivity of the five is:
Noe: 11 points per game and hitting 41% of her three point attempts
January: 11 points, 4.7 assists and 2.5 steals per game.
Pariseau: 4 points per game
Simon: 9 points per game
Orsillo is a pure scorer; hitting 3 three’s in her only game to go with her 21 points.
Two other guards who see action are Kate Engelbrecht, a 5-10 Jr and 5-22 Soph Gabby Fage.
ASU is ranked # 22, and as always will be a contender for the Pac 10 title and a NCAA bid. They need their post players to continue their development, and for Orsillo and Simon to be healthy. They’ve played some very good teams, but haven’t beaten them. However they’ll be tough in conference play. Charli will see to that.
In the past ASU has been the team for Stanford to beat. If they get Orsillo back, and I can’t find a timetable, then they’ll be much better as their posts are playing better and better each game. Until then they may struggle a bit with other first division Pac 10 teams. They open with UCLA and USC at home after Christmas.
ASU could be very good in the post, quite a change from being a wing/guard oriented team recently. They start two big post players and three wing/guards. And they have five good and improving post players. Minnesota transfer 6-3 JR Lauren Lacey starts at one post position. She is averaging 11 points and 6 rebounds over 23 minutes. The other starter has been either 6-3 Jr Tennessee transfer Sybil Dosty or 6-6 Jr Kristen Thompson. Dosty is averaging 7 points and 6 rebounds in 16 minutes and Thompson 7 points and 3 rebounds in 14 minutes. The other two post players are 6-4 frosh Becca Tobin and 6-2 Jr Kayli Murphy. Tobin is averaging 4 points and 2 rebounds in 10 minutes, and Murphy 3 points and 3 rebounds in 16 minutes.
The other starters include 5-10 Sr and 6th year player, Jill Noe, and 5-8 Jr Briann January. Reagan Pariseau, a 5-5 Sr and Dymond Simon a 5-5 Soph have shared the 3rd spot as both have battled injuries. Pariseau just returned after missing 2 ½ games and Simon missed their game yesterday, but is day to day. And then there is the 5-9 JR Danielle Orsillo who has been out since the first game. The productivity of the five is:
Noe: 11 points per game and hitting 41% of her three point attempts
January: 11 points, 4.7 assists and 2.5 steals per game.
Pariseau: 4 points per game
Simon: 9 points per game
Orsillo is a pure scorer; hitting 3 three’s in her only game to go with her 21 points.
Two other guards who see action are Kate Engelbrecht, a 5-10 Jr and 5-22 Soph Gabby Fage.
ASU is ranked # 22, and as always will be a contender for the Pac 10 title and a NCAA bid. They need their post players to continue their development, and for Orsillo and Simon to be healthy. They’ve played some very good teams, but haven’t beaten them. However they’ll be tough in conference play. Charli will see to that.
December 11, 2007
Pac 10 Preview-UCLA
UCLA has started the season 4-4, losing 4 of their last 5. They had a very close loss to highly ranked Maryland, and they then lost to far lesser teams. It’s not going to get easier with BYU and Tennessee two of the three games remaining before the conference begins. UCLA is very young, 6 Frosh and only one Sr.
One thing UCLA does have is depth. They have six post players, for the 4/5 positions. 6-4 Frosh Regina Rogers has started 7 of the 8 games thus far, averaging 10 points and over 5 rebounds per game. Her problem is she is only averaging 16 minutes per game. She is averaging almost one foul per 5 minutes of play.
Outstanding 6-4 Sr Lindsey Pluimer is the Starting 4. She is averaging team highs of 14 points and 8 rebounds per game. Lindsey is also shooting 47% from 3 point land, although taking less than 3 per game.
Back up post players include 6-6 Soph Center Monique Alexander. Monique is averaging 3 points and 3 rebounds in 10 minutes. 6-4 Jr C/F Chinyere Ibekwe is averaging 2 points and 3 rebounds in 8 minutes per game. Chinyere started many games over the past two seasons. 6-4 Frosh Christina Nzekwe is averaging 3 points and 4 rebounds in 14 minutes per game. 6-4 Frosh Candice Brown is averaging over 3 points and 3 rebounds in only 9 minutes per game.
The other three starters are Wing players and the Point Guard. 5-9 Fr Darxia Morris is the Point Guard. She has started 6 of the 8 games, averaging 8 points and 3 assists. She leads the team in steals and has an assist to turnover ration of 1:1. Not bad at all for a young PG and a very young team.
The Wings are 5-10 Frosh Doreena Campbell and 6-0 Soph Erica (Latimer) Tukiainen. Campbell is averaging 10 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists per game. And she leads the team averaging 31 minutes per game. If that isn’t enough she has hit 59% of her 17 three point attempts. The former Latimer now Tukiaianen has averaged 5 points and 4 rebounds per game.
The main back-ups have each started games thus far. 6-1 Frosh Nina Earl is the 2nd leading scorer at over 10 points per game. 5-10 Jr Tierra Henderson has averaged 8 points per game.
UCLA is scoring 77 points per game, but giving up 73. They are very young, but with 5 weak teams in the conference UCLA has an excellent chance at a winning conference record.
One thing UCLA does have is depth. They have six post players, for the 4/5 positions. 6-4 Frosh Regina Rogers has started 7 of the 8 games thus far, averaging 10 points and over 5 rebounds per game. Her problem is she is only averaging 16 minutes per game. She is averaging almost one foul per 5 minutes of play.
Outstanding 6-4 Sr Lindsey Pluimer is the Starting 4. She is averaging team highs of 14 points and 8 rebounds per game. Lindsey is also shooting 47% from 3 point land, although taking less than 3 per game.
Back up post players include 6-6 Soph Center Monique Alexander. Monique is averaging 3 points and 3 rebounds in 10 minutes. 6-4 Jr C/F Chinyere Ibekwe is averaging 2 points and 3 rebounds in 8 minutes per game. Chinyere started many games over the past two seasons. 6-4 Frosh Christina Nzekwe is averaging 3 points and 4 rebounds in 14 minutes per game. 6-4 Frosh Candice Brown is averaging over 3 points and 3 rebounds in only 9 minutes per game.
The other three starters are Wing players and the Point Guard. 5-9 Fr Darxia Morris is the Point Guard. She has started 6 of the 8 games, averaging 8 points and 3 assists. She leads the team in steals and has an assist to turnover ration of 1:1. Not bad at all for a young PG and a very young team.
The Wings are 5-10 Frosh Doreena Campbell and 6-0 Soph Erica (Latimer) Tukiainen. Campbell is averaging 10 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists per game. And she leads the team averaging 31 minutes per game. If that isn’t enough she has hit 59% of her 17 three point attempts. The former Latimer now Tukiaianen has averaged 5 points and 4 rebounds per game.
The main back-ups have each started games thus far. 6-1 Frosh Nina Earl is the 2nd leading scorer at over 10 points per game. 5-10 Jr Tierra Henderson has averaged 8 points per game.
UCLA is scoring 77 points per game, but giving up 73. They are very young, but with 5 weak teams in the conference UCLA has an excellent chance at a winning conference record.
December 3, 2007
PAC 10 Preview- Oregon State
Any discussion of this season’s Beavers has to start with their player losses. Casey Nash led the league in scoring averaging 20 points per game, but has graduated. Could have been Soph’s Judie Lomax and Jasmine Smith transferred out of the program. The 5-11 Lomax was awesome in post, and Smith would have seen a great deal of playing time. But that was then and this is now.
So far the Beavers are 4-2 without a quality win and a two point loss Sunday night to USF. Their pre-season schedule isn’t much so they could enter the Pac 10 with a winning record. However I would think their goal this season is to simply stay ahead of WSU and Arizona as they build up their team.
Tiffany Ducker has returned from a redshirt year to be a solid post for the Beavers. She’s a 6-2 Jr who has had two 10 rebound games and has scored 19 in a game thus far this season. Tiffany has averaged 10 points and 8 rebounds per game. Prized 6-4 frosh Alex Mitchell is the backup Center.
Oregon State starts two post players and three guards. The other post is 6-1 Frosh, and former teammate of JJ Hones’, Stacy Nichols. She’s averaged just shy of 5 points and 5 rebounds per game. Other Forwards are 6-4 Frosh Viki Wohlers and 6-3 Frosh Brittany Eskridge. Neither has seen much action yet.
Mercedes Fox-Griffin, a 5-7 Jr returns as the starting Point Guard. She was outstanding last season and thus far has averaged 8.5 points per game and 4 Assists per game. Mercedes has missed two games and 5-11 Frosh Talisa Rhea moved over from back up off guard. Rhea has been a big surprise, scoring 12.5 points per game, and is also seeing a lot of time at a Wing position.
Other Wings are Ashley Allen, a 5-10 Sr and the only Sr on the team. She has had games of 23 and 25 points and 8 rebounds. She leads the team with 17 points per game. The other starting wing is Brittany Davis, a 5-10 Jr who transferred from Minnesota. She’s averaging 7 points per game. The only other Wing getting much playing time is 5-8 Soph Julie Futch, averaging just under 2 points per game.
While their record is 4-2, Oregon State is only scoring 63 points per game and being out shot and out rebounded. Coach LaVonda Wagner has the Beavers playing hard, a tribute to her coaching abilities.
BONUS: Pac 10 team Records thus far.
Stanford: 7-1
Cal: 7-1
Oregon State: 4-2
Arizona State: 4-3
Oregon: 4-3
UCLA: 4-3
USC: 3-2
Washington: 4-4
Arizona: 2-4
Washington State: 2-5
So far the Beavers are 4-2 without a quality win and a two point loss Sunday night to USF. Their pre-season schedule isn’t much so they could enter the Pac 10 with a winning record. However I would think their goal this season is to simply stay ahead of WSU and Arizona as they build up their team.
Tiffany Ducker has returned from a redshirt year to be a solid post for the Beavers. She’s a 6-2 Jr who has had two 10 rebound games and has scored 19 in a game thus far this season. Tiffany has averaged 10 points and 8 rebounds per game. Prized 6-4 frosh Alex Mitchell is the backup Center.
Oregon State starts two post players and three guards. The other post is 6-1 Frosh, and former teammate of JJ Hones’, Stacy Nichols. She’s averaged just shy of 5 points and 5 rebounds per game. Other Forwards are 6-4 Frosh Viki Wohlers and 6-3 Frosh Brittany Eskridge. Neither has seen much action yet.
Mercedes Fox-Griffin, a 5-7 Jr returns as the starting Point Guard. She was outstanding last season and thus far has averaged 8.5 points per game and 4 Assists per game. Mercedes has missed two games and 5-11 Frosh Talisa Rhea moved over from back up off guard. Rhea has been a big surprise, scoring 12.5 points per game, and is also seeing a lot of time at a Wing position.
Other Wings are Ashley Allen, a 5-10 Sr and the only Sr on the team. She has had games of 23 and 25 points and 8 rebounds. She leads the team with 17 points per game. The other starting wing is Brittany Davis, a 5-10 Jr who transferred from Minnesota. She’s averaging 7 points per game. The only other Wing getting much playing time is 5-8 Soph Julie Futch, averaging just under 2 points per game.
While their record is 4-2, Oregon State is only scoring 63 points per game and being out shot and out rebounded. Coach LaVonda Wagner has the Beavers playing hard, a tribute to her coaching abilities.
BONUS: Pac 10 team Records thus far.
Stanford: 7-1
Cal: 7-1
Oregon State: 4-2
Arizona State: 4-3
Oregon: 4-3
UCLA: 4-3
USC: 3-2
Washington: 4-4
Arizona: 2-4
Washington State: 2-5
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