Lady Bear-USC Game Notes
12/19/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 19, 2000
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Baylor Lady Bears (8-0)
vs
University of Southern California (5-2)
Wed., Dec. 20 - 7:00 p.m. (CST)
Ferrell Center - Waco, Texas
THE MATCHUPS...
The USC Women of Troy, after losing the first two games of the 2000-2001 season have since reeled off five straight wins. They come into the Ferrell Center on a five-game winning streak and with five days rest under their belt.
The Lady Bears, after having a break of nine days, will play three home games in six days. They played Loyola Marymount on Dec. 18, will play USC on Dec. 20 and Missouri-Kansas City on Dec. 23.
BEST START SINCE...
At 8-0, the Lady Bears have posted the program's best start since the 1980-81 season. Twice, 1974-75 and 1980-81, the Lady Bears posted 9-0 records to start the season. The Lady Bears have already surpassed their season win total of last season (7-20).
GAINING RESPECT...
For the fourth consecutive week the Lady Bears received votes in the AP Poll. Baylor has never been ranked in the top 25 but had received votes during the 1997-98 season and at the beginning of the 1998-99 campaign.
ONLY 4 SCHOOLS BOAST PERFECT HOOP SQUADS...
Baylor University is one of only four schools in the nation that has yet to suffer a defeat - by either its men's or women's basketball team. Only four institutions - Alabama, Baylor, Mississippi and Tennessee - boast undefeated squads in both sports (through games of 12/18/00). In addition to the 8-0 record the Lady Bears own, the Baylor men are a perfect 5-0 this season.
AND THEN THERE WAS ONE...
At 8-0, first-year Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson is the only undefeated first-year head coach in NCAA Division I. Only 16 Division I teams are currently undefeated and none of those coaches are first-year head coaches.
ON THE SEASON...
Baylor's leader, six games into the season, is Sheila Lambert. The Seattle native is averaging 23.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 5.5 assists a game.
Danielle Crockrom has reached the double-digit mark in season scoring and rebounding. Crockrom, a 6-2 forward, checks in at 21.6 points and a team-leading 11.8 rebounds while Monica Arnold (Austin/Johnston HS), a 6-2 post, tallies 10.6 points and 7.6 boards. In addition, Crockrom leads the squad in field goal percentage with a mark of .660 (68-103).
NEVER BEFORE...
Never before in the history of Lady Bear basketball have two players scored 30 or more points in the same game. It's happened twice this season, against Denver University and Loyola Marymount. Against Denver Danielle Crockrom and Sheila Lambert combined for 67 points. Crockrom poured in a career-high 34 points. She was 13-of-17 from the floor (.764) and 8-of-10 (.800) from the free throw line. Lambert also tallied a career high with33 points. She popped in eight field goals and was 16-of-18 (.889) from the charity stripe.
The feat was duplicated against Loyola Marymount when Crockrom scored 32 and Lambert tossed in 30.
LAST GAME...
Baylor's inside-outside combination of Sheila Lambert and Danielle Crockrom combined for 62 of Baylor's 77 points against Loyola Marymount. Crockrom scored 32, pulled down a career-high 18 rebounds and collected five steals while Lambert scored 30, dished out six assists and stole the ball five times.
CROCKROM CRANKING IT UP...
Over Baylor's last six games Danielle Crockrom has averaged 24.7 points and 10.3 rebounds a game. All five games have been double-doubles. In addition to those impressive marks, she has maintained a 66.3 field goal percentage over that span and of her 82 rebounds, half of them, 41, were offensive boards.
LAMBERT DOUBLES...
In Baylor's eight games this season Sheila Lambert has scored in double figures in every game. Her lowest point output in a game is 19 points which she's done three times, she's had three 20-point performances and two 30-point games.
ONE TWO PUNCH...
The tandem of Sheila Lambert and Danielle Crockrom rank No. 1 and No. 2 in the Big 12 Conference in scoring. Lambert checks in at 23.5 points a game while Crockrom manages 21.6.
MULKEY-ROBERTSON ON THE NATIONAL SCENE...
First-year head coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson is among the nation's leaders for first year coaches at 8-0. As a result, she and the program are getting some national recognition. She recently (Dec. 7) participated in a live chat on ESPN.com and ESPN.com also had an article on her that same day. For a copy of the article go to: http://espn.go.com/ncw/dish2000/5.html. To see a transcript of the live chat, log onto Baylor's official website (www.GoBaylorBears.com) and go to the women's basketball page. On the lower left side click on the transcript of the live chat.
IN THE BIG 12...
As individuals and as a team, Baylor ranks at the top of the Big 12 in several categories:
Team: #1 in scoring (89.6), #1 in scoring margin (+32.9), #1 in field goal defense (.322),#1 in rebounding offense (52.6), #1 in rebounding margin (+19.0), #1 in turnover margin (+8.7), #2 in scoring defense (56.7), and #2 in steals (14.7).
Sheila Lambert: #1 in scoring (22.6), #2 in assists (5.43), #4 in steals (3.71), and #9 free throw percentage (.833), #20 in rebounding (6.3).
Danielle Crockrom: #1 in offensive rebounds (5.29), #1 in rebounding (10.9), #2 in scor- ing (20.1), #4 in field goal percentage (.667), and #4 in defensive rebounds (5.57).
Monica Arnold: #9 in blocked shots (1.14), #7 in rebounding (8.1) and #25 in scoring (11.3).
Nicole Collins: #10 in steals.
A LOOK AHEAD...
Finally, it's back to the friendly confines of the Ferrell Center. After playing five games on the road and only one at home, the Lady Bears are back to the friendly confines of the Ferrell for six straight games. They don't go back on the road until they play at Kansas on Jan. 6.
THE OPPOSITION...
USC Women of Troy
The women of Troy come into the Ferrell Center on a five-game winning streak. They are 3-0 at home and 2-2 on the road. They lost the first two games of the season, both on the road. They lost to Creighton (69-58) and Drake (55-51) and have since defeated UC Santa Barbara (60-56), St. Joseph's (66-55), San Diego (70-56), Sacramento State (87-61) and Pepperdine (78-60).
Three players average in double figures in scoring. Freshman guard Aisha Hollans playing her first game (vs. Pepperdine) after recovering from a back injury leads the way with 14.0 points a game. Junior guard Tiffany Elmore scores 11.7 and senior center Denise Woods averages 11.0. Leading the way in rebounding is freshman forward Ebony Hoffman with 7.3.
USC is coached by Chris Gobrecht. Gobrecht is in her 4th season as head coach of the Women of Troy. She is 40-48 at USC and 372-254 in 22 seasons as a head coach. She previously served as head coach at Cal State Fullerton, Washington and Florida State.
SERIES RECORD...
USC leads the series 1-0. The Women of Troy defeated Baylor in Los Angeles last season 71-53.
LAST SEASON...
The Women of Troy defeated Baylor 71-53 last season in Los Angeles. In that game four Trojans, three of which are on this year's roster, scored in double figures. Tashara Carter and Tiffany Elmore each scored 14 and Carmen Krause came in off the bench to tally 11. For the Lady Bears Monica Arnold and Michelle Neely each scored 11 while Nicole Collins tallied 10. Neely's 11 points was a career-high. Danielle Crockrom led Baylor in rebounding with seven.
