Women's Basketball Game Notes - Jan. 18
1/18/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 18, 2001
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#25/RV Baylor Lady Bears (13-2, 2-2
vs.
Texas A&M (11-5, 1-4)
Sat., Jan. 20 - 1:00 p.m. (CST)
Reed Arena - College Station, TX
FOX Sports Net
FOX's Bill Land will handle play-by-play duties and Elyssa Walker-Campbell will serve as color analyst.
The 25th ranked Baylor Lady Bears will travel to College Station to take on the Aggies on Saturday in a game televised on FOX Sports Net. The Lady Bears are in the middle of playing four ranked teams in five games. After playing six consecutive home games this game will be the third of three road games in four contests for Baylor.
BEST START SINCE...
The Lady Bears have vaulted off to the best start in Lady Bear history. Twice, 1974-75 and 1980-81, Baylor posted 9-0 records to start the season. The Lady Bears have already surpassed their season win total of last season (7-20).
They also broke the school record for most consecutive wins with 13. The previous mark of 12 was set in the 1975-76 season.
ONLY BAYLOR...
In NCAA Division I statistics posted Jan. 15, Baylor is the only school to have two players ranked in the top 10 in scoring. In fact you have to go down to #19 before you get a duplicate. Only Western Kentucky (#10 &19) and Bucknell (#25 & 45) join Baylor in having two players among the top 50 in scoring.
Baylor's junior guard Sheila Lambert ranks #3 nationally at 24.9 while junior forward Danielle Crockrom ranks #10 with 21.5.
BROKE IN...
For the first time in 23 years, Baylor is ranked among the nation's elite, breaking into the AP Top 25 at No. 23 the week of Jan. 8. Despite suffering two losses to Top 25 teams (#11 Texas Tech & #17 Oklahoma), the Lady Bears managed to remain in the rankings at No. 25.
Since the beginning of NCAA competition in women's basketball (1981-82), Baylor had 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.
Back in the days of AIAW competition Baylor was ranked in the AP's Top 20. During the 1976-77 season Baylor was ranked as high as 12th nationally (twice). The last time they were ranked 12th was on Mar. 16, 1977. They began the 1977-78 season ranked 15th but fell out of the rankings for good after being ranked No. 18 on Jan. 25, 1978.
LAMBERT ON THE LOOSE...
Sheila Lambert is showing why she's a serious contender for Big 12 Player of the Year honors. The 5-7 junior guard is averaging 31.3 points 4.7 rebounds, 7.67 assists and 4.0 steals in Big 12 games. On the season she ranks #1 in the Big 12 in scoring at 24.9 points a game, which is #3 in the nation, and the speedster is among the league's top three in assists and steals.
Lambert has scored in double figures in every game this season and has produced four 30-point performances. She has three double-doubles to her credit, two with points/assists and one with points/rebounds.
NATIONAL ATTENDANCE STATISTICS...
Once again the Lady Bear program is among the top programs in the nation for home attendance. With an average of 2,827 a game so far this season the Lady Bears rank #26 in the nation. Figures show that at this point in the season the Lady Bears are averaging 1,171 more fans a game than they were at this time last season. Also, last season's biggest home crowd was 2,485 (Texas Tech) while they've already had four crowds above that figure this season.
MILLION FAN MARCH...
The Big 12 Conference is sponsoring a Million Fan March this season with the goal of becoming the first women's basketball conference to reach 1,000,000 in attendance. The Baylor Lady Bears are doing their part. With an average of 2,827 a game so far this season the Lady Bears rank #26 in the nation. Figures show that at this point in the season the Lady Bears are averaging 1,171 more fans a game than they were at this time last year.
LAST TIME OUT...
The Lady Bears suffered their first losses of the season after reeling off 13 straight victories. The Texas Tech Red Raiders dealt Baylor an 84-61 road defeat while Oklahoma defeated Baylor 90-87. Against Texas Tech Sheila Lambert led Baylor in scoring with 25 points, leading the team in scoring for the ninth time this season. Danielle Crockrom added 15 points while Monica Arnold completed BU's double figure scoring with 10 points. Arnold led Baylor in rebounding with eight boards. Jia Perkins came in off the bench for Tech and scored 23 points. Baylor's 61 points were the lowest total for the squad this season and Tech outrebounded the Lady Bears 51-38.
Against the Sooners, after trailing by 11 at halftime, the Lady Bears battled back and the two teams exchanged leads most of the second half. Oklahoma was able to hang on and secure the victory. Again the tandem of Lambert and Crockrom led the Lady Bears with Lambert scoring 30 and Crockrom following with 28. Monica Arnold notched her fifth double-digit scoring effort of the season with 12 points. Crockrom narrowly missed a double-double with a team-high nine rebounds. She also collected a career-high six steals. Canadian Olympian Stacey Dales led four Soners in double-figure scoring with 28 points, she also added eight assists.
FRESHMAN DUO MAKING THEIR MARK, STEPPING IT UP IN BIG 12 PLAY...
Two freshmen guards, Chanelle Fox and Jessika Stratton, are making their presence felt on the basketball floor. Fox, a 5-11 freshman from Houston, has started in eight games and averages 13.0 minutes a game in non-conference games but since Big 12 play began, the Westfield High alum, has averaged 25.8 minutes a game. In fact, her rebounding (4.0/2.6) and scoring (4.8/4.5) averages are higher in Big 12 play that for the whole season combined. Fox's career highs include: 12 pts. (Bethune Cookman), 12 rebounds (Kansas), four assists (Oklahoma State) and six steals (Oklahoma).
Stratton, a 5-9 guard, is usually the first player off the bench at the guard position. She has seen action at the point and #2 spot and can also play at the #3 position. Since the start of conference action, she has averaged 21.8 minutes a game as opposed to 17.1 minutes in non-conference action. The Colorado Springs, Colo. native owns career highs of 15 points (Miami), six rebounds (Miami, Oklahoma), nine assists (Oklahoma) and four steals (Oral Roberts).
ON THE NATIONAL SCENE...
The Lady Bears rank among NCAA Division I leaders both in individual and team categories through Jan. 15.
Team:
#2 Rebounding margin - 12.7 #10 Winning Percentage - 86.7% #7 Scoring Margin - 20.5 #7 Scoring offense - 83.1
Individual:
Sheila Lambert - #3 Scoring (24.9), #20 assists (5.9), #8 steals (3.8). Danielle Crockrom - #14 Field Goal Pct. (.599), #4 Rebounding (12.1), #10 Scoring (21.5).
ON THE SEASON...
Baylor's leader, 15 games into the season, is Sheila Lambert. The Seattle native is averaging 24.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 5.93 assists a game. She ranks #3 or above in the Big 12 in points (#1), steals (#3) and assists (#3). In addition, she's among the nation's leaders in scoring (#3), steals (#8) and assists (#20).
Danielle Crockrom, the fourth week of the season, reached the double-digit mark in season scoring and rebounding. Crockrom, a 6-2 forward, checks in at 21.5 points and a team and league leading 12.1 rebounds while Monica Arnold (Austin/Johnston HS), a 6-2 post, tallies 11.1 points and 6.7 boards. Crockrom, like Lambert, rates among the nation's leaders checking in at #4 in rebounding and #10 in scoring.
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 with 33 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.
IT HASN'T HAPPENED SINCE...
In Baylor's victory over Oral Roberts three Lady Bears scored 20 points or more. Danielle Crockrom led the way with 23, Monica Arnold added 22 and Sheila Lambert tallied 21. The feat has been accomplished seven other times, the most recent coming on Feb 28, 1998 when Lara Webb scored 32, Kacy Moffitt tallied 21 and Toya Ellis added 20 points against Texas A&M. In fact, that trio duplicated the performance against the Aggies again that same season (Feb. 4, 1998) when Webb scored 26, Ellis 25 and Moffitt 23.
CROCKROM BREAKS 20 YEAR OLD RECORD...
With her 23 rebounds against USC, Danielle Crockrom broke Debbie Polk's 20 year old single game rebounding record. Polk set the mark of 22 rebounds on Nov. 11, 1980 against Huston-Tillotson.
LAMBERT DOUBLES...
In Baylor's 15 games this season Sheila Lambert has scored in double figures in every game. Her lowest point output in a game is 15 (UMKC), she's scored 19 points three times, she's had six 20-point performances and five 30-point games.
CROCKROM'S 23...
Crockrom's 23 rebound performance against against the University of Southern California ranks as the third best rebounding effort in the nation so far this season. Howard's Andrea Garnder pulled down 27 against Stony Brook to lead the nation.
IN THE BIG 12...
As individuals and as a team, Baylor ranks at the top of the Big 12 in several categories:
Team: #2 in scoring (83.1), #1 in scoring margin (+20.5), #1 in rebounding (47.9), #1 in rebounding margin (+12.7), #2 in steals (14.93), #3 in field goal defense (.379) and #3 in turnover margin (+6.73).
Sheila Lambert: #1 in scoring (24.9), #3 in steals (3.80), #3 in assists (5.93), #14 free throw percentage (.772).
Danielle Crockrom: #1 in offensive rebounds (5.27), #1 in rebounding (12.1), #2 in defen- sive rebounds (6.87), #3 in scoring (21.5), #3 in field goal percentage (.599) and #11 in steals (2.33).
Monica Arnold: #5 in blocked shots (1.40), #17 in rebounding (6.7), #25 in scoring (11.0).
Jessika Stratton - #13 free throw percentage (.778).
A LOOK AHEAD...
After playing six consecutive home games the Lady Bears take to the road for three of their next four games. They will travel to Kansas and Texas Tech, play Oklahoma at home then play at Texas A&M over that four game span.
Starting with Baylor's game with Texas Tech the Lady Bears will play four ranked teams in the next five games. Texas Tech (11th), Oklahoma (17th), Texas A&M, Iowa State (#7) and Texas (14th).
THE OPPOSITION...
Texas A&M Aggies
The Texas A&M Aggies come into Saturday's game with a record of 11-5 and 1-4 in the Big 12. The Aggies were 10-1 in non-conference play and have posted a 1-4 Big 12 record. They are 7-1 at home this season, their only Reed Arena loss was against Texas Tech (85-78). They come into the game hoping to break a three-game losing streak.
The Aggies are led by 5-11 senior forward Jaynetta Saunders' 22.3 points and 7.8 rebounds a game. Saunders has produced three 30-point performances in her last four games (30 at Nebraska, 34 vs. Texas Tech, 35 at Oklahoma). In addition she has led the Aggies in scoring in 12 of their 16 games this season. Senior guard Brandy Jones ranks second in scoring at 12.2.
Texas A&M is coached by Peggie Gillom who is in her 3rd year as Texas A&M's head coach. She is 29-41 in her three years there. Prior to becoming head coach of the Aggies, Gillom was an assistant for the Houston Comets and spent 16 years as an assistant at Mississipi. This past summer she served as an assistant coach for the gold medal-winning women's basketball team in Sydney.
SERIES RECORD...
Texas A&M leads the series 31-25. Prior to last season's two wins by the Aggies, Baylor had won every meeting (6 games) between the two schools since the Big 12 was formed. The Lady Bears are 3-1 in College Station since the formation of the Big 12.
LAST YEAR...
The Aggies won both games last season, opening up Big 12 play with a 62-59 victory in Waco and winning 76-65 in Reed Arena. Of the Aggies' returning players Jaynetta Saunders inflicted the most damage upon the Bears last season with 13 points in Waco and 17 points in College Station. Also, LaToya Rose added 13 points in College Station. For Baylor's returning players Danielle Crockrom posted a double-double (10p/12r) in Waco and Monica Arnold led Baylor with 17 points. In the game in Reed Arena Crockrom poured in a game-high 25 points and hauled down seven boards.
