Women's Basketball Weekly Release #8

Dec. 26, 2006

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Player of the Week

Rachel Porath, UW-Green Bay
Sophomore * Guard * Luxemburg, Wis.
Porath had a career outing for the Phoenix Friday against Illinois State as the sophomore guard had career bests with 16 points and 12 rebounds for her first-ever double-double in UW-Green Bay's win over the Redbirds. Porath had 13 points in the first half, aided by a three-of-three mark from three-point range. Of Porath's 12 rebounds, five were on the offensive end, including three during the same Phoenix possession. She also added a team-high three steals in the win, UW-Green Bay's fifth-straight.

Other Top Performances from the Week Ending Dec. 24

Brittney, Wright State
Senior * Guard * Columbus, Ohio
Whiteside netted 18 points, including a career-high three three-pointers, off the bench at Marshall before tying a career high with 26 points on 10-of-19 shooting with eight rebounds in a win over Dayton.

Nikita LaFleur, Youngstown State
Sophomore * Center * Scarborough, Ontario
LaFleur just missed averaging a double-double last week with 12 points and nine rebounds per game. She tallied a career-high 14 points against Robert Morris while grabbing eight boards. In a 58-47 win over Clarion, LaFleur posted her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

LaShonda Grant, UIC
Senior * Guard * Chicago, Ill.
Grant paced the Flames in an 80-62 win over Northern Illinois on Wednesday with a team-high 21 points. She shot 60 percent (three-of-five) from beyond the arc and hit four-of-four from the free-throw line. The guard also notched three rebounds and six assists in the victory.

Aubrey Hampton, UW-Milwaukee
Senior * Guard * Oak Park, Ill.
Hampton scored 14 points to lead UWM in its only game this week at La Salle. She hit her first five shots of the game, including two three-pointers, to help the Panthers to a fast start and halftime lead on the 10-2 Explorers. She added a game-high six assists and doubled her season high with six rebounds. Hampton was also two-of-two from the free-throw line, as Milwaukee set a school record by shooting a perfect 12-of-12 from the charity stripe.

India Bruster, Detroit
Junior * Center * Cleveland, Ohio
Bruster had an impressive debut with Titans, picking up a 10-rebound performance and blocking four shots in her first game with Detroit. She nearly had a double-double in the contest with nine points. Bruster added four blocks and two steals against the Mustangs.

Marquise Hanser, Loyola
Senior * Guard * Ft. Mitchell, Ky.
Hanser averaged 21.5 points per game and knocked down six three-pointers en route to all-tournament team honors at the San Juan Shootout last week. Hanser was a thorn in the side of two Big East Conference foes, opening tournament play with a 23-point, three-rebound, three-assist effort in a tight 77-70 loss to Syracuse before pumping in a game-high 20 points against crosstown rival DePaul on Wednesday night.

Lade Akande, Butler
Sophomore * Center * Robinson, Ill.
Akande led the Bulldogs in scoring last week, notching 17 points and four rebounds against No. 16 Louisville on Monday before scoring 19 points against Tennessee State on Wednesday. She went six-of-14 from the field and five-of-seven from the free-throw line against the Cardinals in helping Butler to a near-upset of the nationally-ranked opponent before going nine-of-14 against the Tigers in leading the Bulldogs to their largest win of the season thus far.

Horizon League Notes

UW-Green Bay (8-3; 0-0 HL)
The Phoenix continued its winning ways with a 92-64 victory over Illinois State to push the team's winning streak to five games.

Against the Redbirds, six different players topped the 10-point plateau. Sophomore Rachel Porath led all scorers with 16 points, while fellow starters Nicole Soulis (14 points) and Natalie Berglin (12) also found double digits. Reserves Kati Harty and Lavesa Glover both netted 13 points along with Erin Templin's 10. The Phoenix took advantage of Illinois State at the charity stripe, netting 31-of-33 freebies, the most since a team-record 35 in a game during the 2000-01 season.

During UW-Green Bay's five game streak, the team has shot 48.5 percent (133-of-274) from the floor and 40.0 percent (36-of-90) from beyond the arc. Soulis leads the team in scoring during the streak at 16.0 points per outing on 58.6 percent (34-of-58) shooting. Porath has picked up her play, averaging 10.2 points and six rebounds, while Berglin has turned in an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.57-to-1.

As a team, UWGB leads the Horizon League in scoring offense (74.6 ppg.), scoring defense (63.2 ppg.), scoring margin (+11.5), free-throw percentage (.763), field-goal percentage (.459), three-point field goal percentage (.365), assists (16.36 apg.), turnover margin (+4.36) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.33).

Individually, the top three free-throw shooters reside on the UWGB roster in Harty (.880), Kayla Groh (.842) and Soulis (.829). Soulis also places second in the loop in scoring at 16.7 markers per contest, while Berglin leads all in assists (4.91 apg.) and assist-to-turnover ratio (3.18).

RealTimeRPI.com has shown the Phoenix some credit with its tough non-conference schedule. UW-Green Bay ranks 14th in the latest RPI release and is seventh in strength of schedule with only Tennessee, Stanford, George Washington Rutgers, Purdue and Arkansas-Pine Bluff having tougher schedules to date.

UW-Green Bay looks to avenge its Horizon League tournament loss from a year ago when the team welcomes UIC to the Phoenix Sports Center on Thursday. The team then will host Loyola on Saturday afternoon.

UIC (6-6; 0-0 HL)
UIC evened its record at 6-6 with an 80-62 victory over the Northern Illinois Huskies on Wednesday evening.

The Flames tallied 80 or more points for the fifth time during the season, moving their record to 5-0 in those contests. Senior LaShonda Grant had a game-high 21 points in the victory, while classmates Jacquay Holmes and Krystal Hugelier chipped in 18 and 15 points, respectively. The team also shot a season-best .533 from long distance against the Huskies.

On the statistical charts, UIC remains the only team in the League with three players in the top ten in scoring. Grant (13.0 ppg.) places sixth, Hugelier (12.4 ppg.) is eighth and Holmes (12.2 ppg.) ranks ninth. Grant also is second in steals (2.0 spg.) with senior Jackie Parker one spot back in third at 1.83 thefts per outing.

The conference slate begins this week as the Flames travel to Wisconsin to take on UW-Green Bay on Thursday evening and UW-Milwaukee on Saturday afternoon.

UW-Milwaukee (4-9; 0-0 HL)
The Panthers were ousted in overtime at La Salle, 74-69, in their only game last week.

Sophomore Traci Edwards poured in a team-best 23 points, pulled down eight rebounds and blocked three shots in a career-high 43 minutes played against the Explorers. Senior Aubrey Hampton also saw little of the UWM bench as she played 44 of the 45 minutes, posting 14 points, six rebounds and six assists in the game. Milwaukee's free-throw shooting was flawless in the contest as the team set a program record by hitting all 12 attempts.

On the season, Edwards paces the circuit in scoring (16.9 ppg.), rebounding (8.6 rpg.) and blocked shots (1.33 bpg.). The 6-foot-2 sophomore also places second in field-goal percentage (.585) and fourth in free-throw shooting (.817).

This week the Panthers tip-off League action with Loyola visiting the Klotsche Center on Thursday and UIC making the trip on Saturday.

Butler (3-8; 0-0 HL)
After sitting idle for the week, Butler got back to action with a split in two contests last week. The Bulldogs led for much of their contest at nationally ranked Louisville on Monday before falling 80-77, then turned in an 85-57 victory at Tennessee State on Wednesday.

A balanced scoring attack allowed BU to keep pace with the No. 15 Cardinals. Senior Jackie Closser led the way with 18 points on six-of-12 shooting from three-point territory, while sophomore Lade Akande pitched in 17 points. Sophomore transfer Tara Miller got her career in a Bulldog uniform off to a solid start with 14 points in the contest, while senior Ellen Hamilton (14 points) and freshman Mel Thornton (10) also tallied in double figures.

Against Tennessee State, Akande and Closser were back at it as they scored 19 and 17 points, respectively. Miller posted double figures again with 12 points. The Bulldogs grabbed a season-best 41 boards in the contest with every player who entered the game having at least two rebounds.

With her fourth three-pointer against Louisville, Closser became the 17th player in Butler history to score 1,000 points in her career. Hamilton's 20 points last week leaves her just three points shy of the milestone. Closser hit nine three pointers in the two games last week, extending her streak of consecutive games with a trey to 39.

Closser's three-point barrage is part of Butler's League-best 7.18 three-pointers made per contest. The 5-foot-5 guard also leads everyone in minutes played at 38.09 per contest while ranking second in assists per game at 4.36. Other Bulldogs among the conference leaders are: junior Cassie Freeman in three-point percentage (second - .484), Akande in blocked shots (third - 1.11) and Hamilton in three-pointers made (fourth - 2.27).

BU begins the conference schedule by traveling to Cleveland State on Thursday evening then continues east to take on Youngstown State on Saturday afternoon.

Cleveland State (3-10; 0-0 HL)
The Vikings used solid defense against IUPUI to post a 51-37 win over the Jaguars in the team's only game last week.

The 37 points allowed against IUPUI represented the best defensive effort by a Viking squad since a 62-24 victory over Ashland on Feb. 8, 1983, and is the second-lowest point total allowed against a Division I opponent in the 34-year history of the program -- bettered only in a 58-27 win at Toledo on Jan. 6, 1979.

With five triples in the victory, the Vikings extended their NCAA record for consecutive games with a three-point field goal to 399. The last time that CSU failed to drain at least one three-pointer in a game was a 78-55 loss at Cincinnati on Dec. 17, 1992.

All five starters against the Jaguars pulled down at least five rebounds as Cleveland State grabbed 42 rebounds in the contest. The Vikings average a League-best 39.2 rebounds per outing with senior Nicole Thomas leading the charge at 7.1 rpg., the third-highest mark in the loop.

The Vikings come off a nine-day layoff and begin conference play with home matches against Butler on Thursday and Wright State on Saturday.

Youngstown State (2-8; 0-0 HL)
YSU went 1-1 last week, dropping an 84-54 decision to Robert Morris on Monday before picking up a 58-47 victory over Clarion on Thursday.

The Penguins were out-rebounded 52-28 and out-shot 44.8 percent to 31.6 percent against RMU. Sophomores Nikita LaFleur and Monique Godfrey both tallied 14 points in the contest.

The team picked up its second victory over the season by turning around the rebounding numbers from the first game of the week. Youngstown State picked up 47 rebounds compared to 31 by Clarion. Junior Heather Karner poured in a team-best 15 points in the victory and now stands fifth on the League's scoring charts with a 14.2 points-per-outing average. Godfrey found double digits for the fifth time in 2006-07 with 12 points, while LaFleur picked up her first collegiate double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds).

The Penguins lead the conference in blocked shots (3.30 bpg.) as sophomore Ashley Pendleton (0.90 - sixth) and LaFleur (0.70 - ninth) both place in the top 10.

YSU starts off the League slate with two home games as Wright State visits the Beeghly Center on Thursday and Butler makes the trip on Saturday afternoon.

Wright State (2-9; 0-0 HL)
WSU lost 62-54 on the road at Marshall on Tuesday before picking up its second win of the season, 60-59, over Dayton.

Senior Brittney Whiteside returned to form in her second game back after missing four with an ankle injury. The preseason Second-Team All-League selection scored a team-best 18 points, including a career-best three three-pointers, coming off the bench against the Thundering Herd. Classmate Tyanda Hammock joined her in double digits with 15 points and seven rebounds in the contest.

Whiteside was back at it again against Dayton, pouring in a career-high tying 26 points on 10-of-19 shooting. She also cleaned up on the glass with a season-high eight rebounds. Junior Sierra Crayton tabbed double digits with 13 points while posting seven rebounds to give her 16 on the week. Crayton ended up scoring the deciding points in the contest by draining a free throw with three seconds on the clock.

The victory over Dayton was the first for the Raiders since a 73-71 decision at the Nutter Center on Jan. 5, 1995, snapping an 11-game winless streak against the Flyers.

With her 44 points last week, Whiteside moved into fifth on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,173 points.

After scoring just 84 points in her first two seasons, Crayton has posted double figures in seven games this year and in five of her last six outings.

Wright State takes to the road to face in-state League foes Youngstown State (Thursday) and Cleveland State (Saturday) in its two games this week.

Detroit (2-9; 0-0 HL)
Detroit went 1-1 with a 73-50 loss to SMU and a 62-57 victory over East Carolina in the Cancun Caribbean Classic in Cancun, Mexico last week.

Against the Mustangs, Detroit struggled from the floor, shooting just 27.6 percent (16-of-58) in the game. Three Titans reached double figures in juniors Joyce Massey (18 points) and Kandace Evans (10) along with sophomore Sandi Brown. Junior transfer India Bruster also had a solid debut for UDM just missing a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds, while Brown also helped on the glass with nine boards.

The Titans picked up their second victory of the year in the second game in Cancun, Mexico. Sophomore Katy Dunlop led the offense with a season-best 14 points, while Massey and sophomore Zemora Davis netted 13 and 10 points, respectively.

Detroit has struggled on the boards all season as the team has been out-rebounded in every game this year. With the addition of Bruster (15 rebounds this week) and fellow junior transfer Keashawn Bond (10), the Titans closed the rebounding deficit dramatically in their two games this week. The team was out-rebounded by an average of 16.6 rebounds in its first seven games while only being out-boarded by four against SMU and five against ECU.

Bruster's presence was also felt on the defensive end as she swatted six shots in the two games, placing her third on the team already.

This week UDM travels to Blacksburg, Va., to take part in the Lady Luck Classic. The team takes on New Hampshire on Thursday and then will face either host Virginia Tech or Winston-Salem State on Friday.

Loyola (1-9; 0-0 HL)
Loyola returned to action after a week off with losses to Big East opponents Syracuse (77-70) and DePaul (97-70) at the San Juan Shootout.

Seniors Marquise Hanser and Jenna Real led the Rambler attack in both games. Against the Orange, Hanser had 23 points on eight-of-16 shooting, while Real claimed a double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds. Real also shot at an impressive clip by converting nine-of-15 shots in the contest.

DePaul forced the Ramblers into 27 turnovers in the team's second game of the week, but that did not stop the senior duo from posting a combined 35 points in the contest (Hanser, 20; Real, 15). Freshman Maggie McCloskey also notched double digits with 15 points in the contest on five-of-eight shooting from beyond the arc.

With the 43 points in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Hanser stands just 39 points shy of 1,000 for her collegiate career. She and Real both are in the top 10 on the League's scoring chart with Hanser's 16.1 points-per-game averaging placing third and Real's 12.9 average ranking seventh. Shooting at a .681 clip in the two games last week, Real is now first in the loop in field-goal percentage (.625).

The Ramblers begin the League season with a trip north to Wisconsin, taking on UW-Milwaukee on Thursday evening and UW-Green Bay on Saturday.

Valparaiso (4-7; Joins HL in 2007-08)
The Crusaders dropped a pair of home games last week as Notre Dame (60-59) and Central Michigan (62-45) escaped the Athletics-Recreation Center with victories.

Senior Betsy Rietema tied the game against the Fighting Irish with a free-throw to finish a three-point play with 26 seconds to play, but a free-throw by ND's Breona Gray with one second on the clock sealed VU's faith. Rietema's three-point play was part of a game-high 22-point effort. Sophomore Agnieszka Kulaga was the only other player in double figures for the team with 10 points.

Valparaiso committed 21 turnovers which led to 24 Central Michigan points in Valpo's second game of the week. Tamra Braun registered her fifth double-double in six games for the Crusaders, scoring 17 points and grabbing a season-high 13 rebounds. The senior was the only Crusader to score more than six points in the contest.

Braun ranks first in the Mid-Continent Conference in field-goal percentage (.575), second in blocks (1.45) and third in rebounding (8.3). As a team, Valpo leads all Mid-Con teams in three-point field-goal percentage (.391) and three-pointers made (6.36). Leading the three-point attack is senior Carrie Myers, who has drained 31-of-70 attempts (.443).

After a nine-day holiday layoff, the Crusaders return to action with a home contest against Saint Francis (Ind.) on Saturday afternoon.