At Home For Two This Week

With a four-game winning streak in tact, the BYU women's basketball team is finally at home for post-Christmas games. On Saturday Dec. 29 the team hosts Southern Utah and on Jan. 2 the University of Arkansas makes its first-ever appearance at the Marriott Center. Both games are double headers with the Cougar men's team.

Tip off: BYU (8-3) vs Southern UT (4-7), 7:00 p.m. (MST) Arena: Marriott Ctr.

Tip off: BYU (8-3) vs Arkansas (8-3), 4:00 p.m. (MST) Arena: Marriott Ctr.

BYU's Probable Starters

Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

F 21 Jennifer Leitner 6-1 Jr 11.8 8.8

F 31 Lisa Osguthorpe 6-0 Sr 6.9 4.0

F 23 Chanell Rose 6-0 Jr 3.7 2.6

G 11 Erin Thorn 5-10 Jr 19.7 4.6

G 22 Stacy Jensen 5-6 Sr 10.2 3.2

Cougar Players Off The Bench

Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

F/G 12 Melanie Pearson 6-1 Sr 9.8 2.2

F 51 Danielle Cheesman 6-2 Fr 7.7 2.6

F 45 Lisa Hansen 6-5 Jr 3.6 2.7

G 25 Kali Taylor 5-11 Fr 2.1 0.5

F 20 Brittany Larson 6-0 Jr 1.9 1.1

F 50 Heather Cheesman 6-1 So 2.8 1.3

G 05 Amy Lewis 5-6 Jr 0.8 0.7

Quickie BYU Stats

l Shooting from the field - .480 (312-650)

l Shooting from the free-throw line - .732 (131-179)

l Shooting from the three-point arc - .461 (107-232)

l Averaged 78.4 points per game

Last Game Recap

The Cougar women's basketball team picked up its fourth straight win with the 74-71 victory over TCU in Ft. Wroth on Dec. 22. BYU outrebounded and outshot the Horned Frogs, shooting 47 percent from the field and 41 percent from behind the arc going 9 for 22 in treys. Junior forward Jennifer Lietner led all scores in her sixth double-double of the season with 18 points and 12 rebounds. In 2001-02 the Cougars are 1-1 against WAC opponents after the win over TCU.

Record-Breaking Thorn

Junior All-American guard Erin Thorn had some record-breaking performances in December. She became the Cougars all-time career leader in three's with her five in the game against SMU on Dec. 8 to give her a total of 205. Standout Kari Gallup held the record with 204. To date she's tallied 227. Thorn also broke the record for three-pointers made in a game, by picking up nine treys in the game over Arkansas Pine-Bluff on Dec. 14. That record is both a women's and a men's single game Cougar record.

BYU Notes

All-American Erin Thorn continues to be the team's leading scorer with an average of 19.7 points a game. The team's leading rebounder is junior forward Jennifer Leitner who's averaging 8.8 boards a game. Senior guard Stacy Jensen leads in the assist category with an average of 5.2 per game. Jensen is one of two other Cougars' scoring in double digits, contributing 10.2 points a game with junior forward Leitner picking up 11.8 points a game.

2001-02 Season Highlights

TEAM

4 Points - 94 vs Washington State 11/24/01

4 Field Goals Made - 36 vs Washington State 11/24/01

4 3 PT Field Goals Made - 20 vs Arkansas Pine-Bluff 12/14/01

4 Free Throws Made - 21 @ USC 11/29/01

4 Rebounds - 43 @ SMU 12/8/01

4 Assists - 32 vs Washington State 11/24/01

4 Steals - 14 @ Weber State 12/01/01

INDIVIDUAL

4 Points - Erin Thorn, (29) vs Arkansas Pine-Bluff 12/14/01

4 Field Goals Made - Erin Thorn, (10) @ Weber State 12/01/01

4 3 PT Field Goals Made - Erin Thorn, (9) vs Arkansas PB 12/14/01

4 Free Throws Made - Jennifer Leitner, (8) @ USC 11/29/01

4 Rebounds - Jennifer Leitner, (13) @ UCLA 11/27/01

4 Assists - Stacy Jensen, (8) vs Washington State 11/24/01

4 Steals - Erin Thorn, (5) vs Washington State 11/24/01

Scouting Southern Utah

The Thunderbirds from Cedar City, Utah come to Provo and the Marriott Center with a 4-7 record. SUU has won its last two games over Albertson College and Westminister College. On the road the team has a 1-6 record to date. Salt Lake City native Lindsey Hille from Olympus High School is the Thunderbirds leading scorer with an average of 13.0 points a game. Caroline Heaton tops the rebound category with an average of 9.8 boards a game. Heaton is also the team's second leading scorer with 12.0 points. Senior guard Sally Johnsonfrom Sandy, Utah is the third team member scoring in double digits with 11.1 a game. She leads the team in assists with a total of 51 to date. SUU is shooting 38 percent from the field and 73 percent from the free throw line and are averaging 66.7 points to opponents 72.4 points.

Series Record: 12-2 for BYU. The Cougars have won the last four meetings between the two teams. SUU last beat BYU in 1996 in Cedar City. That score was 79-65.

SUU Probable Starters

Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

F 05 Caroline Heaton 5-4 Sr 12.0 9.8

C 55 Nancy Langman 6-0 Sr 4.2 4.9

G 12 Sally Johnson 5-7 Sr 11.1 2.8

G 13 Lindsey Hille 5-9 Jr 13.0 3.9

G 03 Erin Hamlin 5-4 Jr 6.5 2.5

Scouting Arkansas

The Lady Razorbacks make their first-ever appearance at BYU's Marriott Center on Jan. 2, coming in with an 8-2 record prior to playing TCU on Dec. 29. Arkansas two losses were against SW Mssouri State and to Northern Iowa. Sophomore forward Shameka Christon tops the list in scoring with an average of 15.7 points a game. She also leads in rebounds with an average of 7.0 boards a game. Two other teammates joing Christon in double digit scoring. India Lewis contributes 13.8 points and 2.4 rebounds with Dana Cherry tallying 10.0 points and 4.5 boards. The Lady Razorbacks shoot 44 percent from the field and 60 percent from the free throw line and are averaging 73.2 points to 58.7 opponents.

Series Record: 0-1 for Arkansas. These two teams had their first meeting last year in Fayetteville with the hosts getting the 93-73 win.

Arkansass Probable Starters

Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

F 52 Joy Oakley 6-0 Sr 8.9 3.0

F 14 Cara Wright 6-0 Fr 6.9 3.0

G 20 Shameka Christon 6-1 So 15.7 7.0

G 21 India Lewis 5-5 Jr 13.8 2.4

G 22 Dana Cherry 5-8 Jr 10. 4.5

Head Coach Jeff Judkins

Jeff Judkins, an assistant during the 2000-01 season is this year's head coach for the Cougar women. Judkins, a longtime University of Utah coach and player takes over the BYU program with a proven record of success dating back to his high school days at Highland HS in Salt Lake City.

An all-state selection in basketball, football and baseball, Judkins went on to play for Utah from 1974-78. While playing for the Utes, he helped the team win one conference championship and two berths in the NCAA Tournament. He was a second-team academic All-American and three-time first-team District VII academic selection. Judkins earned three first-team All-WAC honors and was a member of the 1977 United States World Games team that captured the gold medal.

He played five years in the NBA for the Boston Celtics, Portland Trailblazers, Detroit Pistons and the Utah Jazz. He was a second-round pick by the Celtics in 1978, the same year the Celtics selected Larry Bird with the sixth pick overall.

After his NBA career, he returned to the the University of Utah in 1989, and was an integral part of the program's success during his 10 year tenure.

Judkins, a Salt Lake City native, graduated from Utah in 1978 with a degree in health and physical education. He is a member of the Utah Sports Hall of Fame and the Crimson Club Hall of Fame.

He and his wife Mary Kay, are the parents of five children: Jessica (20), Jordan (18), Jenna (16), Jaime (13) and Jaxson (10).

Up Next

After the two home games, the Cougar team gets set to open MWC play at home. BYU hosts Colorado State on Jan. 10 and Wyoming on Jan. 12. Both games are scheduled for 7 p.m. tip offs at the Marriott Center.

2001-02 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL - NUMERICAL ROSTER

No.Name Ht. Cl. Pos. Exp. Hometown/School

11 Erin Thorn 5-10 Jr. G 2V Orem, UT/Mountain View H.S.

12 Melanie Pearson 6-1 Sr. G 3V Irvine, CA/Woodbridge HS/UCLA

20 Brittany Larson 6-0 Jr. F 2V Chicago, IL/New Trier HS

21 Jennifer Leitner 6-1 Jr. F 2V Chico, CA/Pleasant Valley HS

22 Stacy Jensen 5-6 Sr. G 3V West Jordan, UT/West Jordan HS

23 Chanell Rose 6-0 Jr. F 2V Orem, UT/UVSC

25 Kali Taylor 5-11 Fr. G HS Lyman, UT/Wayne HS

31 Lisa Osguthorpe 6-0 Sr. F 3V Orem, UT/Mountain View HS

45 Lisa Hansen 6-5 Jr. C 2V/RS Bakersfield, CA/Centennial HS/UCSB

50 Heather Cheesman 6-1 So. F 1V Orem, UT/Mountain View HS

51 Danielle Cheesman 6-2 Fr. F HS Orem, UT/Mountain View HS

HEAD COACH: Jeff Judkins (1st Year)

ASSISTANT COACHES: Trent Shippen, Alli Bills

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: Jonas Chatterton

NICKNAME: COUGARS

COLORS: BLUE AND WHITE

2001-02 Walk-On Players:

05 Amy Lewis 5-6 Jr. G Jefferson City, Montana/Jefferson City HS

24 Shauna Tuft 6-0 So. F 1V Mesa, Arizona/Highland HS

30 Melissa Brown 5-8 So. G 1V University Place, WA 6-0 Jr. F 1V Central Point, Oregon/S. Medford HS