Season Opens in California With Two Road Games

After two exhibitions games that gave Cougar coach Judkins an opportunity to play several lineups and rotate players through, the 2005-06 women's basketball team is set to open the year with two games in southern California.

BYU, who returns two starters and 11 letterwinners from last year's 19-11 squad, takes on Cal State Northridge on Nov. 19 in a 12 p.m., tip off. Three days later they battle Pac-10 powerhouse UCLA on No. 22 in a 7 p.m., (PT) start.

Games #1 and #2

Teams:BYU(0-0) vs.CS Northridge (0-0) Date:11/19/05 Time:12 p.m. (PT) Arena:The Matadome

Teams:BYU(0-0) vs. UCLA (0-0) Date: 11/22/05 Time:7 p.m. (PT) Arena:Pauley Pavilion

Follow the women's basketball action live on BYU Radio

All of the women's basketball games can be heard on BYU radio via the internet at www.byuradio.org Veteran BYU broadcaster Jay Monsen calls the action. Fans can also access BYU Radio on the Dish Network. Both of the games this week will air tape delay. Fans can track the UCLA game on the internet by clicking on: byucougars.com

BYU's Probable Starters

Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

G 30 Mallary Gillespie 5-10 So 7.6 2.9

F 35 Melinda Johnsen 5-10 Jr 3.9 2.1

F 33 Ambrosia Anderson 6-2 Sr 10.4 4.7

C 45 Dani Kubik 6-3 Jr 7.7 4.1

F 01 Nancy Seljaas 6-0 Sr 3.8 1.8

Cougar Players Off The Bench

Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

C 52 Lauren Riley 6-3 So 2.0 1.7

G 10 Laura Stratton 5-6 Sr 0.4 0.4

G/F 15 Jennie Keele 5-10 Jr injury redshirt

F 41 Brittany Faddis 6-0 Fr redshirt

G 24 Vanessa Hutson 5-8 Fr

G/F 32 Shawnee Slade 5-11 Fr

C 54 Cassie King 6-3 Fr

G 23 Brit Brown 5-7 So walk-on last year

G 13 Rachel Aina 5-9 Fr walk-on this year

2004-05 Final Team Stats --

-- Shooting from the field: (.436, 656-1505)

-- Shooting from the free-throw line: (.722, 312-432)

-- Shooting from three-point line: (.314, 125-398)

-- Average points per game: 64.8

Returning Team Stat Leaders

-- Second Leading scorer: Ambrosia Anderson - 10.4 points.

-- Third Leading rebounder: Ambrosia Anderson - 4.7 boards

-- Assist Leader: Melinda Johnsen - 1.97

-- Blocks Leader: Dani Kubik - 1.0

About the Cougars in 2005-06

-- Cougars return second leading scorer in Ambrosia Anderson with 10.4 ppg

-- Anderson is the team's third leading rebounder, grabbing 4.7 rebounds per game.

-- Junior Melinda Johnsen who started in 29 games returns as the team's assist leader dishing out 1.97 assists per game.

-- Junior center Dani Kubik who began play for BYU in late December of 2004 is back after finishing second in the conference in free throw percentage and sixth in blocks.

-- As a team, the Cougars finished first in blocks in league play, second in both rebounding and defensive rebounding and third in field goal percentage, assists, steals, and in scoring margin.

Last Week

The Cougars played two exhibition games in the comfort of the Marriott Center in early November in preparation for the season. BYU defeated Westminster College 85-42 on Nov. 1 and then beat Mesa State College 98-64 on Nov. 11

Senior forward Ambrosia Anderson led the Cougar effort with 14 points and two rebounds in just over 14 minutes of action against Westminster. Four others also scored in double figures with 11 each from Mallary Gillespie and freshman Vanessa Hutson. Brittany Faddis and Cassie King tallied 10 points a piece while Mary Martha Abell had a team-high eight rebounds.

Against Mesa State Anderson topped all scores with 16 points in 16 minutes of play. She was one of six players who scored in double figures. Mallary Gillespie had 13 points and five assists, followed by center Lauren Riley with 12 points and six boards. Vanessa Hutson, Shawnee Slade and Dani Kubik all chipped in 10 points each with Kubik tying the rebound category with six. The Cougars shot 53 percent from the field and 70 percent from the freethrow line.

Player Injury Report

Sophomore forward Mary Martha Abell, from Monroe, Louisiana suffered a torn ACL inury to her knee in the exhibition game against Westminister College on Nov. 1. She will use this season as an injury redshirt year.

Head Coach - Jeff Judkins

Overall Record: 77-46, begins his fIfth season at BYU.

An all-state selection in basketball, football and baseball, Judkins played basketball for the University of Utah 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 U of U in 1989, and remained with the men's program for 10 years. 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 (25), Jordan (23), Jenna (21), Jaime (18), Jaxson (15).

Cougar Opponents

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE

Cal State Northridge hosts the Cougars in the first regular season game for both teams. The Matadors played two exhibitions as well on Nov. 8 and Nov. 14. CS Northridge beat the Master's College by 21 points and then lost by eight, 82-74 to Love & Basketball. Junior guard Jamie McCaa scored in double digits in both games tallying 23 against Master's College and 19 points vs. Love & Basketball.

The Matadors return 11 letterwinners and five starters from last year's 18-11 season. Staci Schultz begins her first season at the helm of the women's program after being the team's top assistant for three years.

CS Northridge Probable Starters

Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

F/G 23 LaJoyce King 5-9 Jr 12.0 2.0

F/C 32 Crystal Hahs 6-4 Fr San Clemente HS

C/F 21 Jazelle Burries 6-3 Jr 5.1 3.4

G 03 Megan Ching 5-8 G 2.2 2.2

G 05 Krisztina Fuleki 5-7 G 8.6 2.0

Series Record: 1-0

Last time: The two teams played back in 1993 at the St.Mary's Tipoff with the Cougars picking up the 102-51 victory.

UCLA

The 2005-06 regular season opens up for the UCLA Bruins on Fri., Nov. 18 at National Champions Baylor. In preparation for that key game, UCLA hosted two exhibition games against Love & Basketball and Play Mode. The same teams that played against CS Northridge. The UCLA team picked up huge wins in both, defeating Love & Basketball 86-75 and beating Play Mode 103 to 62. Guard Noelle Quinn led the team in both scoring 13 and 21 points respectively. Against Play Mode three other teammates joined her in double figures with 21 from Lisa Willis, 17 from Lindsey Pluimer and 10 from junior forward Amanda Livingston.

UCLA returns 11 letterwinners and five starters from last year's team that went 16-12, 10-8 (6th in the Pac-10). The Bruins are coached by Kathy Olivier who beings her 13th season with the program.

UCLA Probable Starters

Pos. # Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

G 32 Nikki Blue 5-8 Sr 17.0 5.0

G 40 Lisa Willis 5-11 Sr 16.3 6.9

G 45 Noelle Quinn 6-0 Jr 16.9 7.1

F 14 Lindsey Pluimer 6-3 So 10.1 6.4

F 31 Amanda Livingston 6-1 Jr 7.9 4.4

Series Record: 2-8

Last time: The Cougars and Bruins met last during the 01-02 season. The game was played on 11/27/01 in Los Angeles where the hosts picked up the 11-point 73-62 victory. BYU is 1-4 when playing at Pauley Pavilion. They last won in Los Angeles on Feb. 19, 1986, an 81-68 victory.

Travel Itinerary

The Cougar team departs on Fri., Nov. 18:

Delta flight #0399, arrives in Los Angeles at 3:55 p.m.

Team Hotel: Doubletree Hotel, 10740 Wilshire Blvd., 310-475-8711 main,

310-475-5220 fax

They return on Wed., Nov. 23:

Delta flight #1762, arrives in Salt Lake City at 10:47 a.m.

Up Next

BYU opens up its home schedule with UC Santa Barbara during the Thanksgiving holiday, Sat., Nov. 26. Tip off from the Marriott Center is set for 4 p.m.

The team goes on the road again with two games at Stony Brook on Nov. 30 and at Seton Hall on Dec. 3. Both teams are first-time opponents for the Cougars.