Game At Oregon Ends Non-League Games For Women's Team

Riding a five-game winning streak and a 9-3 record, the Cougar women's basketball team finishes its non-conference schedule on the road with a game at Pac-10 foe, Oregon (8-3) on Dec. 30 at 8 p.m. (MST)

Complete Broadcast Plans

On the internet - For the game at Oregon a tape delayed live audio stream of the game will be available on BYU Radio. Veteran broadcaster Jay Monsen will call the action. To listen log on to: http://www.byuradio.org

Live stats - fans can follow the game action via stats by clicking on:

http://www.byucougars.com/Schedule.jsp?SP=112&YR=2006

BYU Probable Starters

Pos. # Name Ht Yr PPG RPG

G/F 15 Jennie Keele 5-10 Sr 7.0 3.5

G 30 Mallary Gillespie 5-10 Jr 12.8 4.1

G/F 35 Melinda Johnsen 5-10 Sr 5.3 4.9

C 45 Dani Kubik Wright 6-3 Sr 12.3 6.3

F 52 Lauren Riley 6-3 Jr 4.8 5.0

Reserve Players

Pos. # Name Ht Yr PPG RPG

G/F 32 Shawnee Slade 5-11 So 8.3 6.3

C 54 Cassie King 6-3 So 5.1 3.3

F 22 Brittany Faddis 6-0 So 1.1 1.5

F 05 Ashley Cheesman 6-0 Jr 1.3 1.9

G 13 Jaime Judkins 5-6 Fr 0.5 1.1

G 31 Rachel Aina 5-9 So 0.3 0.2

Team Stats --

-- Shooting from the field: (.431, 283-656)

-- Shooting from the free-throw line: (.636, 119-187)

-- Shooting from three-point line: (.335, 69-206)

-- Average points per game: 62.8

2006 Run In Preseason WNIT

The Cougar team ended their run in this year's Preseason WNIT with a disappointing 58-84 loss to No. 16 Baylor on Thurs. Nov. 16. BYU had advanced to the Final Four after a 73-50 home victory over Idaho State on Nov. 10 and then a come from behind 55-52 upset victory over No. 4 Stanford. Dani Kubik Wright was named to the All-Tournament Team.

Cougars Team Summary

After compiling the best season record in school history (26-6), making their seventh postseason NCAA Championships appearance and clinching the 2006 MWC Regular Season Champion crown, the BYU team looks to take that success and winning attitude into the 2006-07 year.

BYU returns a nucleus of four starters and five letterwinners that will make this year's squad tough to beat during its non-conference and league schedules.

Once again the Cougars should finish at the top of the MWC standings, leading the way to an eighth appearance in the NCAA Championships and advancing further in that national tournament.

-- 2006-07 Highlights --

-- The 79 points scored against Weber State are the most scored by BYU this year and the (13) three-point goals, are a new team high.

-- Five times this season, the Cougars had two players scoring in double figures with the most recent (vs. Weber St.).

-- BYU is 7-0 when leading at the half and 7-0 when outrebounding opponents.

-- The Cougars picked up season bests in 3-point field goal percentage .542 (13-24) in the Weber State game on 12/14/06.

-- To date, BYU has shot over 50 percent from the field in two games (vs. Weber State .542 on 12/14/06 and vs. UCR .521 on 12/20/06)

-- The Cougars have had four players score in double figures three times this year: (vs. SCU, @ Harvard, and @ UVSC).

-- MWC Player of the Week - Mallary Gillespie (Dec. 18, 2006)

-- MWC Player of the Week - Shawnee Slade (Nov. 12, 2006)

-- Preseason WNIT All-Tournament Team - Dani Kubik Wright

-- Team's assist leader - Melinda Johnsen (240), as of 12/21/06

-- In the game @ Stanford - Dani Wright played a total of 35 minutes, the most minutes played in her college career.

-- In the game at home vs. Santa Clara University on 11/22/06, the .839 (26-31) free throw percentage was the best for the team so far this season.

-- The 55 total rebounds grabbed in the game vs. CSUN on 12/09/06 are a new season high for the team.

Injury Update -

Freshman point guard Haley Hall is out for the rest of the season. She tore her ACL in her left knee at the New Mexico State game on 12/06/06.

2005-06 Season Review

-- Best record in school history 26-6

-- Tallied an impressive 13-1 record on the road

-- MWC Regular Season Crown with a 13-3 record

-- The squad advanced to the MWC Championship game before losing to Utah, 60-84

-- Made seventh appearance in NCAA Championships, seeded sev- enth, the highest seed for the Cougar program. The team advanced to the Round of 32 with 67-62 victory over Iowa, then lost to Oklahoma 70-86

-- Breaks into the national polls after going 15-1 to begin the season. Its first appearance came the week of Jan. 16 when both the AP Poll and the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches Poll ranked the team at the No. 23 spot. The team moved as high as No. 16 in the USAToday/ESPN/WBCA Coaches Poll, the highest of the year and the highest ever in the program's history. BYU finished the season ranked 20th in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches Poll.

2005-06 MWC Honors/All-America Citations

Co-Player of the Year

Ambrosia Anderson

First Team All- Mountain West Conference

Ambrosia Anderson

Second Team All- Mountain West Conference

Dani Kubik

Honorable Mention All- Mountain West Conference

Mallary Gillespie

Melinda Johnsen

Jennie Keele

Coach of the Year

Jeff Judkins

Honorable Mention All- America Citations

Ambrosia Anderson - AP Women's All-America Basketball Team

Ambrosia Anderson - WBCA and Eastman Kodak Company

Head Coach - Jeff Judkins

Overall Record:112-55

2006-07: 9-3

2006 MWC Coach of the Year Jeff Judkins begins his sixth year as head coach of the women's basketball program. Prior to heading up the women's program, he served one year (1999-2000) as Director of Basketball Operations for the BYU men's team. In 2000 he became an assistant coach on the women's team.

Last season under Judkins, the Cougars compiled their best finish in school history with a 26-6 record, clinched their first MWC regular season title since 1992 and received a no. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament, the highest seed for any BYU program.

For the first time since the 2002-03 season, the team and its 13-1 record to start the year broke into the women's basketball collegiate polls, ranked No. 23 by the AP Poll and the USA Today/Espn/WBCA Coaches Poll. They would rank as high as 18 and 16 in the two respective polls, finishing the year at No. 20. Last season Judkins picked up his 100th win, a 69-67 victory over CSU on Mar. 2, the same time the team clinched the league's regular season title.

Under Judkins tutelage, the women's basketball program has had consistent success with four postseason appearances including three NCAA Championships, guiding the team to its first ever Sweet Sixteen finish in 2002. In 2005, the 19-11 team played in the first round of the WNIT.

Judkins has also coached two All-Americans in Erin Thorn and Ambrosia Anderson. Both have gone on to play in the WNBA for the New York Liberty. Thorn has been with the team for the past four years while Anderson just completed her first year playing professionally.

The longtime University of Utah coach and player came to Provo 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 the University of Utah from 1974-78.

While playing at Utah, Judkins helped lead the Utes to one conference championship and two berths in the NCAA tournament. He was a second-team academic All-American and three-time District VII academic selection. He also earned three first team All-WAC honors and was a member of the 1977 United States World Games team that captured the gold medal.

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

After his NBA career, he returned to Utah in 1989 and was an instrumental part of that program's success during his 10 years, recruiting such players as Keith Van Horn, Andre Miller, Mike Doleac, Hanno Mottola, Alex Jensen, Trent Whiting, Garner Meads, Jeff Johnsen and Britton Johnsen.

Judkins, graduated from the University of Utah in 1978 with a degree in health and physical education. He and his wife Mary Kaye are the parents of five children: Jessica (26), (married to Paul), Jordan (24), Jenna (22), Jaime, who plays on the basketball team, (19), and Jaxson (16). Jenna plays on the volleyball team at BYU.

Hobbies: Waterskiing, horseback riding, hunting, golf, softball, and watching ESPN.

BYU Picked Second In MWC Preseason Media Poll

School (First-place votes) Points

1. New Mexico (8) 137

2. BYU (7) 134

3. TCU (4) 126

4. Utah 102

5. Wyoming 96

6. UNLV 71

7. San Diego State 41

8. Air Force 39

9. Colorado State 36

Preseason All-MWC Team

Dionne Marsh, Jr., F, New Mexico

Hanna Zavecz, Jr., F, Wyoming

Dani Kubik Wright, Sr., C, BYU

Adrianne Ross, Jr., G, TCU

Katie Montgomery, Sr., G, New Mexico

Top Returning Player

Dionne Marsh, Jr., F, New Mexico

Top Newcomer

Justyna Podziemska, Jr., F, Wyoming

ABOUT THIS WEEK'S BYU OPPONENT

UNIVERSITY OF OREGON - Eugene, OR (12/30/06)

The Oregon Ducks have tallied a 8-3 record to date. At home they are 4-2. Oregon returns two starters and seven letterwinners from last year's team. Head Coach Bev Smith is in her fifth season wat the helm of the women's hoops program. They have already played two Pac-10 opponents and are (1-1) on the year after a 66-55 victory over Washington State, and a 56-60 loss to Washington. Senior forward Eleanor Haring tops the leader board in scoring with 14.6 and 4.2 boards a game. She's followed by Taylor Lilley who averages 11.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Another senior forward, Jessie Shetters tops the list in the rebound category grabbing 9.2 boards while contributing 6.1 points per game as well.

U. OF OREGON Probable Starters

Pos. # Name Ht Yr PPG RPG

F 11 Kaela Chapdelaine 5-10 Jr 5.4 3.7

F 54 Eleanor Haring 6-1 Sr 14.6 4.2

C 43 Jessie Shetters 6-6 Sr 6.1 9.2

G 03 Tamika Nurse 5-8 So 9.0 2.3

G 30 Cicely Oaks 5-7 Sr 7.0 2.3

Stat Comparisons BYU UO

Field Goals: .431 .418

Free Throws: .636 .686

Three-Pointers: .335 .363

Points Per Game: 62.8 62.9

Rebounds Per Game: 40.1 36.0

Series Record

Oregon has the 7-2 advantage in the series.

Last Meeting

The two teams met last during the 2002-03 season when the Cougars participated in the Ducks 'Pape Jam' in Portland. In the game on Dec. 7 2002, BYU lost by three points 80-77 to Oregon. The Cougars have not won a game at McArthur Court in Eugene.

Cougar Travel Plans

Flights: Fri., Dec. 29 - Delta #372, departs SLC at 11:40 a.m., arrives in Portland at 12:40 p.m.

Sun., Dec 31 - Delta #1104, departs Porltand at 6:10 a.m., arrives in SLC at 8:51 a.m.

Hotels: In Eugene on Dec. 29 - Hampton Inn & Suites, 3780 W. 11th Avenue, 541-431-1225, 541-302-8289, fax.

Dec. 30 in Portland - Springhill Suites, 11922 Northeast Airport Way, 503-253-4095, 503-253-4114, fax.

Media Information

Team Practice Times

-- The team practices are held at the Marriott Center MWF from 11:30 a.m., to 1:30 p.m. On Tuesday's, practice is scheduled for 1 to 3 p.m., and on Thursday's it is 12:30 to 3 p.m.

-- Coach Judkins and players are available for interviews prior to or after their practices. All interviews are scheduled in advance. Norma Collett is the Media Director for the team and can be contacted by phone or emaill. She travels to all of the away games. Office phone is 801-422-4908, cell phone is 801-372-0989 and email is norma_collett@byu.edu

Up Next

The defending 2006 MWC Regular Season Champ., Cougars get set to defend their title as the 2007 MWC race begins in January. BYU was picked to finish second behind New Mexico in the preseason polls. The Cougars open up league play on the road at Air Force on Jan. 6 in a 4 p.m. tip, and then head to New Mexico on Jan. 10 for a 7 p.m. tip off from Albuquerque.

The team returns to host Wyoming at home on Jan. 13 in a 2 p.m. tip off.