MWC Play Opens at CSU

Two-time defending MWC Regular Season Champions BYU, gets set to defend its crown as the 2008 league race begins this week. The Cougars (6-6, 0-0) open up conference play at CSU (2-11, 0-0) on Sat., 1/12/08 at 2 p.m.

Game #12- 01/12/08: BYU @ Colorado St. Time: 2:00 p.m. MT Arena: Moby

Following the Cougars --

Radio: This week's game at Colorado State will air live on KQMB, 96.7 FM Radio.

Internet: The game can also be heard live on the internet at

http://www.byuradio.org/streaming

Jay Monsen will call the action for both games.

Live stats: All of the games can be accessed with the live stats link by logging on

to: www.byucougars.com/basketball_w/

Cougar All-Acccess: Those who have signed up for Cougar All-Access can also view the games on their computers.

BYU Probable Starters

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

22 Mindy Nielson G 5-10 Fr 6.9 2.9

30 Mallary G. Carling G 5-10 Sr 13.4 3.8

32 Shawnee Slade F 5-11 Jr 7.7 6.2

45 Keilani Moeaki F 6-2 Fr 5.7 3.9

52 Lauren R. Varley C 6-3 Sr 8.5 8.2

Reserve Players

No. Name Pos. Ht. Yr. PPG RPG

54 Cassie King F 6-3 Jr 5.6 3.1

23 Coriann Wood F 6-1 Fr 3.2 2.3

03 Jazmine Foreman G 5-5 Fr 2.6 0.9

14 Sarah Red G/F 5-11 Jr (rs)1.8 0.0

05 Ashley Cheesman F 6-0 Sr 1.5 1.7

13 Jaime Judkins G 5-6 So 1.0 0.8

0 Lauren Nichols F 6-0 Fr (rs) 0.5 0.2

55 Megan Marks F 6-2 Fr 0.3 1.3

Team Stats -- 2007-08

-- Shooting from the field: (.400, 256-640)

-- Shooting from the free-throw line: (.628, 118-188)

-- Shooting from three-point line: (.312, 62-199)

-- Average points per game: 57.7

-- Average rebounds per game: 39.4

byu quick hits

The team

-- Two starters are among the six letterwinners returning for the 2007-08 season.The team also returns two redshirts in addition to six very talented newcomers

-- The seniors are MWC Second Team honoree guard Mallary Gillespie-Carling and MWC Honorable Mention Lauren Riley-Varley. Both were also named to the 2007 MWC All-Tournament Team.

-- Among the letterwinners are junior forward/guard combo Shawnee Slade, senior forward Ashley Cheesman and junior center Cassie King. The trio return with the most playing experience and an understanding of coach Judkins' game plan. Guard Jaime Judkins who also comes in with significant playing time experience.

-- Two redshirts who were on the team last year, freshman forward Lauren Nichols and sophomore guard Sarah Red, a transfer from the University of Utah, will also provide solid experience on the team as newcomers.

-- Six new incoming freshmen will take to the court in 2007-08. They are:

Stephanie Buhler: 6-0, F, Oregon City, OR/Oregon City HS

Jazmine Foreman: 5-5, G, Vancouver, WA/Hudson's Bay HS

Megan Marks: 6-2, F, South Jordan, UT/Bingham HS

Keilani Moeaki: 6-2, F, Warrenville, IL/Wheaton Warrenville South HS Mindy Nielson: 5-10, G, Centennial, CO/ Regis Jesuit HS

Coriann Wood: 6-1, F, Basin City, WA/Connell HS

-- 2007-08 Season Highlights and Notables --

TEAM

-- The captains on the 2007-08 season are seniors Mallary Gillespie-Carling and Lauren Riley-Varley

--When playing on the road this season, BYU has a 2-4 record.

-- The 55 rebounds by the Cougars vs Fresno State on 11/17/07 are a season high and rank tied for third place in the program's history.

-- The win over Fresno State improved BYU's all-time record in home

openers to 24-11 and under coach Judkins is now 6-1 in home openers.

-- BYU has had three players score in double figures in three contests to date.

-- The 78 points and the 55 rebounds recorded in the win over Fresno State are the most in both categories to date.

-- In the win over Utah Valley, the team scored 72 points which is second best to date and the 20-point margin of victory is the most this season.

-- The 20 assists in the win over Utah Valley on 12/08/07 were the most to date.

-- In Saturday's Dec. 8th win over the Wolverines, the 17 steals are a new season best.

--BYU scored 35 points in the first half vs. Utah Valley, the second most scored in a first half and the fourth most in any half to date.

--Starting lineups: Record

Foreman, Carling, Slade, Cheesman, Varley: 2-2

Foreman, Carling, Slade, King, Varley: 1-1

Judkins, Carling, Slade, Wood, Varley: 0-1

Foreman, Carling, Slade, Moeaki, Varley: 1-2

Nielson, Carling, Slade, Moeaki, Varley: 2-0

PLAYER

-- Center Lauren Riley-Varley: picked up back-to-back double doubles in the first two games of this season with 14 points and 11 rebounds against UCSB and 16 points and 13 boards at Arkansas State. The 16 points at Ark. St., were season highs to date. 10 points in the game at Utah St., on 12/29/07 for her fourth double figure game this season and 23rd career double digit contest.

--Guard Mallary Gillespie-Carling: has scored in double figures in 56 games during her career, nine so far this season and the last two straight. Ranks 14th in BYU's 1,000-point club with 1,172 to date.

--Guard Mindy Nielson: tallied a season and career-high 15 points at Weber State on 12/12/07/07. Picked up season and career highs in blocks (5), steals, (5), rebounds (6) vs. Utah Valley on 12/08/07.She has scored in double digits in three contests to date.

-- Guard Shawnee Slade: led the team in scoring with 15 points vs. Utah Valley on 12/08/07 marking her 13th career double digit game contest.Grabbed a season and career high 11 rebounds vs. New Mexico State on 12/05/07. The 11 boards were team and game highs as well.Picked up 10 points vs. UCLA on 12/15/07 for her fourth double digit game and 15th overall.

-- Center Cassie King: scored 13 points vs. UCLA on 12/15/07 for new career highs in points. Has had two double digit socring games this season so far. Grabbed a season-high six rebounds vs. Utah Valley St., on 12/08/07.

-- Forward Keilani Moeaki: tallied a career- and game-high 19 points in the game vs. Hartford on 11/20/07. Had two blocks at Weber St. on 12/12/97 for new season and career highs. Has scored in double figures in three games to date.

-- Forward Coriann Wood: picked up season and career highs in points and rebounds in the game at UConn on 11/29/07 with eight points and five rebounds. She started her first collegiate game at Sacred Heart on 12/01/07.

-- Guard Jazmine Foreman: dished out season and career highs in assists with eight vs. Utah Valley on 12/08/07.

-- Guard Jaime Judkins: dished out three assists in the game at Weber St. on 12/12/07 for new season and career highs.

2007-08 Mountain West Conference

In October the Cougar team was picked to finish third in the MWC Preseason Poll.

Senior Mallary Gillespie Carling was picked to the five member Preseason All-Conference Team.

Rk. Team (1st place votes) Points

1. Wyoming (24) 203

2. TCU (2) 188

3. BYU (1) 182

4. New Mexico (3) 174

5. Utah 158

6. UNLV 109

7. San Diego State 93

8. Colorado State 53

9. Air Force 37

Preseason All-Conference Team

Name Class Pos. Institution

Adrianne Ross Sr. G TCU

Dionne Marsh Sr. F New Mexico

Hanna Zavecz Sr. F Wyoming

Morgan Warburton Jr. G Utah

Mallary Gillespie-Carling Sr. G BYU

About This Week's Opponent

COLORADO STATE UNIV. - Ft. Collins, Colorado at 2 p.m. (01/12/08)

The CSU Rams have compiled a 2-11 overall record heading into the first week of MWC play. They play at UNLV on Wed. 01/09/08 before hosting BYU on Saturday afternoon. Senior guard Sara Hunter tops the list in scoring with 11.8 points and 3.8 rebounds. Juanise Cornell is the team's leading rebounder with an average of 8.1 boards a game while teammate Elle Queen leads the team in assists dishing out a total of 26 to date. Head Coach Jen Warden is in her third season with Colorado State.

Colorado State Probable Starters

Pos. # Name Ht Yr PPG RPG

F 11 Elle Queen 6-0 Fr 6.4 5.1

F 32 Carine Reimink 6-1 Jr 5.2 5.1

F 35 Juanise Cornell 5-10So 8.8 8.1

G 4 Sara Hunter 5-6 Sr 11.8 3.8

G 15 Kandy Beemer 5-5 Jr 7.5 1.5

Stat Comparisons BYU CSU

Field Goals: .400 .346

Free Throws: .628 .685

Three-Pointers: .312 .351

Points Per Game: 57.7 59.8

Rebounds Per Game: 39.4 38.3

Series History

Record: 45-22 favoring BYU.

Last Meeting: The Cougars and Rams met twice during last year's MWC season with BYU picking up both wins. In Ft. Collins, the score was 67-50 on 02/17/07.

Travel Plans

Team Flights: Delta # 3830 departs Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 11 at 1:35 p.m., arriving in Denver at 3 p.m.

Delta # 4010 departs Denver on Sunday, Jan. 13, at 6:25 a.m., arriving in Salt Lake City at 7:51 a.m.

Team Hotel: Marriott Fort Collins, 350 East Horsetooth Road, 970-226-5200, 970-282-0561, fax.

Media Availability

Team Practice Times - at home

-The BYU team practices at the Marriott Center MWF from 11:30 a.m., to 1:30 p.m. On Tuesday's, practice is scheduled from 1 to 3 p.m., and on Thursday's from 11:30 to 2 p.m.

- Coach Judkins and players are available for interviews prior to or after practice. All interviews are scheduled in advance. Norma Collett is the Basketball Communications Director for the team and can be contacted by phone or email.

Contact at: 801-422-4908, office, 801-372-0989, cell, and email norma_collett@byu.edu

Looking Ahead

The Cougar team is at home hosting UNLV on Jan. 16 and Utah on Jan. 19. Start times for the home games are 4 and 7 p.m., respectively.