d13_j20mar_state (Page 13)

SPECIAL SPORTS SOUVENIR EDITION
ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL
SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 2004 D13
2 Incomparable Teams Baylor Bears Down
Compliments flow
between Lobos, Gators
before big showdown
First-Time Lions
Are First-Round Foe
■
BY RANDY HARRISON
BY MIKE HALL
Journal Staff Writer
Associate Sports Editor
JIM THOMPSON/JOURNAL
UNM’s team watches as Florida’s Vanessa Hayden, No. 55,
takes a shot in the Gators’ workout in the Pit Friday.
“We just want to stay
focused and black that out,”
added Santos.
The Florida players also noted that they’ve heard about the
dangers of altitude, even
though New Mexico coach Don
Flanagan joked that he was
staying mum on the subject.
“They’ll probably figure that
out for themselves,” he said.
“I’m sure they’ve been told
about it, but I think it’s more
mental than physical. But I’m
not telling them about that
(either).”
Hayden said she’d heard all
about the altitude, but that following
Friday’s
one-hour
workout, “I felt good out there.
The last nine days (for Florida)
have been serious boot camp.”
Since losing March 5 to
Georgia in the SEC tournament, the Gators have spent
much of their practice time on
conditioning.
With the home-court advantage and altitude out of the
way, talk turned to what to
expect on the court.
Forest, at 6-2, faced Florida
and Hayden when she was a
freshman, but didn’t remember much about that game. Has
watching film of the Gators
jogged her memory?
“She’s still fairly large,” Forest said. “She’s a skilled, strong
player who is hard to defend in
the low post. We’ll try to keep
her off.”
The Lobos this season have
faced USC’s Ebony Hoffman,
6-1, and Arizona’s Shawtinice
Polk, 6-3.
“She’s more like Hoffman,”
Flanagan said of the Trojans’
wide-but-graceful
center.
“One thing about Hayden is
that her arm length is incredible.”
He said that if Hayden stood
with her arms stretched
toward the sky she would have
2 feet on any of his Lobos.
“She’s a physical player who
can go right through you.”
Hayden averages 19.3 points
and 10.7 rebounds.
Blackmon was at Friday’s
practice in the Pit, but she didn’t do much. Practices the day
before NCAA first-round
games are open to the public
and pretty much for show anyway.
Baylor has won 96 games in
Mulkey-Robertson’s
four
years, but did not advance
beyond the first weekend of
NCAA play in its two previous
appearances.
Mulkey-Robertson, whose
rich pedigree includes national
championships
as
a
Louisiana Tech player and
assistant, said that in itself
shows her team has a ways to
go to be “elite.”
“You’ve gotta understand
where I’ve been — 16 Final
Fours … We are just beginning
this thing and trying to figure
out how to get to a Sweet Sixteen.”
Loyola Marymount breezed
through West Coast Conference campaign and has won 15
straight despite wearing the
favorite’s bull’s-eye. The Lions
captured the league postseason tournament and thus
gained the WCC’s lone NCAA
bid.
“Each game has a very special meaning, back to when we
played Pepperdine with three
games remaining (to clinch the
regular season title),” said Wilhoit.
Baylor and LMU last played
in December of 2000, with the
Lady Bears winning 77-66 at
home in Waco, Texas.
Four current Lions, including WCC player of the year
Kate Murray, participated in
that game. LMU is an experienced and savvy team that
goes five deep on the bench —
which should help offset the
Los Angeles-based school’s
adjustment to playing at altitude.
“We have to go in knowing
that we prepared ourselves as
much as possible,” said Murray. “Our preparation and our
confidence in ourselves will
help us overcome any disadvantages.”
Baylor vs. Loyola Marymount
Today at the Pit, 7:21 p.m. Radio: KNML-AM (610). TV: ESPN2
Today at the Pit, 9:40 p.m. TV: ESPN2
They’re available online at
www.golobos.com. Click on
the red-and-blue NCAA logo.
Payments by check, money
order or major credit card are
accepted.
No. 12 New Mexico
(23-7)
No. 5 Florida
(18-10)
No. 4 Baylor
(24-8)
No. 13 Loyola Marymount
(24-5)
LOCATION:
LOCATION:
LOCATION:
LOCATION:
Albuquerque
Gainesville, Fla.
Waco, Texas
Los Angeles
NICKNAME: Lobos
NICKNAME: Gators
NICKNAME:
NICKNAME: Lions
RECORD: 23-7 over-
RECORD: 18-10
all, 12-2 in the Mountain West Conference
overall, 8-6 in the SEC
ARNDT
MOREHEAD
COACH: Carolyn
Peck (second year at
Florida, 27-29; 82-40
overall in five years.
Won NCAA crown at
Purdue in 1999)
Flanagan (189-87 in
ninth year at UNM)
ROAD TO THE PIT:
FOREST
LETZ
Key Reserves
13 Katie Montgomery MOORE
5-11, G, Fr., 5.1 ppg,
2.7 rpg
30 Fatima Maddox
5-6, G, Fr., 4.9 ppg,
1.9 rpg
4 Jenny Shetters 6-4,
C, Jr., 3.6 ppg, 1.5
rpg
50 Lauren McLeod
5-11, F, Sr., 3.6 ppg,
VOGT
1.6 rpg
40 Julie Briody 6 feet, G, Fr., 4.9 ppg,
1.0 rpg
24 Jana Francis 6-3, P, So., 2.9 ppg,
1.7 rpg
all, 10-6 in the Big 12
all, 13-1 in the West
Coast Conference
TOURNAMENT
HISTORY: 1-2 in two
TOURNAMENT
HISTORY: First
appearances, last in
2002
YOUNG
ROAD TO THE PIT:
ROAD TO THE PIT:
Gators were only 9-19
last season in first
year under Peck. Flori- DAVIS
da has lost five of its
last seven games
after winning five in a
row in the tough SEC.
Center Vanessa
Hayden, who averages
a double-double,
might be the first post
player taken in the
WNBA draft.
Starters
Starters
HAYDEN
SANTOS
33 Sophia Young 6-1,
F, So., 16.4 ppg,
8.6 rpg
51 Emily Niemann 61, F, Fr., 9.7 ppg,
2.7 apg
50 Dionne Brown 6-2,
F, Sr., 7.9 ppg,
5.4 rpg
10 Jessika Stratton
5-10, G, Sr., 9.4 ppg,
3.8 apg
2 Chelsea Whitaker
5-9, G, Jr., 5.1 ppg,
3.3 rpg
MURRAY
(236-209 in 15 years,
nine at LMU)
Roberton (96-34
in four seasons at
Baylor)
The Bears finished the
season with a No. 15
national ranking and
had wins over powerNIEMANN
houses Texas and
Texas Tech. Baylor
also defeated Florida
in Gainesville 71-54.
Stephanie Blackmon,
one of the Bears top
players, is doubtful
with a knee injury
suffered in the Big 12
tournament.
45 Tashia Morehead
5-11, F, Jr., 11.9 ppg,
5.5 rpg
32 Brittany Davis 6-2,
F, So., 3.2 ppg,
3.8 rpg
55 Vanessa Hayden
6-4, C, Sr., 19.3 ppg,
10.7 rpg
21 Danielle Santos
5-10, G, So., 9.1 ppg,
3.6 rpg
3 Tishona Gregory
5-5, G, Jr., 5.8 ppg,
1.8 rpg
appearance
COACH: Julie Wilhoit
COACH: Kim Mulkey
ROAD TO THE PIT:
Starters
42 Lindsey Arndt 6-1,
F, Jr., 10.4 ppg,
7.1 rpg
33 Melissa Forest
6-2, C, Sr., 10.5 ppg,
6.8 rpg
5 Abbie Letz 6 feet,
G, So., 5.6 ppg, 3.7
rpg
21 Mandi Moore 5-7,
G, Jr., 8.0 ppg, 4.4
apg
14 Judy Vogt 6-1, G,
So., 1.9 ppg, 1.0 rpg
appearances, the last
in 2002
RECORD: 24-5 over-
RECORD: 24-8 over-
TOURNAMENT
HISTORY: 8-9 in nine
COACH: Don
Won second consecutive Mountain West
Conference tournament and second
straight automatic bid
to the tournament.
Lobos have won 11 in
a row after opening
the season at 7-5.
Lady Bears
BROWN
Lions won the
automatic bid by winning the West Coast
Conference tournament. LMU has won
15 straight over the
TURNER
last two months. A
deep team, it has nine
players averaging
more than 10 minutes
a game.
Starters
22 Kate Murray 6
feet, F, Sr., 16.0 ppg,
6.4 rpg
33 Mary Turner 5-10,
F, Jr., 5.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg SLAUGHTER
23 Adrianne Slaughter
6-2, C, Sr., 10.8 ppg,
6.7 rpg
21 Bianca Ziemann
5-8, G, So., 6.3 ppg,
2.7 rpg
3 Raelen Self 5-6, G,
Sr., 4.6 ppg, 2.8 apg
Key reserves
STRATTON
Key reserves
Key reserves
33 Bernice Mosby
6-1, F, So., 13.2 ppg,
6.6 rpg
11 Sarah Lowe 5-7, G,
So., 4.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg
GREGORY
23 Tamia Williams 6
feet, F, Jr.,
2.9 ppg, 0.5 rpg
34 Dalila Eshe 6-3, F, So., 2.3 ppg,
3.0 rpg
45 Stephanie Blackmon 6-2, C, Jr.,
15.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg
21 Chameka Scott
6 feet, G, So., 4.7
WHITAKER
ppg, 3.8 rpg
35 Abiola Wabara 6 feet, F, Fr.,
2.4 ppg, 1.5 rpg
25 Melanie Hamerly 6-5, C, Jr.,
2.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg
30 Rachael Ziemann
ZIEMANN
5-8, G, So., 4.8 ppg,
1.7 rpg
32 Jacquelyn Woods
6 feet, F, Jr., 4.3 ppg,
2.8 rpg
12 Jasmin Matthews
6 feet, G, Sr.,
4.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg
20 Jenni Smith 6 feet,
C, So., 2.4 ppg,
1.2 rpg
SELF
According to the UNM ticket
office, today’s session is sold
out but approximately 600
tickets are available for Monday. Those are on sale as single-session tickets and are
$12 for adults and $6 for students. Phone orders for Monday’s tickets can be placed
after 8 a.m. Sunday at
925-5858 or 800-905-3315.
The ticket office opens at
4 p.m. today for those who
have not picked up tickets.
The office will remain open
until the start of the second
game.
NCAA TOURNAMENT GUIDE
PARKING: The cost is $5 in
the Rio Grande, Vista, Sierra,
Pecos, Mesa, Highland, Zia,
Kachina and Cherry-Silver
lots. There will be no charge
for parking in the dirt lots or
the lots east of the UNM
track.
SECURITY: There will be no
re-entry into the arena. All
large bags (backpacks, etc.)
are prohibited. All bags will be
inspected prior to entering the
area. Ticketholders can be
instructed to return prohibited
items to their vehicles,
homes, etc.
NON-PERMISSIBLE
ITEMS: Firearms, alcoholic
beverages, bottles, cans,
coolers, food, video cameras,
laser pointers, airhorns and
promotional items (e.g., cups,
flags) with commercial logos.
Chávez
25
UNM
Arena
“The Pit”
Yale
New Mexico vs. Florida
three appearances,
Sweet 16 in 2003
Center Adrianne Slaughter
leads Loyola Marymount into
the NCAA Tournament for the
first time.
Tickets
AT A GLANCE
TOURNAMENT
HISTORY: 2-3 in
JIM THOMPSON/JOURNAL
Jessika Stratton and her Baylor
teammates have high hopes of
a NCAA tournament run.
University
Asked to compare the University of Florida to a Mountain West Conference school,
Melissa Forest said, “They’re
faster than UNLV and a little
more skilled. There’s not a
team (in the MWC) that’s really comparable.”
That’s pretty high praise
from the University of New
Mexico senior post player
whose Lobos take on the
Gators at 7:21 tonight in the Pit
in the first round of the NCAA
Tournament.
But, the honey didn’t stop
flowing with Forest’s words.
“I haven’t seen anybody else
as talented at all five positions,” Florida coach Carolyn
Peck said of the Lobos.
“They’re 4 and 5-positions are
a strength, and they don’t play
just the 4 and 5. Mandi Moore
is a talented point guard, and
they go 10 deep.”
Florida sophomore guard
Danielle Santos added that
New Mexico doesn’t remind
her of any team from the
Southeastern
Conference,
known for its high-flying athletes, but did compare them to
Richmond, a team that beat the
Gators 98-88 early this season.
“They have a bunch of shooters and a style of play similar
to Richmond,” Santos said.
Friday at the Pit the words
were kind and the mood
relaxed as all four teams in this
portion of the Midwest Regional held open-to-the-public practices and met with both local
and visiting media.
It’s bound to get a little more
heated tonight when the fifthseeded Gators (18-10) and the
12th-seeded Lobos (23-7) start
things off.
A fair-sized contingent of
Lobos fans turned out to watch
Florida practice and then rose
to cheer New Mexico as their
heroes took the floor.
That was enough to convince
6-foot, 4-inch Florida senior
center Vanessa Hayden that
the Gators would be in hostile
territory. “The biggest crowd
we’ve played in front of was
Tennessee, but that was a more
friendly crowd,” she said.
The rhetorical tense “Is Baylor an elite team?” morphs into
the practicality of “Does it
matter?”
As the only nationally
ranked squad of the four competing, the No. 15 Lady Bears
(24-8) bear the burden of
expectations beginning with a
first-round NCAA Tournament game tonight at the Pit
against Loyola Marymount
(24-5).
The underdog Lions, saucereyed first-timers in the NCAA
Tournament, are looking for a
win. Baylor, in the NCAAs for
the third time in four years, is
looking for a run.
“The first time is extremely
exciting, but you have no idea
what to expect,” said Jessika
Stratton, Baylor senior guard.
“Now that I’ve been (to the
NCAAs), and we have some
seniors who have been to postseason play, we expect to win.
We’re excited to be here, but
it’s much more than that now.”
While that might not put all
the pressure on Baylor, it
relieves some from a Lions
squad that has “nothing to lose
and everything to gain,” says
LMU head coach Julie Wilhoit.
“We very much believe that
we belong. We very much
believe it’s OK for other people to overlook us,” said Wilhoit. “We’re here and going to
do absolutely the best we can.”
Battle-tested from the rigors
of its Big 12 schedule, Baylor
has lost only twice in the last
month. Both were to Texas by
a combined five points.
“At this point, it’s a little bit
X’s and O’s now, but it’s more
Jimmys and Joes,” said Baylor
coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson.
“It’s about kids making plays.”
All-Big 12 sophomore Sophia
Young (16.9 points and 8.6
rebounds per game) is Baylor’s best Jimmy, but the
Bears could be without their
best Joe.
Steffanie Blackmon, a 6foot, 2-inch post averaging
15.6 points and 6.9 rebounds a
game, has a dislocated
kneecap.
Mulkey-Robertson has said
all week that Blackmon, who
was hurt in the Big 12 Tournament on March 10, is “day to
day,” and didn’t elaborate on
Friday.
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Sunport
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