Bobcat Women Host Denver, Travel to Utah State
12/14/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Next Up:
The Montana State women’s basketball team will host the University of Denver on Saturday. The game is the back-end of a home-and-home series with the Pioneers. DU won the first meeting, 80-68, on Nov. 24 in the Mile High City. MSU was paced in the game by Krislyn Wallace with a career-high 19 points. She also hauled down eight rebounds. Senior Rebecca Mercer also notched 19 points. DU had four players in double-figures, led by Brooke Meyer and Andie Mason with 12 points, apiece. The Bobcats enter Saturday’s game coming off an impressive 79-69 win over previously unbeaten Utah Valley. Mercer posted a career-high 30 points in the win. MSU is now 3-4 on the season. Denver is coming off a 70-59 win over Columbia as Nnenna Akotaobi paced DU with 20 points. The Pioneers are 3-4 on the year. Utah State is 2-5 overall, after winning its last two outings over Big Sky foes Eastern Washington and Northern Arizona. USU plays at Utah on Saturday. The Aggies are led this season by Danyelle Snelgro, who is averaging 12.1 points per game.
‘Cat Tracks:
Montana State broke a four-game losing streak against previously unbeaten Utah Valley, as MSU held the Wolverines to 69 points...UVU entered the game averaging 86 points per contest...The Bobcats host Denver in the second game of a home-and-home series, on Saturday, Dec. 15...The Pioneers won the earlier meeting, 80-68, in the Mile-High City...MSU was led in the first encounter by Krislyn Wallace and Rebecca Mercer with 19 points, apiece...On Monday, the Bobcats will face Utah State, as Bobcat head coach Tricia Binford will go up against her former boss Raegan Pebley...Binford spent two seasons as an assistant to Pebley as the Aggies rebuilt its dormant women’s program...USU and MSU have met once with Binford and Pebley at the helm of their respective squads, with Binford owning a 1-0 advantage, as the Bobcats defeated Utah State last winter, 71-53, in Bozeman.
The Week That Was:
In its only game of the week, the Bobcats defeated previously undefeated Utah Valley, 79-69, on Dec. 5. Senior Rebecca Mercer recorded a career-high 30 points, connecting on 11-of-21 from the field. Also in double-figures for MSU was Sarah Strand with 12 points. Utah Valley entered the game averaging 86 points, but the ‘Cat defense held the Wolverines to 69 points and 39 percent from the field, including 33 percent from beyond the arc.
M*A*S*H 4077th:
Montana State has been hit with the injury bug in the early going this fall. However, the Bobcats did receive good news this week as Nubia Garcia, a starting forward from last season, has been cleared to practice. The 6-foot-1 junior has missed all seven Bobcat games after suffering a broken collarbone in preseason drills. Garcia averaged 9.9 points and 7.0 rebounds, last season. Rebecca Mercer and Jenny Heringer are also bouncing back from injury and not at a full 100 percent.
Turnin’ It Around:
Montana State had the 11th best turnaround in the nation at the NCAA Division I level, last year. MSU improved 8.5 games from its 3-23 mark during the 2005-06 campaign. The Bobcats finished 13-16 last season.
Smart Cookies:
As a team, MSU ranked 4th in the country, academically speaking. The Bobcats had a cumulative team grade-point average of 3.56 and ranked among the WBCA’s top five for the second straight season. MSU had a Big Sky Conference record 11 players on the league’s all-academic list last spring.
Toe The Line:
As a team, Montana State shot 72 percent from the free throw line during the 2006-07 season. Three Bobcats ranked among the Big Sky’s top ten in free throw percentage. Rebecca Mercer led the Big Sky shooting 92 percent, while Nubia Garcia was 9th (.776) and Alyssa Nelson 10th (.763). During the season, Mercer had a stretch of 23 consecutive makes. Currently, the Bobcats are shooting 71 percent from the charity line, with Krislyn Wallace leading the way at 78 percent.
To Catch a Thief:
As a team, the Bobcats lead the Big Sky Conference in steals, averaging 10.14 thefts per game. Sophomore Erica Perry paces the team and the Big Sky Conference, averaging 3.57 steals per game. Perry, a native of Lynwood, Calif., is ranked 11th in the nation in steals per game.
Bobcat of the Week:
Rebecca Mercer was named Montana State Player of the Week for her efforts against Utah Valley on Dec. 5. The 5-foot-9 guard from Perth, Australia, notched a career-high 30 points against the Wolverines. The senior connected on 11-of-21 from the field, 4-of-11 from beyond the arc and converted 4-of-6 free throws. In addition, Mercer hauled down five rebounds and dished out two asists. Mercer led all scorers at halftime with 16 points, hitting on 7-of-13 from the field. She knocked-down three 3-pointers in the second half, as the Bobcats shot 41 percent from the field. On the year, Mercer is averaging a team-best 16.1 points per game.
Da Wonder From Down Under:
Senior Rebecca Mercer is off to another strong start for the Bobcats. She currently leads the team in scoring (16.1) and is second in assists (2.3). In seven games to date, she has been in double-digit scoring on five occasions, including a Career-high 30 points against Utah Valley. Mercer was the 2006-07 Big Sky Conference Newcomer of the Year. Her current career scoring average of 13.1 points per game ranks among the top 15 all-time at Montana State.
The Hooper Hoopster:
Senior Krislyn Wallace, a 6-1 forward from Hooper, Utah is one of two MSU captains this winter. Wallace is second on the squad in scoring (11.7 ppg). She paces the Bobcats under the glass, averaging 6.9 rebounds per game. Wallace’s current 7.0 career rebounds per game average is 5th all-time at MSU. She posted a season-high 19 points at Denver. Wallace transferred to MSU from Eastern Utah as a junior.
Diaper Dandies:
Montana State has a pair of true-freshmen making significant contributions to the Bobcat squad. Sarah Strand, a graduate of King’s High School in the Seattle area, has started all seven games and is averaging 11.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. In addition, she is first on the team in blocked shots. Lyndi Seidensticker, a graduate of Lewis and Clark High School in Spokane is averaging 12.4 minutes per game. She is averaging 5.3 points and 2.1 rebounds on the season.
Montana Ink:
Montana State signed a pair of high school standouts during the early signing period. Rachel Pauli, 6-1 guard, of Big Timber and Katie Bussey, 5-9 guard, of Alamosa, Colo., have inked to play for the Bobcats next season. As a juniors, Pauli averaged 10.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, while Bussey poured in 13.7 points per contest.
Things That Make You Go Hmmm:
If Erica Perry continues to average 3.6 steals per game, she’ll have approximately 100 at the end of the season, which would be the 4th highest single-season mark ever recorded at MSU.
For this week's complete release, click on the 'PDF Version Available' link at the top of this page.
The Montana State women’s basketball team will host the University of Denver on Saturday. The game is the back-end of a home-and-home series with the Pioneers. DU won the first meeting, 80-68, on Nov. 24 in the Mile High City. MSU was paced in the game by Krislyn Wallace with a career-high 19 points. She also hauled down eight rebounds. Senior Rebecca Mercer also notched 19 points. DU had four players in double-figures, led by Brooke Meyer and Andie Mason with 12 points, apiece. The Bobcats enter Saturday’s game coming off an impressive 79-69 win over previously unbeaten Utah Valley. Mercer posted a career-high 30 points in the win. MSU is now 3-4 on the season. Denver is coming off a 70-59 win over Columbia as Nnenna Akotaobi paced DU with 20 points. The Pioneers are 3-4 on the year. Utah State is 2-5 overall, after winning its last two outings over Big Sky foes Eastern Washington and Northern Arizona. USU plays at Utah on Saturday. The Aggies are led this season by Danyelle Snelgro, who is averaging 12.1 points per game.
‘Cat Tracks:
Montana State broke a four-game losing streak against previously unbeaten Utah Valley, as MSU held the Wolverines to 69 points...UVU entered the game averaging 86 points per contest...The Bobcats host Denver in the second game of a home-and-home series, on Saturday, Dec. 15...The Pioneers won the earlier meeting, 80-68, in the Mile-High City...MSU was led in the first encounter by Krislyn Wallace and Rebecca Mercer with 19 points, apiece...On Monday, the Bobcats will face Utah State, as Bobcat head coach Tricia Binford will go up against her former boss Raegan Pebley...Binford spent two seasons as an assistant to Pebley as the Aggies rebuilt its dormant women’s program...USU and MSU have met once with Binford and Pebley at the helm of their respective squads, with Binford owning a 1-0 advantage, as the Bobcats defeated Utah State last winter, 71-53, in Bozeman.
The Week That Was:
In its only game of the week, the Bobcats defeated previously undefeated Utah Valley, 79-69, on Dec. 5. Senior Rebecca Mercer recorded a career-high 30 points, connecting on 11-of-21 from the field. Also in double-figures for MSU was Sarah Strand with 12 points. Utah Valley entered the game averaging 86 points, but the ‘Cat defense held the Wolverines to 69 points and 39 percent from the field, including 33 percent from beyond the arc.
M*A*S*H 4077th:
Montana State has been hit with the injury bug in the early going this fall. However, the Bobcats did receive good news this week as Nubia Garcia, a starting forward from last season, has been cleared to practice. The 6-foot-1 junior has missed all seven Bobcat games after suffering a broken collarbone in preseason drills. Garcia averaged 9.9 points and 7.0 rebounds, last season. Rebecca Mercer and Jenny Heringer are also bouncing back from injury and not at a full 100 percent.
Turnin’ It Around:
Montana State had the 11th best turnaround in the nation at the NCAA Division I level, last year. MSU improved 8.5 games from its 3-23 mark during the 2005-06 campaign. The Bobcats finished 13-16 last season.
Smart Cookies:
As a team, MSU ranked 4th in the country, academically speaking. The Bobcats had a cumulative team grade-point average of 3.56 and ranked among the WBCA’s top five for the second straight season. MSU had a Big Sky Conference record 11 players on the league’s all-academic list last spring.
Toe The Line:
As a team, Montana State shot 72 percent from the free throw line during the 2006-07 season. Three Bobcats ranked among the Big Sky’s top ten in free throw percentage. Rebecca Mercer led the Big Sky shooting 92 percent, while Nubia Garcia was 9th (.776) and Alyssa Nelson 10th (.763). During the season, Mercer had a stretch of 23 consecutive makes. Currently, the Bobcats are shooting 71 percent from the charity line, with Krislyn Wallace leading the way at 78 percent.
To Catch a Thief:
As a team, the Bobcats lead the Big Sky Conference in steals, averaging 10.14 thefts per game. Sophomore Erica Perry paces the team and the Big Sky Conference, averaging 3.57 steals per game. Perry, a native of Lynwood, Calif., is ranked 11th in the nation in steals per game.
Bobcat of the Week:
Rebecca Mercer was named Montana State Player of the Week for her efforts against Utah Valley on Dec. 5. The 5-foot-9 guard from Perth, Australia, notched a career-high 30 points against the Wolverines. The senior connected on 11-of-21 from the field, 4-of-11 from beyond the arc and converted 4-of-6 free throws. In addition, Mercer hauled down five rebounds and dished out two asists. Mercer led all scorers at halftime with 16 points, hitting on 7-of-13 from the field. She knocked-down three 3-pointers in the second half, as the Bobcats shot 41 percent from the field. On the year, Mercer is averaging a team-best 16.1 points per game.
Da Wonder From Down Under:
Senior Rebecca Mercer is off to another strong start for the Bobcats. She currently leads the team in scoring (16.1) and is second in assists (2.3). In seven games to date, she has been in double-digit scoring on five occasions, including a Career-high 30 points against Utah Valley. Mercer was the 2006-07 Big Sky Conference Newcomer of the Year. Her current career scoring average of 13.1 points per game ranks among the top 15 all-time at Montana State.
The Hooper Hoopster:
Senior Krislyn Wallace, a 6-1 forward from Hooper, Utah is one of two MSU captains this winter. Wallace is second on the squad in scoring (11.7 ppg). She paces the Bobcats under the glass, averaging 6.9 rebounds per game. Wallace’s current 7.0 career rebounds per game average is 5th all-time at MSU. She posted a season-high 19 points at Denver. Wallace transferred to MSU from Eastern Utah as a junior.
Diaper Dandies:
Montana State has a pair of true-freshmen making significant contributions to the Bobcat squad. Sarah Strand, a graduate of King’s High School in the Seattle area, has started all seven games and is averaging 11.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. In addition, she is first on the team in blocked shots. Lyndi Seidensticker, a graduate of Lewis and Clark High School in Spokane is averaging 12.4 minutes per game. She is averaging 5.3 points and 2.1 rebounds on the season.
Montana Ink:
Montana State signed a pair of high school standouts during the early signing period. Rachel Pauli, 6-1 guard, of Big Timber and Katie Bussey, 5-9 guard, of Alamosa, Colo., have inked to play for the Bobcats next season. As a juniors, Pauli averaged 10.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, while Bussey poured in 13.7 points per contest.
Things That Make You Go Hmmm:
If Erica Perry continues to average 3.6 steals per game, she’ll have approximately 100 at the end of the season, which would be the 4th highest single-season mark ever recorded at MSU.
For this week's complete release, click on the 'PDF Version Available' link at the top of this page.
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