Bobcat Women Host Eastern Washington, Portland State
1/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Next Up:
The Montana State women’s basketball squad reaches the middle of a four-game home-stand when it hosts Eastern Washington and Portland State this weekend in Worthington Arena. Following a 75-65 setback to Northern Colorado last Thursday, the Bobcats are currently 8-10 overall and 3-3 in Big Sky Conference play. Senior Rebecca Mercer is second in the league in scoring, averaging 19.8 per contest. She guided MSU against Northern Colorado with a team-high 14 points. Eastern Washington is still looking for its first Big Sky victory. The Eagles are currently 3-16 overall and 0-6 in leauge play. In Big Sky action, EWU has been paced by Sydney Benson, who is averaging 13.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Last Saturday, the Eagles dropped a 77-56 decision at Portland State. Portland State is one of the surprises of the Big Sky this season. The Vikings are 15-4 overall and 5-1 in league play. PSU will play at Montana for the top spot in the league on Thursday night. The Vikings have been led this season by Kelsey Kahle, who averages 17.9 points.
‘Cat Tracks:
Montana State shot an icy 29 percent from the field in the second half against Northern Colorado and saw its 12-point lead squandered as UNC shot 65 percent in the second stanza...MSU had four players in double-figures against Northern Colorado, including Rebecca Mercer 14, Sarah Strand 12, Nubia Garcia 12 and Jenny Heringer 10...Mercer has yet to miss a free throw in Big Sky Conference action, connecting on 11-of-11 from the line. Mercer leads MSU in scoring (16.9) and three-point makes (44)...Erica Perry posted five steals against Northern Colorado to give her 54 thefts on the season. Her 3.00 steals per game leads the league and is among the top 40 in the nation, as well.
The Week That Was:
The Bobcats suffered a 75-65 setback to then front-running Northern Colorado, last Thursday in Worthington Arena. Part of the disappoinment stemmed from the dissipation of a 12-point MSU lead with 1:22 remaining in the opening stanza. The Bears went on a 7-0 run to cut the margin to 35-30 at intermission. The Bobcats held a seven-point cushion with 11-minutes remaining, before UNC rattled off an 11-2 run to take a 59-57 lead with 5:20 left. It was a lead they wouldn’t relinquish down the stretch. MSU ended the game shooting 37 percent from the field, however, the Bobcats shot an icy 29 percent from the field in the second stanza. Four Montana State players hit double-figures, led by Rebecca Mercer with 14 points. She was followed by Nubia Garcia 12, Sarah Strand 12, and Jenny Heringer 10. Senior Krislyn Wallace paced MSU under the boards with a game-high nine rebounds, while Erica Perry recorded a game-high five steals. Heringer, a Billings Central grad, had a solid performance. In addition to ten points, she added seven rebounds four assists and two steals.
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 72 percent from the charity line, with Rebecca Mercer leading the way at 81 percent. Mercer has not missed a free throw in Big Sky play, converting 11-of-11 attempts. Her current career free-throw percentage of .872 (109-125) ranks first on MSU’s all-time FT percentage chart.
To Catch a Thief:
As a team, the Bobcats are second in the Big Sky Conference in steals, averaging 8.94 thefts per game. Sophomore Erica Perry paces the team and the Big Sky Conference, averaging 3.00 steals per outing. Perry, a native of Lynwood, Calif., is ranked 29th in the nation in steals per game.
MSU Player of the Week:
Jenny Heringer posted the best all-around game for Montana State in its loss to Northern Colorado on Thursday night. The Billings Central graduate tallied 10 points, connecting five-of-10 from the field. In addition, she pulled down seven rebounds and added four assists and two steals. Heringer started her fourth game of the year and logged 33 minutes. Heringer is currently sixth on the team in scoring, averaging 5.3 points. She is averaging 7.5 points in Big Sky play. Heringer is second on the squad in assists and third in three-point makes. Two weeks ago, she registered a career-high 19 points in Montana State’s win at Weber State.
Da Wonder From Down Under:
Senior Rebecca Mercer is off to another strong start for the Bobcats. She currently leads the team in scoring (16.9) and is second in assists (1.9). In 17 games to date, she has been in double-digit scoring on 15 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 14.0 points per game ranks 6th among the top 10 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 (12.6 ppg). She first on the team under the glass, averaging 6.7 rebounds per game. Wallace’s current 6.9 career rebounds per game average is 5th all-time at MSU. She posted a season-high 24 points against Gonzaga. Wallace, a 6-foot-1 junior, transferred to MSU from Eastern Utah.
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 14 games and is averaging 10.9 points and 4.4 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 14.5 minutes per game. She is averaging 4.8 points and 2.3 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:
To date, it’s been one wacky season in the Big Sky: consider PSU’s win over ISU; UNC over PSU; SAC’s win at NAU; NAU’s sweep of ISU and WSU; ISU’s win over UM; and MSU’s win at WSU for the first time since 1996.
For this week's complete women's basketball release, click on the 'PDF Version Available' link at the top of this page.
The Montana State women’s basketball squad reaches the middle of a four-game home-stand when it hosts Eastern Washington and Portland State this weekend in Worthington Arena. Following a 75-65 setback to Northern Colorado last Thursday, the Bobcats are currently 8-10 overall and 3-3 in Big Sky Conference play. Senior Rebecca Mercer is second in the league in scoring, averaging 19.8 per contest. She guided MSU against Northern Colorado with a team-high 14 points. Eastern Washington is still looking for its first Big Sky victory. The Eagles are currently 3-16 overall and 0-6 in leauge play. In Big Sky action, EWU has been paced by Sydney Benson, who is averaging 13.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Last Saturday, the Eagles dropped a 77-56 decision at Portland State. Portland State is one of the surprises of the Big Sky this season. The Vikings are 15-4 overall and 5-1 in league play. PSU will play at Montana for the top spot in the league on Thursday night. The Vikings have been led this season by Kelsey Kahle, who averages 17.9 points.
‘Cat Tracks:
Montana State shot an icy 29 percent from the field in the second half against Northern Colorado and saw its 12-point lead squandered as UNC shot 65 percent in the second stanza...MSU had four players in double-figures against Northern Colorado, including Rebecca Mercer 14, Sarah Strand 12, Nubia Garcia 12 and Jenny Heringer 10...Mercer has yet to miss a free throw in Big Sky Conference action, connecting on 11-of-11 from the line. Mercer leads MSU in scoring (16.9) and three-point makes (44)...Erica Perry posted five steals against Northern Colorado to give her 54 thefts on the season. Her 3.00 steals per game leads the league and is among the top 40 in the nation, as well.
The Week That Was:
The Bobcats suffered a 75-65 setback to then front-running Northern Colorado, last Thursday in Worthington Arena. Part of the disappoinment stemmed from the dissipation of a 12-point MSU lead with 1:22 remaining in the opening stanza. The Bears went on a 7-0 run to cut the margin to 35-30 at intermission. The Bobcats held a seven-point cushion with 11-minutes remaining, before UNC rattled off an 11-2 run to take a 59-57 lead with 5:20 left. It was a lead they wouldn’t relinquish down the stretch. MSU ended the game shooting 37 percent from the field, however, the Bobcats shot an icy 29 percent from the field in the second stanza. Four Montana State players hit double-figures, led by Rebecca Mercer with 14 points. She was followed by Nubia Garcia 12, Sarah Strand 12, and Jenny Heringer 10. Senior Krislyn Wallace paced MSU under the boards with a game-high nine rebounds, while Erica Perry recorded a game-high five steals. Heringer, a Billings Central grad, had a solid performance. In addition to ten points, she added seven rebounds four assists and two steals.
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 72 percent from the charity line, with Rebecca Mercer leading the way at 81 percent. Mercer has not missed a free throw in Big Sky play, converting 11-of-11 attempts. Her current career free-throw percentage of .872 (109-125) ranks first on MSU’s all-time FT percentage chart.
To Catch a Thief:
As a team, the Bobcats are second in the Big Sky Conference in steals, averaging 8.94 thefts per game. Sophomore Erica Perry paces the team and the Big Sky Conference, averaging 3.00 steals per outing. Perry, a native of Lynwood, Calif., is ranked 29th in the nation in steals per game.
MSU Player of the Week:
Jenny Heringer posted the best all-around game for Montana State in its loss to Northern Colorado on Thursday night. The Billings Central graduate tallied 10 points, connecting five-of-10 from the field. In addition, she pulled down seven rebounds and added four assists and two steals. Heringer started her fourth game of the year and logged 33 minutes. Heringer is currently sixth on the team in scoring, averaging 5.3 points. She is averaging 7.5 points in Big Sky play. Heringer is second on the squad in assists and third in three-point makes. Two weeks ago, she registered a career-high 19 points in Montana State’s win at Weber State.
Da Wonder From Down Under:
Senior Rebecca Mercer is off to another strong start for the Bobcats. She currently leads the team in scoring (16.9) and is second in assists (1.9). In 17 games to date, she has been in double-digit scoring on 15 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 14.0 points per game ranks 6th among the top 10 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 (12.6 ppg). She first on the team under the glass, averaging 6.7 rebounds per game. Wallace’s current 6.9 career rebounds per game average is 5th all-time at MSU. She posted a season-high 24 points against Gonzaga. Wallace, a 6-foot-1 junior, transferred to MSU from Eastern Utah.
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 14 games and is averaging 10.9 points and 4.4 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 14.5 minutes per game. She is averaging 4.8 points and 2.3 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:
To date, it’s been one wacky season in the Big Sky: consider PSU’s win over ISU; UNC over PSU; SAC’s win at NAU; NAU’s sweep of ISU and WSU; ISU’s win over UM; and MSU’s win at WSU for the first time since 1996.
For this week's complete women's basketball release, click on the 'PDF Version Available' link at the top of this page.
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