Bobcat Women's Basketball Squad Opens Season at Utah Valley
11/14/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
This Week in Bobcat Women’s Basketball:
2008-09 Road/Home Opening Weekend
Game No. 1 (McKay Center -- Orem, UT -- 8,500 )
Friday, Nov. 14 Montana State at Utah Valley Tip Time: 4:30 p.m. (MST)
Game No. 2 (Worthngton Arena -- Bozeman, MT -- 7,250)
Sunday, Nov. 16 North Dakota vs. Montana State
Tip Time: 2:05 p.m. (MST)
Radio: KZMY 103.5 FM (Tyler Wiltgen)
Web Video Streaming: at www.bigskytv.org (UND Game)
Live Stats: www.wolverinegreen.com/www.msubobcats.com
Next Up:
The Montana State women’s basketball squad will open its 2008-09 campaign at Utah Valley on Friday. Tip is slated for 4:30 p.m. against the Wolverines in McKay Center. Last winter, the Bobcats defeated the Wolverines 79-69 in Worthington Arena as former MSU standout Rebecca Mercer went off for a game-high 30 points. Friday’s game will also mark the season opener for Utah Valley. The Wolverines will be led by senior center Robyn Fairbanks, who was the NCAA Division I Independent Player of the Year and an Assoicated Press Honorable Mention All-America, after averaging 23.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. MSU will host perennial NCAA Division II power North Dakota on Sunday afternoon. UND will transition to the Division I level this season. The Fighting Sioux downed the Bobcats 88-74 in Grand Forks, last December. North Dakota returns Kierah Kimrbough, (6-1, F, Sr) who averaged 17.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. As a junior, she was a Division II Honorable Mention All America performer.
The Dish on Trish:
(34-52 Overall in 4th Year; 21-25 Big Sky Conference in 4th Year)
Tricia Binford is in her fourth season at Montana State. She became the 11th Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Montana State on April 13, 2005. Prior to MSU, Binford, served two seasons at Utah State. At USU, Binford earned her coaching wings under head coach Raegan Scott-Pebley. The duo helped reestablish the Aggie program following a 16-year hiatus. With the Aggies, Binford was responsible for recruiting, defense, and guard play. Binford also served as an assistant coach at her alma mater- Boise State University from 1999-2001. Binford was the 31st overall pick in the 1998 WNBA draft, and played professionally with the Cleveland Rockers from 1999-02, where she participated on the 2001 Eastern Conference Championship team. She played with the Utah Starzz from 1998-99. She also played professionally in Australia for two years, including stints in the NWBL’s Brisbane Blazers, Latrobe Demons and Launceston Tornadoes. Playing in the NWBL in 1997, she set a single-game scoring record with 67 points- which was part of a quadruple-double of 67 points, 14 assists, ten steals and ten rebounds. As Tricia Bader, she was a three-time All-Big Sky Conference selection on some of the best teams in Boise State history. She led the Broncos to a national ranking and the NCAA tournament. Binford was also a member of the 1993 West Team at the U.S. Olympic Festival. For her efforts, she was named the 1996 Idaho NCAA Woman of the Year and was inducted in the Boise State Hall of Fame in 2001. Binford left Boise State with the school’s career assists record and was second in steals. She posted a career 1,171 points—all from the point guard position. Binford prepped at Roaring Fork High School in Carbondale, Colo., where she was the Colorado Player of the Year and a Street and Smith’s High School All-American in 1991. She received her degree in criminal justice from Boise State in 1995. Binford and her husband Todd, have one son: Justin, born April 3, 2004; and one daughter, Brooklyn, born August 4, 2008. Binford is joined on the bench by Associate Head Coach Amy Saneholtz, who is in her fourth season, along assistants Justin Scanson and Many Close.
‘Cat Chat:
For the second consecutive year the Montana State women’s basketball team ranked among the nation’s finest in terms of academics. After ranking fourth in the country in 2006-07, MSU once again found themselves listed in the upper echelon being listed in the top 15 with an overall team cumulative grade-point average of 3.392...Aside from their achievements on the court and in the classroom, the Bobcats enjoyed success at the ticket window. Montana State posted the fourth highest increase in attendance from the previous year at the NCAA Division I level. MSU averaged 3,035 fans last winter- an increase from 1,791 in 2006-07...The Bobcats finished 2007-08 with an 18-13 record and an 11-5 Big Sky Conference slate. After upsetting Idaho State in the semifinals at the league tournament, Montana State played in its first Big Sky Conference championship game since 2003. The Bobcats also defeated every Big Sky Conference team last season, a feat they last accomplished in 2002-03...MSU finished the 2007-08 season ranked 27th in the nation in scoring (73.2) and 28th in free throw percentage (75.1). The Bobcats were led by senior first-team All-Big Sky performer Rebecca Mercer, who averaged 18.4 points per game and 2.69 treys. MSU returns 57 percent of its offense this season, including top returning scorer Sarah Strand, who averaged 9.7 points per game.
In the Spotlight:
Nubia Garcia
6-2, F, Senior
Chihuahua, Mexico
Garcia played on the Mexican National Team this season at the 2008 Centrobasket Championship for Women in Puerto Rico. Garcia averaged 13.3 points and six rebounds in four games...Garcia will be featured in the NCAA’s Champion magazine for her exploits off the court. Garcia, a photography major, will have her worked displayed at the 2009 NCAA Convention in Washington, D.C...Last season, Garcia averaged 8.8 points and 6.7 rebounds, after coming back from a broken collar bone that saw her miss the first seven games of the season.
Anne Phippard
5-10, G, Senior
Kirkland, Washington
Phippard played a major role in MSU’s march to the Big Sky Conference championship game, scoring 10 points against Idaho State in semifinal action. In fact, she notched two double-digit games in two of MSU’s last four games, after averaging just 2.5 ppg during the regular season...An outstanding student, she’ll become a four-time All-Big Sky Conference Academic honoree.
Jenny Heringer
6-0, G, Junior
Billings, Montana
Was named second-team All-Big Sky Conference after averaging 8.7 points and 4.6 rebounds, while shooting 40 percent from the field and team-best 85 percent from the line...Heringer had an outstanding league season, averaging 12.3 points and 6.4 rebounds, while shooting 46 percent from the field and 89 percent from the line...Posted her best game of the 2007-08 campaign with a career high 23 points, including four three-pointers in Montana State’s win over Montana.
For this week's complete Bobcat women's basketball notes, click on the 'PDF Version Available' link at the top of this page.
2008-09 Road/Home Opening Weekend
Game No. 1 (McKay Center -- Orem, UT -- 8,500 )
Friday, Nov. 14 Montana State at Utah Valley Tip Time: 4:30 p.m. (MST)
Game No. 2 (Worthngton Arena -- Bozeman, MT -- 7,250)
Sunday, Nov. 16 North Dakota vs. Montana State
Tip Time: 2:05 p.m. (MST)
Radio: KZMY 103.5 FM (Tyler Wiltgen)
Web Video Streaming: at www.bigskytv.org (UND Game)
Live Stats: www.wolverinegreen.com/www.msubobcats.com
Next Up:
The Montana State women’s basketball squad will open its 2008-09 campaign at Utah Valley on Friday. Tip is slated for 4:30 p.m. against the Wolverines in McKay Center. Last winter, the Bobcats defeated the Wolverines 79-69 in Worthington Arena as former MSU standout Rebecca Mercer went off for a game-high 30 points. Friday’s game will also mark the season opener for Utah Valley. The Wolverines will be led by senior center Robyn Fairbanks, who was the NCAA Division I Independent Player of the Year and an Assoicated Press Honorable Mention All-America, after averaging 23.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. MSU will host perennial NCAA Division II power North Dakota on Sunday afternoon. UND will transition to the Division I level this season. The Fighting Sioux downed the Bobcats 88-74 in Grand Forks, last December. North Dakota returns Kierah Kimrbough, (6-1, F, Sr) who averaged 17.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. As a junior, she was a Division II Honorable Mention All America performer.
The Dish on Trish:
(34-52 Overall in 4th Year; 21-25 Big Sky Conference in 4th Year)
Tricia Binford is in her fourth season at Montana State. She became the 11th Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Montana State on April 13, 2005. Prior to MSU, Binford, served two seasons at Utah State. At USU, Binford earned her coaching wings under head coach Raegan Scott-Pebley. The duo helped reestablish the Aggie program following a 16-year hiatus. With the Aggies, Binford was responsible for recruiting, defense, and guard play. Binford also served as an assistant coach at her alma mater- Boise State University from 1999-2001. Binford was the 31st overall pick in the 1998 WNBA draft, and played professionally with the Cleveland Rockers from 1999-02, where she participated on the 2001 Eastern Conference Championship team. She played with the Utah Starzz from 1998-99. She also played professionally in Australia for two years, including stints in the NWBL’s Brisbane Blazers, Latrobe Demons and Launceston Tornadoes. Playing in the NWBL in 1997, she set a single-game scoring record with 67 points- which was part of a quadruple-double of 67 points, 14 assists, ten steals and ten rebounds. As Tricia Bader, she was a three-time All-Big Sky Conference selection on some of the best teams in Boise State history. She led the Broncos to a national ranking and the NCAA tournament. Binford was also a member of the 1993 West Team at the U.S. Olympic Festival. For her efforts, she was named the 1996 Idaho NCAA Woman of the Year and was inducted in the Boise State Hall of Fame in 2001. Binford left Boise State with the school’s career assists record and was second in steals. She posted a career 1,171 points—all from the point guard position. Binford prepped at Roaring Fork High School in Carbondale, Colo., where she was the Colorado Player of the Year and a Street and Smith’s High School All-American in 1991. She received her degree in criminal justice from Boise State in 1995. Binford and her husband Todd, have one son: Justin, born April 3, 2004; and one daughter, Brooklyn, born August 4, 2008. Binford is joined on the bench by Associate Head Coach Amy Saneholtz, who is in her fourth season, along assistants Justin Scanson and Many Close.
‘Cat Chat:
For the second consecutive year the Montana State women’s basketball team ranked among the nation’s finest in terms of academics. After ranking fourth in the country in 2006-07, MSU once again found themselves listed in the upper echelon being listed in the top 15 with an overall team cumulative grade-point average of 3.392...Aside from their achievements on the court and in the classroom, the Bobcats enjoyed success at the ticket window. Montana State posted the fourth highest increase in attendance from the previous year at the NCAA Division I level. MSU averaged 3,035 fans last winter- an increase from 1,791 in 2006-07...The Bobcats finished 2007-08 with an 18-13 record and an 11-5 Big Sky Conference slate. After upsetting Idaho State in the semifinals at the league tournament, Montana State played in its first Big Sky Conference championship game since 2003. The Bobcats also defeated every Big Sky Conference team last season, a feat they last accomplished in 2002-03...MSU finished the 2007-08 season ranked 27th in the nation in scoring (73.2) and 28th in free throw percentage (75.1). The Bobcats were led by senior first-team All-Big Sky performer Rebecca Mercer, who averaged 18.4 points per game and 2.69 treys. MSU returns 57 percent of its offense this season, including top returning scorer Sarah Strand, who averaged 9.7 points per game.
In the Spotlight:
Nubia Garcia
6-2, F, Senior
Chihuahua, Mexico
Garcia played on the Mexican National Team this season at the 2008 Centrobasket Championship for Women in Puerto Rico. Garcia averaged 13.3 points and six rebounds in four games...Garcia will be featured in the NCAA’s Champion magazine for her exploits off the court. Garcia, a photography major, will have her worked displayed at the 2009 NCAA Convention in Washington, D.C...Last season, Garcia averaged 8.8 points and 6.7 rebounds, after coming back from a broken collar bone that saw her miss the first seven games of the season.
Anne Phippard
5-10, G, Senior
Kirkland, Washington
Phippard played a major role in MSU’s march to the Big Sky Conference championship game, scoring 10 points against Idaho State in semifinal action. In fact, she notched two double-digit games in two of MSU’s last four games, after averaging just 2.5 ppg during the regular season...An outstanding student, she’ll become a four-time All-Big Sky Conference Academic honoree.
Jenny Heringer
6-0, G, Junior
Billings, Montana
Was named second-team All-Big Sky Conference after averaging 8.7 points and 4.6 rebounds, while shooting 40 percent from the field and team-best 85 percent from the line...Heringer had an outstanding league season, averaging 12.3 points and 6.4 rebounds, while shooting 46 percent from the field and 89 percent from the line...Posted her best game of the 2007-08 campaign with a career high 23 points, including four three-pointers in Montana State’s win over Montana.
For this week's complete Bobcat women's basketball notes, click on the 'PDF Version Available' link at the top of this page.
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