Women's Basketball Opens Home Schedule Friday Against Southern Virginia
11/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
More Information:
Game 2
Coastal Carolina (1-0) vs. Southern Virginia (4-2)
Date: Friday, Nov. 25
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Kimbel Arena, Conway, S.C.
Series: Coastal leads 1-0
TV/Radio: None
Live Stats: www.GoCCUSports.com
Coastal Opens Home Schedule Friday Against Southern Virginia
The Coastal Carolina University women’s basketball team (1-0) opens its home schedule Friday, Nov. 25 against Southern Virginia University (4-2). Tipoff is at 7 p.m. in Kimbel Arena (1,039). Coastal is fresh off a 57-42 win over Campbell on Tuesday in which the Lady Chanticleers forced 28 turnovers and senior Kim Turner (West Memphis, Ark./Hiwassee C.C.) had 13 points and seven rebounds.
Scouting Southern Virginia
Southern Virginia has dropped two straight after starting the season 4-0. Its latest setback was an 86-45 loss to Wofford College Nov. 23. Lynette Adams led the Lady Knights with 19 points and six rebounds in the loss. Southern Virginia will face three Division I opponents this season as they travel to Radford University Jan. 12.
Southern Virginia is coached by Michael Harmon (Limestone ’91),who is in his sixth season at the Buena Vista, Va., campus. He has a career and school record of 76-80.
Series vs. Southern Virginia
The Lady Chants and Lady Knights have met just once on the hardwood, with Coastal coming away with a 119-66 win Feb. 26, 2003. Coastal had six players in double figures in the win, led by 18 points apiece from Whitney Shearer and Lucia Popovici. For a complete game story and box score of this game, turn to page 5 of the game notes.
Coastal Improves in Season Openers with Win over Campbell
Coastal Carolina improved to 7-2 in season openers under head coach Alan LeForce with its 57-42 win over Campbell Nov. 22. In its first season opener on the road since 1997-98, Coastal went 13-of-17 from the free-throw line and forced the Lady Camels into 28 turnovers as the Lady Chants led by as many as 16 points in the win. Coastal also has won seven of its last eight games against Campbell.
De-Fense, De-Fense
Coastal held Campbell to 42 points Nov. 22 in its 15-point win. That mark was just two off the lowest point output Campbell has had at home. The Lady Chants held the Camels to 37 percent from the field and just 46 shot attempts. Coastal outrebounded Campbell 40-32, led by senior Demaria Young’s (Memphis, Tenn./Walters State C.C.) nine.
Young Chairwoman of the Boards
Senior Demaria Young (Memphis, Tenn./Walters State C.C.), playing in the post for most of the game despite being 5-8, was one off her career high as she had nine rebounds in the 57-42 win over Campbell Nov. 22. Young had eight first-half rebounds, three offensive, and added four points in the win.
Yates Has Second Half Spurt
Junior Calisha Yates (Columbus, Ind./Chattanooga State C.C.), who played only two minutes in the first half with two fouls, scored 10 second-half points and added three rebounds and three steals in her first game in a Coastal uniform. Yates hit two three-pointers in five attempts and was the third Lady Chants in double figures in scoring in the win.
Turner Steady in Campbell Win
Senior Kim Turner (West Memphis, Ark./Hiwassee C.C.) played only 21 mintues in the 57-42 win over Campbell, but she ended up with a game-high 13 points, seven rebounds and three steals. It was the 17th time Turner has scored in double figures in her CCU career, as she has 357 career points.
Dill Stuffs Stat Sheet
While junior Alisha Dill (Johnson City, Tenn./Science Hill) had only five points in the 57-42 win over Campbell, she was big in every other statistical category. Dill had four rebounds, three offensive, a game-high six assists, three blocked shots and two steals. The three blocks were a career high, as she had only five blocks in her first two seasons at Coastal.
Chanticleers Picked Sixth in the Big South
The Coastal Carolina University women’s basketball team was picked to finish sixth in the Big South Conference annual preseason poll, announced at the League’s annual Basketball Tip-Off Luncheon in Charlotte, N.C.
Coastal earned 72 points, including one first-place vote, to earn the sixth spot. Liberty was picked to win its ninth straight regular-season title, earning 189 points and 14 first-place votes. High Point was not far behind with 181 points and nine first-place votes. UNC Asheville was picked third with 163 votes and two first-place votes. Radford was picked fourth with 112 points, followed by Birmingham-Southern (95 points), Coastal, Charleston Southern (69 points) and Winthrop (55 points).
Turner Named to the Big South Preseason All-Conference Team
Senior Kim Turner (West Memphis, Ark./Hiwassee C.C.) was selected to the League’s Preseason All-Conference Team, it was announced at the League’s annual Basketball Tip-Off Luncheon in Charlotte, N.C.
Turner, a 6-0 forward, averaged 13.1 points and 6.0 rebounds in 26 games last season. She was a Second Team All-Big South selection in 2004-05 and was fourth in the conference in scoring and sixth in the League in rebounding. Turner had three double-doubles, including a 22-point, 15-rebound performance against Birmingham-Southern March 2. The forward also led the team with 32 blocked shots and had 55 steals, which was second on the team.
Turner was joined on the All-Big South Preseason Team by Preseason Player of the Year Katie O’Dell of High Point, Kristal Hood of UNC Asheville, Stacey Anthony of Birmingham-Southern, Allyson Fasnacht of Liberty and Corrie Fertitta of Radford.
Head Coach Alan LeForce
Coastal head coach Alan LeForce (Cumberland (Ky.) ’57) is starting his ninth season as the Lady Chanticleers’ mentor. He has a 108-117 record at CCU and a 348-297 overall record in 23 seasons as a head coach. LeForce is the all-time winningest women’s basketball coach in CCU history and is the only coach to win 100 games in both Division I men’s and women’s basketball.
New Faces for the Chants
Coastal will have three newcomers in 2005-06. Sophomore Joanna Pekonen (Lappeenranta, Finland/Lafayette) redshirted due to NCAA transfer rules last season. She had two rebounds in the Campbell win. Junior Calisha Yates (Columbus, Ind./Chattanooga State C.C.) started the Campbell game and had 10 second-half points. Freshman Kairsten Nunn (Bowie, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) had three points and two assists in the win over the Crusaders. Freshman Elizabeth Weaver (Unicoi, Tenn./Unicoi County) would be the fourth newcomer, but she is currently out with a shoulder injury.
New Face on the Bench
Coastal has a new coach for the 2005-06 season and she is no stranger to the Myrtle Beach area. Shameka Montgomery (UNC Wilmington ’03) was the conference Player of the Year in 1999 at North Myrtle Beach High School and was a nominee for Miss South Carolina Basketball. Montgomery went to UNC Wilmington, where she scored 1,139 points and grabbed 724 rebounds in her four-year career. She came to Coastal after playing overseas in Sweden in 2004-05.
Coastal Scorches Nets in Win over North Greenville
As a team, Coastal Carolina shot 57.4 percent in the 95-56 exhibition win over North Greenville Nov. 12. Senior Kim Turner (West Memphis, Ark./Hiwassee C.C.) and junior Alisha Dill (Johnson City, Tenn./Science Hill) combined to go 15-of-21 from the field in the win.
CCU Signs Five Student-Athletes to National Letters-of-Intent
The Coastal Carolina University women’s basketball program has signed five student-athletes to National Letters-of-Intent, head coach Alan LeForce announced Nov. 9.
"Without question, this is the best recruiting class we have assembled in the history of our program," LeForce said. "I know this will put some pressure on them to perform, but as a whole, it has to rank as one of the best classes in the history of the Big South."
The following is a list of the student-athletes coming to Coastal Carolina in 2006-07.
Name Pos. Ht. Hometown
Lauren Grochowski F 5-11 Naperville, Ill.
Lacey Lyons F 5-11 Beverly Hills, Fla.
Devin Rivers C 6-1 Miami, Fla.
Amanda Stull G 5-9 Rushville, Ind.
Lori Whitaker G 5-9 Bloomington, Ind.
Dill a Key from the Charity Stripe
Junior Alisha Dill (Johnson City, Tenn./Science Hill) looks to continue her form at the free-throw line that she had in 2004-05. Dill was 52-of-63 (.825) from the charity stripe last season, including going 6-of-6 in the opener against Anderson. Dill would have been second in the conference in free-throw percentage if she had enough attempts.
Rose Back for Fifth Year
Senior Amber Rose (Bloomington Springs, Tenn./Upperman) returns for her fifth year at Coastal. Rose missed her first season due to a medical redshirt, but has scored 263 points and grabbed 104 rebounds the last three seasons.
Ware Looks to Crack Starting Rotation
Sophomore C.J. Ware (Decatur, Ga./Lakeside) started nine of the last 12 games of the 2004-05 season and is penciled in as the starting point guard this season. Last year, Ware averaged 2.0 points a game in Big South contests and was 13-of-17 from the free-throw line.
Coastal Part of Carolinas Women’s Challenge
Coastal Carolina will be part of the Carolinas Women’s Challenge Dec. 20, at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. The challenge, which coincides with the Holiday Invitational High School Girls Basketball Tournament, pits the Lady Chants against the College of Charleston at 5 p.m. The University of North Carolina-Vanderbilt University tilt follows that game. For more information on the holiday tournament, visit www.beachballclassic.com.
Radio Broadcasts
The Coastal Carolina women’s baskeball team will have at least 12 games on radio this season, tipping off with Nov. 22 game against Campbell. All Coastal women’s basketball radio broadcasts are on "THE TEAM" 93.9 FM in Myrtle Beach. All games also will be available on Coastal Carolina’s athletic website at www.GoCCUSports.com.
Game Day Central
All the Coastal women’s basketball games this season will have a Game Day Central link on www.GoCCUSports.com, which will feature roster, schedules and stats for both teams as well as links to any live audio or live stats. Just click on the G under the women’s basketball schedule for access to the Game Day Central.
Up Next
Coastal travels to Wilmington, N.C., to face UNC Wilmington Tuesday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. The game will be on THE TEAM 93.9 FM and on www.GoCCUSports.com with the pre-game show starting at 6:50 p.m.
