Complete Media Notes
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Season Statistics
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Player Game Highs
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Waves Game Notes
Pepperdine vs. #1 Connecticut
Friday, Dec. 5, 2003
at the Firestone Fieldhouse, Malibu, CA - 8 p.m.
TV: CSTV-Connecticut regional / Local-TV26
Radio: none
Internet Radio: available via pepperdinesports.com
Live Stats: available pepperdinesports.com
Game Tickets: available at Firestone Fieldhouse box office or by calling 310-506-4935.
Play-by-Play announcer: Darren Preston
Next Up for Pepperdine
Sun. Dec. 14..........at Illinois.........Noon
Tonight's Teams
The 2003-04 season does not get any easier for the Waves as they face their third Top 20 opponent, defending national champion and current No. 1 Connecticut, in Malibu on Friday...Pepperdine fell to 2-2 overall after losing to No. 19 Oklahoma, 95-77, in the championship game of the Yellowbook Turkey Shoot-out last weekend..UCONN, led by 2003 Wade Trophy winner and National Player of the Year Diana Taurasi, are currently a perfect 4-0 on the season...The Huskies beat Holy Cross, 76-42, on Monday and will face Siena Tuesday before challenging the Waves.
Last Time Out - Waves Fall To No. 19 Oklahoma, 95-77
No. 19 Oklahoma led by only two points midway through the second half, but the Pepperdine Waves committed too many late half errors and OU defeated them in the championship game of the Yellowbook Turkey Shoot-out in Malibu. Kelli Spencer was named to the all-tournament team after going 7-for-10 from the field, including 5-for-8 beyond the arc, for 22 points. Spencer also recorded a team-high four steals and grabbed four rebounds. Jennifer Lacy added 16 points, Kelly Greathouse and Shannon Mayberry completed 10 points each, respectively.
Pepperdine's Season Summary:
«Through four games, Kelli Spencer is averaging a team-high 14.0 points followed by Shanell Law (10.8 ppg).
«Pepperdine made 45.5 percent of its shots, including 34.7 percent from the three-point line (25-72), and 64.5 from foul line (40-62).
«The Waves feature a balance scoring attack where as three players have been high-point this season: Law (twice), Spencer and Funn.
«Shannon Mayberry is averaging a team-high 5.8 rpg., while Nicole Funn closely trails with 5.0 rpg.
«Law accounted for the most 3-pointers made (11-27) and Spencer has the highest 3-pointer average (8-19 for 42.1 percent).
«Pepperdine out-rebounded the opponents 152-134, out-blocked them 24-5, but were out-stolen 24-39.
«For the season, Pepperdine is averaging 68.9 points per contest versus the opponents 67.0 ppg. «In both losses combined, the Waves were out-scored 65-75 during the first half and 73-89 in the second period.
Scouting the Opponent: #1 Connecticut
«The Huskies are 4-0 and the closest game they've played this season was against Florida State where they won by 28 points.
«National Player of the Year Diana Taurasi is averaging 24. ppg., 5.0 rpg., and shooting 73.5 from the field.
«In its last time out, UConn beat Holy Cross 76-42 and was led in points by junior Jessic Moore who recorded 17 followed by Taurasi with 16 points, respectively.
The Waves/Huskies Series:
«Connecticut owns a 3-0 advantage over the Waves.
«The last time UCCONN was in Malibu on Nov. 21, 2000, the Waves held Taurasi scoreless as she went 0-3 from the field.
«Last season on Dec. 20, 2002, Connecticut rolled to a 109-48 victory. Shandrika Lee accounted for a team-high 15 points and Taurasi added a game-high 26 points for her squad.
Other Tidbits:
«Two Connecticut players call California home: Willnett Crockett (Harbor City) and Taurasi (Chino). So tonight will be a homecoming of sorts for the two Huskies.
«The Huskies' head coach, Geno Auriemma, is a five-time National Coach of the Year and his 18-year record stands at 501-99 (.835). He has won four national championships.
Pepperdine Roster Change: The Pepperdine women's basketball program welcomed a new addition to the squad last week. Alison Klingel, a 5-10 guard who hails from Grants Pass, Oregon, is a walk-on and will wear the No. 10 jersey. Although a sophomore in the classroom, Klingel will be a freshman on the court.
All-Tournament Team Queens Kelli Spencer and Shanell Law were named to the 2003 Yellowbook Turkey Shoot-out this weekend. While Spencer was the only consistent Waves' player through both matches after combining for 17 points on the weekend, Law's Friday night performance against UC Riverside was not overlooked by the media. She connected on four 3-pointers and finished the night with a game-high 17 points. Jennifer Lacy and Kelly Greathouse both received votes.
Injury Report: Shandrika Lee, a 2003-04 All-America candidate and the team's top player, has recovered fully from an ACL injury that sidelined her for the entire 2002-03 regular season. However, after the first exhibition contest this year, Lee aggravated her other knee and is out until further notice. Teoisha George, a 6-4 freshman forward, will not play either. She too is recovering from an early preseason injury. Shanell Law, a WCC preseason top returner, will be questionable for Friday's contest. After months of rehabilitation for her ankle, Law is still suffering from the injury.
Preview of the 2003-04 Waves:
« Trakh welcomes back nine letterwinners, including four starters from last year's team that went 22-8 overall, won the WCC regular-season title with a 12-2 mark, captured its second straight WCC Tournament championship and reached the NCAA Championships for the third time in school history. Pepperdine has the opportunity to be the first women's basketball team in WCC history to win three straight titles and championships if they are victorious this year.
« The 2002-03 season marked the third time in the last four years that Pepperdine advanced to the NCAA Championships. After defeating Santa Clara, 69-57, in the title game of the WCC Tournament, the Waves earned the conference's automatic berth and received a No. 12 seed in the West Regional and opened against No. 5 seed Louisiana Tech in the first round. Pepperdine traveled to Ruston, Louisiana, where it succumbed to the Lady Techsters, 94-60, before 4,000 fans at the Thomas Assembly Center on the campus of the Louisiana Tech.
« The Waves won 14 of their last 17 games and reached the 20-win plateau for the sixth consecutive season, becoming the first team in WCC history to accomplish the feat.
Head Coach Mark Trakh:
« In ten seasons as the Pepperdine head women's basketball coach, Mark Trakh has built a nationally recognized program that has been able to compete with the country's top teams and become a regular participant in post-season play.
« Under Trakh's leadership, Pepperdine has posted six consecutive 20-win seasons, including a 22-8 overall record last year, and a cumulative mark of 184-112 (.623).
« The 2002-2003 campaign concluded with the Waves making their fifth straight post-season appearance as they took part in the NCAA Tournament. Over the last six seasons, Pepperdine has registered an overall cumulative record of 128-56 (.696), including a 66-18 (.786) mark in West Coast Conference (WCC) play.
« Pepperdine's overall winning percentage (.696) during that time ranks second in the WCC behind Santa Clara (.716, 116-46). The Waves' WCC winning percentage (.780) ranks as the best in the conference.
Freshmen Frenzy:
<> Coach Trakh openly admits he has two of the best coaches when it comes to recruiting in Jody and Derek Wynn. This season was no exception as the two poured in an exceptional recruiting class:
At the guard, three-point threat Laura Wenski hails from Lenexa, Kansas. As the Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year, she comes in as the most decorated freshman on the squad. At the two-guard, Kerra Wodarski (Oregon City, Oregon) got the start in two games thus far this season and performed exceptionally well. Jasmine Clarendon (San Bernardino, Calif.) started all four game on the season and currently owns the team's highest shooting percentage (61.1). Finally, Teoisha George (Palmdale, Calif.), adds much needed height to the squad and looks to be a major factor this season when she heals from her injury.
Home Sweet Home:
« Pepperdine completed the 2002-03 season with a 12-4 (.750) record in games played at Firestone Fieldhouse.
« In 27 seasons, Pepperdine is 316-111 (.743) overall in games played at the `Stone.
On the Road Again:
« The Waves ended the season with a 9-4 overall away record and a 1-0 record in a neutral site.
« Pepperdine completed the WCC with a 6-1 road record and the lone loss occured at San Francisco on March 1st.
Last Season's Honors:
« The Waves enjoyed tremendous success in post-season awards last year beginning with Pepperdine alum, Tamara McDonald, being named WCC Player of the Year.
« Shanell Law is one of seven 2002-03 first-team WCC members back this season. She earned the accolade after finishing first in scoring on the team with 9.9 ppg.
« Kelli Spencer garnered first team WCC All-Academic honors and finished with the highest grade point average in women's basketball last season with a 3.9 GPA in Sports Medicine.
The Program:
« The women's basketball program is beginning its 28th intercollegiate season.
« The Pepperdine women's program has compiled an overall record to date of 463-353 (.568). « A total of 10 Pepperdine teams have posted 20-plus win campaigns, including six in the last six seasons.
«Pepperdine made its third overall and third straight NCAA Tournament appearance last year and fell to Louisiana Tech in the first round. The Waves have yet to get past the first round.
« Since the WCC league formed in 1985-86, the Waves have captured the league title on four occasions and they've all occured in four of the last five seasons.
« Pepperdine has the opportunity to be the first women's basketball team in WCC history to win three straight titles and championships if they are victorious this year.
