NEVADA (5-5)
vs. UC RIVERSIDE (3-6)
~ GAME 11 ~
Sunday, December 21, 2008 * 2 p.m. (PT) * Lawlor Events Center * Reno, Nev.
RADIO: Fox Sports 1450 AM; Don Marchand, play-by-play; pregame 15 minutes before tip off
INTERNET: Live stats/streaming video (nevadawolfpack.com)
SERIES HISTORY: The all-time series is tied at 2-2.
LAST MEETING: Nevada beat UC Riverside, 62-52, in Riverside, Calif., on December 9, 2007.
About This Game
Coming off a road win at Santa Clara on Thursday night, the Pack will return to Lawlor Events Center to host UC Riverside on Sunday at 2 p.m. The game will mark the Pack’s first game at home since November 29.
Nevada is 16-4 at Lawlor Events Center since the start of the 2007-08 season. This year, Nevada is 4-1 at home this season and has won three straight at home this season.
About the Nevada Wolf Pack
As a team Nevada is averaging 63.9 points per game while its opponents are averaging 67.3 points per game. The Pack is shooting 36.2 percent from the floor, 27.3 percent from three-point range and 73.2 percent from the free throw line.
The Pack averages 11.1 assists per game, 39.2 rebounds per game, 9.4 steals per game and 16.7 made free throws per game.
Nevada picked up its first road win of the year on December 18 at Santa Clara, 67-53. Brandi Jones led five Nevada players in double figures in the win with 14 points. Cherlanda Franklin scored 13 points and added a team-high nine rebounds.
Nevada fell at UCLA on December 7, 62-47. Brandi Jones led the Pack with 16 points while Dellena Criner added 13. Shavon Moore grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.
Nevada fell on the road at UC Santa Barbara, 59-37, on December 4. Brandi Jones was the lone Pack player to score in double-figures as she scored a team-high 11 points. Shavon Moore grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. The 37 points scored by the Pack was the fewest amount of points Nevada has scored since the 1995-96 season.
Nevada returns four starters and 12 letterwinners from last season’s team that recorded an 18-12 overall record. Nevada’s returning starters include seniors Dellena Criner, Brandi Jones
and Cherlanda Franklin and junior Marianne Lombardi. Criner was named the WAC Preseason Player of the Year in the coaches poll and was also named to the first team in both the media and coaches polls while Jones was named to the Preseason All-WAC second team in the coaches poll. As a team, the Pack was picked fourth in the conference in both the WAC media and coaches poll.
Nevada enters the 2008-09 season under first-year head coach Jane Albright. Albright spent the previous five years as the head coach of Witchia State. During her 24-year career as a Division I head coach, Albright has led her teams to nine NCAA Tournament appearances.
Follow the Pack
On the Air (Fox Sports Radio 1450 AM): All 29 of Nevada’s regular-season games will be heard on Fox Sports Radio 1450 AM. Twenty-five of Nevada’s games this season will be called by Don Marchand while four, the Nugget Classic and Lady Griz Holiday Classic games, will be called by Ben Deach.
Live Stats: All of Nevada’s home games this season and select road games will have live stats and be available online at the following link.
http://www.nevadawolfpack.com/liveStats/liveStats.dbml
Live Streaming Video: All of Nevada’s home games this season and select road games will have live streaming video and can be found at the link below.
http://www.nevadawolfpack.com/liveEvents/liveEvents.dbml?&&&DB_OEM_ID=10000
About the UC Riverside Highlanders
UC Riverside is 3-6 overall and is coming off a 53-48 loss at #22 Arizona on December 17, 2008. Against Arizona, Kemie Nkele scored a game-high 27 points and added a team-high nine rebounds. Earlier this season on December 6, 2008, UC Riverside upset then #16 Vanderbilt, 50-47. The Highlanders opened the season the season in the Preseason WNIT, falling to then #4 Oklahoma, 88-57.
Kemie Nkele leads the team in both points per game (19.0) and rebounds per game (6.2). Roney Friend is second on the team in scoring (8.9 points per game) while Tainoisouti Lott is second on the team in rebounding, averaging 5.8 rebounds per game.
As a team, the Highlanders are averaging 52.9 points per game while their opponents average 57.6 points per game. UC Riverside shoots 39.4 percent from the floor, 29.5 percent from three-point range and 59.8 percent from the free throw line. The Highlanders average 31.6 rebounds per game.
UC Riverside is coached by John Margaritis who is in his fourth season at UC Riverside. He has a record of 70-61 with the Highlanders and a career record of 180-141 at Northeastern Illinois, National-Louis (IL), CSU San Bernardino and UC Riverside in 11 seasons. At UC Riverside, he has led the Highlanders to two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2005-06 and 2006-07.
News and Notes
- Nevada picked up its first road win of the season on Thursday, beating Santa Clara 67-53.
- Dellena Criner (235 career steals) needs just two steals to tie Traci Graham (2003-07) for the program record for career steals. As of December 18, 2008, Criner has recorded 235 steals and trails only Traci Graham (237) who is the program's leader. For her career, Criner averages just over two steals per game.
- Brandi Jones has led Nevada in scoring in the past three games. She scored 16 points in Nevada's loss at UCLA, 11 against UC Santa Barbara and 14 in Nevada’s win at Santa Clara.
- Brandi Jones led five Nevada players in double figures in Nevada’s win at Santa Clara. Cherlanda Franklin added 13 points while Marissa Hammond scored 11 and Johnna Ward and Dellena Criner each scored 10.
- Marissa Hammond went 5-of-5 from the floor against Santa Clara and finished with 11 points, tying her season high in points.
- In the Pack’s five wins this season the team is averaging 77.2 points per game while only averaging 50.6 points per game in the team’s five losses.
- Brandi Jones, who has recorded 916 career points, is averaging 10.9 ppg and would become the ninth player in program history to record at least 1,000 career points. It would also mark just the second time in history the Pack had two active 1,000 career points scorers on a roster as she would join teammate Dellena Criner. Chris Starr (1982-86; 2,356 career points) and Kit Larson (1981-85; 1,334 career points) were the other two 1,000 career point scorers who were on the same roster.
- Brandi Jones (470 career rebounds) and Cherlanda Franklin (460 career rebounds) would become the 11th and 12th players in program history to record at least 500 career rebounds. If Jones reaches 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds, she would become the seventh player in history to record at least 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds.
- Shavon Moore grabbed nine rebounds at UCLA, one off her career high of 10. Moore has led Nevada in rebounding this season in three of Nevada’s nine games this season.
- Kayla Williams grabbed a career-high six rebound at UC Santa Barbara.
- Brandi Jones, who scored a team-leading 14 points at Santa Clara , has either led or been tied for the team lead in scoring in five of Nevada’s 10 games this year.
- Dellena Criner has made the most free throws of any player in the conference (58) and has attempted the most free throws in the WAC (67).
- The 37 points Nevada scored in its loss at UC Santa Barbara marked the fewest number of points Nevada has scored since a 57-37 loss to Iowa State during the 1995-96 season.
- Jane Albright recorded her 400th career win against Northern Iowa on November 28.
Of her 402 career wins, Albright has earned five at Nevada, 48 at Wichita State, 161 at Wisconsin and 188 at Northern Illinois. Albright earned career victory number 401 with an upset victory over #7 Louisville on November 29.
- Nevada recorded its biggest victory in program history, upsetting #7 Louisville on November 29 in the championship game of the Nugget Classic.
- The seventh-ranked Louisville Cardinals were the highest ranked team the Pack had ever faced. Other nationally-ranked teams Nevada has faced are: #8 La Tech in 2003-04, #9 Cal in 2008-09 and #11 La Tech in 2002-03.
- Nevada won the Nugget Classic for the second straight year and the third time in the last four years.
- Dellena Criner was named the Nugget Classic MVP for the second straight year. Cherlanda Franklin was named to this season’s all-tournament team.
- Freshman Kayla Williams scored a career-high 15 points against #7 Louisville.
- Freshman Brittany Woodard recorded her first career start against #7 Louisville.
- Dellena Criner was named WAC Player of the Week on December 1 after averaging 22.0 ppg, 6.5 apg, 5.5 rpg and 3.0 spg in wins against Northern Iowa and #7/87 Louisville. It was the fourth career honor for Criner.
- The Pack shot a season-high 47.5 (28-of-59) percent from the floor versus #7 Louisville.
- The Pack has out-rebounded or tied its opponents in rebounding in seven of its 10 games this season, Eastern Washington, BYU, UNLV, St. Mary’s, Northern Iowa, #7 Louisville and Santa Clara.
- Nevada has had four games this year in which the Pack has made more free throws than its opponents have taken. In Nevada’s win over Eastern Washington, the Pack made more free throws (21-of-29) than Eastern Washington attempted (7-of-11) while in Nevada’s win over St. Mary’s the Pack went 25-of-33 from the free throw line while the Gaels went 12-of-20. Nevada also attempted more free throws (23-of-28) than #7 Louisville took (14-of-16) and the Pack made 16 free throws against Santa Clara while the Broncos only attempted 14.
- Nevada is 16-4 at Lawlor Events Center dating back to the beginning of the 2007-08 season.
- Dellena Criner recorded a double-double against St. Mary’s (14 points and 13 assists) and was two rebounds short of a triple double.
- Dellena Criner’s 13 assists were a career high passing her previous career high of eight. Her 13 assists is fifth on Nevada’s single-game list. Laura Ingham (2001-03) holds the single-game record for assists with 17 set in 2002 against UTEP.
- The 99 points the Pack scored in the 99-91 win against St. Mary’s were the most points Nevada has scored since the 1985-86 season when Nevada beat U.S. International 104-97.
- The program record for most points in a game is 109 as the Pack beat Cal State Hayward 109-74 on November 26, 1982.
- The 91 points allowed by Nevada is the most points the Pack has allowed since the Pack allowed 108 in a 108-72 loss to nationally-ranked La Tech on February 5, 2005.
- Cherlanda Franklin recorded a career-high 13 rebounds against UNLV passing her previous career best of 12 set in January of 2007 at Utah Valley University.
- The Pack’s loss to BYU on November 18 marked the first time Nevada has dropped below .500 since the 2006-07 season when Nevada was 7-8 on January 8, 2007.
- Nevada never led in the game versus BYU marking the first time Nevada hasn’t led in a game since January 2, 2008 when Nevada played at Utah Valley State. The Pack also never led against UC Santa Barbara this season.
- Nevada opened the season with five games in 10 days which started with Nevada’s home opener against Eastern Washington on November 14 and ended November 23 versus St. Mary’s. During that span the Pack went 2-3.
- Dellena Criner has recorded three 20-point games this season against Eastern Washington, BYU and #7 Louisville.
- Nevada’s game against #9/9 Cal marked Nevada’s first game against a ranked opponent since the 2003-04 season when the Pack played #11 La Tech.
- Shavon Moore recorded her second career double-double against Eastern Washington scoring 10 points and adding 10 rebounds. She recorded her first career double-double last year at UC Riverside.
Collect all 15 University of Nevada Basketball Player Trading Cards
At each home game this season, fans will have the opportunity to collect trading cards featuring each member of the 2008-09 team. Each player will have a trading card night and after the game that player will be available at the marketing table in front of the band to sign their cards. A game-by-game list is below:
Date Game Player(s)
11/28/08 Northern Iowa Kayla Williams Brittany Woodard
11/29/08 #7 Louisville Megan Cherry
12/21/08 UC Riverside Amanda Johnson
1/8/08 La Tech Marissa Hammond
1/10/08 New Mexico State Marianne Lombardi
1/30/09 Boise St. Ashley D'Andrade
2/1/09 San Jose State Johnna Ward
2/6/09 Fresno State Shavon Moore
2/8/09 Utah State Nicole Williams
2/20/09 Idaho Jennifer Gross
3/7/09 Hawai`i Dellena Criner, Brandi Jones, Bre'Anna Henry, Cherlanda Franklin
Albright Records Career Victory Number 400
Nevada head coach Jane Albright recorded her 400th career victory on November 28 as Nevada beat Northern Iowa. Albright, who is entering her 25th year as a Division I college coach, has the most overall career victories of any coach in the WAC and is currently ranked 39th in the NCAA record book for most career Division I wins. To date, Albright has recorded 402 career wins. She has earned five at Nevada, 48 at Wichita State, 161 at Wisconsin and 188 at Northern Illinois.
TV Games
KAME will televise two Nevada home basketball games on a tape-delay basis this season. The Pack’s games versus Boise State on January 30 and against Fresno State on February 6 will be televised on KAME.
Nevada Versus Ranked Opponents
Since joining the WAC in 2000, Nevada has played six games versus top-25 opponents, with four games coming against WAC opponent La Tech and two games coming in non-conference play this season at Cal and versus Louisville. Nevada played La Tech twice during the 2002-03 season when the Lady Techsters were ranked 11th and the Pack played La Tech twice during the 2003-04 season when the Lady Techsters were ranked 8th in the country. Nevada is 1-6 all-time against top-25 opponents since joining the WAC.
The Pack fell at #9/9 Cal on November 16, 2008. In addition to facing #9/9 Cal this season, Nevada beat #7/8 Louisville in the Nugget Classic on November 29.
Team Captains
Senior point guard Dellena Criner and senior forward Cherlanda Franklin have been named team captains as voted on by their teammates.
Criner is a four-year starter for Nevada and has earned several all-conference honors during her career including being named WAC Defensive Player of the Year last season and being named the WAC Preseason Player of the Year this season. She has led the team in scoring the past two seasons and last season became just the eighth player in program history to score at least 1,000 career points.
Franklin is a three-year starter for the Pack and was named to the WAC All-Defensive team last season. She led the team in rebounding last season, averaging 5.2 rebounds per game. She also set the program single-game record for steals in a game with 11 in Nevada’s win over Hawai`i on January 12.
Nevada Newcomers
Nevada’s roster features four newcomers, three high school players and one transfer. Amanda Johnson (Oceanside, Calif./El Camino HS) earned four varsity letters in basketball, two in track and field and one in cross country and won three Avocado League Basketball Championships from 2005-07. Kayla Williams (Sparks, Nev./Reed HS) lettered four years in basketball and won three High Desert League Championships. She also won a Zone Championship in 2007. Brittany Woodard (Sacramento, Calif./Christian Brothers HS) lettered four years in basketball and four years in volleyball. She won a section championship in basketball in 2008 and won three section championships in volleyball (2006-08). Sophomore Ashley D`Andrade attended Hope International University in Fullerton, Calif. from 2006-07 where she played basketball for the Royals.
WAC Play Up Tour to Stop in Reno on February 8
The Western Athletic Conference’s Play Up Tour will stop in Reno on February 8 for Nevada’s game against Utah State at 2 p.m. The Play Up Tour is designed improve perceptions of the WAC and its members through national, local and regional touch-points. WAC staff members will be on site to distribute WAC giveaway items. Fans will also have the opportunity to sign up to win a WAC prize pack that includes WAC apparel and other WAC related items. All fans that enter the drawing will be eligible for the grand prize of a WAC Basketball Tournament package. The package includes two tickets to the tournament, airfare and hotel accommodations. The winner will be announced at the end of February.
Ticket Information
Individual Tickets:
$7 per adult
$4 per Youth (12 and under) and Senior (65 and older)
$4 groups of 10 or more
Season Tickets:
Enjoy prime seats on the floor for all home women’s basketball games for $50 for the entire season (limited availability). General Admission for all other seats is $35. Pack Parties of 10 or more fans are only $4 each ticket.
Tickets can be purchased at the door starting 1 hour prior to the game at Lawlor Events Center. Group tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance by calling 775-682-6905.
Nevada to Host 2009 and 2010 WAC Basketball Tournaments
The University and the Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA) will play host to the tournaments at the 11,536-seat Lawlor Events Center, located on the university campus in Reno. The 2009 tournament will be played March 10-14, and the 2010 tournament will run from March 9-13. This will mark the third and fourth times that Nevada will serve as host to the WAC’s basketball tournaments with the event being held in Reno in 2005 and 2006. The University of Nevada has played host to a total of 14 WAC Championships since joining the conference in 2001, including the volleyball tournament five times from 2002-06, basketball in 2005 and 2006, indoor track and field in 2001 and 2002, baseball in 2007, men’s golf in 2007, soccer in 2006 and 2008 and women’s golf in 2001.
Bicycle Giveaways
Beginning with the Nevada/Eastern Washington game on Friday, there will be a bicycle given away at each Nevada home game this season. Fans in middle school and under can sign up each home game by the Nevada band for a chance to ride away on a new bike. For more information contact Holly Aycock at 682-6961.
Criner, Jones Earn Preseason All-WAC Honors
Senior point guard Dellena Criner was selected as the Preseason Player of the Year in the Coaches Poll and was also named to the First Team. Senior guard Brandi Jones was named to the second team in the Coaches Poll. Criner was also named to the First Team in the Media Poll. As a team, the Pack was picked fourth in both polls.
Upcoming Schedule
Nevada will travel to Missoula, Mont., for the Lady Griz Holiday Classic, November 29-30. The Pack will take on Hampton on the 29th at 7 p.m. and will face host Montana on the 30th at 7 p.m. The Pack will open Western Athletic Conference play at home on January 8th and 10th hosting La Tech on Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 7 p.m. and New Mexico State on Sunday, January 10, 2009 at 2 p.m.
