Women's Basketball Release # 5
Dec. 20, 2004
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Player of the Week
Chrissy Dizon, UIC, Junior, Guard, Chicago, Ill./Latin
After missing two games with a concussion, Dizon returned to the lineup with a bang, averaging 20.5 points, 6.5 assists, 4.5 steals and 4 rebounds in two games this past week. Dizon played a key role in the Flames' 78-76 non-conference victory over Southeast Missouri State on Saturday with a team-high 20 points, including three treys, while knocking down 9-of-11 of her free-throw shots. On Thursday night, Dizon turned in a solid performance with 21 points, nine assists, six rebounds and six assists in a 74-71 loss to Dartmouth. The nine assists and six steals were both team-season highs. For the season, Dizon is averaging a team-best 15.7 points and 4.7 assists per contest.
Other Top Performers
Jackie Closser, Butler, Sophomore, Guard, Alexandria, Ind./Monroe
Sophomore Jackie Closser led the Bulldogs' effort at 6-1 Evansville Sunday with a game-high 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from behind the arc. Closser added a career-high five steals, three assists and three rebounds in 39 minutes of action. On the year, Closser leads the Horizon League with 3.0 three-pointers per game and is among the league leaders with a .491 three-point accuracy.
Mandy Mennella, Loyola, Junior, Guard, Hoffman Estates, Ill./Hoffman Estates
Junior guard Mandy Mennella posted team highs of 17 points and five assists as Loyola dropped a 72-61 decision to Valparaiso. Mennella, coming off the bench for the first time this season, still played 33 minutes, hitting 7-of-10 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from the three-point line.
Tiffany Mor, UW-Green Bay, Senior, Forward, Appleton, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran
Mor boosted the Phoenix to a pair of wins on the week, including the program's 600th win against UW-Parkside Dec. 14. Against the Rangers, Mor was 6-of-7 from the floor on her way to a 13-point evening while tallying team highs of six rebounds and four blocks. Then, against Santa Clara Dec. 18, Mor posted a career -high 26 points - setting a new career high for the third time in four games - to lead the Phoenix to its 85-69 home win. Mor, who is ranked in the top 20 in the NCAA in both field-goal percentage and blocked shots, improved on both statistics thanks to 72.7 field-goal shooting and six blocked shots.
Brittney Whiteside, Wright State, Sophomore, Guard, Columbus, Ohio/Mifflin
Whiteside posted 12 points and four rebounds at Akron. Against Cal State Northridge, she scored 19 points and tallied five assists.
Barb Fabianova, Youngstown State, Senior, Forward, Previdza, Slovak Republic/Kennedy Catholic
Fabianova scored a game-high 14 points to lead the Penguins to a 75-43 win over Buffalo on Dec. 14. Fabianova, who played just 23 minutes, connected on 5-of-8 shooting from the floor, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range. Fabianova also tallied six rebounds, three assists and one steal in the YSU victory.
Notes and Quotes
Butler Bulldogs (4-5)
Butler's last pre-holiday action is Tuesday when IPFW travels to Hinkle Fieldhouse. It will be the Bulldogs' third match-up against the independent in-state opponent, but the first in more than 22 years.
Junior Stephanie Boeke posted a career-high 10 rebounds Sunday against Evansville.
The Bulldogs shot a season-high 47.5 percent (19-40) from the field Sunday, including a 9-of-19 mark (.474) from three-point range.
Cleveland State Vikings (1-8)
Cleveland State plays its earliest league opener ever when the Vikings travel to Youngstown State on Wednesday, Dec. 22. The game will be the 41st meeting for the local rivals, but just the seventh encounter as conference opponents.
Senior forward Jill Barnbrook knocked down 7-of-9 shots en route to a career-high 16 points on Sunday at Ohio. She also grabbed five rebounds in a career-best 26 minutes.
Cleveland State's run of consecutive games with a three-pointer nearly came to an end in Athens. Senior Maria Rickards' triple in the first half was the Vikings' only one in 17 tries as CSU barely extended its streak to 337 contests dating back 12 years to Dec. 17, 1992.
Detroit Titans (1-7)
Detroit will resume the second leg of its run of three games in five days when the squad welcomes in-state rival Central Michigan into Calihan Hall on Dec. 20.
The Titans then close their non-conference slate for December with a visit to Western Michigan on Dec. 22.
UIC (3-8)
UIC's 71-64 victory over Northwestern on Tuesday snapped a five-game losing streak and an eight-game road losing steak.
UIC upended Northwestern on Tuesday afternoon, despite being held without a basket for 12 minutes and shooting 48.1 percent (13-for-27) from the free-throw line.
UIC's victory over Southeast Missouri State featured 17 lead changes and 12 ties during the contest.
Loyola Ramblers (3-8)
In their only action of the week, the Ramblers fell 72-61 to Valparaiso on Dec. 18. Loyola will open league play when it travels across town to take on UIC on Dec. 23.
UW-Green Bay Phoenix (8-2)
UW-Green Bay will take a week off from intercollegiate action this week for the holiday break. Next up for the Phoenix is its Horizon League opener at UW-Milwaukee Thursday, Dec. 30.
In its game against Santa Clara Dec. 18, the Phoenix hosted the nation's top three-point scoring team. After allowing the Broncos to tally nine first half three-pointers, the Phoenix defense clamped down and held Santa Clara to 3-of-16 shooting from long range on the way to its 85-69 win.
UW-Milwaukee Panthers (3-5)
The Panthers are currently on a 16-day break that will resume on Dec. 28 as UW-Milwaukee will host Iowa.
Wright State Raiders (5-4)
The Raiders split a pair of road games last week, defeating Akron before falling to Cal State Northridge in WSU's first-ever game in California. Wright State led 42-35 at the half against the Matadors, thanks in part to 18 points from Rhea Mays, but Northridge shot 59 percent and scored 49 points the final 20 minutes. Mays led the Raiders with a career-high 20 points as all five starters scored in double figures.
WSU competes this week at the Hilton Woodland Hills Beach Classic in Malibu, Calif. taking on host Pepperdine followed by either BYU or nationally ranked Vanderbilt.
Youngstown State Penguins (5-4)
Freshman Lauren Branson dished out a career-high 11 assists for the Penguins. Over the last two games, Branson has accumulated 21 assists for an average of 10.5 assists per game. Her back-to-back 10-plus assists games marks the first time since the 1987-88 season that YSU player has recorded at least 10 assists in consecutive games.
Senior Jen Perugini needs 49 more points to become the 16th player in school history to reach 1,000 career points.
With five victories in nine games, Youngstown State has surpassed its win total from last year.
