(#16/16) Kansas State (2-0) vs. Illinois State (0-1)
Game #3
November 26, 2004 - 5:00 p.m. (CT)
St. George High School
at Freeport, Grand Bahama Island
Television: None
Radio: Mid America Sports Network - Steve Webster (play-by-play)
Series History: K-State leads 6-1
Internet: Audio Broadcast on www.k-statesports.com
TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
Sun, fun and basketball is ahead for the No. 16-ranked Kansas State women’s basketball team. For the second year in a row, the Wildcats travel to beautiful Grand Bahama Island for the second annual Junkanoo Jam. In the Freeport Division bracket, K-State will take on Illinois State (0-1) in the tournament's first round on Friday, Nov. 26 at 5 p.m. (CT) with a possibly match up with No. 10-ranked Duke (3-1) or Stephen F. Austin (0-1) in the championship or consolation game on Saturday, Nov. 27 at 5 or 7:30 p.m. (CT). The tournament also hosts an additional four-team bracket which includes No. 21-ranked Oklahoma, Florida, Iowa and Akron in the Lucaya Division. Similar to the Maui Invitational in the men’s game, three top 25 teams round out the Thanksgiving tournament field.
REDBIRD WATCHING
Illinois State started off the regular season with an invite to the preseason WNIT. Against No. 10-ranked Notre Dame, the Redbirds suffered a 92-73 loss to the Fighting Irish on Nov. 13. Two Redbird players, senior Katie Donovan and junior Holly Hallstrom, led all scorers with a pair of 20+ point performances. The most improved Division I team in 2003-04 under then first year head coach Robin Pingeton, ISU finished the year at 16-13 overall and fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference, to mark the team’s first winning season since 1996-97. The Redbirds went 7-21 overall in 2002-03.
ISU PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
No. Name 2004-05 Stats
00 Michelle Harakas, F, 6-0, Sr. 2.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg
10 Katie Donovan, F, 6-0, Sr. 25.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg
25 Holly Hallstrom, C, 6-2, Jr. 23.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg
12 Ashley Sandstead, G, 5-9, Fr. 11.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg
23 Jaci McCormack, G, 5-10, Sr. 5.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg
SERIES HISTORY
The Wildcats are winners of the last two games in the all-time series vs. Illinois State. Both teams last met during head coach Deb Patterson’s third season at K-State in 1998-99. The Wildcats took a 54-39 victory at Normal, Ill. Overall, K-State leads 6-1 in the all-time series and is 1-0 when playing on a neutral court.
LAST TOURNEY TIME OUT
Last season, the Wildcats went 1-1 in the Bahamas with a win over Arizona State (59-50) and a loss in the championship game to seventh-ranked Penn State (69-56). Kendra Wecker and Nicole Ohlde were named to the Freeport Division all-tournament team.
LOOKING AHEAD
A win against the Redbirds could pose a potential matchup with Duke or Stephen F. Austin. If the Wildcats should play the Blue Devils, it would mark a first time meeting between both schools. Ironically, in last year’s NCAA Tournament No. 1-seeded Duke and No. 2-seeded K-State were upset by seventh-seeded Minnesota. Both games marked the last for consensus first team and Kodak/WBCA All-Americans Nicole Ohlde (Kansas State) and Alana Beard (Duke). In the all-time series vs. Stephen F. Austin, the Wildcats hold a 3-2 advantage having last met the Ladyjacks in 1982 (78-75 win in Manhattan). SFA lost its season opener to Rice (75-62) on Nov. 19, while Duke beat Davidson (89-69) and South Florida (82-50) in the opening rounds of the preseason WNIT. The Blue Devils later fell to Notre Dame in the semifinals (76-65).
DUKE PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
No. Name 2004-05 Stats
25 Monique Currie, F, 6-0, Jr. 16.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg
1 Mistie Williams, F, 6-3, Jr. 15.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg
43 Alison Bales, C, 6-7, So. 7.8 ppg, 1.5 rpg
24 Jessica Foley, G, 6-0, Jr. 8.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg
23 Wanisha Smith, G, 5-11, Fr. 13.3 ppg, 3.5 spg
SFA PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
No. Name 2004-05 Stats
2 Alex Bowman, F, 5-10, Sr. 8.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg
25 LaToya Mills, F, 6-0, Jr. 17.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg
15 Zedralyn Butler, C, 6-1, Sr. 16.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg
12 Britany Vinson, G, 5-6, Jr. 5.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg
14 Kirby Killingsworth, G, 5-7, Jr. 12.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg
THEY CALL ME COACH
Two members of the Kansas State coaching staff will be reunited with their former college coaches at the Junkanoo Jam. Assistant coach Stephanie White (99), a former Kodak All-American and member of the 1999 national championship team at Purdue, will reunite with former coach Carolyn Peck, who is in her third season at Florida. Assistant director of basketball operations Jennie Lillis (04), a three-time All-Big Ten selection at Iowa, will reunite with Hawkeye coach Lisa Bluder. Both Florida and Iowa will face each other in the first round of the Lucaya Division bracket.
