Women’s Basketball Opens ’98-99 Campaign at Kansas State – Ohio State Buckeyes
11/15/1998 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
November 15, 1998
COLUMBUS, Ohio – THIS WEEK – Tonight’s game marks the season opener for both programs. In its sole preseason tune-up, Ohio State claimed a 90-34 victory over Slovakia Wednesday. The Buckeyes sport a 23-10 record on opening day and are 14-8 when starting on the road. OSU won its last road-opener just two seasons ago, 83-78, at Providence.
%^$OHIO STATE PROBABLE STARTERS%^$
%^$Pos. No. Name Ht. Cl. Ppg/Rpg*%^$F 5 Michaela Moua 6- 0 Jr. 10.0/6.0%^$F 00 Marrita Porter 5-11 Sr. 9.0/5.0%^$C 34 Larecha Jones 6- 1 Sr. 15.0/5.0%^$G 20 Lauren Shenk 5-10 Fr. 9.0/5.0%^$G 12 Jamie Lewis 5- 5 So. 15.0/5.0 apg
%^$*Statistics from Exhibition Game vs. Slovakia on Nov. 11.
%^$AT A GLANCE%^$
%^$OSU KSU%^$0-0 Overall Records 0-0%^$15-12 ’97-98 Records 11-17%^$5 Starters Back 4%^$8 Letterwinners Back 9%^$Beth Burns Head Coaches Deb Patterson%^$15-12/1 School Records/Yr. 30-29/2 %^$166-94/9 Career Records/Yr. 30-29/2
%^$AT THE HELM – The Buckeyes are mentored by Coach Beth Burns (Ohio Wesleyan ’79), who is guiding the program to success both on and off the court. Last season in her inaugural campaign at OSU, Burns funneled energy and enthusiasm into a squad that posted a promising 15-12 campaign. In addition, two players earned all-conference laurels, while another three were honored as OSU Scholar-Athletes.
%^$Burns’ hiring in April 1997 capped an eight year, highly-regarded career at San Diego State (151-82). The three-time WAC Coach of the Year (1994, ’95 & ’97) captured three conference championships and led the Aztecs to NCAA Tournament appearances in four of the last five years.
%^$Celebrating her 10th head coaching season this fall, her second with the Buckeyes, Burns touts a career mark of 166-94 (.638).
%^$ON OHIO STATE – Eight letterwinners, including five starters, are back this season and will be joined by three talented newcomers. Bigger, faster, stronger and quicker best describes the 1998-99 unit paced by all-Big Ten performers Marrita Porter and Larecha Jones. Porter, a 5-11 senior, finished second in Big Ten scoring (20.7 ppg), field goal percentage (.592) and steals (2.6 spg) a year ago. The 6-1 Jones, entering her final campaign, was sixth in league scoring (18.6 ppg). Backcourt experience is the one factor the Buckeyes have on their side this year with the return of sophomore guard Jamie Lewis. Last season, the 5-4 playmaker averaged a third best 9.7 points per game and was second in the league in assists per game (5.9) and assists-turnover ratio (1.46). Donning the Scarlet & Gray for the first time this season are Columbus native Tomeka Brown of Marion Franklin High School, Lauren Shenk of Minster (OH) and Laura Ingham, the first Buckeye from Alaska and East Anchorage High School. Redshirt freshman Megan McCabe is also making her collegiate debut. The 6-2 swing-player underwent surgery in March to correct a back problem that kept her out of the entire 1997-98 campaign.
%^$CAPTAINS – Seniors Roslyn Barker, Mindy Fusetti, Larecha Jones and Marrita Porter have been selected captains of the 1998-99 Buckeye Basketball squad.
%^$INJURY REPORT
%^$ * Marrita Porter – Underwent surgery Nov. 3 to tighten a screw which keeps the rod in her right tibia intact … Has been involved in limited practices since Friday (11-6). Played 19 minutes vs. Slovakia.
%^$ * Jamie Lewis & Larecha Jones – Lewis missed about one week of practice following an on-court collision with teammate Larecha Jones on Oct. 31. The duo was attempting to keep a basketball in play when Jones’ knee hit Lewis in the head, causing a concussion. Jones required stitches between the fourth and fifth fingers on her left hand but suffered no setbacks in practice. Lewis participated in her first full practice on Nov. 9 and played 21 minutes Wednesday night.
%^$LATE DEVELOPMENTS – Sophomore center Heather Frank is applying for a medical hardship after surgery and recent testing on the stress fracture on her left foot revealed she would be unable to continue her collegiate career. The Milan, Mich., native competed in 18 games as a freshman, averaging 1.7 points and 1.1 rebounds per game.
%^$LAST TIME OUT – Against Slovakia, every team member played, with 11-of-12 registering points. Senior forward Larecha Jones and sophomore guard Jamie Lewis led on the night with 15 points each. Junior forward Michaela Moua had 10 points and the second best effort on the boards with six rebounds. Columbus Marion Franklin alum, guard Tomeka Brown, led all players with eight caroms. The Buckeyes were explosive in the first half, enjoying a 25-5 run just 11 minutes into the game. Ohio State held Slovakia to 17 points in each half and scoreless in the final 3:16 of the game.
%^$THE OPPONENT – The Wildcats are guided by Coach Deb Patterson who enjoys the return of four starters from last season’s 11-17 team. Junior Angie Finkes, a 6-1 center and sister of OSU All-America defensive end Matt, paced the team with 13.9 points per game. The return of guards Kim Woodlee and Jenny Coalson are also key. Woodlee, the only frosh to start every game, set a school record, shooting 42.1 percent from three-point range. Coalson led the squad in rebounding with 6.3 per outing. Olga Firsova, a NJCAA All-American and 6-6 transfer from Weatherford (Texas) Junior College, is a preseason candidate for Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors. In preseason action, KSU downed Svaja-Edroma, 73-37, on Nov. 5, and the Shelen Basketball Club, 80-40, Friday night.
%^$THE SERIES – Ohio State is 3-2 vs. Kansas State and owns a 7-14 record against members of the Big 12 Conference.
%^$LAST YEAR WITH KSU – Ohio State suffered only two losses on its non-conference schedule – the second coming at the hand of Kansas State (67-64). The Buckeyes hurt themselves in the first half, shooting 34 percent and trailing by 10 at halftime, 39-29. Forwards Larecha Jones and Marrita Porter combined efforts to score 27 of the Buckeyes’ 35 points in the second half but the team fell short at the buzzer. Jones led OSU with a double-double of 30 points and 13 rebounds. KSU was paced by Angie Finkes with 15 points. Jenny Coalson had a team-high seven caroms.
%^$COMING HOME – The Buckeyes’ trip to Manhattan represents a homecoming for Buckeye assistant coach Eileen Feeney. Feeney was a four-time letterwinner KSU (1976-80) and remains second on the Wildcats’ career scoring (1,670) and rebounding (783) ladders.
%^$
Buckeye Facts and Figures
%^$* The Buckeyes enjoy one of the largest radio networks in the country. WBNS Radio (1460 AM) serves as the flagship station for 41 affiliates statewide.
%^$* The Buckeyes are welcoming the first Alaskan and Californian to the fold this fall. Freshman guard Laura Ingham from East Anchorage High School and junior transfer Courtney Bale who played two seasons at San Diego State, her first for Coach Burns. The Vista, Calif. native will be eligible to play next season.
%^$* Head Coach Beth Burns shares the same birthday as floor leader, sophomore Jamie Lewis. The two exchanged well-wishes on Oct. 7. Freshman point guard Laura Ingham celebrates two days later on Oct. 9.
%^$* Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center is the largest playing venue for women’s basketball in the Big Ten Conference and one of the largest capacity university arenas in the country.
%^$* The late Jerome Schottenstein, for whom the JSC is named, was a longtime Columbus businessman and philanthropist, and the founder and former Chairman of the Schottenstein Stores Corporation.
%^$* More than $1.2 million in art is displayed in the JSC. The terrazzo flooring is a significant part of the artistic influence which was created through the use of various stones, glass and metals to create images that represent the history of Ohio State Athletics. Artist Alexis Smith is creating an image of Buckeye Averrill Roberts (1990-93) in the southeast entrance. Players from the 1916 intramural team are located in the rotunda.
%^$* For the sixth consecutive season, the Big Ten topped every conference in the nation in women’s basketball attendance with 600,000 fans in 1997-98. The Buckeyes entertained more than 85,000 throughout the season.
%^$* The Buckeyes are facing three opponents for the first time this season – each in the Hawai’I Invitational, Dec. 12-14. Ohio State will enjoy first-time meetings against St. Mary’s (Calif.), Texas Southern and host Hawai’i.
%^$* Coach/Administrator Phyllis Bailey and four players out of the Buckeye Basketball program enjoy membership in the Department of Athletics Sports Hall of Fame.%^$
%^$Hall of Fame Members Inducted%^$Phyllis Bailey, Coach, Admin., 1965-94 1993%^$Kim Jordan, 1977-80 1994%^$Amy Tucker, 1979-82 1994%^$Yvette Angel, 1981-85 1997%^$Tracey Hall Yarbrough,1985-88 1998%^$
