Women’s Basketball (9-7, 2-4) Travels To Wisconsin (9-6, 3-3) – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/22/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 22, 2000
The Tip
The Ohio State Buckeyes are traveling to Madison, Wis., this weekend for a rematch against the Wisconsin Badgers Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. Ohio State, 9-7 overall, 2-4 Big Ten, is coming off a 73-62 loss Thursday to fourth-ranked Penn State.
Wisconsin, 9-6, is enjoying a three-game winning streak after edging Michigan at home, also on Thursday, 72-69. Ohio State and Wisconsin are rounding out their regular-season series after meeting just one week ago in Columbus. The Badgers won big in the featured FOX Sports Television Big Ten Game of the Week, 80-45.
The Series
Ohio State leads the series between the teams, 27-12. After losing six consecutive games to the Badgers from 1994-1996, the Buckeyes have now won four of the last seven meetings. At home, OSU enjoys a 12-5 record, is 7-7 in Madison, but has never lost to Wisconsin (6-0) on a neutral floor.
Ohio State was 2-1 against Wisconsin in 1999. The Buckeyes defeated the Badgers, 70-61, in the Big Ten Tournament and marked their first Big Ten win in Value City Arena, 70-55, when they hosted the Badgers Jan. 5. Wisconsin won in overtime in Madison, 83-79, on Feb. 12.
Head Coach Beth Burns
Marking her 11th career season, the third at Ohio State, Coach Beth Burns continues to guide the program to success both on and off the court. Last season, Burns guided the Scarlet & Gray contingent to a 17-12 campaign and to its first NCAA tournament in three years. In addition, a 9-7, fourth-place finish in the league marked Ohio State’s best effort since its 1993 Big Ten Championship run. Academically, six returnees earned OSU Scholar-Athletes laurels with two tabbing academic all-Big Ten honors. Burns took over the program in April 1997, leaving a successful, well-respected career at San Diego State where she was three times selected the WAC Coach of the Year (1994, ’95, ’97). She has earned a record of 41-31 (.569) as a Buckeye and is 192-113 (.632) for her career. Burns, 18-20 (.474) in her third season of Big Ten competition, has a 3-2 record vs. Wisconsin.
Burns Completes The Circle
With a 53-51 victory vs. Purdue Jan. 13, Coach Beth Burns has now recorded a victory against every Big Ten school.
Burns Vs. Record* Indiana 3-0 Illinois 1-4 Iowa 1-3 Michigan 2-1 Michigan State 3-3 Minnesota 4-0 Northwestern 1-2 Penn State 1-3 Purdue 1-4 Wisconsin 3-2 20-22 *Record includes Big Ten Tournament results
On Ohio State
Ohio State lost to No. 4 Penn State, 73-62, Thursday evening in University Park, featuring the youngest Buckeye lineup in the three-year tenure of Ohio State head coach Beth Burns.
Playing their first game without senior forward Michaela Moua, dismissed from the team earlier this week, the Buckeyes were led by three freshmen and two sophomores at the tip.
Ohio State challenged the Lady Lions for the full 40 minutes, leading for 15:30 of the first half. The Buckeyes led by as many as nine points before a 12-3 rally knotted the score at 27 with 2:26 on the clock. Penn State’s momentum continued, outscoring OSU 7-2 down the stretch to lead 34-29 at the half.
In second half play, Penn State’s lead advanced to double-digits in the early minutes and to as many as 17, 69-52 with 2:19 to play. Ohio State wouldn’t go away though, bettering the Blue & White 10-4 in the time remaining, closing to a 73-62 finish.
Freshman center LaToya Turner was the only Buckeye in double-figure scoring but was joined by sophomore guards Laura Ingham and Tomeka Brown in the rebounding column with each collecting a team-high seven caroms. The Buckeyes, who share eighth place in the league standings, enjoyed their best shooting performance in Big Ten play at 43.9 percent.
Lisa Shepherd’s 26 points led Penn State. Andrea Garner added 19 points and a game-high nine rebounds.
Burns on Penn State
“Penn State is as good a team, as we’ve seen and I think we’ve seen some pretty good ones, playing the likes of Georgia and Rutgers.
“In terms of the Big Ten, when I think of our most recent champion and thus national champion Purdue, I think the biggest difference with Penn State is its ability to score at every position. They rebound so well and they get so much out of their defense. They can just cover so many things that can happen to a basketball team that I can’t say enough about our basketball team.
“I thought we competed from the opening tip. We, in certain points of the game, really controlled the boards which kept us in the game. The fact that they shot 30-plus free throws and we shot 13 was the difference in the game, and you can’t put a great free throw shooting team on the line. I’m very proud of our team and our performance, and I’m excited to build on that.”
Wisconsin Coach Jane Albright
Wisconsin head coach Jane Albright is in her sixth year at the helm. In her tenure, the Badgers have had five consecutive winning seasons for the first time in program history (98-52, .633), including three 20-win seasons and four post-season bids. In her first two seasons as head coach of the Badgers, the squad went to the NCAA Tournament (1995, ’96). Last season she led the team to a runner-up finish in the WNIT tournament.
On Wisconsin
Wisconsin has only played one game since the two teams met last week and came out on top, 72-69, vs. Michigan Thursday night. Three Badgers enjoyed double-figure scoring led by sophomore center Jessie Stomski with 20 points, 10 coming from the free throw line. Guard Kelly Paulus put up 17 points, while forward Tamara Moore, the reigning Big Ten player of the Week, added 16 points. Forward LaTonya Sims added nine points to her game-high 13 rebounds. After an 0-3 start in league play, Wisconsin is enjoying a three-game winning streak and a share of fifth-place in the league standings.
Last Time With Wisconsin
Tamara Moore set Value City Arena opponent records with 29 points and eight steals, leading Wisconsin to an 80-45 victory over Ohio State Sunday in the featured Big Ten Game of the Week on FOX Sports Chicago.
Both teams got off to a slow start offensively, with only 10 points scored between the two teams after eight minutes of play in the first half.
Ohio State fought its way back into the game, rallying to tie things up for the second time in the half at 14-all, but Wisconsin erased the effort with a 14-3 run and never looked back.
The Badgers led 34-20 at the half and bettered the Buckeyes 46-25 in the second half.
Moore broke the previous opponent high of 24 points (set two times previously), and five steals, set by Penn State’s Clara Carter last year.
Ohio State was paced by Lauren Shenk, who tallied 12 points and hit two three-point goals. Freshman LaToya Turner added nine points and six rebounds for the Buckeyes.
Burns On Wisconsin
“We had an entire evening to make a statement and we didn’t.
“We really struggled to create any kind of guard play early. My concern is our lack of energy. If you’re going to get worked, at least try as hard as you can.
“By far, it was Wisconsin’s day. We had no answer.
“This young team has never done any of this before. They saw the TV cables and a packed house, and we had wide eyes. They just didn’t know how to respond to it.”
A Classic Match-up – Will Have To Wait
The anticipated match-up between freshman centers LaToya Turner and Nina Smith will have to wait until perhaps later this year with Smith sitting out at least the next month with a fracture in her right foot. Smith in addition to Turner, who had ACL surgery on her left knee this past summer, were the two most sought after high school post players in the country last year.
Walking Through The Forest
Freshman center LaToya Turner faced a “tall” order in challenging 6-3 post players Andrea Garner and Maren Walseth of Penn State Thursday. Turner paced the Ohio State offense with 21 points, and with two other team members, led with seven rebounds. Turner (10-of-17 FGs) was just one point shy of equaling her season scoring high of 22 vs. Illinois on Dec. 30.
The Feeling of Rejection
Freshman center LaToya Turner registered three blocks in the paint vs. Purdue Jan. 13, raising her season total to 18 for the year. The mark eclipses the past three OSU individual single season blocks records.
Year Blocks Leaders Number 2000 LaToya Turner 18 1999 Larecha Jones 17 1998 Mindy Smith 15 1997 Larecha Jones 14 1996 Tiffany Glosson 23
No Shying Away
Ohio State played its fifth ranked opponent this season in the Penn State Lady Lions Jan. 20, currently ranked No. 4 in both the Associated Press and ESPN/Coaches Top 25. The youthful Buckeyes are 1-4 in the effort, capturing their first win in the effort vs Purdue, 53-51, Jan. 13
Team Rank Result Rutgers (12-1) No. 7 L, 46-35 Georgia (12-19) No. 5 L, 91-59 Illinois (12-30) No. 17 L, 63-57, ot Purdue (1-13) No. 18 W, 53-51 Penn State (1-20) No. 4 L, 73-62
Good Balance
The top three scorers in the Ohio State offensive attack hold freshman, sophomore and junior class status. Frosh LaToya Turner leads OSU with 10.8 points per game. Sophomore Lauren Shenk is second on the team with an 8.9 points per game average and junior Courtney Bale is third at 5.2 ppg. Turner leads the rebounding effort, collecting 5.3 caroms per game. Frosh D’wan Shackleford, adds a second-best 4.7 rebounds per game.
Coming Out Party
OSU received a solid effort from its No. 2-ranked freshmen class, which tallied 40-of-62 points (64.5%) and grabbed 17 of the Buckeyes’ 37 rebounds vs. Penn State.
Backcourt In The Frontcourt
The backcourt tandem of guards Tomeka Brown and Laura Ingham stepped up in the frontcourt with each collecting seven rebounds against the Lady Lions. For Ingham, the effort marked a career-high.
Non-Conference Wrap-Up
Ohio State matched its non-conference record of a year ago, recording a 7-3 effort. Of the Buckeyes’ seven victories, six were claimed by 30 points or more and by holding each of those opponents to no more than 50 points. The Buckeyes forced 5-of-10 teams to eclipse the 30-turnover plateau.
In an even more impressive run on the homefront in December, the Buckeyes went 4-1 in a five-game home stretch, while its scoring defense held opponents to a stifling 49.6 ppg., and forced an average 25.8 turnovers.
In the last game on the non-league schedule, Ohio State held the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks to a .204 (31-of-64) shooting percentage in the contest, just .004 percentage points shy of an OSU opponent record low. In 1981, OSU held Western Michigan to just .200 off 15-of-75 shooting.
Let ‘Em Play
Showcasing five freshmen in the 1999-2000 season apparently is no problem for head coach Beth Burns who has played each member of the Class of 2003 frequently and without hesitation. Three of the five newcomers have started at least once this season and played in every game with the unit playing in nearly a third of the overall minutes clocked. Center LaToya Turner and guard Tanya McClure lead the pack, averaging 21.6 and 16.4 minutes, respectively, in overall games.
Lewis Continues The Climb
Despite undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery July 6, junior guard Jamie Lewis has continued her assault on the Ohio State career assists record book, climbing from 13th place at the onset of the season to the fifth all-time slot with 330. Against Penn State (1-20), Lewis tied her season-high for distribution with eight.
Career Assists Leaders
1. Yvette Angel 562 1981-85 2. Lisa Cline 491 1985-89 3. Katie Smith 444 1993-96 4. Cheryl Perozek 341 1988-91 5. Jamie Lewis 330 1995- 6. Laurie Pirtle 317 1976-80 7. Averrill Roberts 306 1990-93 8. Geneva Sanford 305 1985-89 9. Alysiah Bond 297 1992-95 10. Liana Coutts 295 1984-89
Buckeye All-Star
For Lauren Shenk, the summer of 1999 was anything but typical. The 5-10 sophomore guard enjoyed the fruits of a four-game exhibition tour in Belgium and Germany as a member of the Big Ten All-Star Team. The unit posted a 3-1 record with Shenk pacing the scoring effort with an 11.0 scoring clip. The long-range shooting talent tied the Buckeye freshman record for three-pointers last season, draining 43 on the year. Shenk ranked third in the league in shooting proficiency with a clip of .382 and sank a trey in 23-of-28 games, including a Value City Arena record 5-of-7 performance vs. Illinois Jan. 8.
Scholar-Athletes
Five returning members of the Buckeye Basketball team attained scholar-athlete laurels last season. Juniors Courtney Bale and Mandy Stanhope, and sophomores Tomeka Brown, Laura Ingham and Lauren Shenk all earned OSU Scholar-Athlete honors, maintaining GPAs of 3.0 and higher. Stanhope also tabbed Academic all-Big Ten recognition.
We’re No. 2
In just two seasons, Coach Beth Burns’ talent as a top-notch recruiter has resulted in her securing the No. 2-ranked freshman class in the country. The all-Ohio class consist of two nationally-ranked players in 6-4 center LaToya Turner (Pickerington High School) and 5-4 point guard Tanya McClure (Gahanna-Lincoln) who were hailed at No. 2 and No. 7, respectively at their positions. Forward DiDi Reynolds, 6-1, reigns as the Division IV Player of the Year out of Hopewell-Loudon. Also joining the frontcourt are Ohio Capital Conference standout D’wan Shackleford, 6-0, and Courtney Coleman, 6-2, of Cincinnati Hughes who ranked sixth in the state last year, collecting 15.9 caroms per game.
Buckeye Class of 2000
Head Coach Beth Burns has again secured members of the nation’s top high school talent in assembling her 1999 fall recruiting class, signing Ohioans Caity Matter, a 5-10 guard, and 6-3 forward Emily Haynam.
Matter, a First Team all-Ohio selection and the Division III Player of the Year, enters her senior campaign with a 26.0 ppg scoring average. Ranked No. 18 nationally by the All-Star Girls Report (ASGR), Matter is a pure shooter who owns every offensive record of the Pirates’.
Haynam averaged 12.8 points, 4.0 assists and 2.0 blocks per game as a junior, and led the Ohio Capital Conference (OCC), collecting 9.8 rebounds per game for the Wildcats. Ranked No. 91 by ASGR, she is a first team all-OCC selection and earned honorable mention all-District laurels.
Beth Burns Show
The “Beth Burns Show” can be seen each Sunday morning at noon through March 12 on WSYX-TV (Channel 6). Join Ohio State Coach Beth Burns and host Clay Hall for an in-depth look at Buckeye Basketball, player features, and all the latest news and results on the 2000 Big Ten title race.
What The Experts Say
Big Ten Coaches
Preseason Top-Five Picks
1. Penn State
2. Illinois
3. Wisconsin
4. Purdue
5. Michigan & Michigan State
Preseason All-Big Ten Picks
Andrea Garner (PSU), Susan Blauser (ILL), Katie Douglas (PUR), Helen Darling (PSU), LaTonya Sims (WIS).
Big Ten Media
Preseason Top-Three Picks
1. Illinois
2. Penn State
3. Purdue
Preseason All-Big Ten Picks
Katie Douglas (PUR), Andrea Garner (PSU), Susan Blauser (ILL), LaTonya Sims (WIS), Tauja Catchings (ILL).
Buckeyes On The Tube
With the onset of the 1999-2000 Big Ten Season, the Buckeyes will enjoy having seven games televised both statewide and regionally. Ohio State will host Wisconsin, Jan. 16 and Michigan State, Jan. 27 as part of the Big Ten Player of the Game package produced by Fox Sports Chicago.
Five additional games will be televised throughout central Ohio by Insight Sport! Television and include Purdue (Jan. 13), Indiana (Jan. 30), Michigan (Feb. 6), Northwestern (Feb. 13) and Penn State (Feb. 27). The rebroadcast will occur twice after each game on Insight Channel 36 and Time Warner Channel 24.
Next Time Out
The Buckeyes will host a two-game homestand next week. Ohio State will host Michigan State in the featured Fox Sports Television Big Ten Game of the Week Thursday, Jan. 27 at 8 p.m. Indiana comes to town Jan. 30 for a pre-Super Bowl matchup at 2 p.m.
