Ohio State Takes On Two Ranked Squads This Week In No. 18 Michigan Thursday and No. 10 Purdue Sunday – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/10/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 10, 2002
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
The Tip
The Ohio State Buckeyes are preparing for two tough road contests in conference play this week, challenging the Michigan Wolverines Thursday and the Purdue Boilermakers Sunday.
Ohio State, riding a three-game win streak, is 8-7 overall and shares second place in the Big Ten at 3-1 following a 77-51 win vs. Northwestern Sunday.
Both Michigan and Purdue are coming off losses Sunday. The 11-4 Wolverines lost to No. 12 Wisconsin (89-74) and rank ninth on the league ledger at 1-3. Purdue, 11-3, lost 90-75 at Iowa and at 2-2 in the league ranks sixth.
The Michigan Series
Ohio State owns a 33-6 lead in the series that dates back to 1978. In Columbus, the Buckeyes own a 19-2 record but have had a tough time as visitors in recent years. OSU is 14-4 in Ann Arbor but has split its last four games there.
Last year, the Buckeyes won on the road 76-68 but lost their second straight at home to Michigan 76-63.
1-14-01 76+68, Away 1-21-01 63-76, Home
The Purdue Series
Ohio State leads the series 26-16, however, Purdue has taken nine of the last 10 games. The Boilermakers were pushed into double overtime in Columbus last season but came out on top 74-71. Purdue had an easier time at it in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament, recording an 81-61 win.
2-11-01 71-74, Home, 2OT 3-2-01 61-81, Neutral
Head Coach Beth Burns
Head coach Beth Burns is marking her 13th career season, her fifth at Ohio State, after steering one of the most amazing comebacks in women’s basketball last year. Rebuilding a squad decimated by injuries with encouragement and perseverance, Burns led the program to its second postseason title – the 2001 WNIT Championship and the squad’s best finish in eight seasons at 22-11.
The Buckeyes excelled academically as well with four Buckeyes earning Academic All-Big Ten honors and six tabbed as OSU Scholar-Athletes.
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 75-57(.568) as a Buckeye and is 226-142 (.614) over her career.
Burns Against The Field
Coach Beth Burns carries a career record of 3-4 vs. Michigan and 1-9 vs. Purdue.
Last Time Out For Ohio State
The Ohio women’s basketball team rolled to its third-consecutive win in Big Ten play, putting away Northwestern Sunday, 77-51, at Value City Arena.
Every player on the Buckeye roster saw action. Starting guard Tomeka Brown’s (Columbus, Ohio/Marion Franklin) appearance was brief, exiting the game with a left-knee sprain less than two minutes into the contest.
Four players in Scarlet and Gray finished in the double-figure scoring column led by Lauren Shenk (Sr., Minster, Ohio/Minster) with a 15-point performance. D’wan Shackleford (Jr., Newark, Ohio/Newark), Ashley Allen (Fr., Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) and Charisse Crews (Fr., Urbancrest, Ohio/Grove City) each added 14 points. Crews’ scoring effort marked a career high as did her five steals. Additionally, she paced the Buckeyes on the boards with eight rebounds.
Ohio State took the Wildcats out of the game early with runs of 10-0 midway in the first half and 10-2 in the final four minutes, to take a 42-22 lead into the locker room at halftime. The Buckeyes topped Northwestern 35-29 in the second stanza. The play of the OSU bench was key, registering 34 points in the contest.
Costly Victory
Ohio State’s 77-51 victory over Northwestern Sunday (Jan. 6) proved to be a costly one with starters Tomeka Brown and Courtney Coleman both sustaining injuries.
Brown exited in the early minutes, spraining the MCL in her left knee. The 5-8 guard will miss the first collegiate game of her career when the Buckeyes take the floor Thursday night at Michigan.
Coleman, Ohio State’s “go-to” player, is questionable for the Michigan game after suffering a concussion late against the Wildcats.
Heading to Ann Arbor with a seven-player roster is nothing new for the Buckeyes. Last year, Coach Beth Burns dressed the same number of players and topped the Wolverines 76-68.
Did You Know…
The Buckeyes’ 3-1 record in Big Ten conference play is their best start since the 1998-99 season when the program jumped out to a 4-0 debut.
Michigan Lately
Michigan, a preseason selection by both Big Ten coaches and media to finish atop the rankings, has struggled out of the league starting gate. After closing their non-conference schedule at 10-1, the Wolverines are currently ninth in the conference play with a 1-3 record. Led by Coach Sue Guevara (Saginaw Valley State, 1982), Michigan is coming off an 89-74 loss at Wisconsin and returns to Crisler Arena where record crowds have been recorded in its most recent home games. Center LeeAnn Bies paces the squad at both ends of the floor, averaging 16.9 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.
Last Season With Michigan
Jan. 14, 2001
Ohio State 76, Michigan 68
Ohio State forward Courtney Coleman and guard Jamie Lewis created an inside-outside scoring force that produced 43 points and steered the Buckeyes to a 76-68 road win over Michigan.
Coleman paced all scorers with 23 points, shooting 81 percent from the floor (9-of-11 FGs), and eclipsed her previous scoring high of 22 points against Illinois. Lewis and guard Tomeka Brown, both combating flu-like symptoms, turned in solid performances as well. Lewis, playing 40 minutes without a turnover, had 20 points and added eight assists. Brown finished with 13 points and Lauren Shenk with 10.
Ohio State trailed by two at halftime (38-36) and 53-49 with 12:07 remaining in the game when Lewis got hot. The point guard and co-captain scored nine points, including two triples, in a 10-2 rally, that led to a 60-55 lead for OSU with a little more than seven minutes to play. The Buckeyes never trailed again but Michigan stayed within striking distance, pulling within four (67-63) with 4:24 to go. Back-to-back baskets by Brown and forward D’wan Shackleford aided the Buckeyes in a 7-1 run and owning a 10-point cushion, 74-64, with 32 seconds left.
Ohio State tied its season low for turnovers with 10 and converted 20 Michigan turnovers into 22 points.
Jan. 21, 2001
Michigan 76, Ohio State 63
Ohio State dropped a 76-63 decision to Michigan in front of 10,392 fans at Value City Arena. The crowd, also on hand to witness the retiring of former Buckeye Katie Smith’s number, is the third largest at VCA.
The Wolverines won the game on the boards, holding a 40-29 rebounding advantage and enjoying 50 percent shooting from the floor.
Ohio State had four players in double figures. Courtney Coleman had a team-high 17 points before fouling out in the final minutes and Lauren Shenk had 15. Tomeka Brown finished with 12 points and D’wan Shackleford, who also fouled out, added 10 points.
Michigan pulled away in the second half, outscoring the Buckeyes 51-34 in the final 20 minutes to negate a 29-25 Buckeye halftime lead. Anne Thorius had 16 of her game-high 20 points in the second half and made all 12 of her free-throw attempts. LeeAnn Bies was held scoreless in the first half, but produced 19 points in the second half.
Purdue Lately
Purdue,11-3 overall, ranks sixth in the league with a 2-2 slate. Coming off a 90-75 loss at Iowa, Coach Kristy Curry (Northeast Louisiana, 1988) and the Boilermakers will first challenge Minnesota before hosting Ohio State. Sophomore forward Shereka Wright is averaging a team-leading 18.2 ppg. and is second in the rebounding column, collecting 7.0 caroms per game. Kentucky transfer, senior forward Laura Meadows, paces the Boilermakers with 7.1 rpg. while contributing 10.4 ppg to the scoring column. Senior Kelly Komara, a three-year starter in the backcourt, is averaging 5.0 assists per game.
Last Season With Purdue
Feb. 11, 2001
#5 Purdue 74, Ohio State 71, 2OT
Katie Douglas sliced through the lane for a lay-in with 17.1 seconds remaining in double overtime to give fifth-ranked Purdue the lead for good in a 74-71 win over Ohio State in front of a Value City Arena-record crowd of 11,467.
The lead went back and forth in the second overtime. The Buckeyes captured the advantage, taking a 71-70 lead on a Jamie Lewis 3-point field goal with 34 seconds remaining. OSU had one last shot to tie the game, but Lauren Shenk’s 30-foot runner caromed off the rim.
Purdue jumped out to 63-59 lead in the first overtime. The Boilers held the Buckeyes scoreless for the first three and a half minutes before freshman Emily Haynam hit back-to-back hoops to knot the score at 63. Haynam, in her first game back after missing seven games because of a finger injury, scored a career-best 10 points in 20 minutes of action.
Lewis led the Buckeyes with 18 points, drilling 4-of-10 from 3-point range in 48 minutes of play. She also became the all-time leader in assists at Ohio State, breaking Yvette Angel’s mark of 562 after dishing out her third assist of the game in the first half.
The Buckeyes took a 32-27 lead into halftime on a buzzer-beating turnaround jumper by Dana Stearns. OSU came out strong to start the second half, holding its biggest lead at 11, 43-32, with 15:10 remaining. Purdue responded with a 16-0 run over the next five minutes to take the lead. The lead seesawed the rest of the way until Douglas’ winning hoop.
Courtney Coleman added nine points and a career-high 15 rebounds for Ohio State. D’wan Shackleford chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds before fouling out late in regulation.
March 2, 2001
No. 8 Purdue 81, Ohio State 61
Ohio State forward Courtney Coleman recorded 20 points and 14 rebounds against No. 8 Purdue, but it wasn’t enough as the Boilermakers prevailed, 81-61, in the 2001 Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Coleman’s effort marked her fourth career double-double. Guard Jamie Lewis also finished in double figures, scoring 16 points. She also collected eight rebounds and seven assists.
Purdue controlled both halves, pulling ahead of Ohio State late in the first stanza. Coleman brought the Buckeyes within four points of the lead, 27-23, with two free throws at the 6:18 mark but a Katie Douglas jumper sparked a 13-6 Purdue run, allowing a 40-29 lead for the Boilermakers at halftime.
Both squads shot better than 50 percent from the floor in the second half, but Purdue maintained its momentum, bettering Ohio State 41-32. The Buckeyes were plagued by 21 turnovers for the game but pounded Purdue on the boards by a 42-32 margin.
Douglas led three other teammates in double-figure scoring with 21 points. Ohio State shot a season-high 58.5 percent from
On Target
Ohio State shot a season-high 58.5 percent from the floor against Iowa (Jan. 3) last week with all five starters posting double-figure scoring. In fact, the Buckeyes have shot better than 50 percent from the floor in four of their last six victories.
Louisville .532 L, 66-67 Xavier .563 W, 96-68 Virginia .509 W, 88-79 Sacred Heart .567 W, 87-50 Indiana .305 L, 52-64 Penn State .472 W, 70-65 Iowa .585 W, 82-63 Northwestern .406 W, 77-51
More Scoring Muscle
This week, four Buckeyes rank among the Top 30 scorers in the Big Ten Conference. Forward Courtney Coleman shares 11th place, averaging 13.9 ppg. and DiDi Reynolds ranks 25th at 11.4 ppg. Forward D’wan Shackleford is 27th and averaging 10.9 ppg. Guard Lauren Shenk is making her first appearance on the roster this season. She falls in at No. 30, averaging 9.7 ppg.
Crews Shows No Jitters
Freshman Charisse Crews turned in another solid performance Sunday against Northwestern. Playing 26 minutes, Crews recorded a career-high 14 points threading 3-of-5 field goals and 7-of-8 attempts at the charity stripe. The Urbancrest, Ohio, native collected eight rebounds, just one shy of her career high, and registered a career-high five steals.
Buckeyes Against The Ranked
Ohio State’s 70-65 win against then No. 24 Penn State Dec. 30 represented its first against a ranked team since a 53-51 victory vs. No. 18 Purdue on Jan. 13, 2000. Last season, the Buckeyes were challenged with the feat on six occasions but were unsuccessful.
Opponent/Date Rank Result Penn State/12-30 24 W, 75-60 Michigan/1-10 18 — Purdue/1-13 10 —
Shenk – A Quick Study
Lauren Shenk averaged 7.0 assists per game last week, including a career-high nine vs. Iowa (Jan. 3).
In addition, the first year floor leader averaged 16.5 ppg., 18 vs. the Hawkeyes, and marked a perfect performance at the line vs. Northwestern (Jan. 6), threading each of her six attempts. Shenk, who hit 6-of-7 vs. Iowa, has actually connected on her last 12 trips.
In league action she enjoys 94 percent accuracy at the free throw line which ranks second only to Michigan’s Alayne Ingram (1.000). Her 6.0 apg. in league play rank fourth.
Shack of Late
Junior forward D’wan Shackleford scored a career-high 21 points vs. No. 24 Penn State (Dec. 30) off 9-of-10 shooting from the floor and has averaged 16 points in the last two games vs. Iowa (Jan. 3) and Northwestern (Jan. 6).
In Big Ten action, Shackleford is making a name for herself as she ranks 12th in scoring (15.0 ppg.), third in field goal percentage (.619) and shares 16th place on the rebounding ledger (6.5 rpg.)
Coleman on the National Scene
Forward Courtney Coleman, the Buckeyes’ “go-to” player inside, ranked first in the league and 12th nationally (as of Jan. 7) in field goal percentage.
Currently shooting 61.2 percent, her success should surprise few. Last season, the Second Team All-Big Ten choice ranked 11th nationally in field goal percentage, showcasing a 58 percent clip.
Reynolds For Three
Forward DiDi Reynolds shot 50 percent from the three-point arc in Big Ten games last week vs. Iowa and Northwestern, threading 4-of-8 triples.
The Buckeyes’ three-point scoring specialist, Reynolds ranks fifth in the league in treys made, averaging 2.14. and seventh in three-point field goal percentage, shooting 40 percent floor.
Allen In The Lineup
With guard Tomeka Brown’s injury, freshman Ashley Allen will mark her second stint in the starting lineup when the Buckeyes take the floor at Michigan. Voted one of the Top 21 New Players of Impact for 2001-02 by womenscollegehoops.com, Allen recorded three starts earlier in the season vs. Ohio, Arizona and UCLA.
Coleman 3-for-3
Forward Courtney Coleman made it 3-for-3 with her selection to the Women’s Sports Foundation Classic All-Tournament Team Dec. 15. Coleman averaged 18.5 points per game, shooting 78.2 percent from the floor, and 7.0 rebounds. It is the third such honor for the Cincinnati, Ohio, native who was named to The Great Alaska Shootout and WNIT All-Tournament teams last season.
Big Time Win
Ohio State’s 96-68 win vs. Xavier (Dec. 15) represents its largest margin of victory this season and most points scored since a 100-35 victory vs. Akron Dec. 19, 2000.
All-Star Performance
Ohio State topped No. 24 Penn State Dec. 30 due in part to its dominating performance on the boards. The Buckeyes beat the Lady Lions 45-28 on the glass, 29-16 at the defensive end. Forwards Charisse Crews and D’wan Shackleford led the attack collecting 17 between them.
Buckeyes Suffer A Double Blow Inside
Junior center LaToya Turner (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington) and freshman center Brandee Gibbs (Hanover, Minnesota/Orono) will both be sidelined for at least the next six weeks. Turner, the 2000 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, underwent arthroscopic surgery Dec. 11 to clean scar tissue and debris from her left knee. The surgery followed two previous procedures to repair the ACL (April 1999) and ACL-graft (January 2001) . Gibbs who had been experiencing pain in her left foot for nearly a week was also diagnosed Dec. 11 with a broken left foot.
Both join two more Buckeyes who are working their way back to the playing roster. Co-captain Tanya McClure (Gahanna, Ohio/Gahanna-Lincoln) underwent left lateral ankle reconstruction Oct. 17. Sophomore guard Caity Matter (Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) fractured the third metatarsal in her left foot Nov. 11 in practice. At the time of their injuries, each was anticipated back in six to 12 weeks.
Seeing Double
Forward Courtney Coleman, with 8-of-11 (.727) shooting from the floor vs. Louisville (Dec. 14), marked her ninth career double-double, the third of the season, posting 10 points and 10 rebounds at Indiana.
Coleman’s Career Doubles Opponent Date Pts./Rebs Indiana 12-28-01 10/10 Louisville 12-14-01 16/10 Duquesne 12-2-01 16/11 Western Ky. 3-20-01 12/10 DePaul 3-18-01 18/10 Purdue 3-02-01 20/14 Minnesota 2-15-01 22/10 Penn State 2-01-01 17/13 UCLA 12-21-01 18/10
Teamwork
The concept of teamwork has taken on a whole new meaning for the Buckeyes. With the absence of the Buckeyes’ career assists leader (Jamie Lewis) this season, steering the offense has become a uniform effort. With a career-high nine assists vs. Iowa (Jan. 3), guard Lauren Shenk paces the field, averaging 4.1 apg. Guard Tomeka Brown is contributing 2.6 apg., and forward DiDi Reynolds 2.5.
Read All About Her
Forward Courtney Coleman is the featured Buckeye on the Big Ten Conference website and “Dream Big” profile. Read all about her at www.bigten.org/dreambig.
Brown Lends Hand In Undefeated Run
Senior Tomeka Brown enjoyed an undefeated run this past summer as a member of the Big Ten Foreign Tour Team. The squad, playing in Switzerland and France, marched through five games posting a scoring margin of 38.4 points. Brown averaged 8.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in the run.
Burns Signs Top Guards
Head coach Beth Burns has enlisted two talented guards to the 2002 roster, signing
Candace Dark and Kim Wilburn to national letters of intent in November.
Dark, 5-11, and Wilburn, 5-6, are both finalists for the coveted “Ms. Basketball” title in their respective states of Indiana and Michigan.
Dark heralds from Fountain Central in Veedersburg. Averaging 21.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, five steals and five assists in her junior campaign, Dark guided her squad to its first Class 2A Sectional and Regional championships and a 21-4 finish.
Wilburn is a known product out of Detroit Country Day in Beverly Hills, Michigan. She steered Country Day to two Class B state championship titles in 1998 and 1999, and runner-up finishes in her final two campaigns. As a junior, Wilburn averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 assists and 5.2 steals per game.
