Women's basketball opens four-game homestand Friday night

[PonyPride]

Women's Hoops Open Four-Game Homestand Friday Night
SMU, East Carolina Each Sport 5-5 C-USA Records
Feb. 8, 2007

DALLAS (SMU) - After a come-from-behind win at Southern Miss Sunday, the SMU women's basketball team (13-9, 5-5 C-USA) looks to ride that momentum at home with the start of a four-game homestand on Friday evening vs. East Carolina (10-13, 5-5 C-USA) at Moody Coliseum. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast live on KKGM-Radio (1630AM).

Both squads are 5-5 in league play this season and look to improve their respective place in the conference standings. The Mustangs have won the last two games and tend to play some of their best basketball at Moody Coliseum. East Carolina is 1-2 in its last three games and posts a 1-8 road record this season while SMU sports a 9-2 home record.

Scouting East Carolina...
Under the direction of fifth-year head coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener, East Carolina returns all but one starter from last year's 17-12 team. The Lady Pirates entered conference play with a 5-8 non-conference record. ECU has split its last four games (2-2) and have been involved in two overtime games this season.

As a team, ECU shoots 38.6% from the field (a mere 23.1% from three-point range) and 62.3% from the charity stripe. The Lady Pirates tops the league (in Conference USA games) in field goal percentage defense, second in scoring defense and third in scoring margin. Individually, senior post Cherie Mills leads her team in scoring (14.7 ppg) and second in rebounds (6.6 rpg).

Series History with the Lady Pirates...
SMU and East Carolina have met only once in the series history, which took place on Jan. 27, 2006, in Greenville, N.C., during Conference USA action. The Mustangs lost to the Lady Pirates, 75-63. Janielle Dodds turned in a 21-point, 11-rebound effort in the SMU loss.

Pony Tales...
** In the NCAA national statistics dated Feb. 4, SMU is ranked 12th in the nation (out of 324 ranked) in free throw percentage, 37th in field goal percentage defense, and 75th in scoring offense. Janielle Dodds is 58th in free throw percentage while Sharee Shepherd is 61st in steals per game.
** Junior Janielle Dodds is currently in 10th place on SMU's all-time scoring list, totaling 1,218 career points. She needs 63 points to move into ninth, surpassing Kim Brungardt's 1,280 career points.
** Junior guard Katy Cobb needs three more assists to eclipse the 200-career assist mark.
** Coming into Friday's game, other SMU freshmen season-best records in jeopardy include:
~ Brittany Gilliam is currently seventh with 42 steals (record of 84 set by Missy Parker during 1989-90 season)
~ Delisha Wills is currently fifth in free throws made with 65 (record of 114 set by Janielle Dodds during the 2004-05 season).
~ At the current pace, Jillian Samuels will be ranked among the top-seven freshmen in three-point field goal percentage,
sporting a current mark of 34.2% behind the arc. The freshmen season record (minimum 25 attempts) is 41.8% set by Suzanne McAnally during the 1988-89 season.

[Ponymon]

They lost another one. Shooting was atrocious. Rhonda was not very happy on the post game show!

[ALEX LIFESON]

Thats not good, losing to a 10-13 ECU team at Moody.

[PonySnob]

How safe is Rhonda's job on the Hilltop? Might Steve-O put her on the bus out of here as part of his athletic department makover?

[Ponymon]

I think he will take into account her lack of upper classmen on this team. Plus she has some top flight recruits committed for the next 2 years. It will be interesting to see how much slack he gives her, but I'll bet she gets another couple of years given her improved recruiting.

[abezontar]

plus she also have 4-5 tourney appearances in her tenure, and at least 1 NIT appearance that I remember.

[Bigtime41]

Plus she has some top flight recruits committed for the next 2 years.

OUtside of Haley Day and La La Hill who are the other recruits? If she doesn't get some height in here or go after the top recruits in Texas then this program will not take the next step. I thought with the current Freshman class and a few key pickups over the next 2 years the future would be very bright. Day and Hill are top recruits and the 2008 class is the key to making a push for Top 25 ranking. Personally speaking with the number of athletes she has it's disappointing to see the current record. Somewhere in here she is going to have to let them get up and down the floor and ease up on having such a quick substitution pattern. Just let them play and let them ultilize their God given talents instead of always looking to run a play. It will interesting to see if they can get it together during this homestand and get on a good roll going into the conference tournament. She has the talent however, unless everyone on this team start playing for each other and not for themselves then they will not reach their full potential. I honestly believe that they have the talent to make some serious noise if they reach dance however a few things will have to occur in the very near future or it will be another wait until next year scenario. Let's get it together ladies and play to win! Go Lady Ponies!!