Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

Feb. 18, 2003

WACO, Texas -

Baylor (16-7, 5-6) at Oklahoma State (5-17, 1-10)
Wed., Feb. 15 - 7 p.m. (CST)
Gallagher-Iba Arena (13,611) - Stillwater, Okla.

Baylor hits the road for two games this week after upsetting No. 7 Texas Tech in overtime (86-72) on Saturday night. The victory was Baylor's third win over the Lady Raiders in four games. For the eighth time this season, five or more Lady Bears scored in double digits. Freshman Sophia Young led the way with a 26-point, 17-rebound performance. However, Gallagher-Iba Arena is not an easy place for the Lady Bears to play, they are 1-5 in games played in Stillwater. In addition, Baylor is 1-4 on the road in league games this season.

Baylor, 16-7 overall and 5-6 in the Big 12, broke a two-game losing streak with the victory over the Lady Raiders, it was Baylor's first win over a top 25 team this season.

The Oklahoma State Cowgirls, currently 5-17 overall and 1-10 in league play, enter the game hoping to break an eight-game losing streak. They almost beat Texas in Stillwater on Feb. 12, losing by just two points, 72-70. Their lone league victory came at home against Kansas (60-56).

THE LADY BEARS...
Despite having a young squad, the Lady Bears are posting some impressive numbers.

Sophomore Steffanie Blackmon (Dallas/Rowlett HS) leads the Lady Bears and ranks No. 5 in the Big 12 in scoring with 18.5 points a game. Freshman Sophia Young (St. Vincent, West Indies/Evangel Academy, Shreveport, La.) ranks second at 12.5. One other Lady Bear also averages in double-digits in scoring, junior post Dionne Brown (Georgetown/Texas Tech) averages 10.9 a game.

Young, a 6-1 freshman, is the Lady Bears' and Big 12's leading rebounder grabbing 9.4 a game. Young ranks first in scoring, rebounding and steals and second in blocked shots among Big 12 Conference freshmen. Steffanie Blackmon is close behind Young with 8.2 an outing.

Chelsea Whitaker (Dallas/Skyline HS) leads the squad in assists with 4.35 a game. Stratton ranks in second with 4.09 a contest. Stratton dished out a career-high 13 assists against Mercer and Whitaker has had three games where she tallied nine assists.

The Lady Bears have three players that combine for 110 blocks. Steffanie Blackmon leads the way with 42, Melanie Hamerly (Orange/Little Cypress-Mauriceville HS) follows closely with 39 and Sophia Young has 29 on the season.

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE...
Freshman Sophia Young, a 6-1 post, in just her fourth season of basketball, leads the Big 12 in rebounding at 9.4 a game. A freshman has never finished the season as the top rebounder in the Big 12 or former Big Eight and Southwest Conference. Among all Big 12 freshmen, Young ranks No. 1 in rebounding, scoring, steals and is No. 2 in blocked shots. She is No. 3 amongst all Big 12 players in field goal percentage (.558). Her 17 rebounds against Iowa State and Texas Tech are the most rebounds by a Big 12 player in league games this season. She has registered 11 games of double-digit rebounds and is second in the league in double-doubles with 10.

Young has twice been named Big 12 Rookie of the Week. Her most recent time came this week after she led Baylor to a victory over No. 7 Texas Tech with 26-point, 17-rebound performance.

Young's statistics in just Big 12 games are equally as impressive as her overall stats. In league games she averages 13.7 points and 9.2 rebounds a contest and is shooting 56.7 percent from the floor. In all games she averages 12.5 points and 9.4 rebounds and is shooting 55.9 percent.

THE OPPONENT...
Oklahoma State
The Oklahoma State Cowgirls, currently 5-17 overall and 1-10 in league play, enter the game hoping to break an eight-game losing streak. They almost beat Texas in Stillwater on Feb. 12, losing by just two points, 72-70. Their lone league victory came at home against Kansas (60-56).

Trisha Skibbe, a 6-2 junior center, leads the Cowgirls in both scoring and rebounding at 16.7 points and 7.3 rebounds a game. These totals rank her No. 6 in the Big 12 in scoring and No. 10 in rebounding.

THE COACHES...
In just her third season as Baylor's head coach, Kim Mulkey-Robertson has led the Lady Bears to two straight NCAA Tournament appearances, a final national ranking of No. 7 last season and a second place finish in the highly-competitive Big 12 Conference. The 2000 inductee to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame has a career record of 64-22 in her three seasons at Baylor.

Oklahoma State's Jill Goodenough (UT-Arlington, 1991) is in her first season has the Cowgirls' head coach. She is 5-17 at OSU. Prior to becoming the Cowgirls' head coach, Goodenough spent nine seasons as head coach at Hardin Simmons where she posted a 188-54 record.