Nov. 17, 2004
WACO, Texas -
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Game 2:
#8/8 Baylor (0-1) vs. Indiana (0-0)
Nov. 19, 2004 • 7:00 p.m.
Ferrell Center (10,284) • Waco, Texas
RADIO
1660 AM - ESPN Radio
Rick May - play-by-play
Lori Fogleman - color analyst
#8/8 BAYLOR VS. INDIANA...
Baylor and the Indiana Hoosiers meet for the first time when the two teams tangle on Friday, Nov. 19, in the Ferrell Center. Baylor, currently ranked No. 8 in both the Associated Press' poll and the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' poll, comes into the game at 0-1 after dropping a 71-70 decision to third-ranked LSU in the State Farm Tip-Off Classic. Indiana will be playing its first regular season game of the season after defeating the Australia Institute of Sport, 75-67.
BAYLOR IN THE POLLS...
On Nov. 8 the Baylor Lady Bears achieved their highest preseason ranking in the Associated Press poll when they broke out of the gate at No. 8. Prior to that, Baylor's highest preseason ranking came in 1976-77 when it debuted at No. 13. In addition, the Lady Bears were ranked No. 8 in the season's first USA Today/ESPN Coaches' poll, their highest-ever ranking by the coaches. Baylor remained at No. 8 in both polls this week.
BAYLOR HOME OPENERS...
After opening the season on the road, Baylor is set for its home opener against Indiana. The Lady Bears are 13-3 in home openers in the Ferrell Center which dates back to Nov. 25, 1988. The Lady Bears played the first-ever game in the Ferrell Center on that date, losing to Texas State, known as Southwest Texas State at that time, 88-76. Baylor's other two two losses have come at the hands of Sam Houston State in 1989 and Colorado in 1992. The Lady Bears have won 11 consecutive home openers.
BAYLOR HEAD COACH Kim Mulkey-Robertson...
Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson owns a 98-36 head coaching record which equates to a .731 winning percentage in her fifth season along the Lady Bear sideline. She has produced 20-win seasons in each of her four years as a head coach and has taken the Lady Bears to postseason competition all four seasons, three times to the NCAA Tournament and to the finals of the WNIT. In 2004, the Lady Bears advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in school history. Baylor year-by-year under Mulkey-Robertson:
2000-01 - 21-9 - NCAA , lost in first round (Arkansas)
2001-02 - 27-6 - NCAA, lost in second round (Drake)
2002-03 - 24-11 - WNIT, lost in finals (Auburn)
2003-04 - 26-9 - NCAA, lost in Sweet 16 (Tennessee)
2004-05 - 0-1 - Highest preseason ranking in school history
Mulkey-Robertson was named Baylor's fourth head coach on April 4, 2000. She was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame that same year. She was inducted into the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame in June of 2003.
MULKEY-ROBERTSON NEARING 100 VICTORIES...
Kim Mulkey-Robertson has 98 career wins under her belt and it only took her four seasons to reach that total. Since she has only been coaching for four complete seasons, she does not qualify to be ranked in the NCAA Division I winning percentage rankings, it takes five seasons to qualify. She has a .731 winning percentage and has averaged 24.5 wins per year on the Baylor sideline.
DOUBLE TROUBLE...
The tandem of Steffanie Blackmon and Sophia Young in the paint has proven to be one of the most formidable inside duos in NCAA Division I. Last season the pair combined to average 32.3 points and 15.5 rebounds a game, which accounted for 39.7 percent of Baylor's scoring and rebounding. Over the past two seasons Blackmon has averaged 16.6 points and 7.5 rebounds while Young has scored 15.5 a game and hauled down 9.3 boards over that same span.
In Baylor's first game of the season against No. 3 LSU, Blackmon and Young combined to score 43 of Baylor's 70 points. Blackmon led the team in scoring with 22 while Young followed right behind with 21.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT...
The Indiana University Hoosiers are opening their season by traveling to Waco to take on the Lady Bears in the Ferrell Center. IU posted a 75-67 exhibition victory over the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) on Nov. 8.
Senior captain Jamie Gathing is back in action for the 2004-05 season after redshirting last year due to a knee injury. Forward Jenny DeMuth, last season's leading scorer (18.3 ppg) and rebounder (7.7 rpg), is out for the year due to a torn ACL in her left knee. Junior Cyndi Valentin brings a streak of 42 consecutive free throws made into the season. Her last miss came on Jan 2, 2004 against Michigan State. Valentin led the team in scoring against AIS with 23 points. Annika Boyd tallied 10 points and Angela Hawkins led the team in rebounding with nine. This will be a homecoming for Hoosier senior guard LeeAnn Stephenson who hails from Garland, Texas.
Hoosier head coach Kathi Bennett is in her fifth season at Indiana where she has a record of 62-57. Bennett is in her 17th season as a head coach and is 286-160 overall. She has had head coaching stints at Marycrest (Iowa) College, Wisconsin-Oshkosh and Evansville.
