Aug. 24, 2008
WACO, Texas - The Baylor women's basketball team will get a head start on the 2008-09 season when it hits the court on Monday, Aug. 25, the first day of fall semester classes, to prepare for its first-ever international competition.
Baylor will practice for four days prior to departing for its two exhibition games in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on Saturday, Aug. 30 and Sunday, Aug. 31. Baylor will take on Simon Fraser University on Saturday followed by a Sunday contest against the University of British Columbia, both games begin at 7 p.m. Central time.
"Our team is very excited to get a head start on the season," head coach Kim Mulkey said. "This will be a great opportunity and a great learning experience for our team to have an opportunity to see a different part of the world."
All-Big 12 and All-Defensive team senior post Rachel Allison is expected to lead the Lady Bears this season after averaging 13.1 points and a team-best 8.5 rebounds per game last season. In addition to Allison, Baylor returns three more starters off last season's 25-7 squad. Senior guards Jhasmin Player and Jessica Morrow return along with junior post Danielle Wilson. Player had averaged 12.2 points and 6.0 rebounds a game before being sidelined with an ACL tear 21 games into the season. Morrow also averaged double-digit scoring in her junior season, knocking down 11.7 a contest while collecting 4.1 boards. Wilson completed the Lady Bears' double digit scoring with 10.4 points and added 6.8 rebounds a game which ranked second on the team.
Baylor's two then-freshmen, guards Kelli Griffin and Melissa Jones, saw considerable action as rookies, starting in eight and six games, respectively. Jones scored 5.4 points a game and averaged an impressive 5.6 rebounds while Griffin, running the point, tallied 2.8 an outing.
Seven newcomers grace the Baylor roster, six of which will travel to British Columbia. The most experienced of the seven is forward Morghan Medlock, a transfer from the University of Southern California, who, after receiving a waiver from the NCAA, will be eligible this season. Whitney Zachariason, a transfer from Arkansas, will miss the trip to Canada, she will become eligible beginning with Baylor's Dec. 20 game at Oregon.
The Lady Bears' 2008-09 roster sports five freshmen, four of which are guards, including Brianna Brown (Chandler, Ariz.), Terran Condrey (Eufaula, Ala.), Lindsay Palmer (Tulsa, Okla.) and Cherrish Wallace (Pasadena, Calif.). The lone non-guard newcomer is post Ashley Field (Burnet, Texas).
Saturday, Aug. 30
Baylor vs. Simon Fraser University, Chancellor Gym, Burnaby, B.C. - 7 p.m. Central
Sunday, Aug. 31
Baylor vs. University of British Columbia, War Memorial Gym, Vancouver, B.C., 7 p.m. Central
