Women's Basketball Hosts South Dakota in Home Opener Tuesday
11/21/2011 5:03:00 PM | Women's Basketball
South Dakota Coyotes (1-0) at Creighton Bluejays (2-1)
Game #4 • Tuesday, Nov. 22 • 7:05 pm
Ryan Athletic Center & D.J. Sokol Arena (2,500) • Omaha, Neb.
Series History: CU leads 10-7 overall; CU leads 8-2 in Omaha
Twitter: @GoCreighton, @CreightonWBB
Audio (1180 AM) | Video | Live Stats
Game #4 • Tuesday, Nov. 22 • 7:05 pm
Ryan Athletic Center & D.J. Sokol Arena (2,500) • Omaha, Neb.
Series History: CU leads 10-7 overall; CU leads 8-2 in Omaha
Twitter: @GoCreighton, @CreightonWBB
Audio (1180 AM) | Video | Live Stats
• Creighton is 25-12 all-time in its first home game of the year, including 9-2 in its last 11 home openers.
• Creighton is 7-2 in home openers under Jim Flanery and the Bluejays are 2-0 in openers at D.J. Sokol Arena.
• CU is 24-5 (.828) all-time at D.J. Sokol Arena, including 9-2 (.818) against non-conference opponents.
• The Bluejays are 20-0 under Jim Flanery in non-conference home games against teams outside of “BCS” conferences.
• The last time a non-conference team outside of the BCS won in Omaha was Jan. 8, 1990. Since then, the Bluejays have won 44 straight games against teams outside of the BCS and their conference(s) - MVC, WAC, HCAC.
• Creighton opened the season with consecutive road wins in its first two games for the first time in school history. The Bluejays won their first two road games of the season for the first time since 1995.
• With 172 career wins, Flanery now ranks second in school history. He opened the season tied with his predecessor Connie Yori (170).
• Carli Tritz scored a career-high 23 points at Kansas last Wednesday.
• Ally Jensen leads the MVC, shooting 47.1 percent (8-17) from three-point range (minimum 10 attempts).
• Jim Flanery is 10-1 all-time against teams currently in the Summit League.
• CU handed USD its only home loss last year, winning 79-70 in Vermillion last Dec. 2.
Scouting the Bluejays
The Bluejays are picked to finish fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference this season ... Creighton returns eight letterwinners and four players with starting experience from last year's team which finished 18-13 and 12-6 (T-2nd) in the MVC ... CU lost three senior starters from last year's team ... The Jays advanced to the WNIT for the fourth straight season last year, tying a school record for consecutive postseason appearances ... Nine of CU's 12 roster spots are filled by underclassmen ... Carli Tritz, the 2011 MVC Freshman of the Year, led the team in assists (98), steals (67) and field goal percentage (.478) last year and is already CU's active career leader in leader in points, steals, assists, free-throws and free-throw attempts ... Tritz (22) and junior Ally Jensen (19) started the most games last year of any returners, but CU's lone senior DaNae Moore (15) and sophomore Sarah Nelson (9) also spent time in the starting lineup last year ... Nelson, the MVC Player of the Week after the first week of play this season, joined Tritz on the MVC All-Freshman team last year ... CU's 2011-12 roster includes three freshmen, including Bellevue (Neb.) West graduate Alexis Akin-Otiko, who is averaging 9.3 points and 4.0 rebounds in her first three college games.
Scouting the Coyotes
South Dakota went 20-12 last year, playing in the postseason WBI and finishing 10-2 in its las year in the Great West ... USD, 1-0 this year, is now a member of the Summit League, in which they were picked to finish seventh ... USD returns all five starters from last year's team, including two-time all-conference forward Amber Hegge, who lead USD with 16.9 ppg and 8.0 rpg last yea ... Hegge scored 30 points in USD's opening win this year ... Jodie Boss, the 2011 GWC Defense Player of the Year blocked 106 shots last year, while Alexis Yackley led USD with 110 assists last year and dished 12 helpers in USD's opener.
The Coaches
• Jim Flanery (Creighton, 1987) is in his 10th season as head coach at his alma mater, where he has led his team to seven WNIT postseason appearances and five 20-win seasons. He owns a career record of 172-117 (.595). One of seven coaches in MVC history with 100 league wins, he led the Bluejays to the 2004 WNIT Championship. He is the second-winningest coach in school history. Prior to serving as CU's head coach, Flanery served as CU's top assistant for a decade. Flan is 1-0 against South Dakota and 10-1 against the Summit League.
• Ryun Williams (South Dakota, 1992) is in his fourth season at South Dakota and his 17th as a head coach. He is 54-39 (.581) at USD and 289-182 (.614) all-time, arriving at USD after becoming the winningest women's basketball coach in Wayne State (Neb.) history.
Creighton-USD Series History
Creighton is 10-7 all-time against South Dakota, with the teams meeting in the regular-season last year for the first time since 1988. Creighton is 8-2 against USD in Omaha, with the Coyotes last trip to CU coming on Feb. 18, 1988. The Jays have won the last six meetings in the series, the first of those five coming in Omaha. CU won 79-70 in Vermillion last year, USD's only home loss in 2010-11. USD last won in Omaha on Feb. 16, 1982.
Last Year at South Dakota
Creighton made 9-of-16 (.563) three-pointers and shot 48.9 percent from the field in a 79-70 win at the DakotaDome on Dec. 2. CU led 36-35 at halftime, making 7-of-11 threes in the opening half. CU made 26-of-34 FTs, compared to 15-of-18 by USD in the 9-point win. Kelsey Woodard led all players with 24 points. Ally Jensen went 3-for-3 from 3-point range and finished with 11 points, while Carli Tritz added 10 points and four assists off the bench. Amber Hegge led USD with 21 points and Annie Roche added 17 points.
Reaching the Summit
Creighton is 10-1 all-time against teams from the Summit League under head coach Jim Flanery, including a 71-51 win at North Dakota State earlier this month. CU is 5-0 at home under Flanery against Summit League squads, with wins over UMKC (2), Western Illinois, Oral Roberts and North Dakota State.
Home Streak Home
Creighton is 20-0 under head coach Jim Flanery against non-conference teams from outside the BCS conferences (11-13 vs. BCS teams at home). CU is 7-0 at D.J. Sokol Arena against non-conference non-BCS teams. In fact, you have to look for more than two decades to find the last time CU lost at home to a non-conference team from outside of BCS leagues. CU has won 44 straight games against non-conference, non-BCS teams since losing 116-84 to Northern Illinois on Jan. 8, 1990.
Home is Where the Wins Are
Creighton went 12-2 at D.J. Sokol Arena last year, improving to 24-5 (.828) in its first two seasons at its new home. The Bluejays are now 96-30 (.762) at home under Jim Flanery, including 64-17 (.790) in MVC play at home under Flanery. CU is 5-0 at home in November over the last two years.
Home Opening Info
Creighton is 25-12 all-time in its season debut at home, including wins in nine of its last 11 home openers. Creighton is 7-2 in home openers under Jim Flanery, with wins over UMKC, Michigan, Northwestern, Houston, Arkansas-Little Rock, Arkansas State and Wyoming. The losses came to Nebraska and Kansas. The Jays have won their first two home openers at D.J. Sokol Arena, defeating Arkansas State 77-54 in the first game played at the venue in 2009 and 60-49 over Wyoming last year.
Last Year's Home Opener
Creighton scored the first 13 points in its home opener last year, posting a 60-49 win over Wyoming last Nov. 20. CU led 28-14 at halftime and led by at many as 24 in the 11-point win. Kelsey Woodard led all players with 14 points, while Carli Tritz had 10 points (all in the first half), six rebounds, three steals and three assists in her home debut.
Defense at D.J.
With an 12-2 mark at D.J. Sokol Arena, the Bluejays are now 24-5 all-time their new home. In those 29 games, the Bluejays have allowed less than 60 points points 21 times – including 11 of 14 games last year. Bluejay opponents are averaging just 55.3 points per game in the 29 games played inside D.J. Sokol Arena.
Tritz Scores Career-High 23 at Kansas
Sophomore Carli Tritz poured in a career-high 23 points at Kansas last Wednesday, also setting career-high marks by going 9-for-18 from the field. Her previous career best of 21 points also came against a Big 12 school, scoring 21 against Nebraska at home last year.
Freshmen Firsts
Freshmen Taylor Johnson and Alexis Akin-Otiko each picked a historic building to make their first career three-pointer, when the duo did so at Kansas' Allen Fieldhouse (Nov. 16). Akin-Otiko drained the first three-point attempt of her career against KU, while Johnson had missed her first eight career attempts before knocking down a three at Kansas.
Accuracy from Ally
Junior Ally Jensen leads the MVC, shooting 47.1 percent from three point range this year, making 8-of-17 three-pointers through three games. She scored in double figures in CU's first two games this season, after scoring in double figures four times in 31 games last year. Her 16 points against North Dakota State (Nov. 13) were the most she'd scored since her career-high 18 points against Drake as a freshman in the MVC Tournament.
Nelson Earns MVC Honors
Sarah Nelson opened her sophomore season in style by earning MVC Player of the Week honors on Nov. 14. The forward tied her career-high with 17 points, making 7-of-8 field goals in CU's opener at North Dakota and followed with her second career double-double with 12 points and a career-high tying 10 rebounds at North Dakota State. She also shot 12-of-16 (.750) from the field in her first two games.
Flan's Movement
Creighton opened the season with a 72-54 win at North Dakota, earning head coach Jim Flanery his 171st career victory. That win moved him ahead of his predecessor Connie Yori (170) alone into second place on the CU career victories chart. He now trails only Bruce Rasmussen's (currently Creighton's AD) 196 wins for tops in school history.
Creighton Coaching Wins
Name Wins Seasons
Bruce Rasmussen 196 12
Jim Flanery 172 10
Connie Yori 170 10
Gaye Kinnett 33 3
Eddye McClure 26 3
Howard Faber 11 1
Not So Rocky Road
The Bluejays won their first two road games of the season for the first time since 1995. Creighton opened the season with consecutive road wins in its first two games for the first time in school history. Prior to its 72-54 win at North Dakota to open the year, Creighton had not won its first road game of the season since 1999 and had not won a season-opener on the road since 1998.
Shooting Stars
Creighton opened the year shooting 49.1 percent from the field in its 72-54 win at North Dakota and followed by shooting 44.4 percent in its 71-51 win at North Dakota State. The combined field goal percentage of 46.7 percent through two games marked the best shooting percentage to start the season in head coach Jim Flanery's 10 seasons. It is the best two-game start to the season from the field since the 1994-95 team shot 48.5 percent.
More Season Opening Information
Creighton's season-opening win moved the Bluejays to 5-5 in openers under head coach Jim Flanery. The Jays are now 1-5 in season-openers on the road and 1-9 in Flanery's first road game of the year.
Impact Freshman
Freshman Alexis Akin-Otiko had a pair of impressive performances in her first two college games. The rookie had seven points and a team-best five rebounds in just 13 minutes of play in her collegiate debut at North Dakota (Nov. 11). She was 7-of-9 from the floor for 16 points in 16 minutes of action at North Dakota State (Nov. 13), tying for game-high scoring honors. She went 5-for-5 from the free-throw line and averaged 11.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in her first two games.
Garrison Happy to be Healthy
Jordan Garrison played in 16 games last year, missing the first 12 because of a stress fracture in her left leg. The sophomore three-point specialist was 4-for-20 from three-point range last year and scored 15 points all year. In her first two games this year, the guard was 4-for-9 from long range with 12 points, scoring six in each Bluejay win.
Bluejays Blowout Bison
Creighton blasted North Dakota State 71-51 on Nov. 13, the Bluejays' first 20-point non-conference road win since a 78-56 win at Colorado State on Nov. 24, 2007. It marked just the third non-conference road win of at least 20 points under head coach Jim Flanery, with the first coming on Dec. 20, 2002 – 80-57 at UC Irvine.
Balanced Minutes
Coming into the 2011-12 season head coach Jim Flanery intended to use his bench more liberally and give his starters more rest – two big wins to start the season has allowed him to follow through with that plan. Of the 11 players that have played, 10 are averaging at least 13 minutes per game and none are averaging more than 28 minutes played.
Tritz Leads the Way
After only one season on campus, sophomore Carli Tritz is already Creighton's active leader in points scored (390), free-throws (74), free-throw attempts (110), steals (69) and assists (107).
Exhibition Recap
Creighton cruised to an 83-26 win over Rockhurst in its only exhibition of the season on Nov. 2. The Bluejays forced 34 turnovers and had 18 steals in the game, with four steals each from sophomore Alyssa Kamphaus and freshman Alexis Akin-Otiko. Four Bluejays scored in double figures, led by Ally Jensen's 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting from long range. McKenzie Fujan, Jordan Garrison and Kamphaus each added 10 points. Akin-Otiko also led the team with six rebounds, as CU outrebounded RU 45-32. The Bluejays shot 46.9 percent from the field and 43.5 percent (10-23) from three-point range, but just 50 percent (13-26) at the free-throw line. Sarah Nelson blocked six shots and added nine points in the win. Fujan, Nelson and freshman Taylor Johnson tied for team-high honors with four assists.
Preseason Picks
The Bluejays have been picked to finish fourth in the MVC preseason poll as voted on by league coaches, media and sports information directors. Sophomore Carli Tritz was named to the five-member preseason all-MVC team after her outstanding freshman campaign. Missouri State captured 36 first-place votes and are the preseason favorites, while UNI received the remaining four votes and is picked to finish second. Wichita State is the only other team picked above Creighton this year.
On Top of the Valley
Creighton has won more MVC games in the last nine years than any other program in the league. With 105 victories since the 2002-03 season, the Bluejays are the only Valley team to eclipse 100 conference wins in that span. All 105 wins have come since Jim Flanery took over, making him just the seventh coach in league history to win 100 MVC games.
We're Still Young
One season after half of the roster was made up of freshmen, the 2011-12 roster consists of 12 players, nine of which are underclassmen. The Bluejays have one senior (DaNae Moore), two juniors, five sophomores, three true freshmen and one redshirt freshman on the roster.
Creighton's Sister Act Continues
One of the three freshmen on this year's team is Sammy Jensen, the younger sister of junior Ally Jensen, continuing the recent trend of sisters playing for the Bluejays. Last year, Kellie and Sarah Nelson played alongside each other. Before the Nelson's played together, the last recorded sister duo to play on the same Bluejay basketball squad was Peggy and Patty Bierle during the 1978-79 season. Kelsey Woodard (2007-11) followed older sister Kristi (2002-06) and Laura Spanheimer (2001-05) followed in the steps of her older sister Krissie (1997-01) to solidify this basketball program as true family environment.
Tritz is Talented
Carli Tritz was named the MVC Freshman of the Year in 2010-11, after she led the team in assists (98), steals (67) and field-goal percentage (.478). Tritz, who was also named honorable-mention all-MVC, set an MVC record by earning MVC Newcomer of the Week honors nine times (in 17 weeks) last year. The guard led all MVC freshmen and newcomers in scoring (11.4 ppg), assist-turnover ratio (1.0) and field-goal percentage, while she led all league freshmen in steals.
Super Sophs
Sarah Nelson joined Carli Tritz on the MVC All-Freshman Team in 2010-11. Nelson led the team with 29 blocked shots and ranked second with 137 rebounds. The forward was named the MVC Newcomer of the Week twice last year to give Creighton 11 of the 17 Newcomer of the Week honors last year.
It's Lonely at the Top
Forward DaNae Moore is the lone senior on this year's team. The senior started 34 of the 96 games she has played in during her first three years, averaging 13 minutes per game. The forward from Apple Valley, Minn., has more rebounds (254) than points scored (178) – averaging less than two points per game – in her career.
Jensen Takes Aim at 100
With eight three-pointers in her first three games, junior Ally Jensen is quickly closing in on 100 career trifectas in her career. She now has 87 career three-pointers, 13 shy of becoming the 16th player in school history to reach 100 career threes.
Creighton Career 3-Point Field Goals
1. 309 Kathy Halligan 1988-92
2. 294 Dayna Finch 2000-04
3. 261 Kelsey Woodard 2007-pr.
4. 250 Laura Spanheimer 2001-05
5. 187 Missy Miller 1992-96
6. 174 Holly Sivesind 1993-97
7. 169 Sam Schuett 2006-pr.
8. 154 Ally Thrall 2004-08
9. 151 Melissa Sanford 1989-92
10. 137 Krissie Spanheimer 1997-01
11. 134 Chevelle Herring 2005-pr.
134 Angela Timmons 1997-01
13. 132 Kristi Woodard 2002-06
14. 102 Christy Neneman 2000-04
15. 101 Michelle Kaus 2005-09
Nebraska Natives
Five of Creighton's 12 players on this year's roster are from Nebraska – Omaha products Jasmin Corbin (Millard West) and Sarah Nelson (Westside), Seward High graduate Alyssa Kamphaus, Wahoo Bishop Neumann product McKenzie Fujan and Alexis Akin-Otiko out of Bellevue West.
The Bellevue Bloodline
Freshman Alexis Akin-Otiko continues a trend at Creighton which began in 2002-03. Akin-Otiko attended Bellevue West, following in the footsteps of former Bluejays and fellow Bellevue West Thunderbirds Kristi and Kelsey Woodard. Kristi played for the Jays from 2002-06 and Kelsey played from 2007-11, meaning one T-Bird has been on the roster every year since 2002-03 – with the exception of 2006-07. CU has had at least one player from Bellevue on the roster every season for the last decade, as Chevelle Herring, a Bellevue East product, played from 2005-10.
Another Tough Schedule
As always, Creighton plays one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the MVC, one that features the 2011 NCAA National Runner-Up coming to Omaha. Creighton hosts North Carolina State on Nov. 27, the first ACC team to play against the Jays in Omaha. On Dec. 4, the Bluejays host Notre Dame for the first time in program history. The Fighting Irish, who lost to Texas A&M in the 2011 NCAA Title game, will be the fourth team in a decade to come to Omaha the year after it played in the Final Four – Missouri State (2002), Minnesota (2004), Oklahoma (2009). Seven-time reigning Mid-American Conference champion Bowling Green also plays at D.J. Sokol Arena on Dec. 18.
Playing the Percentages
Creighton lost three of its top five scorers from last year's team and returns 52.4 percent of its scoring from a year ago. The Jays return 58.3 percent of their rebounds and 56.4 percent of their assists from last year. Perhaps the most noticable statistical loss might be that the three 2011 seniors – Kellie Nelson, Sam Schuett, Kelsey Woodard – accounted for 2,669 of Creighton's 6,225 minutes played last year. So between the three graduated seniors, they played 42.9 percent of CU's minutes last year.
Flan Captures 100th MVC Win
Head coach Jim Flanery won his 100th career MVC game against Wichita State on Jan. 29, 2011, becoming the seventh coach in league history to reach that milestone.
Most MVC Coaching Wins (league games)
Name, School Wins Years
Cheryl Burnett, MSU 201 1988-02
Cindy Scott, SIU 199 1983-98
Jill Hutchison, ILS 170 1983-99
Tony DiCecco, UNI 117 1996-07
Lisa Bluder, DU 116 1991-00
Connie Yori, CU 109 1992-02
Jim Flanery, CU 105 2002-pr.
Flanery On Top of The Valley
Since taking over as the Bluejay head coach for the 2002-03 season, Jim Flanery has led the Bluejays to more Missouri Valley Conference wins than any other program in that span. See the chart below for records in regular-season MVC games since 2002-03.
MVC Records Since 2002-03
School W-L Pct.
Creighton 105-57 .648
Northern Iowa 99-63 .611
Indiana State 97-65 .599
Illinois State 97-65 .599
Missouri State 91-71 .562
Drake 89-73 .549
Bradley 72-90 .444
Evansville 64-98 .395
Wichita State 54-108 .333
Southern Illinois 42-120 .259
Bluejays Receive Two NLIs
Creighton received two National Letters of Intent on signing day this fall, inking Brianna Rollerson [6-1, F, Omaha, Neb. (Central)] and Marrisa Janning [5-8, G, Delano, Minn. (Watertown-Mayer)] to its class 2012-13 freshman class. Janning is the highest rated recruit of any MVC team as ranked by Blue Star Basketball. Janning ranked 193 and Rollerson ranked 218 nationally by the recruiting service.
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