 Billikens Host Wash. U. in Exhibition
Nov. 5, 2008
THIS WEEK: Saint Louis women's basketball plays its only exhibition game of the season this Friday, Nov. 7, when Washington University travels across town to take on the Billikens at Chaifetz Arena. Game time is 7 p.m. SCOUTING THE BEARS: NCAA Division III Wash. U. returns all five starters and 11 additional letterwinners from last year's team that was 19-8 overall and 10-4 (tied for second) in the University Athletic Association. The Bears advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in their NCAA-record 19th consecutive tournament appearance. Wash. U. is ranked No. 2 nationally by DIII News and No. 6 by D3Hoops.com. Senior forward Jaimie McFarlin, who averaged team highs of 14.0 points and 11.3 rebounds in seven games last season before suffering an injury, is the Bears' top returning player. Junior forward Janice Evans contributed 10.4 ppg and 6.8 rpg a year ago. Now in her 23rd season, head coach Nancy Fahey has a Wash. U. and career record of 516-93. REGULAR SEASON BEGINS NOV. 14: The Billikens' regular season begins Friday, Nov. 14, with a 7 p.m. game at Southern Illinois. SLU's official home opener is two days later when Western Michigan comes calling for a 2 p.m. contest on Sunday, Nov. 16. CHAIFETZ ARENA: The new Chaifetz (SHAY-fetz) Arena debuts this season. The $81 million arena has a seating capacity of 10,600 and is located on the SLU campus along Laclede Ave. west of Compton Ave. Chaifetz Arena functions as a true multipurpose campus events center, hosting a myriad of SLU events including men's and women's basketball, volleyball, commencement, cultural events, conferences and conventions. The arena houses the department of athletics offices as well as Chaifetz Pavilion, a practice facility for the basketball and volleyball teams. The building is named for Dr. Richard A. Chaifetz, who donated a $12 million naming gift to the University. A 1975 SLU graduate, Dr. Chaifetz is chairman and CEO of ComPsych Corp.
HEAD COACH Shimmy Gray-Miller: The sixth head coach in Saint Louis women's basketball history, Shimmy Gray-Miller brings a 30-57 record into her fourth season at the helm. Gray-Miller is a 1994 University of Michigan graduate. LISCH HONORED BY A-10: Atlantic 10 Conference head women's basketball coaches and media representatives voted junior guard Theresa Lisch (Belleville, Ill./Althoff) to the 2008-09 preseason All-Conference second team. Lisch was a third-team All-Conference selection last season. The Billikens were tabbed to finish 10th in the upcoming league race. SIX VETERANS RETURN: Six letterwinners return from last year's team. Leading that group is junior guard Theresa Lisch (Belleville, Ill./Althoff), who averaged a team-high 16.8 points and added 5.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists. Junior guard Katie Paganelli (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) was the Bills' second-leading scorer at 12.0 ppg, while junior center Amanda Kemezys (Fairview Heights, Ill./Belleville East), the only Billiken to start every game, averaged 10.6 points and a team-high 7.6 rebounds. Sophomore forward Lauren Woods (Swansea, Ill./Belleville East) looks to build on a rookie campaign in which she averaged 5.9 points. Senior forward Heather King (Palos Hills, Ill./Stagg) averaged 4.0 rebounds for the year but a team-best 7.0 rebounds over the last 13 games. Senior forward Jameela Haynes (Miami, Fla./Pace) also is back after chipping in 16 rebounds off the bench. EIGHT NEWCOMERS LOOK TO CONTRIBUTE: Coach Gray-Miller signed five players last November, then added three more over the next few months. Freshman guard Janisha Gearlds (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) earned All-Conference honors three times and helped guide her team to a Class AA state championship and two runner-up showings. Freshman guard Alisha Goodwin (Swansea, Ill./Althoff), who helped lead her squad to three top-four state finishes, averaged 17.5 points as a senior. Freshman center Kaelin Reid (Cincinnati, Ohio/Taft) averaged 18.9 points and 8.5 rebounds last season and garnered first-team All-District plaudits. Freshman guard/forward Devonna Smith (Kirkwood, Mo./Kirkwood) averaged 19.8 points and 10.6 rebounds and made the All-State first team in her final prep campaign while landing in Kirkwood's career top 10 in points, rebounds, steals and blocks. Rounding out the quintet of early signees is freshman forward India Warfield (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade Julienne), an All-District and All-Conference first team choice last season. Sophomore center Nicole Johnson (Southlake, Texas/Carroll) returns to basketball after competing in track and field at Abilene Christian University, and freshman forward Kayci Will (Neoga, Ill./Neoga) averaged 14.8 points and 11.4 rebounds a year ago. Junior center Kathryn Hester (Conover, N.C./Newton-Conover), who played two seasons at Miami (Fla.), will sit out the season due to NCAA transfer regulations. LAST SEASON: The Billikens posted a 10-20 overall record and a 5-9 Atlantic 10 Conference ledger. Fourteen of SLU's 30 games were decided by six or fewer points, with the Bills finishing strong by winning four of the last six contests in that category. |
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