Women's Basketball Faces Akron at 2:30 p.m. Friday

Oklahoma Women's Basketball
Junkanoo Jam
Nov. 26-27, 2004
Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas
Game Site: St. George High School

Tournament: Junkanoo Jam
Location: Freeport, Grand Bahama,
               Bahamas
Date: Friday, Nov. 26, Saturday, Nov. 27
Tipoff: 2:30 p.m. CST Friday and
            12 or 2:30 CST Saturday
Arena: St. George High School (1,200)
Radio: KOKC-AM (1520)
Television: None
Records: Oklahoma: 2-0, Akron: 0-2,
                Florida: 0-1, Iowa: 2-0
Rankings: OU - No. 21/23
                 (AP/USA Today Polls)

JUNKANOO JAM 2004
Friday, Nov. 26
Lucaya Division 2004
Game 1: Iowa vs. Florida at 12 p.m.
Game 2: Akron vs. Oklahoma at 2:30 p.m.

Freeport Division 2004
Game 1: Illinois State vs. Kansas State at 5 p.m.
Game 2: Stephen F. Austin vs. Duke at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 27
Lucaya Division 2004
Game 3: Losers of Game 1 & 2 (3rd place) at 12 p.m.
Game 4: Winners of Game 1 & 2 (champion) at 2:30 p.m.

Freeport Division 2004
Game 3: Losers of Game 3 & 4 (3rd place) at 5 p.m.
Game 4: Winners of Game 3 & 4 (champion) at 7:30 p.m.

PROBABLE STARTERS
OKLAHOMA (2-0)
24   F   Leah Rush (6-0, So., 9.5 ppg, 4.5rpg)
14   F   Beky Preston (6-3, Jr., 6.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
34   G   Erin Higgins (5-9, So., 11.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg)
35   G   Dionnah Jackson (5-9, Sr., 16.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
00   G Chelsi Welch (5-9, So., 8.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg)

AKRON (0-2)
23   F   Kissy Marco (5-8, Jr., 6.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
40   F   Jessie Crooks (6-1, So., 10.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg)
44   F   Mandy Holzer (6-2, So., 7.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg)
10   G   Lindsay Hemmelgarn (5-8, Sr., 6.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
11   G   Lori Krezeczowski (5-6, Sr., 6.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg)

The 21st-ranked Oklahoma women's basketball team (2-0) will be one of eight competing in the two-day, two-division 2004 Junkanoo Jam on the Grand Bahama Island over the Thanksgiving holiday. OU is paired with Akron, Florida and Iowa in the Lucaya Division. Duke, Kansas State, Stephen F. Austin and Illinois State makes up the Freeport Division. The games will be broadcast live on KOKC-AM (1520) and on the O-Zone at www.SoonerSports.com. Bill Pink and Tara DeGiusti will be calling the action.

This will be the first trip to the Bahamas for a Sherri Coale team, however, Oklahoma has participated in this tournament once before. The Sooners competed in the 1995-96 Junkanoo Jam, going 1-1.

Oklahoma tipped off its regular season schedule with a pair of home wins. The Sooners defeated Southeast Missouri State, 84-62, Friday, followed by Texas State, 76-57, Sunday. OU is averaging 80 points and 36 rebounds per game. Oklahoma shot the ball well for opening weekend action, hitting 50 from the field, 40 percent from the arc and 70.8 percent from the free throw line.

Preseason All-American Dionnah Jackson tops the team in four categories; scoring (16.0 ppg), blocks (2.0), steals (2.5) and assists (6.5) per game. She is also shooting an impressive 75.0 percent from the field, hitting 12 of 16 shots. Leading the Sooners defensively is senior Lauren Shoush, who averages a team-best 6.0 rebounds off the bench. Averaging 5.0 boards a game is sophomore guard Erin Higgins.

SERIES HISTORY
Sooner coach Sherri Coale will be facing all three opponents for the first time. In OU history, only Iowa appears in the Sooners series record book. The Hawkeyes have a slim 1-0 advantage over Oklahoma. The two teams met in Miami (Fla.) as one of four schools competing in the 1988-89 Orange Bowl Classic. Iowa won 86-69 (D29).

AKRON (0-2)
After returning all five starters from a year ago, Akron opened its season with a pair of losses. The Zips were victims at home to Dayton, 66-56 (N19), before traveling to Robert Morris to suffer a 75-58 loss (N21) last weekend.

Sophomore forward Jessie Crooks currently leads the Zips in scoring (10.0 ppg) and rebounding (5.5 rpg). She had 11 points in the season opener against Dayton and nine points and eight rebounds at Robert Morris.

Jae Conn, a 5-4 senior guard, ranks second in scoring with nine points in one game played. Conn was the team's leading scorer and three point shooter last season.

The team's top rebounder a year ago, Mandy Holzer, is shooting 60 percent from the field (6-of-10) and contributing 7.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.

The Zips have been outrebounded 43.0 to 35.5 and forced into 49 turnovers to 22 assists.

Head coach Kelly Kennedy (Case Western Reserve, 1993) is entering her third season with the Akron program but is currently on maternity leave. The Kennedy's had a baby girl, Molly Marie Kennedy, on Nov. 18. Prior to Akron, she spent three years as an assistant coach on Bill Fennelly's Iowa State coaching staff. While on ISU's staff, the Cyclones won two Big 12 championships and went 78-21.

Assistant coach Carol Dugan is heading the team while Kennedy is sidelined.

Akron went 7-21 last season and finished sixth (2-14) in the Mid-American Conference race.

IOWA (2-0)
Iowa is sitting at 2-0 on the season after winning the KCRG TV-9 Hawkeye Challenge. IU defeated Southern Illinois, 66-50, in the season opener and Missouri, 75-54, for the championship title.

Three Hawkeyes currently average double digits in scoring. Junior guard Crystal Smith tops the team with 17.5 ppg, while senior center Jamie Cavey and junior forward Johanna Solverson each contributes 12.5 ppg. Freshman Krista Vande Venter is the team's leader with 8.0 rebounds per game.

Smith had 26 points in the championship game against Missouri, Cavey added 13.

For the two-day tournament, Iowa shot 50.5 percent from the field, 53.8 percent from the three-point line and 73.7 percent from the free throw line. Iowa also outrebounded its opponents, 37.0 to 32.5. The Hawkeyes are averaging 70.5 points while only allowing 52.0 ppg.

Iowa participated in the 2004 NCAA Tournament, losing in the opening round to Virginia Tech, 89-76. The Hawkeyes return three starters and seven letterwinners from a team that produced an overall record of 16-13 and placed fourth (10-6) in the Big Ten Conference.

Lisa Bluder (Northern Iowa, 1983) is in her sixth season with the Iowa program. She has produced a five-year record of 73-49. Prior to Iowa, she was the head coach at Drake (187-106, 63.8%) and St. Ambrose (169-36, 82.4%).

PROBABLE STARTERS
IOWA (2-0)
34   F   Johanna Solverson (6-2, Jr., 12.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg)
51   F    Krista VandeVenter (6-2, Fr., 7.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg)
52   C   Jamie Cavey (6-3, Sr., 12.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
10   G   Crystal Smith (5-6, Jr., 17.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
03   G   Abby Emmert (5-9, Fr., 3.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg)

FLORIDA (0-1)
Florida opened its season with a 72-62 loss to state rival Florida State inside the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla., Monday night. The Gators were led by Danielle Santos with 16 points and Bernice Mosby with 10 rebounds.

UF only shot 37.5 percent from the field, 41.2 from the three-point line and 58.3 percent from the free throw line.

Florida returns four starters from a team that finished tied for fourth in the SEC with an 8-6 mark. Overall, the Gators went 19-11 and earned an at-large berth to the 2004 NCAA Tournament. Big 12 foe Baylor eliminated the Gators in the second round with a 91-76 win.

Mosby was voted the 2004 SEC Sixth Woman of the Year.

Carolyn Peck (Vanderbilt, 1988) is entering her third season as head coach for the Florida Gators. She spent three years as a head coach in the WNBA before returning to the collegiate ranks.

PROBABLE STARTERS
FLORIDA (0-1)
45   F   Tashia Morehead (5-11, Sr., 5.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
33   F   Bernice Mosby (6-1, Jr., 9.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg)
32   F   Brittany Davis (6-2, Jr., 4.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
03   G   Tishona Gregory (5-5, Sr., 12.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg)
21   G   Danielle Santos (5-10, Jr., 16.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg)

JACKSON IS ON THE MOVE
With two games under her belt, senior Dionnah Jackson is climbing OU's career charts. Jackson is on the verge of breaking into the top five in three career categories; steals, blocks and defensive rebounds.

The St. Louis, Mo., native has collected 448 career defensive rebounds and is just five shy of ranking fifth on the list.

The 5-9 point guard is 12 short of the top five in career steals and blocks. She's already jumped a couple of spots in each category. Jackson owns 205 steals and 42 career blocks.

MIXING-AN-MATCHING
Head coach Sherri Coale is still searching for the right combination on the court. Two games into the 2004-05 season, Coale has had the luxury of playing 10 of her 13 eligible players in both games. Against Texas State all 13 Sooners that suited up played.

In addition, 12 of Coale's 13 players are averaging double digits in minutes played per game.

PRESEASON TOURNAMENT ACTION
Oklahoma has gone 18-7 in regular season tournaments since the 1999-2000 season. OU went 3-1 last season with its only loss to then No. 2 Tennessee in the Big 12/SEC Challenge in Norman.

IN SEARCH OF 500TH PROGRAM WIN
Oklahoma is 18 wins shy of reaching its 500 career victory. The 31-year old women's basketball program has 482 wins.

COALE TOPS EIGHT YEAR RECORD
Sooner coach Sherri Coale has produced 156 wins heading into the 2004-05 season, ranking her at the top of the list for most wins of an eight-year coach in Division I.

Kansas State's Deb Patterson ranks second with 151 victories, followed by Terri Mitchell's 150 wins at Marquette.

HOME SWEET HOME
The Lloyd Noble Center has become one of the toughest venues for opponents. Oklahoma has produced a home court record of 68-14, a 82.9 winning percentage, over the last six years. The Sooners have only lost two non-conference games during this time period (Connecticut, 2000 and Tennessee, 2004).

OU INKS TOP RECRUITING CLASS
With the signing of Ashley and Courtney Paris, the well-known Paris twins from Piedmont, Calif., Sooner head coach Sherri Coale as landed the top recruiting class in the country, according to Blue Flynn, Blue Star Report. In Dan Olson, All Star Girls Report Coale has the fourth-best recruiting class, followed by Texas, Duke, Connecticut.

The Paris twins will bring a dominant inside presence to OU and the Big 12 Conference. C. Paris is a true post player, while A. Paris is more of a combo forward. The both have solid fundamental skills. C. Paris has been rated as either the No. 1 or No. 2 prospect in the country by various girls' basketball scouting services, while A. Paris has consistently been in the top six.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Women's Basketball Faces Akron at 2:30 p.m. Friday

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