2008 Woodie Awards
Penguins look to defuse Rockets in home opener
Jumal Brown, Jambar Contributor
Issue date: 11/29/07 Section: Sports
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When the Lady Penguins (1-3) play host to the Toledo Rockets (2-2), it will be a match-up between two women's basketball teams meeting for the 17th overall time with both squads hoping to maintain momentum from their latest wins.
For senior Lauren Branson, there is nothing better than playing in the comfort of their home court.
"Playing at home is great because you get to sleep in your own bed and your friends and family come out to watch the game,"?Branson said.
The Toledo Rockets are coming off a fresh 72-66 win over Eastern Illinois University and bring along a team scoring average of 71.5 points per game that is powered by three key players who respectively average 9.8 points a game or better.
To keep the Rockets' score on the low side, the Penguins will need to slow down sophomore forward Allie Clifton, who leads the team in scoring 17 points per contest and is also averaging just over seven rebounds a game.
Clifton has scored in double figures in all four of the Rockets' games, and as the 2007-2008 season co-captain of the team, she ranks third, respectively, in defensive rebounding and scoring in the Mid-America Conference, as well as recently being named to the Seton Hall Basketball All Tournament team.
The Penguins will also have a top priority working the boards throughout the night, as the team will need to keep senior Tamesha Scotton boxed out. Scotton was moved into the starting lineup this season, and is leading the team with 8.3 boards per game while contributing slightly above 11 points per contest. Scotton ranks third in the MAC in offensive rebounding.
Senior guard Ta'Yani Scott rounds out the Toledo triple-threat trio. Scott averages 9.8 points per game and is coming off a career-high 23 points against Eastern Illinois, which put an end to her scoring slump to begin the season.
The Lady Penguins cannot afford to fall into the habit of cold spells that they have been prone to at the closing of the first half of games. It will also be important for the Penguins to consistently hit the boards against the Rockets and cut down on turnovers. The Penguins need to get a good performance out of sophomore guard Heather Karner, who is leading the Penguins in scoring by way of 14.5 points per game, but will also greatly benefit from the same team effort that constituted a 54-52 victory over Albany in their last game.
Toledo is 49-30 against teams from the Horizon League, and 4-4 all time against YSU in the Beeghly Center, with YSU claiming the most recent contest in a 53-42 victory in 2004.
For senior Lauren Branson, there is nothing better than playing in the comfort of their home court.
"Playing at home is great because you get to sleep in your own bed and your friends and family come out to watch the game,"?Branson said.
The Toledo Rockets are coming off a fresh 72-66 win over Eastern Illinois University and bring along a team scoring average of 71.5 points per game that is powered by three key players who respectively average 9.8 points a game or better.
To keep the Rockets' score on the low side, the Penguins will need to slow down sophomore forward Allie Clifton, who leads the team in scoring 17 points per contest and is also averaging just over seven rebounds a game.
Clifton has scored in double figures in all four of the Rockets' games, and as the 2007-2008 season co-captain of the team, she ranks third, respectively, in defensive rebounding and scoring in the Mid-America Conference, as well as recently being named to the Seton Hall Basketball All Tournament team.
The Penguins will also have a top priority working the boards throughout the night, as the team will need to keep senior Tamesha Scotton boxed out. Scotton was moved into the starting lineup this season, and is leading the team with 8.3 boards per game while contributing slightly above 11 points per contest. Scotton ranks third in the MAC in offensive rebounding.
Senior guard Ta'Yani Scott rounds out the Toledo triple-threat trio. Scott averages 9.8 points per game and is coming off a career-high 23 points against Eastern Illinois, which put an end to her scoring slump to begin the season.
The Lady Penguins cannot afford to fall into the habit of cold spells that they have been prone to at the closing of the first half of games. It will also be important for the Penguins to consistently hit the boards against the Rockets and cut down on turnovers. The Penguins need to get a good performance out of sophomore guard Heather Karner, who is leading the Penguins in scoring by way of 14.5 points per game, but will also greatly benefit from the same team effort that constituted a 54-52 victory over Albany in their last game.
Toledo is 49-30 against teams from the Horizon League, and 4-4 all time against YSU in the Beeghly Center, with YSU claiming the most recent contest in a 53-42 victory in 2004.
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