Wake Forest (6-11, 2-4) at Clemson (11-6, 2-3)
Monday, January 24, 2000* 7:00 pm * Littlejohn Coliseum * Clemson, S.C.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The Wake Forest women's basketball team looks to rebound from a 73-61 loss to Maryland as the Demon Deacons travel to Clemson this Monday, Jan. 24th, for a 7:00 pm contest in Littlejohn Coliseum. WFU enters the game at 6-11 overall and 2-4 in the ACC, while the Tigers stood at 11-6 overall and 2-3 in ACC heading into their game at Virginia on Thursday night. Monday's game will be broadcast in the Winston-Salem area on WXII NewsRadio 830 AM.

Last Time Out
Five Terrapins scored in double figures as Maryland handed Wake Forest a 73-61 defeat at LJVM Coliseum on Wednesday night. Maryland jumped to an 8-0 lead as the Deacs missed their first seven shots of the game. Wake then went on a 12-3 run, taking the lead on a LaChina Robinson jumper, but the Terps answered with a baseline jumper to restore the lead and never trailed again. UM led 37-23 at halftime and went up by as many as 17 in the second period. Wake cut the lead to seven on a Heather Miller layup with 2:47 to go but could not get any closer. The Terps scored nearly half of their points at the foul line, converting 33 of 47 free throws. A combined total of 50 personal fouls were called, and five WFU players, including four starters, finished the game with four fouls. Wake outrebounded Maryland 49-39, including a 33-13 differential in the second half, but the Deacs committed 20 turnovers and shot just 35 percent from the floor. Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick led Wake Forest with 18 points and 11 rebounds, collecting her third double-double of the year. Robinson added 14 points for the Deacs and Alisha Mosley contributed 12.

Scouting Wake Forest
Through 17 games, WFU is averaging 59.2 points per outing, shooting 39.1 percent from the floor. Senior guard Alisha Mosley is the only Deacon averaging in double figures (10.7 ppg), while junior forward Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick contributes 9.6 points and a team-high 7.1 rebounds per game. Despite returning several key three-point shooters this year, the Deacs have struggled from long range, shooting just 25 percent from behind the arc. Defensively, the Deacs have been solid, holding opponents to 64.6 points per game on 37.6 percent shooting. Wake has been outrebounded by a 4.5 margin, however, including double-digit rebound deficits in four of the last seven games.

Scouting Clemson
The Tigers lost four starters from last year's squad, which posted a 26-6 overall record, won the Atlantic Coast Conference title and advanced to the regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament. Clemson owned an 11-6 overall record and a 2-3 ACC mark heading into its matchup with Virginia on Thursday night. Last week the Tigers faced three ranked ACC teams in six days and posted a 2-1 record. CU edged No. 15 North Carolina (60-59) then handed No. 3 NC State its first loss of the season (71-56) before falling to No. 11 Duke (60-51). Through 17 games, the Tigers are averaging 62.6 points per game on 39 percent shooting, including 26 percent from three-point range. A strong defense has allowed opponents just 59.3 points per game on 37 percent shooting, however. Freshman guard Chrissy Floyd is the only player averaging in double figures (12.2 ppg), while junior center Erin Batth adds 9.5 points and a team-high 7.4 rebounds per game. Batth also leads the ACC in blocks with 1.5 per outing. CU has been outrebounded by a slight 1.1 margin, but the Tigers own a +3.8 turnover margin on the year.

Series History
Clemson owns a 32-7 advantage over Wake Forest in the all-time series, and the Tigers have won the last five straight meetings. Last year, Clemson handed the Deacs two losses, winning 78-38 in Clemson and 66-38 in Winston-Salem. WFU's last win over the Tigers came on a 69-60 decision at home in the 1996-97 season. Clemson won the first 11 meetings in the series between the two chools, which began in 1977-78.

A QUICK LOOK AT BOTH TEAMS

A Significant Win
The Deacs' 69-56 win over No. 15 North Carolina on Jan. 16th was significant in a number of ways. It marked WFU's first win over UNC in nine years, snapping an 18-game Tar Heel winning streak that dated back to 1991. It also marked Wake's first win over a ranked team since a 75-64 victory over No. 18 NC State on Feb. 25, 1996, and was the program's 14th all-time win over a ranked team. The 56 points was the fewest UNC has scored against WFU since a 61-53 decision in the 1988 ACC Tournament. In addition, 1999-2000 is just the second year in Wake Forest history that the football, men's basketball and women's basketball teams all posted wins over UNC (the first was 1987-88).

Rebounding Woes
Rebounding has been a concern this season for the Deacs, who have been outboarded by 11 of 17 opponents thus far. On the year, Wake owns a rebound margin of -4.5, the worst in the ACC. WFU has been outrebounded by double digits in five games, including four of the last seven outings. In five ACC games, the Deacs own a -3.2 rebound margin and give up a whopping 16 offensive boards per game.

Too Many Freebies
Wake Forest's six ACC opponents have gone to the free throw line nine more times per game than the Deacs, resulting in 7.8 points per outing. In addition, the Deacs only have shot only 60 percent when they have gotten to the line in ACC games, while opponents have made 70 percent of their attempts. The win over UNC marked the only ACC contest that Wake went to the stripe more than its opponent - the Deacs were 19 of 27 (70.4%), while UNC was 4 of 8 (50.0%). Three days later, however, Maryland scored nearly half of its points from the free throw line, hitting 33 of 47 (while Wake was 13 of 20).

Mosley Moves Into Starting Lineup
Senior guard Alisha Mosley earned her first start of the year vs. UNC after leading the Deacs in scoring from off the bench in the first 15 games. She responded with a career-high 24-point performance to lift the Deacs to victory, then added 12 in the loss to Maryland on Wednesday. Mosley is averaging a team-high 10.7 points per game on the season, having hit double figures on 10 occassions. She was fairly hot from the floor in the early season, netting double figures in four of the first five games (11.8 ppg), but saw her scoring output slow in the next six games (7.8 ppg). Mosley has had an offensive surge again lately, however, averaging 13.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game in the last seven games.

Robinson Increases Offensive Output
Sophomore center LaChina Robinson has emerged as more of an offensive threat for the Deacs this season after establishing herself as a defensive force in the paint last year. Robinson earned ACC All-Freshman honors in 1998-99, averaging 5.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game. In 17 games this year, she has netted 8.9 points per game and scored in double figures eight times, including a 17-point performance in the win over Florida State. Robinson is shooting 54 percent from the floor and ranks sixth in the ACC in blocks (0.8 bpg).

Dardy To Miss Rest of Season
Junior forward Olivia Dardy will miss the remainder of the 1999-2000 season to undergo surgery on her left knee, which suffers from a recurrent patella subluxation, or a shifting of the kneecap. Dardy, the team's leading returning scorer and rebounder (9.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg in 98-99), has averaged 4.3 points and 3.4 rebounds in nine games off the bench this year. Injuries have plagued her this year, as she missed five games early in the season due to a stress fracture in her foot. Dardy had a similar problem in her right knee which was corrected through surgery in high school.

Mosley Climbs Career Charts
Senior guard Alisha Mosley ranks among the top five players all-time at WFU in three-pointers made and attempted. She also owns a place among the top 10 in career free throw percentage (8th at 72.7%) and assists (10th with 197). A look at her place on the three-point charts:

3-Pt Field Goals Made

3-Pt Field Goals Attempted

Three-Point Arsenal
Wake Forest ranked No. 1 in the ACC and No. 19 in the nation last year in three-point shooting, averaging 6.1 threes per game and shattering the school records for threes made (172) and attempted (502) in a season. All but one of Wake's long-range gunners returned this year, yet the Deacs have yet to catch fire from outside. Despite all of its outside shooting weapons, Wake has hit just 26.2 percent of its threes this year (58 of 221), averaging just 3.6 treys per game.

Wake's key three-point shooters are junior guard Janae Whiteside (25.9%), who connected on 50 percent of her threes and averaged 5.4 treys per game in the last seven games of 98-99, sophomore guard Val Klopfer (25.9%), who hit 38 percent of her threes last season, and senior guard Alisha Mosley (28.1%), who ranks among the top five all-time three-point shooters at WFU (see above). Other Deacs with three-point range include sophomore guard Adell Harris, junior forwards Kristen Shaffer, Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick and Olivia Dardy, freshman forward Heather Miller, and even rookie center Johanna Bjšrklund.

Whiteside Heats Up From Long-Range
The Deacs began to show signs of life from behind the arc recently, however, hitting 38 percent of their threes (21 of 55) and averaging 5.3 threes per outing in the four games prior to Maryland. A large part of that was the return of junior guard Janae Whiteside's shooting rhythm. After going 6 of 37 in the first 12 games (16.2%), Whiteside hit 9 of 18 threes (50.0%) in those four outings. Feeling a bit under the weather for the Maryland game, she went 0 of 3 (as the team was just 2 of 15).

Dee-Fense
Despite struggling to put points on the board, the Deacons have benefitted from a strong defense this year. Wake has held opponents to just 64.6 points per game and a 37.6 shooting percentage, keeping six opponents under 60 points. As a matter of fact, 60 seems to be the magic number for WFU: when holding an opponent to 59 points or less they are 6-0, when opponents score 60 or more points, they are 0-11. No. 11 Duke was the only team to score 80 points on the Deacs.

Kirkpatrick A Force Down Low
Junior forward Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick, a team co-captain, has emerged as a force down low for the Deacs this year. In her first year as a starter, Kirkpatrick currently leads the Deacs (and ranks 7th in the ACC) in rebounding (7.1 rpg) and is second on the team in scoring (9.6 ppg). She has 10 double-figure scoring outings and four double-figure rebound games, including three double-doubles. Kirkpatrick has been the team's leading rebounder in 11 games.

Solid From The Stripe
Senior guard Alisha Mosley has been outstanding from the free throw line this season, ranking fourth in the ACC with a 80.6 free throw percentage (54 of 67). Three other Deacs average over 80 percent from the line, although they doesn't go often enough to rank among the ACC leaders - junior guard Janae Whiteside (18 of 22, .818), sophomore guard Val Klopfer (12 of 15, .800) and freshman center Johanna Bjšrklund (8 of 10, .800). With the exception of two games, Wake has been quite good from the free throw line this season. Discounting NC State (where they shot a miserable 37.5 percent from the line) and Liberty (57.1%), the Deacs have hit 71 percent of their foul shots. (Including those two games, WFU owns a .673 free throw percentage). However, in ACC games, the Deacs are shooting 60 percent compared to 70 percent by opponents.

Biedrycki Transfers to Wingate
Sophomore center Elizabeth Biedrycki recently elected to leave the Demon Deacon women's basketball program, transferring to Division II Wingate University at the end of the fall '99 semester. As a freshman last year, she played just under 10 minutes per game in 27 contests, averaging 1.7 points and 0.9 rebounds per outing. She saw just 2.8 minutes per game in five games this year, contributing six points and seven rebounds.

Shaffer's Shooting Frenzy Slows
Junior forward Kristen Shaffer was particularly hot from the floor in the first four games, notching double figures in each and leading the team in scoring three times. She averaged a team-best 12.3 points per game in those first four outings, but has contributed 5.2 points per game in the last 13 outings. On the year, Shaffer still ranks as the team's fourth-leading scorer overall (6.8 ppg).

Miller Time
Freshman forward Heather Miller has had two big scoring bursts in the early season, exploding for 17 points vs. No. 13 LSU and racking up a career-high 21 points vs. Georgia Tech In her other 13 games, however, she's averaged just 1.3 points per game. A USA Today High School All-American, Miller scored 2,395 points in her high school career.

A Look at the Rookies
All three of the Deacs' rookies have seen significant action on the court this year. Swing player Heather Miller has contributed 3.8 points and 1.7 rebounds per game in 9.3 minutes of action, including two double-figure outings. Forward Tiffani Listenbee has played 9.6 minutes per game, averaging 1.6 points and 1.6 rebounds. She netted five points on two occasions, vs. Fairfield and Richmond. Center Johanna Bjšrklund has averaged 9.6 minutes off the bench, averaging 2.2 points and 1.8 rebounds. She posted eight points twice, vs. High Point and Duke. Redshirt freshman forward/center LaTisha Pearson has appeared in just nine games for and average of 3.4 minutes, she saw a season-high nine minutes vs. Maryland and recorded two points and five rebounds.

Reaching New Heights
This season, WFU has six players on the roster who stand 6-0 or taller, including three who top the 6-4 mark: 6-4 sophomore center LaChina Robinson, 6-5 freshman center Johanna Bjšrklund - the tallest player ever to don a WFU uniform - and 6-4 redshirt freshman LaTisha Pearson.

Oh Captain, My Captain
Redshirt junior forward Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick and junior guard Janae Whiteside were selected as the Demon Deacons' team captains for the 1999-2000 season by a preseason vote of their teammates and coaches.

Going Deep
In each of her three years at WFU, coach Charlene Curtis has gone deep into her bench in nearly every game. In fact, the 11 returning players this year had seen time in 98 percent of their career games, with the five upperclassmen missing only one game between them. Curtis has continued to go deep into her bench this year, as 11 of 13 players average over nine minutes per game apiece.

In Remembrance
The Deacs wear black armbands on their uniforms this season in remembrance of former assistant coach Stacy Cox, who died in a car accident on Nov. 8th. Cox, 35, played under current Wake Forest head coach Charlene Curtis at Radford, then served as an assistant coach on Curtis' staffs at Radford, Temple and WFU (1997-99). She left the Deacs this past August to accept a teaching and coaching position at an elementary school in New Jersey.

ACC Leaders
Through games of Jan 19th, senior guard Alisha Mosley ranks fourth in the ACC in free throw percentage (.806), while sophomore center LaChina Robinson is sixth in blocks (0.8 bpg) and junior forward Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick is seventh in rebounds (7.1 rpg). In ACC games only, Mosley is 12th in scoring (12.5 ppg) and sixth in assists (3.7 apg), Robinson is sixth in blocks (0.7 bpg), and junior guard Janae Whiteside is eighth in three-point field goal percentage (.391) and 10th in threes per game (1.5).

ACC STANDINGS AS OF 1/19

ACC TEAM RANKINGS

Noteable Deacon
A former Wake Forest women's basketball player appeared in Sports Illustrated's recent issue on the 50 greatest sports figures of the century from each of the 50 states. Nicole Levesque, who played for the Deacs from 1990-94 and ranks as the school's all-time leading three-point shooter, was selected as the No. 17 from Vermont as the only athlete from the state to play in the WNBA. Levesque, now an assistant coach at the University of Vermont, is also the only former Deac to play in the WNBA.

Iron Women
Senior guard Alisha Mosley has played in every single game of her collegiate career at Wake Forest, a streak which now totals 100 games over the last four years. Other Deacon "iron women" who have yet to miss a game include junior forwards Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick and Kristen Shaffer (72 straight games). Sophomore center LaChina Robinson is the only Deacon on the roster who has started every game of her collegiate career (45 straight games).

Tip-Ins
The 4,031 fans that witnessed Wake's 69-56 upset of No. 15 North Carolina marked the largest home women's basketball crowd in school history ... four different opponents this year have corralled over 20 offensive rebounds ... no team has shot over 50 percent from the floor against WFU this year, and only five have topped 40 percent ... this year marked the third straight season that a Deacon freshman has posted a 20+ point performance vs. Georgia Tech - Heather Miller scored 21 vs. Tech on Jan. 6th, while LaChina Robinson netted 22 last year and Olivia Dardy collected 28 in 1997-98 ... the 11 free throws Alisha Mosley made vs. UNC were the most by a Demon Deacon since Nicole Levesque sunk 14 (of 14) against Georgia Tech on Feb. 26th, 1994.

HEAD COACH CHARLENE CURTIS
Head coach Charlene Curtis is in her third season at Wake Forest, bringing a wealth of experience, a commitment to excellence and a drive to bring the program to new heights. Curtis came to WFU from UConn, where she was an assistant for two seasons and helped the Huskies to a 67-5 record, two Big East titles and a Final Four appearance. Curtis was also head coach at Temple (1991-95), where she compiled a 41-97 record and coached four Atlantic 10 All-Rookie players, and Radford (1985-90), where she was Big South Coach of the Year twice and had a 121-53 record. She also served as an assistant at Georgetown (1984), Virginia (1982-83) and with USA Basketball, and was a floor coach for the Olympic Trials. A 1976 Radford graduate, Curtis was the school's first 1,000-point scorer and was inducted as a charter member of RU's Hall of Fame in 1995. She earned her master's degree from UVa in 1982. Curtis is 18-54 at Wake Forest (.250) and 180-204 overall (.469).

PROBABLE DEMON DEACON LINEUP

Key Reserves

DOUBLE-DIGIT DEACS

ACC PRESEASON MEDIA POLL

DEACON HOOPS ON THE AIR
More fans than ever before will have the opportunity to follow Wake Forest women's basketball this season via radio, television, and the internet. The Wake Forest ISP Sports Network will broadcast 12 regular-season games and all ACC Tournament games on WXII NewsRadio 830 AM in Winston-Salem, with Tom Hart calling the play-by-play. WXII's 50,000-watt clear channel signal reaches much of the Southeastern U.S. at night. Radio games will be simulcast on the web at www.wakeforestsports.com. The ACC Regional Sports Network (RSN) features live telecasts of ACC women's hoops in the six-state ACC region. Featured games are telecast Sunday at 12:30 pm and Monday at 7:00 pm on Home Team Sports, Fox Sports South, and Sunshine Network. The Deacs are featured in three televised games on the ACC Network this year.

DEMON DEACONS ON THE AIR IN 1999-2000