University Southern California Trojans
Women's Basketball Starts Pac-10 Play
June 21, 1999 | Women's Basketball
December 30, 1998
LOS ANGELES - The Women of Troy (4-5) will travel to Arizona State (5-3) on Saturday (Jan. 2) at 2:00 p.m. MST and will continue on to face Arizona (5-4) on Monday (Jan. 4) at 7 p.m. MST. The Women of Troy are 38-3 in the all-time series with the Sun Devils, winning the last 10 meetings between the teams and are 33-7 in the all-time series with the Wildcats, hoping to snap a three game losing streak.
Arizona State
The Sun Devils (5-3 before the Dec. 30 game against San Jose State) are led by junior center Rachel Holt, who is averaging 11.8 ppg and 5.4 rpg and freshman forward Leah Combs, who is averaging 10.0 ppg and 9.5 rpg. The last meeting between the teams was Mar. 7, 1998 resulting in a 75-62 victory in Tempe, AZ. The Women of Troy have won the last 16 games in Tempe. The last USC lost at ASU was in Feb. 15, 1982, the score was 51-53.
Arizona
The Wildcats (5-4) have won four of their last six games and are coming off a 80-70 loss to Colorado State (Dec. 27). Arizona is led by junior guard Felecity Willis and freshman forward Elizabeth Pickney, who are each averaging 13.1 ppg and junior forward Angela Lackey, who has 12.4 ppg and 4.6 rpg. The Women of Troy are 16-3 on the road in Tucson. The last meeting between the teams was Mar. 5, 1998, USC took a 72-53 loss.
LAST GAME
Freshman guard Tiffany Elmore led USC's battle against UCSB with 19 points and four rebounds. The Women of Troy fell to UC Santa Barbara in their last regular season game 75-65 on Tuesday (Dec. 29) in the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in front of a 1, 087 crowd. Senior guard Kristin Clark had 16 points and earned her 200th career steal in the game, while senior Adrain Williams contributed her sixth double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Notes
Junior forward Aimee Copp earned her first USC minutes on the court during the Dec. 29 game against UC Santa Barbara. She has transferred to USC from Fullerton College where she earned 1998 Orange Empire Conference first-team honors and averaged 16.4 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Copp figures to add a strong rebounding and inside scoring presence for the Women of Troy. Senior guard Kristin Clark collected her 200th career assist in the game against UC Santa Barbara and is looking to break the school record for career three-pointers. She is currently tied with Tammy Story at 110 three-point field goals made.
MISSING IN ACTION
The Women of Troy have been shorthanded since the preseason began, for a variety of reasons. Junior guard Kiyoko Miller sprained her right shoulder in practice, her status is uncertain for the season. Junior guard Erica Mashia will not be returning to play due to an ACL injury. Mashia was expected to make a miracle comeback this season after being forced to miss the 1997 and 1998 seasons with a career-threatening hip injury. She was a Pac-10 freshman team selection in 1996 and is known for her abilities behind the three-point arc and free throw line. Junior guard Kim Clark, a midfielder for USC's soccer team, broke her leg in a soccer game (Nov. 1) and will be out indefinitely.
Chris Gobrecht
Twenty years after graduating from USC in 1977 to embark on a coaching career, Gobrecht returned to campus to take the helm of the Women of Troy basketball program. On May 8, 1997, she replaced Fred Williams, who left after two years as USCs coach. Gobrecht, 42, who played basketball and volleyball while at USC, has been a head coach at the Division I level for 20 years, having guided programs at Cal State Fullerton (six years), Washington (11) and Florida State (one). She was a two-time Pacific-10 Coach of the Year (1987-88) with the Huskies and has amassed a 348-223 career mark. She reached the 300-victory plateau on Jan. 19, 1995, at the age of 39, making her one of the youngest coaches to do so in America. Gobrecht is the second winningest coach in the Pac-10 after 12 years in the conference with a record of 153-82. She has also coached at the national and international levels. She was an assistant for a 1990 USA Basketball select team which traveled to Czechoslovakia and Italy. In 1989, she led the East Team to a silver medal in the U.S. Olympic Festival. Under her maiden name of Chris Geiger, she was a three-year starter on USC's basketball team. She also played volleyball for the Women of Troy for two years. She received her bachelor's degree in public affairs from USC in 1977.
Kristin Clark
Senior guard Kristin Clark is off to a quick start this season averaging 16.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg and 3.33 apg. She is fifth in the Pac-10 in scoring and fourth in steals. She had 16 points, three assists and earned her 200th career steal against UCSB (Dec. 29). Clark had 17 points against Western Kentucky (12/20). She collected 21 points, four assists and four steals against Cal State Northridge. She scored a game-high 24 points and had three assists and three steals in USC's 86-71 victory over Drake (Nov. 25). Clark was USC's leading scorer in the 1997-98 season, averaging 16.0 ppg. She is currently second on the Women of Troy's career three-point chart, needing only one three-pointers to takethe top spot currently held by Tammy Story. Clark was a 1998 All-Pac-10 selection.
Adrain Williams
Senior center Adrain Williams is USC's second leading scorer this season, averaging 15.3 ppg, 10.1 rpg and 1.89 apg. Williams is second in the Pac-10 in rebounds and is 11th in the nation in rebounding. She had her sixth double-double of the season against UCSB (Dec. 29) with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Williams had a game-high 22 points and seven rebounds against her hometown school Fresno State (Nov. 22). She posted a team-high 16 points and collected 11 rebounds against Long Beach State (Dec. 5). Williams earned All-Pac-10 honorable mention honors during the 1997-98 season.
Tiffany Washington
Junior forward Tiffany Washington is a force in the paint at both the offensive and defensive ends of the court. She has 8.2 ppg and 6.0 rpg this season. She had four points and five rebounds against UCSB (Dec. 29). Washington collected 10 points and seven rebounds in the victory over Cal State Northridge (Dec. 12). Against Drake (Nov. 25), Washington had 11 points, five rebounds and five steals. Washington started in 24 games for the Women of Troy in the 1997-98 season and collected 8.9 ppg and 6.1 rpg.
Tashara Carter
Sophomore forward Tashara Carter continues to hold the starting position she earned as a freshman last season. She is averaging 7.2 ppg and 5.2 rpg this season. Against UCSB (Dec. 29), Carter had eight points and six rebounds. Carter had 14 points and 11 rebounds in USC's victory over Boise State (Nov. 19) and had 10 points and six rebounds against Fresno State (Nov. 22). Carter was a 1998 All-Pac-10 freshman team honorable mention selection.
Tiffany Elmore
Freshman guard Tiffany Elmore has earned a starting guard position for the Women of Troy this season. Elmore is averaging 14.0 points per game and has 3.8 rebounds per game. Elmore collected a team-high 19 points against UCSB (Dec. 29). She scored 10 points and had four rebounds against Cal State Northridge (Dec. 12). Elmore had a career-high 24 points and five rebounds in the game against Drake (Nov. 25). As a 1998 senior, Elmore was a Student Sports All-State first team selection and the Sacramento Bee's All-Area Player of the Year.
Kiyoko Miller
Junior guard Kiyoko Miller sprained her right shoulder in practice a few weeks ago, her status for the rest of the season is questionable. She has been averaging 3.8 ppg for USC this season. Miller started in 21 games for USC last season, averaging 7.5 ppg.
Carmen Krause
Freshman forward Carmen Krause adds depth to the USC roster, providing size and quickness in the paint and a knack for rebounding. Krause is averaging 3.0 ppg and 2.5 rpg. She contributed four points and two rebounds against UCSB (Dec. 29). Krause had nine points against Cal State Northridge (Dec. 12). She collected nine points and nine rebounds against Long Beach State (Dec. 5). Krause comes to USC from Prescott, Arizona where she was a 1998 All-State second team selection and All-Area Player of the Year.
Camille Norwood
Freshman guard Camille Norwood adds good ball handling skills and a nice offensive touch. Norwood has played in all nine games this season and has 13 points and nine rebounds. Norwood was a All-City Section 4-A first team selection and was named 1998 L.A. Times Central City Player of the Year. She averaged 24.5 ppg as a senior at Washington HS (Los Angeles, Calif.).
Whitney Houser
Sophomore forward Whitney Houser add depth to the Women of Troy roster with her quickness and hustle on the court. She is averaging 3.1 ppg and 2.0 rpg this season. She collected four points and six rebounds against UCSB (Dec. 29). Houser posted six points and four rebounds against Cal State Northridge (Dec. 12). She had nine points and five rebounds in the game against Boise State (Nov. 19). In the 1997-98 season, Houser averaged 5.1 ppg and 3.0 rpg.
Adria Sneed
Senior forward Adria Sneed continues to serve as a reserve and is a solid rebounding force. In her junior season with the Women of Troy, Sneed averaged 2.0 ppg and 1.7 rpg.
NCAA Women's Basketball West Regionals
The way to San Jose is through L.A. See who marches on to the Women's Basketball Final Four at the 1999 NCAA West Regional hosted by USC, March 20 & 22 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.
