Women’s Basketball 2003•04 Preview

TCU
Location: Fort Worth
Home Court: Daniel-Meyer Coliseum
Head coach: Jeff Mittie
2002-03 record: 20-14
2003-04 outlook: Head coach Jeff Mittie and his Lady Frogs, led by the talented trio of Sandora Irvin, Ebony Shaw and Tiffany Evans, are looking for a fourth consecutive conference championship. Expectations are high in Fort Worth this season for the Lady Frogs, as the team hopes to advance past the NCAA Tournament’s second round for the first time in the program’s history. The offense will be a wide-open attack and the defense will be anchored by last season’s C-USA Defensive Player of the Year

DePaul
Location: Chicago
Home Court: Allstate Arena
Head coach: Doug Bruno
2002-03 record: 22-10
2003-04 outlook: The core of last year’s team is still together for DePaul, losing only two players from last year’s squad. DePaul’s starting lineup features four players who score in double digits, including Jenni Dant, Khara Smith, Charlene Smith and Ashley Luke. Head coach Doug Bruno needs only one win to reach the 300 win plateau for his career.

Cincinnati
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Home court: Fifth Third Arena at Shoemaker Center
Head coach: Laurie Pirtle
2002-03 record: 23-8
2003-04 outlook: The Bearcats are led by senior guard Valerie King who is 339 points from becoming the second 2,000 point scorer in Cincinnati history. King will also be looking to become the sixth player in C-USA history and first for the Bearcats to earn First Team All League Honors three times. The Bearcats return last season’s leading scorer in center Debbie Merrill, who averaged 18 points per game. Merrill is in the top five for both rebounds and points per game in Cincinnati history.

Tulane
Location: New Orleans, La.
Home court: Fogelman Arena
Head coach: Lisa Stockton
2002-03 record: 19-10
2003-04 outlook: With the team’s first victory this season, head coach Lisa Stockton will have compiled as many wins by herself as the five previous coaches in Tulane history combined. She enters the season with 204 wins through nine seasons and a streak of nine consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. The Green Wave return their second leading scorer from last year’s club in senior guard Delacey Joseph. Natalie Walsh, a junior transfer from Wofford, will give Tulane an improved backcourt.

Charlotte
Location: Charlotte, N.C.
Home court: Dale F. Halton Arena
Head coach: Katie Meier
2002-03 record: 21-9
2003-04 outlook: The 49ers bring back 4 of their 5 starters from last year’s team that put together a 21-9 record, including a 12-2 mark in C-USA play. Two of the returning starters, Peaches Harris and Leslie Cook, broke the school record for three-pointers made in a season with 58 and 56 treys, respectively. Harris, who averaged 11.4 points per game last year, is the 49ers career leader in three-point field goals made.

Marquette
Location: Milwaukee, Wis.
Home court: Bradley Center
Head coach: Terri Mitchell
2002-03 record: 16-14
2003-04 outlook: The Golden Eagles will be without last year’s two leading scorers, but they do bring back sophomore guard Carolyn Kieger. Kieger, the team’s leading free throw shooter, finished last season as Marquette’s third leading scorer, posting 11.3 points per game. Senior guard Kelly Schwerman and Kieger form one of the conference’s deadliest three-point shooting tandems at 42.65 percent.

Louisville
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Home court: Freedom Hall
Head coach: Tom Collen
2002-03 record: 15-14
2003-04 outlook: The Cardinals will begin the Tom Collen era this season with a strong freshman class. Louisville is led by senior guard Sara Nord, a three-time first team All C-USA selection and school and conference career leader in assists. Nord is also the team’s leading returning scorer. Collen, who coached at Colorado State the past five seasons, is expected to continue Louisville’s fondness for the three-point shot.

Saint Louis
Location: St. Louis, Mo.
Home court: Savvis Center
Head coach: Jill Pizzotti
2002-03 record: 17-14
2003-04 outlook: Jill Pizzotti will have her work cut out for her this year, with only five players returning from last year’s team. Three of last year’s top four scorers are gone, and senior guard Jana Haywood, last year’s second leading scorer, will be faced with filling the scoring void. Senior forward Angie Lewis is on pace to become the 12th 1,000 point scorer in Billikens history, needing just 185 points to reach the milestone.

Houston
Location: Houston
Home court: Robertson Stadium
Head coach: Joe Curl
2002-03 record: 15-13
2003-04 outlook: The Cougars should improve on last year’s record with four returning starters, including two-time Conference USA Player of the Year Chandi Jones, who led the nation in scoring with 27.5 points per game last year. Junior guard Shondra Bush joins Jones in the backcourt, where they combined to average 42.5 points per game last year, accounting for 59 percent of the Cougars scoring. The Houston defense led Conference USA, and finished fourth in the nation steals per game with 14.1.

Southern Miss
Location: Hattiesburg, Miss.
Home court: Reed Green Coliseum
Head coach: Rick Reeves
2002-03 record: 14-15
2003-04 outlook: Southern Miss welcomes seven newcomers, including six freshmen, and return just three starters from last year’s team. The Golden Eagles led the conference in scoring defense, and will need to be just as stingy this year, having lost their top three scorers from last year’s team.

Memphis
Location: Memphis, Tenn.
Home court: The Pyramid
Head coach: Joye Lee-McNelis
2002-03 record: 13-15
2003-04 outlook: Senior guard Princess Swilley, the team’s returning leading scorer, and only senior, will have to overcome off-season shoulder surgery. The Tigers return 62 percent of their scoring, and 63 percent of their rebounding. Joye Lee-McNelis recruited a strong class that should contribute to this team immediately.

East Carolina
Location: Greenville, N.C.
Home court: Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum
Head coach: Sharon Baldwin-Tener
2002-03 record: 12-16
2003-04 outlook: The Pirates return the explosive scoring duo of junior guard Jennifer Jackson and senior center Courtney Willis, who were the team’s leading scorers, averaging a combined 32 points last season. Head coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener led the Pirates to their first ever Conference USA tournament appearance, in her first year at the helm.

UAB
Location: Birmingham, Ala.
Home court: Bartow Arena
Head coach: Jeannie Milling
2002-03 record: 8-19
2003-04 outlook: Forward Natasha Thomas returns for her senior campaign and ranks among the top ten in four major categories for her career. Thomas was the teams leading scorer last season, averaging 17.1 points per game. Freshman standout Domaneice Moore is regarded as one of the best Alabama prospects, and was a McDonald’s All-American nominee.

South Florida
Location: Tampa, Fla.
Home court: Sun Dome
Head coach: Jose Fernandez
2002-03 record: 7-20
2003-04 outlook: Although the Bulls lost their leading scorer, they return four starters from last year’s team. A top 25 recruiting class will be ready to make an immediate impact. The Bulls will not get much help from their schedule, as they play host to in-state rivals Miami and Florida, as well as a facing up against Florida State and Georgia.

— compiled by www.ESPN.com