Team Notes

ALABAMA Crimson Tide
The Crimson Tide reached played in their second consecutive tournament championship game last weekend falling to the host team, ECU at the U.S. Cellular Invitational. Sophomores Katie Sipe and Monique Bivins were both named to the all-tournament team. With their win over Providence last week, Alabama extended its non-conference home win streak to 50 consecutive games. Alabama has the week off from competition as it is final exam week at the Capstone. The Tide will return to action on Monday, Dec. 16th as they play host to Illinois-Chicago in their final home contest of 2002.

ARKANSAS Lady Razorbacks
Senior India Lewis was named MVP of the Gene Hackerman Invitational at Rice University as Arkansas won its first in-season tournament since 1999. Junior Shameka Christon was voted all-tournament. Lewis needs two points Monday against Tulsa to become the 21st member of the 1,000-point club at Arkansas. Freshman Ruby Vaden started both games at post at the Rice tournament, averaging 12 ppg and 6.5 rpg for the weekend. Senior point guard Lakishia Harper continues to guide the Arkansas offense with over a 2:1 assist to turnover ratio. The Lady'Backs trio at the low post -- Vaden, Katrina Nesby and Cara Wright -- are averaging 18.5 ppg and 11.3 rpg, six points and four boards per game better than this point last year.

AUBURN Tigers
Auburn improved to 6-0 on the season with an impressive 73-35 win over Furman on Saturday. Sophomore Natasha Brackett again led the way in scoring with 13 points, while freshman Marita Payne contributed 12 points, seven rebounds and five blocks in 19 minutes of play off the bench. Earlier in the week, the Tigers defeated in-state foe UAB 76-58 with Brackett scoring 17 in the contest. Up next for Auburn will be a double header with the men on Dec. 14 with North Carolina A&T and then will host Alabama A&M on Sunday.

FLORIDA Gators
The Gators intense pre-conference schedule resumes this week with a pair of games. UF travels to Orlando for a Dec. 11 meeting against UCF, before heading to the West Coast for the second time this season. The squad jets to Corvallis, Ore., to play Oregon State on Dec. 14th. The young Gators enter this week's action aiming to snap their current two-game losing streak, having lost a pair of outings at the GlaxoSmithKline Invitational in Raleigh, N.C. Wednesday's game marks the return of junior Vanessa Hayden to her hometown of Orlando. It's the first time she has returned to the area since graduating from Boone HS, however, her status for that game is uncertain after suffering an injury during UF's last game.

GEORGIA Lady Bulldogs
The Lady Bulldogs downed Oakland, 99-56, on Sunday afternoon to supply Andy Landers with his 650th career victory. Kara Braxton scored a career-high 30 points in Georgia's win over UCLA last Friday. Three Lady Dogs -- Braxton, Mary Beth Lycett and Christi Thomas -- posted double-doubles in the UCLA, the first time since Jan. 1997 that has happened. Thomas and Sherill Baker posted career-high scoring outputs of 26 and 19 points against Oakland, respectively. Georgia does not return to action until this Saturday when the Lady Dogs host Tennessee Tech, Landers' alma mater. UGA is 7-0 all-time versus TTU, including a 3-0 record in Athens.

KENTUCKY Wildcats
Maybe warmer weather will be kinder to the Cats when Kentucky travels to Honolulu, Hawaii on Wednesday to participate in the Hawaii Invitational. UK looks to snap a three-game losing streak when it meets host Hawaii in the second game on Dec. 14 at 12 a.m. ET. The Cats fell in back-to-back heartbreakers last week, dropping to Evansville, 70-66, and intrastate rival Western Kentucky, 88-83. Four Wildcats are averaging in double-digits with senior Rita Adams and sophomore Sara Potts leading the way, dropping in 15.4 points a game each. Juniors SeSe Helm and Shambrica Jones follow with 10.4 and 10.2 ppg, respectively. The Cats return to Lexington on Dec. 21 to play host to Miami, Ohio.

LSU Lady Tigers
LSU held Alabama State to a NCAA record-tying low of 19 points in Saturday's 65-19 victory over the Hornets. The Lady Tigers also held ASU to a LSU opponents record low of 13.2 percent shooting from the floor, holding the Hornets to just seven of 53 from the floor. DeTrina White moved into 20th place in LSU history in scoring with five points in the Saturday's victory over ASU. She needed three points entering the game to pass Staci Brown and now has 1,019 career points. Head coach Sue Gunter coached her 600th game as a Lady Tiger on Saturday against Alabama State. With the win, she improved to 391-209 at LSU. LSU is one non-conference home victory away from 200. The Lady Tigers victory over Alabama State was the 199th win over a non-conference opponent in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. LSU will take 10 days off for finals and will return to the court on Dec. 18th and 19th when they host the WOMENSCOLLEGEHOOPS.com Classic.

OLE MISS Lady Rebels
Ole Miss is 5-0 on the season for the first time since 2000-01, when they won 11-straight games to start the season. Junior Tenisha Gist has stepped up her play from a season ago, Gist is averaging 10.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists per contest so far this season after averaging 3.1 points and 2.0 assists as a sophomore. Freshman Marie Deparrois made her first appearance of the season in the Lady Rebels' 61-52 win over Lipscomb after having to sit out the first four games of the year while awaiting clearance from the NCAA. Deparrois scored four points and grabbed six rebounds in 13 minutes of play. Eight different Lady Rebels have scored in double-figures so far this season.

MISSISSIPPI STATE Lady Bulldogs
MSU's 79-63 win Wednesday night is the only second win in MSU history at Memphis. The last win was Feb. 2, 1983, 59-58. LaToya Thomas posted her 100th consecutive game scoring in double-digits against the Lady Tigers. The Lady Bulldogs travel to Illinois to face the Fighting Illini in the United Center on Saturday, Dec. 14. MSU is 1-0 versus Illinois. The last meeting was in the second round of the WNIT on March 17, 2001, where MSU defeated Illinois 86-77.

SOUTH CAROLINA Lady Gamecocks
Jocelyn Penn tied a South Carolina-record with 50 points as USC defeated Wofford, 99-46, Wednesday night to improve its record to 6-0 on the season. The 6-0 record represents South Carolinašs best start to a season under Head Coach Susan Walvius. The Gamecocks took a 15-1 lead in the first four minutes to end the guessing early. With only six healthy players, South Carolina was not afforded the luxury of putting the starters the bench and allowing reserves to finish the contest. Three South Carolina players reached double figures with the trio of Penn, Ujhelyi and Morrone all contributing double-doubles. On Tuesday night, the Gamecocks defeated Georgia Southern, 75-54 with four USC players in double figures. Jocelyn Penn led the way with 26 points and 11 rebounds with Petra Ujhelyi added 12 points,13 rebounds, five blocks and four steals.

TENNESSEE Lady Volunteers
Sophomore starting forward Brittany Jackson's MRI revealed a tear of the medial collateral ligament in her left knee and not a torn ACL as first feared. Jackson is listed as week-to-week. Junior forward Tasha Butts is starting in Jackson's place. In the game versus #15/13 Louisiana Tech last week, the Lady Vols held the Lady Techsters to an all-time low 14 points in the first half, an all-time low 35 points for the game, worst home loss, worst first half shooting percentage (6-39, 15.4%) and worst shooting percentage for the game (14-70, 20%). UT has now won three straight in Ruston and accounts for 1/3 of Tech's all-time losses at home (Tech has lost 18 games at home since 1985 - UT has defeated them six times during that span). The Lady Vols are on a 10-day break between games due to final exams. Tennessee's next game will be on Dec. 14 versus Southern California at the "Fabulous Forum" in Los Angeles. Game time is 1:30 pm PT and it will be the FOX national game of the week.

VANDERBILT Commodores
Ashley McElhiney matched a career-high 12 assists vs. Purdue and is now 20 assists shy of setting the Vanderbilt record for career assists. She is also 144 points shy of joining the 1000-point Club. With a 40-minute game vs. Purdue, McElhiney is now tied with Wendy Scholtens in second place with 25 40-minute games. Donna Atkinson (1983-86) is the career leader with 34. In five games this season, the Commodores have taken 12 charges, led by Jenni Benningfield with seven. In VU's seven-point loss to Purdue (73-69), the Commodores outshot the Boilermakers from the field (26 field goals compared to Purdue's 24), including from 3-point range (nine compared to Purdue's five), but were outshot from the line - VU hit 5-7 from the free throw line compared to Purdue's 20-25. Jenni Benningfield has led the team in points and rebounds in three games,including a 15-point, 9-rebound performance vs. Purdue, including 13 second half points.

SEC Notes

2002-2003 Early Signee List

Alabama
Tamisha Hamilton,6-5, C, Fr., Corpus Christi, TX (Roy Miller HS)
Navonda Moore, 5-10, G/F, Fr., Jackson, MS (Murrah HS)
Krista Watson, 6-4, F/C, Fr., Gainesville, GA (Gainesville HS)

Arkansas
Danielle Allen, 6-1, F, Fr., Harrison, AR (Harrison HS)
Kristin Peoples, 5-7, PG, Fr., Columbus, OH (Brookhaven HS)

Auburn
Amber Benjamin, 6-3, P, Fr., Manchester, TN (Coffee County HS)
Marquita Greene, 6-2, C/F, Fr., Montgomery, AL (Jeff Davis HS)
Tanesheia Thompson, 5-6, G, Jr., Roanoke, AL (Handley HS/Gulf Coast CC)

Florida
Tashia Morehead, 5-11, F, Jr., Panama City, FL (Panama City HS/Gulf Coast CC)
Briana Phillips, 6-2, F, Fr., Bradenton, FL (Southeast HS)

Georgia
Cori Chambers, 5-10, G, Fr., Elmsford, NY (Ursuline HS)
Janese Hardrick, 5-6, PG, Fr., Powder Springs, GA (McEachern HS)
Rebecca Rowsey, 6-3, F, Fr., Henderson, TN (Chester County HS)

Kentucky
Ida Edwards, 6-1, F, Fr., Yazoo City, MS (Yazoo City HS)
Angela Phillips, 5-5, G, Fr., Clinton, TN (Oak Ridge HS)

LSU
Amber Long, 5-6, G, Irmo, SC (Dutch Fork HS)
Khalilah Mitchell, 5-11, G, Fr., New Orleans, LA (St. Mary's HS)
Marian Whitfield, 5-9, G, Fr., Augusta, GA (Glen Hill HS)

Ole Miss
Ashley Awkward, 5-6, PG, Fr., Memphis, TN (White Station HS)
Jada Mincy, 6-1, F, Fr., Memphis, TN (Briarcrest HS)
LaCourtney Ratliff, 5-10, G, Fr., Canton, MS (Canton HS)
Arminitie Price, 5-9, G, Fr., Myrtle, MS (Myrtle HS)

Mississippi State
Tiania Burns, 5-8, G, Jr., Nashville, TN (Pearl Cohn HS/Copiah-Lincoln CC)
Natasha Henderon, 6-3, C/F, Fr. Homer, LA (Pineview HS)
Ashley Sentimore, 6-0, P, Fr., Destrehan, LA (Destrehan HS)

South Carolina
Stacey Booker, 5-8, G, Fr., Suwanee, GA (Collins Hill HS)
Shanell Harris, 6-0, G/F, Fr., Suwanee, GA (Collins Hill HS)
Melanie Johnson, 6-2, G/F, Fr., Barnwell, SC (Barnwell HS)
Larissa Kulscar, 6-3, F, Fr., Cluj, Romania
Lauren Simms, 5-8, G, Fr., Columbia, SC (Spring Valley HS)
Lakesha Tolliver, 6-3, F/C, Columbia, SC (Dreher HS)

Tennessee
Sidney Spencer, 6-2, F, Fr., Hoover, AL (Hoover HS)
Dominique Redding, 6-1, F, Fr., Clearwater, FL (Clearwater HS)

Vanderbilt
Katie Antony, 5-10, G, Fr., Anacoco, LA (Anacoco HS)
Rachel Brockman, 6-3, F/C, Fr., Nobelsville, IN (Noblesville HS)
Dee Davis, 5-7, PG, Fr., Cincinnati, OH (Princeton HS)
Jennifer Hall, 6-1, F, Fr., Folsom, CA (Folsom HS)
Cherish Stringfield, 5-7, G, Fr., Wakefield, VA (Sussex Central HS)
Carla Thomas, 6-3, F, Fr., Mechanicsburg, PA (Cumberland Valley HS)

SEC NON-CONFERENCE RECORD
Since the 1990 season, the SEC has compiled a 1,759-461 (.792) record against other conferences. The 1999-2000 season proved to be the most successful, as league schools won 83.0 percent of their non-conference games. The league has never recorded a non-conference winning percentage below .746.

Below is a look of the SEC's non-conference records:

  Year    Record    Pct. 
2000-01   135-37   .785 
1999-00   151-31   .830 
1998-99   124-26   .827 
1997-98   133-38   .778 
1996-97   155-43   .783 
1995-96   164-37   .816 
1994-95   154-37   .806 
1993-94   152-44   .776 
1992-93   158-40   .800 
1991-92   147-50   .746 
1990-91   150-37   .802 

Team             Years  Won   Lost   Pct  Titles 
Tennessee          28   186    29   .865    11 
Georgia            29   151    64   .702     7 
Auburn             31   125    90   .581     4
Vanderbilt         26   116    99   .540     0 
LSU                27   111   104   .516     0 
Ole Miss           27   109   106   .507     1 
Alabama            28   106   109   .493     0 
Florida            28    96   119   .447     0 
Arkansas           26    54    83   .394     0 
Kentucky           27    71   144   .330     1 
South Carolina     27    35   102   .255     0 
Mississippi St.    27    52   163   .242     0 

Team             Years  Won   Lost   Pct 
Tennessee          29   794   159   .833 
Auburn             32   622   250   .713 
Georgia            30   605   256   .703 
Ole Miss           29   589   271   .685 
Vanderbilt         26   504   269   .652 
LSU                28   539   291   .649 
Alabama            29   529   306   .634 
Arkansas           27   480   281   .631 
South Carolina     29   494   339   .593 
Florida            29   465   342   .576 
Kentucky           29   462   346   .572 
Mississippi State  29   356   415   .462 

No.   Name - Team 
 4    Vanessa Hayden - Florida 
 4    Petra Ujhelyi - South Carolina 
 4    Jocelyn Penn - South Carolina 
 3    LaToya Thomas - Miss. State 
 3    Jamilah Johns - Alabama 
 2    Tia Miller - Auburn 
 2    Kara Braxton - Georgia 
 2    Gwen Jackson - Tennessee 
 2    Christi Thomas - Georgia 
 2    Bernice Mosby - Florida 
 2    Ashley McElhiney - Vanderbilt 
 1    Temeka Johnson - LSU 
 1    Tan White - Miss. State 
 1    Shameka Christon - Arkansas 
 1    Shambrica Jones - Kentucky 
 1    SeSe Helm - Kentucky 
 1    Ruby Vaden - Arkansas 
 1    Mary Beth Lycett - Georgia 
 1    Le'Coe Willingham - Auburn 
 1    Kelly Morrone - South Carolina 
 1    Jenni Benningfield - Vanderbilt 
 1    Chantelle Anderson - Vanderbilt 
 1    Aiysha Smith - LSU 

America East         1-0   1.000 
Atlantic Coast       2-3    .400 
Atlantic Sun         5-0   1.000 
Atlantic 10          1-0   1.000 
Big East             4-0   1.000 
Big Sky              0-0    .000 
Big South            2-0   1.000 
Big Ten              0-2    .000 
Big 12               1-0   1.000 
Big West             2-1    .667 
Colonial             1-0   1.000 
Conference USA       7-2    .778 
Horizon League       2-0   1.000 
Ivy League           1-0   1.000 
Metro Atlantic Ath.  0-0    .000 
Mid-American         0-0    .000 
Mid-Continent        1-0   1.000 
Mid-Eastern Ath.     3-0   1.000 
Missouri Valley      1-1    .500 
Mountain West        0-0    .000 
Northeast            0-0    .000 
Ohio Valley          0-0    .000 
Pacific-10           4-3    .571 
Patriot              1-0   1.000 
Southern             5-0   1.000 
Southland            6-0   1.000 
Southwestern Ath.    3-0   1.000 
Sun Belt             3-1    .750 
West Coast           0-0    .000 
Western Athletic     3-0   1.000 
Independents         1-0   1.000 
Non-Division I       1-0   1.000