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Tulsa Women's Basketball Team Opens Exhibition Season Tonight
11/3/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 3, 2006
Tulsa, Okla. -
The University of Tulsa women's basketball team will play its first of two exhibition games tonight against the OK Flyers at the Donald W. Reynolds Center. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.The Golden Hurricane registered the most wins in school history with a 26-6 record last year, won the program's first-ever conference regular season and tournament titles, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.
Tulsa looks to continue that success this year under the direction of 2006 Conference USA Coach of the Year, Charlene Thomas-Swinson.
The 2006-07 team will be considerably younger than previous years as TU lost six letterwinners, including three starters, from last year's team. However, the Hurricane does return three seniors, one junior and one sophomore, while six newcomers join the Hurricane squad. Tulsa returns 49.5-percent of its scoring offense and 52.7-percent of its rebounding from a year ago.
Leading the way for the Golden Hurricane will be C-USA Preseason Player of the Year and All-America candidate Jillian Robbins. An honorable mention All-American performer last season, Robbins is a three-time, first-team all-conference performer and already holds school records for scoring, rebounding, field goals, blocked shots and double-doubles.
Fellow returning letterwinners Chivis Merriweather, Tandem Mays, Dana Idlet and Jamie Dreiling will be valuable cogs in the Hurricane lineup this season.
Six newcomers will join the Golden Hurricane squad this year, including freshmen Teka Brooks, Micaela Cully, Destanie Gardner, Valerie Siemens and Larrissa Williams. Junior Chanel Johnson, a transfer from Alabama, who played her prep basketball career at Tulsa Edison High School, will sit out the 2006-07 season per NCAA transfer rules.
In tonight's match-up, Tulsa will face some very familiar faces on the OK Flyers team, including former Golden Hurricane standouts Kara Pongonis (2002-06), Emily Jaskowiak (2001-06) and Becky Heidotten (2000-05).
