University of Minnesota Athletics
GOPHERS HOST REGAL CLASSIC THIS WEEKEND
11/16/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
THE CLASSIC SCHEDULE - The Regal Classic champion will be crowned in the championship game on Sunday, Nov. 21 at 3 p.m. The Regal Classic schedule:
Saturday, Nov. 20 Fresno State vs. Georgetown noon Ball State vs. Minnesota 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 21 Third-place Game 1 p.m. Championship Game 3 p.m. 1999 REGAL CLASSIC - Minnesota welcomes the Regal Hotel of Minneapolis as sponsor of the 1999 Regal Basketball Classic. In all, Minnesota has hosted an early-season tournament 18 times. Past names of the tournament include the Minnesota Classic, the Dial Basketball Classic and the Golden Gopher Classic.
In 1999, the tournament will feature teams from across the nation. The eastern part of the U.S. is represented by Georgetown, a member of the Big East Conference. Fresno State represents the west and the Western Athletic Conference. Ball State, of the Mid- American Conference, completes the tournament field.
Minnesota won its tournament six times, including three consecutive championships from 1991-93. The 1993 championship was Minnesota's last Classic title. The Gophers have captured six Classic MVP awards, including two each by Laura Coenen and Carol Ann Shudlick.
The 1997 Classic will be remembered by Minnesota head coach Cheryl Littlejohn as she earned her first career collegiate win in the tournament. Angie Iverson recorded a double-double, scoring 19 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, as the Gophers defeated Southwest Texas 64- 52 in the consolation game. Minnesota limited the Bobcats to 21 second-half points en route to the victory.
The Gophers advanced to the championship game of the 1998 Golden Gopher Classic but were defeated by UNLV, 75-61, in the tournament finale. Sonja Robinson was named to the all-tournament team. Robinson led the Gophers in scoring in both games, contributing 17 points in the win over Bradley and 18 against UNLV.
BLEVINS LEADS GOPHERS IN EXHIBITION GAME - Minnesota senior guard Antoinetta Blevins (Marion Junction, Ala./ Keith) scored 12 second-half points, but the Golden Gopher women's basketball team's bid for a comeback fell short in a 68-64 exhibition defeat against Riga TTT Latvia on Sunday, Nov. 7.
Blevins, who led the Gophers with 14 points, scored Minnesota's last four points to bring the Gophers to within 66-64 with 17 seconds remaining. A quick Minnesota foul put Latvia's Anita Mikale on the free throw line, where she missed the front end of a one-and- one situation. Jackie Tate (Eufaula, Ala./Eufaula) grabbed the rebound, as Minnesota sprinted up the court for a chance to tie or win the game.
With seven seconds remaining, Cassie VanderHeyden (East Bethel, Minn./St. Francis) fired a wide-open three-pointer from the left wing but it was off-target, forcing the Gophers to foul. Ganita Viksna iced the game for Latvia with two free throws with five seconds left.
Latvia held a 34-28 lead at halftime and increased the margin to as many as 13 points with 13 minutes left in regulation. Latvia's Anete Jekasbone led all scorers with 17 points.
Moneeke Bowden (Bakersfield, Calif./South) and Brandi Harris (Long Beach, Calif./Millikan) chipped in 10 points apiece for the Gophers, who shot just 36 percent from the field (21-58). The Gophers were out- rebounded by a 46-35 margin.
HEAD COACH CHERYL LITTLEJOHN - Cheryl Littlejohn (Tennessee, `87) enters her third season with the Golden Gophers. Littlejohn took over the Minnesota women's basketball program in April, 1997, after stints as an assistant at Alabama and North Carolina State. She owns a career coaching record of 11-43 (3-29 Big Ten) in two seasons at Minnesota.
Littlejohn is assisted by Jody Adams, Danny Evans and Marc Wilson.
VANDER HEYDEN TOPS RETURNING SCORERS - Sophomore guard Cassie VanderHeyden tops the returning Gopher scorers for the 1999-2000 season. VanderHeyden averaged 9.3 points per game and connected on a team-best 56 three- pointers last season. Forward Jackie Tate is the leading returning rebounder at 4.4 boards per game a year ago.
SEASON OPENERS - Minnesota is 6-4 in its last 10 season- opening contests. The Gophers are 1-1 under Littlejohn, winning last year's opener with a 67-63 victory over Illinois State.
MOTLEY OUT ON LINEUP - First-year guard/forward Natea Motley (Detroit, Mich./Western International) will miss the Gophers' opening weekend of action due to a stress fracture of her right femur. Motley's return is indefinite for the near future, but she is expected to be at full force for the Big Ten schedule come the end of December.
SCOUTING BALL STATE - The Cardinals of Ball State open their season against Minnesota at this weekend's Regal Classic. Ball State posted a 9-17 record a year ago and return just five letterwinners in 1999-2000. The Cardinals are an extremely young team this season. There is not a senior on the roster and forwards Latisha Tucker and junior college transfer Melannie Post represent the junior class. Sophomore forward Michelle Shaughnessy is the Cardinals' leading returning scorer at 6.4 points per game last season.
Ball State head coach Brenda Oldfield is in her first season with the Cardinals.
The series - Saturday's game is the first meeting between Ball State and Minnesota.
SCOUTING FRESNO STATE - Fresno State will open its season against Georgetown in the Regal Classic. The Bulldogs return four letterwinners from last year's squad that finished with a 9-19 record. A player to watch is senior forward Tiffany Lewis. Lewis averaged 12.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game a year ago.
Fresno State head coach Britt King is in her second season and sports a 9-19 record with the Bulldogs.
The series - Minnesota and Fresno State have never met.
SCOUTING GEORGETOWN - Georgetown faces Fresno State to open its 1999-2000 season. The Hoyas are the only team in the Regal Classic field to garner a winning record last season at 18-12 overall, advancing to the postseason play in the WNIT. Junior guard Katie Smrcka- Duffy returns to lead a potent Hoya offense averaging 20.0 points a year ago.
Georgetown head coach Patrick Knapp is in his 14th season with the Hoyas and owns a 174-191 record.
The series - Georgetown leads the series with Minnesota by a 1-0 margin after defeating the Gophers, 72-65, in Washington, D.C., last season. Erin Olson (Mitchell, S.D./Mitchell) led the Gophers with 16 points.
UP NEXT - Minnesota will travel to the West Coast for two games during the week of Thanksgiving. The Gophers will face San Diego on Tuesday, Nov. 23, and UC-Irvine on Sunday, Nov. 28.
