Oct. 11, 2007

CSTV Preview

The Tulane women's basketball team was picked to repeat as Conference USA regular season champions in the preseason forecast by the conference's coaches, it was announced Wednesday. The Green Wave, which earned its first outright C-USA regular season title last season, earned 126 points and the most first place votes.

"It's flattering to be picked number one after losing two All-Conference players from last season," said Tulane head coach Lisa Stockton, the 2007 Conference USA Coach of the Year. "That the coaches respect our returning players is a tribute to our team. We had players come off the bench last season and contribute and have some great moments for us, and the coaches around the conference recognized the depth that we have."

"At the same time, we realize it's not how you start, its how you finish," she continued. "We take it as a compliment, but it's a long road ahead of us. I would hope this is a positive incentive for our team this season."

The Green Wave received three first place votes, and with 126 points earned the top spot over UTEP (one first place vote, 109 points), defending tournament champion East Carolina (two first place votes, 106 points. SMU and UAB each finished with 103 points, with SMU picking up two first place votes to UAB's one. Rice, last season's preseason favorite, earned two first place votes to be tabbed sixth, while Houston gained the remaining first-place vote.

The 2007-08 Green Wave women's basketball team returns nine letter-winners from last season's Conference USA regular season championship squad, as Tulane will seek a second-straight appearance in the post-season.

Under the guidance of 2007 Conference USA Coach of the Year Lisa Stockton, the Green Wave finished 26-7 and advanced to the second round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament in 2006-07, the 10th time in 13 years under Stockton's leadership the Wave have reached the post-season.

Junior point guard Ashley Langford will once again serve as floor general for the Green Wave after setting Tulane's single-season assist record for the second-straight season. Langford, a third team All-Conference USA pick out of Harrisburg, Pa., placed ninth in the NCAA in assists per game, dishing out 6.27 while scoring 7.4 points per game.

"It's definitely an honor to be picked as repeat conference champions," Langford said. "We will have a target on our backs, but we just need to work hard and forget about it. We need to take one game at a time, stick to our game plan and not lose our focus, and not really worry about what the coaches predict. We already have a little bit of pressure on us because we are the defending champions regardless of the preseason pick.

"I think the conference has a little more respect for us because we normally have been picked to finish in the middle of the pack, so it's good to be recognized and gain a little respect. But nothing changes for us because it's the same focus and the same hard work."

Senior Alendra Brown is Tulane's top returning scorer with 8.1 points per game, and also was the Green Wave's second-leading rebounder and shot blocker in 2006-07. Senior forward Dominique Philpots, who like Barnes, averaged 4.6 points per game, was Tulane's leading shot-blocker with 41 rejections last year. Megan Valicevic, a 5-11 forward from The Woodlands, Texas, averaged 4.2 points per game in 14.2 minutes last season, and may see time and both the four and three positions in 2007-08.

Redshirt freshman Brittany Lindsey is back from a torn labrum that kept her out last season, while true freshman Kiara Slaton, an all-district selection at Rockwall (Texas) High School this past season, joins the Tulane front court.

In the backcourt, senior guard Nikki Luckhurst, a 5-8 Duluth, Ga. native, started 23 of 27 games in 2005-06, turning in the third-most three-pointers in a season in Tulane history with 69. Luckhurst enters 2007-08 eighth on Tulane's all-time three-point percentage list, and eighth in three-pointers made with 131. She scored 6.9 points per game last season, but contributed 11.7 PPG in her starting role in 2005-06.

The Green Wave will also seek additional scoring from guard Sasha Staidum. The 5-7 junior Houma, native averaged 4.6 points per game in 12.7 minutes per contest as a freshman and connected on 47.8 percent of her shots a year ago, driving the lane for 33 field goals.

Sophomore guards Chassity Brown and Tia Jackson will be looked upon in an increased capacity this season, and the Green Wave adds a trio of freshman on the perimeter: Tiffany Aidoo, Roshaunda Barnes and Caitlin Cleveland join the Tulane program for 2007-08.

Conference USA also announced its All C-USA Preseason Team, comprised of SMU's Janielle Dodds. Jareica Hughes of UTEP, Tye Jackson of Houston, UAB's Diamond Rogers and Jasmine Young of East Carolina. Jackson was tabbed C-USA Preseason Player of the Year.