COLORADO MINES WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Game Notes - Week #8
vs. Colorado Christian, 1/21/03, Golden, Colo., 6:00 pm
vs. Regis, 1/23/03, Golden, Colo., 8:00 pm

PROBABLE STARTERS
No. Name Pos. PPG RPG APG FG%
23 Karen Martin F 2.4 2.9 1.2 .306
20 Kristen Horkey G 6.9 1.8 1.4 .456
30 Heather Hoops G 3.8 1.6 2.0 .268
32 Heather Angel F 8.6 5.9 1.4 .412
55 Ashley Gronewoller C 8.9 6.7 1.0 .566

OFF THE BENCH
No. Name Pos. PPG RPG APG FG%
15 Jessica Neumiller G 4.8 1.5 0.5 .389
22 Kim Kilmer G/F 2.5 1.9 0.9 .217
24 Katie Gaudutis G 7.6 0.9 1.3 .356
25 Bara Zhanasova C 3.0 2.3 0.2 .359
42 Gina Cornelio F 1.6 0.8 0.4 .263
45 Katie Cunio C 5.6 5.6 0.9 .508

THE HEAD COACH
Vic Doperalski is in his tenth season as the women’s basketball coach at Colorado School of Mines, and his 26th year overall as a basketball coach. During his nine years at the helm for the Orediggers, Doperalski has accumulated an 88-168 record, guiding the team to the three winningest seasons in CSM history. Last season, Doperalski led CSM to an overall record of 16-11, including a 10-9 mark in the RMAC. In addition, the Orediggers racked up 11 wins in both the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons.

LAST TIME OUT (1/18/03): Fort Lewis outscored Colorado Mines, 54-35, in the second half and claimed an 89-58 victory over the Orediggers in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference women’s basketball action Saturday night in the FLC Fieldhouse. The Skyhawks raced out to a 16-5 lead seven minutes into the contest and led by as many as 19 points (28-9) with 7:48 to play in the first stanza. However, CSM used an 11-0 run over the next three minutes to cut its deficit to 28-20 with four minutes to play in the first half. Sophomore guard Kristin Horkey keyed the run by scoring the first seven points. Leading 35-23 at the break, Fort Lewis would go on to outscore Mines, 35-15, over the first 12 minutes of the second half and claim a 70-38 lead midway through the final 20 minutes of action. Horkey led her squad with a career-high 20 points, including 2-of-3 from three-point range and 8-of-11 from the charity stripe. Freshman center Ashley Gronewoller added eight points and a game-best seven rebounds, while sophomore guard Katie Gaudutis added seven points.

FRESHMEN PHENOMS: CSM freshmen Heather Angel and Ashley Gronewoller have provided hope for the future of the Oredigger program. Gronewoller, a 6-3 center, leads the team in scoring (8.9 ppg) and rebounding (6.7 rpg), while Angel, a 5-11 forward, is second in scoring (8.6 ppg) and rebounding (5.9 rpg). In a win over New Mexico Highlands on Jan. 11, Angel notched her third double double of the season with a career-high 20 points and 12 boards, while Gronewoller established a career-high with 22 points and also grabbed seven rebounds. Gronewoller currently ranks fifth in the RMAC in field goal percentage as she has hit on 47-of-83 shots (.566).

K-MART: Forward Karen Martin, the lone senior on this year’s squad, has provided the team with experience and leadership this season. A co-captain, Martin is the lone player to start all 14 games for the Oredigger’s this year and is averaging 2.4 points and 2.9 rebounds per night.

I’M BATMAN: Val Kilmer is known for his 1995 role as Batman in Batman Forever. Against New Mexico Highlands on Jan. 11, Mines sophomore guard Kim Kilmer played her own role of Batman as she broke out of an early season drought by scoring a season-high eight points on 4-of-4 shooting from the field, grabbed five rebounds and also dished out three assists. The top returning scorer from last season, she is now averaging 2.5 points and 1.9 rebounds per night.

HOOP IT UP: Sophomore guard Heather Hoops has provided the team with solid all-around play from her point guard position this season. A starter in 12-of-14 games this season, Hoops currently leads the team with 28 assists and is also averaging 3.8 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. In a victory over New Mexico Highlands on Jan. 11, Hoops scored a season-high 12 points, just two off her career-best, on 5-of-8 shooting from the floor.

LET’S GET 70: The number 70 appears to be the good luck charm for the women’s basketball team. Since the 2000-01 season, Mines is 14-1 when it scores at least 70 points, including both victories this season. The last time CSM lost when it scored at least 70 points was on Feb. 21, 2001, a 92-76 setback at Fort Hays State.

SCOUTING THIS WEEKS COMPETITION:
Colorado Christian enters play this week at 7-7 overall and 2-5 in the RMAC following losses at Fort Lewis (54-42) and a 73-59 victory at Adams State over the weekend. Taylor Long led the Cougars as she totaled 23 points and 11 rebounds in the split. For the season, Candida Reyes leads CCU and is 11th in the RMAC in scoring at 12.9 points per game, while Long tallies 11.3 points per night. As a team, the Cougars shoot 37 percent from the field and 65 percent from the charity stripe.

Regis enters play this week at 10-5 overall and 5-2 in league play after a non-conference win over Morningside (102-68) and a loss at Mesa State (70-54) last week. Molly Marrin tallied 34 points and 12 rebounds in the win and nine points and 10 boards in the loss to the Mavericks. For the season, Marrin in eighth in the conference in scoring (14.4 ppg) and seventh in rebounding (7.5 rpg). Keely O’Dell posts 11.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per night and Julie Jestus (10.5 ppg) and Rachel Caliga (10.5 ppg) also average double figures. As a team, the Rangers are ranked second in the RMAC in field goal percentage (.451) and free throw percentage (.734).