Women's Basketball Opens Season in North Carolina This Weekend

Sheraton Raleigh Wolfpack Invitational Notes • Nov. 12-13
Liberty Flames vs. Creighton Bluejays • Nov. 12 • 2 pm (EST)
NC State/College of Charleston vs. Creighton • Nov. 13 • 6/8 pm (EST)
Reynolds Coliseum • Raleigh, N.C.
Radio: None • Video: www.gocreighton.com

• Live stats for both games at the Sheraton Raleigh Wolfpack Invitational and select road games this the season can be found on the CU athletics website www.gocreighton.com.

• Live video for both games at the Sheraton Raleigh Wolfpack Invitational will be provided by North Carolina State and linked to at www.gocreighton.com

• Creighton radio will not be available at the Sheraton Raleigh Wolfpack Invitational.

• The combined 2009-10 record of the Sheraton Raleigh Wolfpack Invitational field was 89-43 (.674) – Liberty (27-6), Creighton (21-11), College of Charleston (21-12) and North Carolina State (20-14).

• Creighton is 3-5 in season-openers under Jim Flanery, including 0-5 when opening on the road under Flanery.

• Creighton has not opened the season at a tournament since playing at the Jimco Cowgirl Classic in Stillwater, Okla., in 1990.

• The Bluejays are 2-1 all-time when opening the season with a neutral site contest, last doing so with a 73-62 win over TCU on Nov. 23, 1990 in Stillwater, Okla.

• Creighton is 3-5 while participating in in-season tournaments under Jim Flanery. The Bluejays won their last in-season tournament with two wins at the Rocky Mountain Invitational in Fort Collins, Colo., in 2007.

• Creighton won its lone exhibition game 96-61 over Division II Northwest Missouri State on Nov. 3. The five Bluejay freshman combined for half (48) of CU's points in the win, led by rookie Sarah Nelson's team-high 16 points. Freshman Carli Tritz led the Jays with seven assists and four steals.

Scouting the Bluejays
The Bluejays are picked to finish third in the Missouri Valley Conference this year, receiving seven first place votes ... Creighton returns six letterwinners and three starters from last year's team which finished 21-11 and 13-5 (2nd) in the MVC ... The Jays advanced to the second round of the WNIT for the third straight season last year and played in the event for the sixth time in eight years ... CU led the MVC and ranked 21st in the NCAA with 7.3 three-pointers per game last year ... The Bluejays ranked in the top-25 in fewest turnovers per game for the second straight season, finishing 22nd last year with 14.7 turnovers per game ... The Jays return three of their top four scorers in senior starters Sam Schuett (12.9), Kellie Nelson (9.5) and Kelsey Woodard (9.4) ... Schuett a first-team all-MVC honoree last year, led the Jays in points (414), 3FGs (65), 3FG percentage (.422), rebounds (240), blocks (38) and double-doubles (7) ... Her 42.2 3FG percentage led the MVC and ranked 18th in the NCAA ... Woodard enters the season already one of 22 players in school history with 1,000 career points and fourth in CU history with 193 career three-pointers ... Six of CU's 12 roster spots are freshmen, the largest rookie scholarship class at CU in 13 years ... Sarah Nelson joins older sister Kellie as the first Bluejay sibling duo to play in the same season since 1978-79.

Scouting the Flames
Liberty went 27-6 last year, including a 14-2 second-place Big South finish ... The Flames lost 83-77 to Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year after winning the Big South Tournament ... Liberty led the NCAA in rebounding margin (+13.9) last year and ranked second in the nation in scoring defense (50.0 ppg) and field goal percentage (.482) ... The Flames return four starters from last year, losing only their point guard ... Devon Brown (17.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg) and Avery Warley (11.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg) are Liberty's top returners.

Scouting the Cougars
College of Charleston finished 21-12 overall last year, advancing to the first ever Women's Basketball Invitational postseason tournament ... CofC was 13-7 for a fourth place finish in the Southern Conference ... The Cougars return just one starter from that team, Tonia Gerty averaged 10.8 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game last year ... No other CofC returner averaged more than eight minutes or two points per game.

Scouting the Wolfpack
North Carolina State posted a 20-14 record last year, including 7-7 for a fifth-place finish in the ACC ... The Wolfpack made its 21st NCAA Tournament appearance last year, losing to UCLA in the first round ... NC State was 13-3 at home last year ... They return three starters from last year's team, including ACC Freshman of the Year and Lincoln, Neb., native Marissa Kastanek (10.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg) ... Last year's top scorer and rebounder, junior forward Bonae Holston (12.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg) returns as well.

Series Histories
Creighton has never faced any of the participants in this year's Sheraton Raleigh Wolfpack Invitational prior to this season.

The Coaches
Jim Flanery (Creighton, 1987) is in his ninth season as head coach at his alma mater, where he has led his team to six WNIT postseason appearances and five 20-win seasons. He owns a career record of 152-103 (.596). In 2003 he became the winningest rookie coach in school and MVC history and led the Jays to the 2004 WNIT Championship. Prior to serving as CU's head coach, Flanery served as CU's top assistant for a decade. Flan is 3-5 in season openers.
• Carey Green (Coastal Carolina, 1979) enters his 12th season as a collegiate head coach, all at Liberty, where he is 264-83 to rank ninth all-time among NCAA Division I women's basketball coaches with a .761 winning percentage. He's led Liberty to 10 NCAA Tournaments in his first 11 seasons.
• Nancy Wilson (Coker, 1973) begins her 29th year as a collegiate head coach and her 17th at College of Charleston (in her second stint at CofC). She is 525-322 (.620) overall and 294-173 (.630) overall with the Cougars, who she has coached for from 1976-84 and from 2003 to the present. She also served as head coach at South Carolina for 13 seasons.
• Kellie Harper (Tennessee, 1999) is in her second season at North Carolina State and seventh as a collegiate head coach with an overall mark of 117-78 (.599). She led the Wolfpack to a 20-14 (.588) record and NCAA Tourney appearance last year, after serving the previous five seasons at Western Carolina.

Season Opening Information
Creighton is 15-21 all-time in season openers, including 3-5 under head coach Jim Flanery. Creighton has lost its last 10 openers away from home, with its previous win in its first road game of the year coming at Tulsa on Nov. 24, 1999 (after CU opened the season at home). The Jays are 8-28 all-time in their first road contest of the season, 0-8 under Jim Flanery.

Start in Neutral
Creighton hasn't opened the season with a neutral site game since a 73-62 win over TCU on Nov. 23, 1990 at the Jimco Cowgirl Classic in Stillwater, Okla. That tournament also marks the last time the Bluejays opened the year at a tournament. CU is 2-1 all-time when opening with a neutral site game, topping George Mason in 1989 in Las Vegas and falling to Colorado in 1987 in Irvine, Calif.

In-Season Tournaments
Creighton is 3-5 in the four in-season tournaments it has played in under head coach Jim Flanery. The Jays won the last in-season tourney they played in, defeating Kent State and Colorado State at the Rocky Mountain Invitational in Fort Collins, Colo., in Nov., 2007. Prior to those two wins, CU had lost five straight in-season tourney games. Sam Schuett was named to the All-Tournament team at the Rocky Mountain Invitational after averaging 11.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in CU's wins.

Back to Tobacco Road
This will be just the second time Creighton has traveled to the state of North Carolina for women's basketball, with the first trip coming in 2003 when the Bluejays played in the Duke Classic in Durham. The Bluejays went 1-1 at that event, losing 79-72 to No. 25 Auburn, before a 91-64 win over Stephen F. Austin on Nov. 29-30, 2003.

Exhibition Recap
Creighton defeated Division II Northwest Missouri State 96-61 in its lone exhibition game on Nov. 3. The Bluejays jumped out to a 19-0 lead and never looked back, leading by as many as 41 in the contest. Creighton's five freshmen scored half (48) of the Bluejays' points in the win, led by Sarah Nelson's team-best 16 points. Fellow freshman Carli Tritz added 11 points and team-best seven assists and four steals, and rookie Jordan Garrison chipped in 10 points. CU's three returning senior starters each had 10+ points, with Kellie Nelson (14), Kelsey Woodard (13) and Sam Schuett (12) each contributing in the blowout. The Jays out-rebounded the Bearcats 52-38 and outscored NWMSU 58-12 in the paint. CU shot 54.1 percent from the field and 41.2 (7-17) percent from three-point range in the win.

They're Back
The Bluejays return six letterwinners and three starters as Creighton's trio of seniors – center Kellie Nelson, forward Sam Schuett, guard Kelsey Woodard – are all back in the starting lineup. Junior DaNae Moore and sophomore Jasmin Corbin and Ally Jensen are also back after seeing significant playing time last year.

Schuett Lowe's Senior CLASS Candidate
Sam Schuett has been named one of 30 candidates nationally for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award which honors seniors for their efforts on and off the court. CLASS stands for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School and to be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in community, classroom, character and competition. Schuett graduated magna cum laude with a degree in accounting in May, has served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, ranked 12th among CU's 232 student-athletes in community service hours last year and is a first-team all-conference player on the court. Ten finalists for the award will be named in January. Creighton is one of five schools nationally (Wisconsin, Ohio State, Lehigh, Duke) to have a male and female as Lowe's Senior CLASS candidates, as CU's Kenny Lawson Jr., is up for the award as well.

Flock of Freshmen
Half of the Creighton roster is made up of freshmen this season. The six-member freshman class equals the largest rookie class in the nine-year tenure of head coach Jim Flanery, as the 2005-06 team also had six freshmen. All six Bluejay rookies this season are on scholarship, marking the first time since the 1997-98 season that Creighton has at least six freshman on scholarship. Only five freshmen will play this year following a season-ending knee injury to Riley Norman in the preseason.

Norman to Redshirt
Freshman forward Riley Norman will take a medical redshirt this season after suffering a torn right ACL during preseason workouts. The rookie had surgery on Oct. 18 to repair the knee, which she also injured at the end of her senior year of high school.

Playing the Percentages
Even with three of their top four scorers back, the Bluejays return just 59.9 percent of their scoring from last season. The Jays return 54.4 percent of their rebounding and only 43.4 percent of their assists from last year, as they lost their top two ball distributors Chevelle Herring (81 assists) and Megan Neuvirth (73 assists).

If the Schuett Fits
Senior forward Sam Schuett returns after earning first-team all-MVC notice last year and starts her senior season as a contender for MVC Player of the Year. Schuett led the team in points (414), three-pointers (65), three-point percentage (.422), rebounds (7.5 per game), blocks (38) and double-doubles (7) and ranked among MVC leaders in three-point field goal percentage (1st), rebounding (5th), blocked shots (5th), three-pointers made (6th), field goal percentage (9th), free-throw percentage (9th) and scoring (12th). She ranked 18th in the NCAA with her 42.2 three-point field goal percentage.

More on Sam Schuett
• Enters season third in school history with 81.4 career free throw percentage (193-237).
• Enters season ranked sixth in school history in three-point accuracy, making 39.3 percent of threes (130-331) in her career.
• Enters season ranked 13th in school history with 130 career three-pointers.
• Enters season ranked eighth in school history with 79 career blocked shots.
• Enters season ranked 10th in school history with 653 career rebounds.

Creighton's Sisterhood
One of Creighton's six freshmen is Sarah Nelson, younger sister of Bluejay senior Kellie Nelson, continuing a recent trend of sisters playing for the Jays. Current senior Kelsey Woodard followed in the footsteps of older sister Kristi (2002-06), while Laura (2001-05) and Krissie (1997-01) Spanheimer also had a family tradition at Creighton. The Nelsons however, are just the second recorded sister duo to play alongside each other at Creighton, joining Peggy and Patty Bierle during the 1978-79 season.

Preseason Picks
The Bluejays have been picked to finish third in the MVC preseason poll as voted on by league coaches, media and sports information directors. CU received seven first place votes, second only to preseason favorite Missouri State's 27. The Jays earned 328 points in the poll, just one behind second-place Northern Iowa. The Jays have finished even or higher than their predicted finish in six of Jim Flanery's first eight years at the helm.

1,000 Point Club
Senior Kelsey Woodard entered the 1,000 point club as a junior, beginning her final campaign with 1,081 points. Senior Sam Schuett should become the 23rd member of Creighton's 1,000 point club early in the season as she starts the year with 941 career points.

I'll Take 3-Pointers for 200 Alex
Creighton led the MVC and ranked 21st in the NCAA making 233 three-pointers last year, the third straight season CU eclipsed 200 threes. The Jays have made at least 200 triples in five of Jim Flanery's eight seasons at the helm. Prior to Flanery's tenure, the Jays had made 200 three-pointers in a season just twice in 15 seasons with the three-point line.

Home is Where the Wins Are
Creighton went 12-3 at home last year in its first season at D.J. Sokol Arena, winning its final seven home games to conclude the year. The Bluejays are 84-27 (.757) at home under Jim Flanery, including 56-16 (.778) in MVC play at home under Flanery.

Nelson's Accuracy is Record-Setting
Kellie Nelson earned MVC All-Tournament honors last year due in large part to her shot-making abilities. Nelson went 15-for-19 from the field to shoot 78.9 percent in CU's three games. The percentage set a school record for a single MVC Tournament. The Bluejay center averaged 11.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. On the season Nelson led the team and ranked third in the MVC, shooting 50.7 percent from the field.

The Ally Way
Ally Jensen led all MVC freshman last year in three-point accuracy, shooting 36.8 percent from long range. Of her 54 made field goals last year, 43 (79.6 percent) were from beyond the arc and of her 140 field goal attempts, 117 (83.6 percent) were from long range.

Nebraska Natives
For the fourth consecutive season, at least half of Creighton's roster is from Nebraska. Last year the Bluejays started five Nebraskans in 29 of their 32 games, marking the first time in recorded history the Jays had an all-Nebraska lineup in one game - let alone 29. Seven of Creighton's 12 players on this year's roster are from Nebraska – Omaha products Jasmin Corbin (Millard West), Kellie Nelson (Westside), Sarah Nelson (Westside) and Sam Schuett (Millard West), Bellevue native Kelsey Woodard (Bellevue West), Seward High graduate Alyssa Kamphaus and Weston native by way of Wahoo
Bishop Neumann, McKenzie Fujan.

Cheers to Sam and Woody at the Line
Kelsey Woodard (.844) and Sam Schuett (.814) are ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in school history in career free throw percentage, respectively. Both Woodard and Schuett have two of the top-10 free throw percent shooting seasons in school history, including Schuett's 83 percent at the stripe last year. Schuett also set a school record last year by making 40 consecutive free throws, the third-longest streak in MVC history.

Creighton Single-Season Free Throw%
    1.    .892    Kristi Woodard (66-74)    2003-04
    2.    .862    Kristi Woodard (56-65)    2004-05
    3.    .849    Ally Thrall (73-86)    2006-07
    4.    .847    Tanya Warren (83-98)    1985-86
    5.    .846    Kelsey Woodard (66-78)    2008-09
    6.    .841    Kelsey Woodard (74-88)    2007-08
    7.    .833    Sam Schuett (65-78)    2007-08
    8.    .832    Krissie Spanheimer (89-107)    1998-99
    9.    .830    Sam Schuett (83-100)    2009-10
    10.    .826    Holly Sivesind (95-115)    1995-96

Creighton Career Free Throw%
    1.    .862    Kristi Woodard (188-218)    2002-06
    2.    .844    Kelsey Woodard (184-218)    2007-pr.
    3.    .814    Sam Schuett (193-237)    2006-pr.
    4.    .814    Ally Thrall (201-247)    2004-08
    5.    .797    Holly Sivesind (228-286)    1993-97
    6.    .786     Christy Neneman (386-491)    2000-04
    7.    .783    Tanya Warren (300-383)    1983-88
    8.    .775    Connie Yori (416-537)    1982-86
    9.    .771    Krissie Spanheimer (222-288)    1997-01
    10.    .759    Sara Cain (154-203)    2004-08

20-20-20 Vision
Creighton has won at least 20 games in each of its previous three seasons. In school history, every time the Jays have won 20 games in a season, it has come in groups of at least three – winning at least 20 in three straight years (1985-87), four straight years (1991-94), three straight years (2002-04) and now again in three straight (2008-10). The Bluejays have now won 20 games in five of Jim Flanery's eight seasons as head coach. Flanery's predecessor Connie Yori won 20 games three times in her 10 years as CU's head coach, while Bruce Rasmussen captured 20 wins in five of his 12 years leading the Bluejays.

Another Tough Schedule
Creighton again plays the toughest non-conference schedule in the MVC, as eight of the Bluejays' 11 non-conference games will be against teams which appeared in the postseason last year, including a pair of NCAA Sweet 16 teams. CU hosts 2010 Sweet 16 participant Nebraska on Dec. 8 and follows at Sweet 16 team Notre Dame on Dec. 11. Liberty, Bowling Green State and potential foe North Carolina State all played in the NCAA Tournament last year. Wyoming, Marquette and Kansas played in the WNIT last year and potential opponent College of Charleston appeared in the inaugural Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) a year ago.

Women Return to Qwest Center Omaha
The Bluejays will return to Qwest Center Omaha for just the second time in the history of the venue, hosting Kansas on Dec. 22 (prior to a men's game against Samford). The Jays hope for a better outcome than the 51-44 loss suffered to Drake on Feb. 27, 2009 in the only other women's game played at Qwest Center. The Bluejays shot a lowly 21.9 percent in that televised loss.

Four-Game Home Stands
Creighton has two four-game home stands this season after not playing one four-game stand over the past 11 seasons. CU's first four-game home stand is Dec. 18-31, marking the first time the Jays have played four straight at home since Jan. 21-31, 1999. The Jays then play a four-game conference home stand between Jan. 27 and Feb. 5, the longest MVC home stand since that same 1999 stretch.

Kelsey Can Shoot
Kelsey Woodard returns as one of 22 players in school history with 1,000 career points. Woodard is the second-most accurate free-throw shooter in school history (.844), trailing only her sister Kristi (.862) in that category. She begins her senior season ranked fourth in school history with 193 career three-pointers.

Rebounding Record in Reach for Schuett
Creighton lost its all-time leading rebounder to graduation after last season, as Megan Neuvirth's record 929 career rebounds are gone. Neuvirth also set a single-season record with 325 rebounds as a junior. Sam Schuett begins her senior season ranked 10th in school history with 653 career rebounds, having played along side Neuvirth in each of her first three seasons. With Neuvirth gone, perhaps Schuett can nab the 277 boards needed to topple Neuvirth's mark.

Welcome Coach Carrie Moore
The Bluejays have a new member of the coaching staff this season, assistant coach Carrie Moore. The Western Michigan graduate (2007) led the NCAA in scoring with 25.4 points per game and was the MAC Co-Player of the Year as a senior. She is Western Michigan's all-time leading scorer with 2,224 career points, starting all 120 games in her career for the Broncos. Moore spent the previous two seasons as the Director of Basketball Operations at Princeton.

Updated & Extended Coverage
Fans will notice Creighton home games not only have a new live stats platform, but will also benefit from Creighton's change to BCS Stats. The new live stats provider allows fans to follow the live action on their mobile device at www.gocreightonstats.com. Fans can also find more info on Bluejay athletics on Facebook at the “Official Creighton Athletics Page” and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/gocreighton. The women's basketball team also has its own Facebook page, with inside glimpses into the program. Fans can also read assist coach Carrie Moore's blog “Tuesdays With Moore” each Tuesday on www.gocreighton.com.

Women's Basketball Opens Season in North Carolina This Weekend

Players Mentioned

Jasmin Corbin

McKenzie Fujan

Jordan Garrison

Chevelle Herring

Ally Jensen

Alyssa Kamphaus

Kenny Lawson Jr.

DaNae Moore

Kellie Nelson

Sarah Nelson

Megan Neuvirth

Riley Norman

Sam Schuett

Carli Tritz

Kelsey Woodard

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