Listen to the game live
CEDAR CITY, Utah - Nov. 17 - Southern Utah women's basketball will take to the road for the first time this season when the Thunderbirds travel to Las Vegas to take on the UNLV Lady Rebels on Tuesday afternoon. The meeting will mark the 11th time the two teams have met with UNLV owning the all-time series advantage, 7-3.
Southern Utah picked up a victory in the latest match-up between the two schools, as then first-year head coach Steve Hodson picked up his first win against a Division I opponent, besting the Lady Rebels in a 56-52 win during the 2006-07 season. Coach Hodson recently passed away due to cancer earlier this season, but interim head coach Kit Janes could now secure his first collegiate coaching victory over the same opponent.
The Thunderbirds have been plagued with turnovers over the first two exhibition games and home opening game this season, averaging more than 20 per contest. Janes said following the 44-64 loss to UC Davis that the team needs to take care of the ball.
“Turning the ball over is something that we need to work on,” he said after the game. “But, we are young and we are going to get better. The girls know what they need to do to get better and are improving every day.”
Tip-off between the two teams is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Fans can listen live online via the KSUU (Power 91) website at: www.suu.edu/ksuu.
Scouting UNLV
UNLV will enter the game on Tuesday after a 92-71 season-opening win against Sacramento State on Friday night. The Lady Rebels tied a school record with 12 3-point field goals during the game, maintaining a streak of season-opening wins for first year coaches at UNLV.
The Lady Rebels had five student athletes score in double figures, led by Brittany Halberg with 22 points, Erica Helms with 19 points, Shamela Hampton with 18 points and a team-high 12 rebounds, Jamie Smith with 14 points and India Chaney with 11 points.
UNLV shot almost 47 percent during the game, including a 51-percent clip from the field in the second half. The Lady Rebels were also accurate behind the arc, hitting 12-of-27.
Head coach Kathy Oliver is in her first year as head coach of the program, but carries a career record of 232-208.
Last time vs UNLV
Hodson Records First Victory over Division I Opponent with 56-52 win over UNLV
CEDAR CITY, Utah - Dec. 2, 2006 - Southern Utah opened the game on a 10-0 run and only relinquished the lead once as the Thunderbirds collected a 56-52 victory over the UNLV Lady Rebels. The win was the first over a Division I opponent for first-year head coach Steve Hodson as Southern Utah improves to 2-5 on the year while UNLV drops to 2-5.
Emily Mothershed scored a team-high 14 points for the Thunderbirds and was joined in double figures by Silvia Da Silva with ten points. UNLV's Sequoia Holmes led all scorers with 22 points with teammate Shamela Hampton also in double figures with 12.
Southern Utah shot over 40 percent in both halves, finishing the game shooting 42.9 percent from the floor. On the other side of the coin, UNLV struggles to find their shot, ending the game with a 28.3-percent clip from the field.
Last time out for the T-Birds
CEDAR CITY, Utah - Nov. 14 - Southern Utah women's basketball committed 28 turnovers, leading to 19 UC Davis points as the Thunderbirds lost a 64-44 decision at home on Friday night. The defeat sets the T-Birds at 0-1 on the year while the Aggies begin the season with a 1-0 mark.
Interim head coach Kit Janes
Kit Janes moved from the lead assistant to the interim head coaching role following the passing of Steve Hodson. Janes is entering his third season with the Thunderbirds after being hired as the lead assistant when Hodson took the reins of the program prior to the 2006-07 season.
“This is a great opportunity for me and my family at this time of our lives,” he said when he joined the staff. “SUU has been great to me and my family and this gives me a chance to give a little back. At the same time, I'm excited and honored to be a part of a great program and have the chance to work with these great young ladies.”
Janes has been instrumental in the development of the post players at Southern Utah, coaching Anne (Westwood) Higbee to several preseason and postseason accolades, including second-team all-conference honors in 2007-08 and second-team all-conference preseason honors prior to this season.
Janes played tight end for the Thunderbird football program for four seasons from 1975-1979 and was an NAIA All-America selection in 1978. Janes and his wife, Diane, have been married for 30 years and have four sons: Kade, former SUU men's basketball players Rand and Nate, current SUU offensive lineman Jeff and daughter Amanda.
