SPARTANS SET FOR NCAA WEEKEND

Men's Basketball (NCAA)
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Weekend Preview

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPARTANS SET FOR NCAA WEEKEND

LANGLEY, British Columbia - Trinity Western University men's and women's basketball teams will be hosting four NCAA Div. I schools this weekend, Aug 29 - Sept. 1. Traveling north to play the Spartans on the men's side are Cal State Fullerton, Colorado State University and Tulsa University, while the TWU women will be hosting Louisiana State University.

The men's basketball team will play Cal State Fullerton (LISTEN LIVE) at Trinity Western University on Fri. Aug 29 at 9:15 p.m., Tulsa University at Walnut Grove Secondary on Sat. Aug. 30 at 7p.m. and Colorado State at White Rock Christian Academy on Mon. Sept. 1 at 10:15 a.m. The women's basketball team will play Louisiana State at Trinity Western University on Sat. Aug. 30 at 10:30 a.m.

Addresses for weekend games:

Trinity Western University
7600 Glover Road
Langley, B.C.

Walnut Grove Secondary
8919 Walnut Grove Drive
Langley, B.C.

White Rock Christian Academy
2265 152 Street
Surrey, BC

TWU - MEN
This weekend marks the debut of Scott Allen as head coach of the Spartans men's basketball team. Allen has brought in a strong recruiting class and has a number of veterns returning from redshirting last season. There is a buzz around the Spartans this season as high expectations hope to see TWU look to have a mirror image of last seasons 4-19 record. The Spartans fully expect to challenge for a host position in this years play-offs. TWU could start four players, who the last time they were on the floor led their teams in scoring. The Spartans see the return of 2006-07 leading scorer Brian Banman (20.8 pts/gm) as well as transfers Jacob Doerkson (14.8 pts/gm) form Victoria, Jamie Vaughan (16.6 pts/gm) from UCFV and Louis Hurd (20.2 pts/gm) from CBC. The team looks to be one of the biggest, deepest and most experienced squads that TWU has put on the floor since entering the CIS.

CAL STATE
Only eight or nine players Cal State Fullerton Titans will see action on this trip. Returning starter Josh Akognon and reserve Marcio Lassiter will be joined by redshirts Gerard Anderson and Adam Thomas and newcomers Jacques Streeter, Aaron Thompson, Ray Miller and late addition Ameer Shamsud-din, a highly regarded freshman guard from Oregon who enrolled on Monday. Fullerton is coming off its first conference (co-)championship since 1976, its first NCAA Tournament berth since 1978 and a school's best 24-9 record. But the Titans return only two veterans in leading scorer (20.2 ppg) Akognon and Lassiter (3.3 ppg).

COLORADO STATE
Last season the Colorado State Rams fell to BYU in the quarterfinals and finished with a 7-25 record. The spring incoming class of Travis Franklin, Harvey Perry Jr. and Mame Bocar Ba are expected to make an impact on the team, as will former two-time Nebraska all-state guard Jesse Carr. Division I transfers Dan Vandervieren and Andy Ogide, who sat out last per NCAA regulations, become eligible as sophomores this fall. Colorado State had two players average double-digit scoring totals last season - guard Marcus Walker (Kansas City, Montana) and centre Stuart Creason (Coppell, Texas). Walker, a junior, averaged 17.1 points per game, while Creason, a senior, posted 12.2 points per contest. The Rams posted a 7-25 overall record in 2007-08 and went winless (0-16) in the Mountain West Conference. Colorado State has made eight NCAA tournament appearances since 1954 with its most recent coming in 2003 when the squad lost to Duke in the opening round.

TULSA
Tulsa finished the 2007-08 campaign with a 25-14 overall record. The Hurricane advanced to the Conference USA Championship Game against No. 2-ranked Memphis and went on to win the inaugural College Basketball Invitational last April.

TWU - WOMEN
The Spartan women hope to rebound from last year's 8-15 record and once again make it to the post season. TWU has a blend of new players and veterans who will make up the line-up for this season. Returning are leading scorer Laura Craig (9 pts/gm), Katie Haworth (6.8 pts/gm), Corina Reimer (6.3 pts/gm and 7.3 rbs/gm) , Liesa Ohman (5.8 pts/gm), Lauren Doubroff (5.4 pts/gm) and Becky Atkinson (5.2 pts/gm). How well the Spartans do will depend on how quickly they gel in the ultra competitive Canada West Pacific Division as the PacD has won the CIS national title every year since 2001-02 and nine of the last 11 seasons.

LSU
The LSU women's basketball team, which has advanced to five straight NCAA Final Fours, returns four letter winners from the 2008 Final Four team, including junior guard Allison Hightower, the Southeastern Conference Sixth Woman of the Year. The Lady Tigers feature eight newcomers and a crop of talented freshmen that each have promising futures at LSU.

Last Updated: 2008-09-01
Author: Scott Stewart
Email: ssstew@twu.ca