Women's basketball at Graceland
January 4, 2008
Contact: Evangel University Athletics 865-2815, Ext. 7282
Game 12
Evangel at Graceland
2 p.m. January 5
Closson Center: Lamoni, Iowa
Evangel Radio Broadcast and Webcast
ESPN Radio (KGMY, 1400 AM)
www.allinbroadcasting.com
Play-by-play: Ed Beach
Color Commentary: Leslie Callison
Evangel’s Record
Evangel is 4-7 after picking up two victories in the Bethany University Christmas Classic on Dec. 28-29. The Lady Crusaders defeated host Bethany, 52-48, on the 28th. The next day, Evangel won 54-39 against Cal Maritime. The EU ladies are 1-2 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play.
Graceland to Date
The Yellowjackets lost 64-58 at Baker on Jan. 3 to bring their record to 8-4 overall and 2-2 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Graceland jumped out to a 4-0 record to begin the season before losing a close game, 59-57, at Bethel College. McPherson then defeated Graceland, 80-69, in the Bethel tourney. The GU ladies then won two in a row, including a 60-58 victory at Culver-Stockton to begin the conference season. Graceland then lost 92-76 at Missouri Valley and 69-59 at home to Central Methodist. Johnson & Wales then lost in Lamoni, 84-41, prior to the Christmas break. The Baker game was Graceland’s first since the holiday intermission.
EU’s Most Recent Game
The EU ladies traveled to Scotts Valley, California, to participate in the Bethany University Christmas Classic on Dec. 28-29.
On Dec. 28, Evangel defeated host Bethany 52-48. Katie Burger led Evangel with the first double-double of her career, scoring 13 points and pulling down 12 rebounds. Caitlin Russell added 11 points off the bench.
Versus Cal Maritime on Dec. 29, Evangel won 54-39. All 13 Evangel players saw playing time and all buttwo scored. Megan Jewell came off the bench to pace EU with 13 points and Katie Burger controlled seven rebounds. Cal Maritime played only six players.
Burger Records First Double-Double
Katie Burger poured in 13 points and brought down 12 rebounds versus Bethany University (Calif.) on Dec. 28 to record the first double-double of her career. It is also the first double-double by an EU player this season.
EU’s Pollard Sees Playing Time
Whitney Pollard, Evangel’s starting post player, was ill with the flu and missed the Avila (Dec. 6) and College of the Ozarks (Dec. 11) games. She didn’t start, but managed to play six minutes at Missouri Southern. Pollard saw one minute of action vs. Bethany and 11 minutes of playing time vs. Cal Maritime during EU’s trip to California.
Coaching the Game
Evangel is led by Leon Neal. Neal began his 14th year as EU’s head women’s basketball coach in 2007-08 and has a 295-152 record at Evangel. He needs only five more wins to reach 300. Neal (Evangel, 1989) has directed six of his teams to Heart of America Athletic Conference championships and the EU ladies have advanced to the NAIA II national tournament six times with Neal at the helm.
Graceland is led by Opie Butler (Graceland, 1993). Butler returned to Graceland this season after coaching the Graceland women’s team for two seasons, 1997-98 and 1998-99. During those two seasons, Butler’s teams were 27-38. He is currently 35-42.
The Series vs. Graceland
Evangel leads the series, 37-5, and had won 27 games in a row versus Graceland prior to Graceland’s 72-68 win at Evangel on Dec. 9 of the 2006-07 season. The Yellowjackets also defeated Evangel in the second game of the 2006-07 campaign, winning 74-71 in overtime in Lamoni. Graceland also has wins vs. Evangel on Feb. 18, 1993 in Springfield (69-60), on Feb. 1, 1990 in Lamoni, Iowa (58-53) and on Feb. 11, 1989 in Springfield (64-54). At Graceland, Evangel had won the last 16 meetings prior to last season’s overtime loss in Lamonni and has an 18-2 series edge in Lamoni, Iowa. Graceland’s other home win was on Feb, 1, 1990 (58-53).
| Rank | Team | Conference Record |
Overall Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benedictine | 4-0 | 12-2 |
| 2 | MidAmerica Nazarene | 3-0 | 8-5 |
| 3 | William Jewell | 3-1 | 10-4 |
| Missouri Valley | 3-1 | 6-4 | |
| 5 | Graceland | 2-2 | 8-4 |
| Baker | 2-2 | 7-7 | |
| Lindenwood | 2-2 | 6-6 | |
| 8 | Evangel | 1-2 | 4-7 |
| 9 | Central Methodist | 1-3 | 3-10 |
| 10 | Avila | 1-4 | 5-9 |
| 11 | Culver-Stockton | 0-5 | 4-8 |