For Immediate Release: Tuesday, December 3, 2002
Contact: Adam Pitterman, UTPA Assistant Sports Information Director, (956) 381-2240

LADY BRONC BASKETBALL TEAM HEADS FOR THE EVERGREEN STATE

EDINBURG, TX-The University of Texas-Pan American women's basketball team will travel to Washington this week to play Gonzaga and Eastern Washington. Texas-Pan American will visit GU on Thursday and EWU on Friday. Both games will tip-off at 9:00 p.m. CST.

Sophomore guard Jennifer Piwonka (Louise, TX/Louise HS) leads the Lady Broncs with 10.7 points per game, and is second on the team with 4.7 rebounds. Piwonka scored a team-high 13 points and grabbed six rebounds in a loss to Tulsa last Saturday. Senior forward Naima Williams (Houston, TX/Clear Brook HS) averages a team-best 5.7 rebounds, and is second in scoring with seven points per game. "Jennifer is coming off screens hard," said Texas-Pan American Head Coach Tracy Anderson. "She is offensive minded, but needs to be even more offensive minded. She is shooting the ball well, and we want her to look for even more shots."

Gonzaga has been out shot by its opposition from the field, .425 to .380, but has made 31.1 per cent of its shots from three-point range.

"Gonzaga is a really scrappy team," said Anderson. "They spread the floor and have good perimeter play. They play more of a finesse game."

The Lady Bulldogs are led by guard Shannon Mathews' 14.6 points per game and 31 assists. Mathews had 24 points and seven assists in an 83-72 season-opening loss to Oregon. "Mathews can do a little bit of everything," said Anderson. "She can penetrate and shoot the three. She is a good all-around guard."

Eastern Washington is out-shooting the competition from the field, .401 to .358, but is only converting on 18.2 percent of its three point attempts.

Forward Kathleen Nygaard has averaged 20.7 points and 8.3 rebounds for EWU during the first three games of the season, and is scoring nearly one-third of the Lady Eagles' offense. Guard Stephanie Ulmer scores 12 points per game, along with 4.7 rebounds.

The Lady Broncs will return to action to when they host Northern Arizona next Saturday evening at the South Padre Island Convention Center.


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