The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Women's Basketball preview: vs. UCLA (MD Anderson Proton Therapy Showcase)
12.05.2012 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 5, 2012
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Complete Texas Game Notes 
#12/16 TEXAS (5-0) vs. #17/19 UCLA (4-1)
MD Anderson Proton Therapy Showcase
Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012 ~ 1:32 p.m. Central ~ LHN
Reliant Stadium (19,000) ~ Houston, Texas
Game Day Information
TELEVISION: The game will be televised nationally by Longhorn Network. Fran Harris (pxp), Debbie Antonelli (analyst) and Kaylee Hartung (reporter) will call the action.
RADIO: KVET-AM 1300 "The Zone" will broadcast Saturday's game from Reliant Stadium. Craig Way (pxp) and Amie Smith Bradley (analyst) will handle the call.
SERIES: UCLA leads, 5-4. Last meeting: UCLA 63-60 (Nov. 28, 2004; Los Angeles)
Notables
- FIVE STRAIGHT DOUBLE-DOUBLES ... Sophomore forward Nneka Enemkpali has opened the season with five consecutive double-doubles to tie Tiffany Jackson's school record set in 2006. Enemkpali could become the first player in Texas history to string together six straight double-doubles if she accomplishes the feat Saturday.
- UNDERCLASSMEN CRACK NATIONAL RANKINGS ... Entering Saturday's contest in Houston, sophomore forward Nneka Enemkpali is ranked second among all NCAA Division I players with 14.0 rebounds per game. Freshman center Imani McGee-Stafford ranks sixth with 3.6 blocks per game.
- LONGHORNS AMONG NATION'S BEST ... Texas ranks first among all NCAA Division I programs with 8.4 blocks per game. Additionally, the Horns are second in rebound margin (+20.8), third in field-goal percentage defense (28.8%) and fifth in scoring margin (+28.4).
Texas vs. UCLA
Saturday's contest marks the 10th between Texas and UCLA. The Bruins lead the all-time series 5-4. In the last meeting on Nov. 28, 2004, UCLA edged UT 63-60 in Los Angeles. The two teams have not met on a neutral court since Dec. 20, 1979 in a 74-51 Texas win in Corvallis, Ore.
Series Quick Facts
Overall Series Record - UCLA, 5-4
Most UT points - 96 (Mar. 2, 1979)
Most UCLA points - 84 (Nov. 23, 1999)
Fewest UT points - 60 (Nov. 28, 2004)
Fewest UCLA points - 51 (Dec. 20, 1979)
Largest UT margin - 31 (89-58; Nov. 25, 2003)
Largest UCLA margin - 13 (78-65; Dec. 30, 1980)
In overtime - N/A
A Check of the Polls
UT is ranked No. 12 in the most recent Associated Press poll (Dec. 3) and No. 16 in the USA Today Coaches poll (Dec. 4). It is the highest AP ranking for the Longhorns since reaching No. 12 in February 2010.
Last Time Out [Nov. 30, 2012]
Nneka Enemkpali tied a Texas record with her fifth consecutive double-double and the then-No. 13 Longhorns stifled winless Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 79-30. Enemkpali had 11 points, 18 rebounds and three blocks for Texas (5-0) and Imani McGee-Stafford scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Texas held Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to just 15 percent shooting for the game, allowing just nine field goals, and led 46-9 at halftime. The nine points tied a Texas record for the fewest allowed in a half. Enemkpali's double-double streak ties the school mark set by Tiffany Jackson in 2006. Janae Blount led the Islanders (0-8) with 14 points, seven rebounds and four steals. She was the only Islanders player to make more than one basket.
Enemkpali and McGee-Stafford Sweep Big 12 Honors
Nneka Enemkpali picked up Big 12 Conference Player of the Week honors for the second time in three weeks while Imani McGee-Stafford received her first freshman award (Nov. 26), marking the first time since the week of Jan. 5, 2004 (Jamie Carey and Tiffany Jackson) that the Longhorns swept the league's weekly honors.
Enemkpali Leading the League
Through Big 12 Conference games as of Dec. 5, sophomore Nneka Enemkpali leads the league in scoring and rebounding with 21.4 ppg and 14.0 rpg.
McGee-Stafford Breaking Out
Freshman center Imani McGee-Stafford posted her first career double-double while averaging 12.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in the Longhorns' wins over Jackson State (Nov. 20) and Central Connecticut State (Nov. 24). She also recorded nine blocks against the Blue Devils, the most for a Longhorn since Ashley Gayle swatted 10 shots against Cincinnati on Dec. 28, 2010. McGee-Stafford connected on .632 (12-of-19) of her field goal attempts in Texas' pair of home wins and was named Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Week (for games Nov. 18-25).
Rodrigo Running the Point
Freshman point guard Celina Rodrigo has dished out a team-high 30 assists through five games. Her 6.0 apg ranks first among all Big 12 Conference freshmen (fourth overall), and Rodrigo's 2.3 assist/turnover ratio ranks third in the league (as of Dec. 5). The last true freshman to lead Texas in the category was Carla Cortijo (2006-07, 147 assists, 4.9 apg).
