The Class of 2007 - 12/07

As the  2007 year winds down and college hoops really starts to heat up with the beginning of conference play I want to take a look at some freshmen making impacts in their first season.  Some of the these performances are expected while others you may never have heard of.  I'm sticking with the BCS conferences (sans the Big 10 right now as the site won't load) and looking at the statistics YTD.

Big 12 -
Brittany Spears, no not the head shaven former pop star that has tried to dumb us down with her exploits, but the Colorado freshman that is ranked at almost every statistical field near the top in the conference.  Spears plays more than 30 minutes per game (Tied for 13th in the Big 12).  She is scoring 13.3 points per game (15th), grabbing 7.2 rebounds per contest (11th) , snagging 2.4 steals (6th) and knocks down nearly two three pointers per game (8th).  Spears is making an early argument for Frosh of the Year. 

Shakara Jones (Missouri) - 13.1 ppg (13th), 7.0 rebs/game (14th), 32.5 mins/game (6th).

Danielle Robinson (Oklahoma) - 11.4 ppg (T-27th), 4.3 assists/game (T-6th), 2.5 steals/game (5th), 1.43 ast/TO (11th), 28.9 mins/game (20th).

Kathleen Nash (Texas) - 7.2 rebs/game (12th), 83.3% Free Throw Percentage (T-1st), 4.91 def rebs/game (13th).

Kaitlyn Burke (Nebraska) - 3.75 assists/game (14th), 36% 3-Point Percentage (12th), 1.50 3-Pointers made/game (T-13th), 1.77 ast/TO (6th).

Big East -

Cincinnati's Tenishia Benson is filling up box scores in the Big East, giving some chase to Maya Moore for the conference's top honors.  Benson is scoring 13.2 points per game (T-22nd), grabbing 7.2 rebounds (T-16th), playing nearly 32 minutes per game (8th) and shooting and impressive 87 percent from the free throw line (5th).

Maya Moore (Connecticut) - 16.0 ppg (T-10th), 2.89 O-rebs (14th), 1.89 steals/game (T-15th), 2.11 blocks/game (3rd), 1.76 ast/TO (12th) and 60.6% field goal percentage (4th).

Ebonie Williams (Seton Hall) - 11.7 ppg (29th), 1.89 steals/game (T-15th), 29.8 mins/game (17th).

Angel Robinson (Marquette) - 3.7 assists/game (T-11th), 2.7 steals/game (T-3rd).

Erica Morrow (Syracuse) - 1.91 steals/game (T-13th), 39.6% 3-Point Percentage (11th) 1.73 3-Pointers made/game (12th), 28.6 mins/game (23rd).

Deveraux Peters (Notre Dame) - 2.69 blocks/game (1st)

Atlantic Coast Conference -

There are so many talented youngsters heading to the ACC every year it is impressive to have two from the same team making such a big impact as Boston College's Stefanie Murphy and Carolyn Swords are making.  Murphy is second in the ACC in scoring with 19.3 points per game, she is also second in rebounding with 11.1 boards per contest.  She is shooting 72.9% from the free throw line, good enough for 14th in the conference and is second in both offensive and defensive rebounds.  She is fifth in the ACC in field goal percentage at 59.4 percent as well.  Swords is 12th in the conference in scoring with 15.4 ppg, 5th in rebounding with 8.7 boards, ninth in blocks with 1.2 swats per game and plays more than 30 minutes per contest, good enough for 17th in the ACC.  Swords is shooitng 65.3% from the floor which surprisingly is good enough for only second place. 

Andrea Barbour (Virginia Tech) - 16.8 ppgs (6th), 28.4 mins/game (25th)

Cetera DeGraffenreid (North Carolina) - 12.5 ppg (19th), 3.27 asts/game (13th), 1.57 ast/TO (T-8th), 2.64 steals/game (6th), 82.5% FT% (5th)

Courtney Ward (Florida State) - 4.0 assists/game (T-6th), 0.95 ast/TO (15th).

Italee Lucas (North Carolina) - 3.64 assists/game (11th), 1.82 steals/game (T-13th)

Marah Strickland (Maryland) - 49% 3-Point Percentage (1st), 29.7 mins/game (21st).

Pac-10 -

Katelan Redmon of Washington is emerging as the Huskies go-to player on a team with just two seniors.  She is first on the team and 8th in the conference in scoring with 13.3 ppg.  Redmon is second on the team and 18th in the conference in rebounding with 5.7 boards a game.  She plays 31.8 minutes per contest which is 12th in the Pac-10, shoots nearly 81% from the free throw line and 31.6 percent from the three point arc.

Kayla Pedersen (Stanford) - 12.6 ppg (9th), 8.7 rebs/game (T-3rd), 81.1% FT% (3rd), 30.73 mins/game (13th).

Ify Ibekwe (Arizona) - 11.6 ppg (14th), 7.8 rebs (5th), 61.6% FG% (2nd).

Doreena Campbell (UCLA) - 2.06 ast/TO (1st), only player over 2.0 ratio in the conference.

Nina Earl (UCLA) - 10.5 ppg (20th), 49.5% FG% (9th).

Southeast Conference -

Alabama's Tierney Jenkins has been as impressive statistically as any frosh in the conference. She is 13th in scoring at 13.3 points per game, 11th in rebounding with 8.2 boards, is 8th in offensive boards with 3.23 offensive rebounds per contest.  She's shooting 47.6 percent from the floor which is 12th in the conference.

Jordan Jones (South Carolina) - 13.1 ppg (14th), 43.4% 3-Point% (1st), 3.0 3-Pointers made/game (1st), 32.8 mins/game (2nd).

Alli Smalley (Auburn) - 10.0 ppg (T-30th), 1.58 3-Pointers made/game (12th)

Angie Bjorklund (Tennessee) - 10.0 ppg (T-30th), 40% 3-Point Percentage (4th), 2.0 3-Pointers made/game (6th), 27.6 mins/game (27th).

Samone Kennedy (South Carolina) - 3.92 assists/game (7th), 1.62 ast/TO (10th), 28.6 mins/game (22nd).

Kayla Melson (Ole Miss) - 3.5 assists/game (12th), 2.3 steals/game (8th), 1.0 ast/TO (14th).

Angela Puleo (Georgia) - 3.1 assists/game (15th), 1.35 ast/TO (12th), 29.2 mins/game (15th).