2002 Record 14-18, .437 (6th in West) Points Scored 2166 (7th overall, 5th in West) Points Allowed 2294 (15th overall, 7th in West) Scoring Differential -4.0 (14th overall, 7th in West) Offensive Efficiency 94.5 (13th overall, 6th in West) Defensive Efficiency 100.1 (13th overall, 7th in West) Possessions per 40 min. 69.7 (6th overall, 5th in West) What are these stats? Award Winners & Honorees All-Stars Ticha Penicheiro 2002 Draft Review Rd. 1 – 12, Hamchetou Maiga Rd. 3 – 44, Alayne Ingram Rd. 4 – 51, Jermisha Dosty Rd. 4 – 60, Elizabeth Pickney Playoff History Three times in six years Last Appearance 2001, lost in Western Finals

The highlight of the 2002 Sacramento season had nothing to do with come-from-behind wins, buzzer-beating jumpers or defensive stands. It had everything to do with the triumph of the human spirit. On August 13, Monarchs guard Edna Campbell walked to the scorer’s table to check into Sacramento’s final game of the season. What is usually an unremarkable occurrence drew the loudest ovation of the year because prior to the start of the season Campbell announced that she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was her first on-court appearance of the year.

Griffith

Once Yolanda Griffith and Ticha Penicheiro returned from their injuries, the Monarchs were a completely different team going 12-4 to close out the season. Offensively, Sacramento increased its field goal percentage by 48 points and its offensive rebound percentage by 66 points.

Penicheiro

Defensively, the Monarchs' opponents field goal percentage dropped 10 points, three-point field goal percentage dropped 38 points and offensive rebound percentage dropped 50 points.

Tangela Smith continued to make her case for best player to never make an All-Star Game setting career highs in scoring (14.7), rebounding (5.9) and free throw percentage (.851) while tying her career high in three-point field goal percentage (.357).

Injuries, injuries and more injuries -- Yolanda Griffith missed 15 games with a bulging disc in her neck; Ticha Penicheiro was out eight games with a sprained right shoulder; and Edna Campbell missed all but one game following the revelation that she was battling breast cancer. The Monarchs went 2-13 in Griffith's absence and 0-8 without Penicheiro.

With Griffith out of the lineup, Sacramento’s offense went south for the summer. Minus the 1999 WNBA MVP and three-time All-Star, the Monarchs hit only 37.7 percent of its field goal attempts and 27.3 percent of its three-point field goal attempts while grabbing only 26.3 percent of available offensive rebounds. Each of those figures would have been the worst in the league. On the defensive end, Sacramento opponents hit 43.1 percent of their field goals, 34.6 percent of their three-pointers and grabbed 38.3 percent of available defensive rebounds. Those would have ranked 10th, 11th and last over the course of a full season.

Kedra Holland-Corn struggled hitting just 34.1 percent of her field goal attempts and 24.2 percent of her three-pointers while committing a career-high 81 turnovers.

Head Coach Maura McHugh 2002 Starting Line-up G Ticha Penicheiro G Kedra Holland-Corn C Yolanda Griffith F Tangela Smith F Lady Grooms Key 2002 Reserves G Ruthie Bolton F La’Keshia Frett G Andrea Nagy

Can everybody stay healthy? Penicheiro has missed 17 games over the past two seasons, and Sacramento can ill afford to lose Griffith again. Anything Campbell is able to give them is a bonus.

Is Kara Wolters' time in Sacramento up? The 27-year-old Wolters was a useful backup in her first year in a Monarchs uniform, but last season injuries and her mother’s illness limited her to just 78 minutes in 14 games. She’s made public overtures about her desire to return to her home state of Connecticut to play for the Sun.

Can Holland-Corn bounce back from a rough 2002? She’s played in 128 consecutive games for the Monarchs, but last season her field goal percentage was 76 points lower than her career average and her three-point field goal percentage was 122 points off the mark.