Sacramento to host Los Angeles in nationally televised home opener

Published on January 6, 2005 under Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Sacramento Monarchs News Release


SACRAMENTO, CALIF., Jan 6, 2004 - The Sacramento Monarchs will host the Los Angeles Sparks on Opening Day, Saturday, June 4, at 1 p.m. at ARCO Arena, to be televised nationally on ABC. This will be the first of seventeen regular season home games for the Monarchs. Sacramento's season will begin on the road on Saturday, May 21, at the Phoenix Mercury at 7 p.m. at America West Arena and will continue the following week with a three-game road trip before the home opener.

This marks the second occasion in which Sacramento will face Los Angeles in their home opener. Competition between these two teams has been in intense. Although the Sparks currently lead the all-time regular season series record at 18-11, the Monarchs have won four of the last six meetings, including Sacramento's 68-51 win last June, which was the largest margin of victory for the franchise over Los Angeles. In the 2004 post season, the two teams met up in the WNBA playoffs again for the fourth time, though the outcome was different than prior encounters. Previously, the Sparks had always prevented the Monarchs from advancing to the next round. However, last season, Sacramento defeated the Sparks in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the third time and concluded the season three wins short of a championship.

The 2005 WNBA schedule will feature the Monarchs three times on national television: Opening Day, June 4, vs. the Los Angeles Sparks (ABC); July 19, at the Houston Comets (ESPN2); and August 20, vs. the 2004 WNBA Champion Seattle Storm (ABC). The Monarchs will face Los Angeles, Minnesota, Phoenix and San Antonio four times (twice at home and twice on the road), Houston and Seattle three times and all Eastern Conference teams twice (once home and once away).

Historically, the Monarchs have performed the best during the month of August. In the eight seasons of the WNBA Sacramento boasts a 55.4 winning percentage (31-25) in August. This year, the Monarchs will play 10 games in August, nine of which will be against Western Conference teams. This month typically proves to be important for the team in the playoff race.

Last year, Sacramento finished the season 18-16 overall and finished the final month of the regular season with a 6-3 record, leading all teams with nine remaining games after the August break. Several Monarchs earned places in the record books during the 2004 season including forward Yolanda Griffith, who finished the year ranked first in the WNBA in four different categories and helped the USA Basketball Senior Women's National Team win another gold medal at the 2004 Olympics. Guard Ticha Penicheiro also had a great season, as she became the WNBA's All-Time Assist leader, finishing the regular season with 1,442 career assists. Forward Tangela Smith continued her playing streak in 2004, concluding the regular season with 193 consecutive games played with Sacramento.

Following is the 2005 Monarchs regular season schedule, including key facts:

KEY FACTS ABOUT THE SACRAMENTO MONARCHS 2005 SCHEDULE

* By month, the schedule breaks down as follows: May (0 home, 3 away = 3 total), June (6 home, 5 away = 11 total), July (7 home, 3 away = 10 total), August (4 home, 6 away = 10 total).

* By day, the schedule breaks down as follows: Monday (1 home, 0 away = 1 total), Tuesday (3 home, 4 away = 7 total), Wednesday (0 home, 1 away = 1 total), Thursday (2 home, 3 away = 5 total), Friday (5 home, 3 away = 8 total), Saturday (3 home, 3 away = 6 total), Sunday (3 home, 3 away = 6 total).

* The Monarchs longest homestand is five games, which includes contests against New York (July 22), Detroit (July 24), Charlotte (July 26), Los Angeles (July 29) and Minnesota (July 31).

* Sacramento embarks on five road trips of two or more games in length. The longest is a five-game journey with stops in Washington (June 26), Connecticut (June 28), New York (June 30), Detroit (July 1) and Seattle (July 3).

* Sacramento will play all teams in the Eastern Conference twice, with the Monarchs taking on each team on the road first, excluding Charlotte and Connecticut.

* The Monarchs will play 16 games (6 home, 10 away) before the WNBA All-Star break and 18 games (11 home, 7 away) after.

Fans are asked to call (916) 419-WNBA for information about season ticket plans. For more information, please visit the Monarchs website at www.SacramentoMonarchs.com .

Sacramento Monarchs 2005 Regular Season Schedule

Date Opponent Time Site
Saturday, May 21 @ Phoenix Mercury 7:00 p.m. America West Arena
Friday, May 27 @ San Antonio Silver Stars 5:00 p.m. SBC Center
Sunday, May 29 @ Minnesota Lynx 3:00 p.m. Target Center
Wednesday, June 1 @ Indiana Fever 5:00 p.m. Conseco Fieldhouse
Saturday, June 4 (ABC) Los Angeles Sparks 1:00 p.m. ARCO Arena
Tuesday, June 7 Indiana Fever 7:00 p.m. ARCO Arena
Friday, June 10 Phoenix Mercury 7:00 p.m. ARCO Arena
Saturday, June 11 @ Los Angeles Sparks 7:30 p.m. Staples Center
Monday, June 13 Houston Comets 7:00 p.m. ARCO Arena
Friday, June 17 Minnesota Lynx 7:00 p.m. ARCO Arena
Friday, June 24 Connecticut Sun 7:00 p.m. ARCO Arena
Sunday, June 26 @ Washington Mystics 11:00 a.m. MCI Center
Tuesday, June 28 @ Connecticut Sun 4:00 p.m. Mohegan Sun Arena
Thursday, Jun 30 @ New York Liberty 4:30 p.m. Madison Square Garden
Friday, July 1 @ Detroit Shock 4:30 p.m. The Palace of Auburn Hills
Sunday, July 3 @ Seattle Storm 6:00 p.m. KeyArena
Thursday, July 14 San Antonio Silver Stars 11:30 a.m. ARCO Arena
Saturday, July 16 Washington Mystics 7:00 p.m. ARCO Arena
Tuesday, July 19 (E2) @ Houston Comets 5:00 p.m. Toyota Center
Friday, July 22 New York Liberty 7:00 p.m. ARCO Arena
Sunday, July 24 Detroit Shock 6:00 p.m. ARCO Arena
Tuesday, July 26 Charlotte Sting 7:00 p.m. ARCO Arena
Friday, July 29 Los Angeles Sparks 7:00 p.m. ARCO Arena
Sunday, July 31 Minnesota Lynx 6:00 p.m. ARCO Arena
Tuesday, August 2 @ San Antonio Silver Stars 5:00 p.m. SBC Center
Thursday, August 4 @ Charlotte Sting 4:00 p.m. Charlotte Coliseum
Sunday, August 7 Houston Comets 6:00 p.m. ARCO Arena
Friday, August 12 @ Phoenix Mercury 7:00 p.m. America West Arena
Tuesday, August 16 @ Los Angeles Sparks 7:30 p.m. Staples Center
Thursday, August 18 San Antonio Silver Stars 7:00 p.m. ARCO Arena
Saturday, August 20 (ABC) Seattle Storm 1:00 p.m. ARCO Arena
Tuesday, August 23 Phoenix Mercury 7:00 p.m. ARCO Arena
Thursday, August 25 @ Seattle Storm 7:00 p.m. KeyArena
Saturday, August 27 @ Minnesota Lynx 5:00 p.m. Target Center

All game times are Local to Sacramento (Times Tentative and Subject to Change)
ABC = ABC; E2 = ESPN2
Local Broadcasts on News10 and Comcast Sports Net - TBD

Fans are asked to call (916) 419-WNBA for information about season ticket plans. For more information, please visit the Monarchs website at www.SacramentoMonarchs.com .

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