WOMEN'S BASKETBALL No height, no athletic ability, but she scores

Junior Emily Faurholt led the nation in scoring last season.
MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) -- Emily Faurholt says she's too short and not very athletic, and she still can't understand how she led the nation in scoring during her first season as a Division I player.
Faurholt describes herself as a plodder who takes hundreds of practice shots each day in order to make a few baskets for the University of Idaho.
She's not much of a rebounder or passer, either. But somehow, the 5-foot-11 forward managed to rewrite the Idaho record books as a sophomore by averaging 25.4 points per game last year, 1.7 points per game better than the No. 2 scorer in the nation.
"I'm the wrong size. I should be 6-foot-3," said the 21-year-old Faurholt. "My athleticism leaves a lot to be desired."
In the face of such challenges, it's difficult to understand how Faurholt managed to score 29 points in her first game at Idaho. Or at least 30 points seven times last season.
Largely ignored out of high school, Faurholt spent her freshman year at Division II Seattle Pacific. Then she decided to follow some high school teammates to Idaho.
After sitting out a year to satisfy NCAA rules, she rampaged through the Big West Conference last season, leading Idaho to a surprising 22-7 record and winning conference player of the year honors.
She made nearly 49 percent of her shots, including 40 percent from 3-point range. She averaged 6.7 rebounds, led the team in scoring 24 times, and was an honorable mention All-America. She set team records with her scoring average, 737 points in a season, 261 field goals made and 172 free throws made.
She scored a team-record 39 points against Cal State-Fullerton and 30 against rival Washington State. Her season low was 15 points.
"I just wanted to be good," Faurholt said. "Leading the nation in scoring hadn't even crossed my mind."
She started playing basketball as a sixth grader and was the Washington state 4A player of the year as a senior at Kennewick High.
History
Idaho coach Mike Devilbiss has known Faurholt since she was a ninth grader. He believes many of the region's high profile teams passed on Faurholt because she was considered too short to be a forward.
"Recruiting is not an exact science," Devilbiss said. "They have a mentality that you have to be 6-2 or whatever."
Devilbiss said Faurholt is a good student of the game, with quick feet and skill at positioning her body to gain advantage inside against taller players. Faurholt is unusual in that she views herself as a scorer and is not afraid to stand out among teammates, Devilbiss said. Many women athletes prefer to disappear inside the team concept, he said, and are reluctant to draw attention to themselves.
Faurholt knows shooting is her strength, and practices against male friends.
"I put a lot of time into shooting. I shoot five days a week during the season," Faurholt said.
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