Fresno State Athletics
Women's Basketball Plays Host to Tulsa and Rice
1/28/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 28, 2002
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Games No. 18 and 19
Thursday, Jan. 31 vs. Tulsa (11-8, 6-3 WAC), 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 2 vs. Rice (13-5, 7-2 WAC), 4 p.m.
TV: Both games -- AT&T Broadband (cable 14)
Radio: Both games -- audio available on gobulldogs.com
What's Coming Up
Coming off an 0-2 road trip, Fresno State (8-11, 3-6 WAC) looks to regroup this week in a return to the North Gym for a two-game WAC homestand. The Bulldogs take on Tulsa (11-8, 6-3 WAC) on Thursday at 7 p.m. then Rice (13-5, 7-2 WAC) on Saturday at 4 p.m. Of FS's final nine games, only four are at home.
What Just Happened
The Bulldogs had a tough go of things on the road, falling to San Jose State 77-62 then two days later to Hawai`i 69-53. Against the Spartans, Fresno State came out slow and never recovered, falling behind by 16 at half before losing by 15. Two days later, the Bulldogs' played improved remarkably, but the result was still a loss. Lindsay Logan led the charge against UH by scoring 15 points.
Logan Lighting it Up
All-America candidate Lindsay Logan reached an impressive milestone in her Fresno State career Dec. 30. The junior guard scored her 1,000th point, making her only the 11th Bulldog ever to reach that milestone. Logan currently ranks ninth in program history in points scored with 1,105 and needs only four to move into eighth place. She joined Wendy Martell (1984-87) as the only players in Fresno State history with 1,000 points and 400 assists.
Tough to Beat at Home
The Bulldogs have been a tough team to play at home this year, posting a record of 7-3 in the North Gym, where they will play two games this week. Two of Fresno State's home losses have come to eighth-ranked Louisiana Tech and Santa Clara, which received votes in the latest polls. FS is averaging 71.5 points in home games.
Bulldogs On the Internet
The broadcast of every Fresno State home game is available on the official website of Bulldog athletics, gobulldogs.com. The audio comes courtesy of KFSR (FM 90.7), Fresno State's student radio station.
Scouting the Golden Hurricane
Picked to finish seventh in the WAC preseason coaches poll, Tulsa (11-8, 6-3 WAC) used its best start in school history to take residence among the top half of the WAC standings. The Golden Hurricane receive a balanced scoring attack, with guard Carla Morrow (12.5 ppg) and post players Leela Farr (12.3) and Alyssa Shriver (11.8) leading the way. TU jumped out of the gates quickly, winning its first five WAC games before stumbling in three in a row. The main cause of the three-game skid was a team defense that allowed 72.3 points per game. But even with the porous stretch, Tulsa is still fourth in the conference in scoring defense at 62.3 per game. The Golden Hurricane has also been successful on the road, sporting a 5-2 record in away games. Tulsa is coached by Kathy McConnell-Miller, who has compiled a 33-46 record and is in her third year at the helm.
Fresno State All-Time vs. Tulsa
The Golden Hurricane leads the all-time series 4-3. The two teams last met Jan. 5, with Tulsa pulling out a 66-54 victory at the Reynolds Center. In that game, Alyssa Shriver and Leela Farr both had double-doubles to lead the Golden Hurricane to victory, snapping their two-game losing streak against the Bulldogs. FS does lead 2-1 all-time against TU in the North Gym.
Tulsa Recent Action
TU split its two road games last week, losing to No. 8 Louisiana Tech 77-46 before snapping a three-game losing streak with a 76-62 win over SMU. Against the Lady Techsters, the Hurricane was outrebounded by an amazing 68-42 margin in a 31-point loss. But two days later, TU responded behind 25 points from Carla Morrow and 56 percent shooting from the floor.
Scouting the Owls
Rice enters this week with a 13-5 (7-2 WAC) record and in sole possession of second place in the conference. The Owls had won seven in a row before losing on the road to ninth-ranked Louisiana Tech on Saturday. Defense is the name of the game for Rice. The Owls rank third in the WAC in scoring defense, allowing just 60.9 points per game. They have allowed more than 60 points to just two WAC teams - San Jose State and Louisiana Tech. Conversely, Rice has just one player who averages double figures, that being junior guard Kara Liggett at 10.9 per game. Rice is coached by Cristy McKinney, who has a 147-103 and is in her eighth year at the helm.
Fresno State All-Time vs. Rice
Rice, which leads the all-time series 10-2, has been a thorn in the side of Fresno State in recent years. The Owls have defeated the Bulldogs nine games in a row, with the last FS win coming Feb. 29, 1997, a 59-58 decision at the North Gym. Defense has been the key for Rice in its last six meetings with Fresno State. The Owls have not allowed more than 58 points to the Bulldogs since the 1997-98 season, a span of seven games.
Rice Recent Action
The Owls went 1-1 last week, defeating SMU 66-59 before falling to the Louisiana Tech juggernaut 88-42. In the win against the Mustangs, Kara Liggett had 15 points to help overcome a seven-point halftime deficit and 32 percent field goal shooting. But two days later, the Lady Techsters shredded the Rice defense, racing to a 46-13 halftime lead en route to a 46-point victory.
Lane's Homecoming
Aritta Lane's return to her native Hawaii last week was quite an event. Although not quite as popular as entertainer Don Ho, Lane proved to be quite the attraction in her first return to the island since becoming a Bulldog. In addition to a large feature story in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, the Aiea High School product attracted nearly 75 friends and relatives to watch her rack up 12 points and four rebounds in FS's game against Hawai`i on Saturday. Lane is looking to become the sixth consecutive Bulldog to lead the conference in rebounding at year's end. She currently is third in the WAC with 8.5 rebounds per game. She i%ybbed a career-high 18 boards against San Francisco on Dec. 12.
Streakin'
For good and for bad, Fresno State has proven to be a streaky team so far in 2001-02. FS put together a solid 40-minute effort in the Jan. 19 win against UTEP but have failed to do so in other games this year. Here are examples of FS's streaks this year:
CALIFORNIA (Lost 62-55)First Half: Scored just 15 points, trailed by 15 at halfSecond Half: Shot 45 percent, scored 40 points, took lead at one point--------------------------------------------------------------------------BRADLEY (Lost 80-62)First Half: Shot 46 percent, trailed just 41-37 at halfSecond Half: Made just four of first 17 shots to start half--------------------------------------------------------------------------CAL STATE FULLERTON (Won 75-65)First Half: Scored 46 points, shot 60 percentSecond Half: Scored 29 points, shot 29 percent--------------------------------------------------------------------------NORTHERN ARIZONA (Won 73-68)First Half: Shot just 34 percent, trailed by four at halfSecond Half: Made 10 of first 11 shots, including all four threes--------------------------------------------------------------------------SAN FRANCISCO (Lost 69-67)First Half: Shot just 32 percent, trailed by 13 at halfSecond Half: Scored 40 points and nearly pulled off a comeback win--------------------------------------------------------------------------SANTA CLARA (Lost 75-65)First Half: Only 9-of-36 (.250) from the floor, scored 23 pointsSecond Half: Shot 54 percent and scored 42 points--------------------------------------------------------------------------LOUISIANA TECH (Lost 74-50)First Half: Led most of half, trailed 35-31 at intermissionSecond Half: Shot just 28 percent and was outscored 39-19--------------------------------------------------------------------------RICE (Lost 76-58)First Half: Trailed 30-26 at halftime, shot 36 percentSecond Half: Outscored 46-32, shot 34 percent--------------------------------------------------------------------------HAWAI`I (Lost 69-53)First Half: Hold UH to 26 percent shooting, trail 27-23 at halfSecond Half: UH shoots 54 percent, outscores FS 42-30--------------------------------------------------------------------------Recording Logan
Despite being just a junior, Lindsay Logan is in the midst of taking a scalpel to the Fresno State record book (see sidebar to left). After hitting four three-pointers last week, Logan now has 194 threes in her career and is just 27 away from moving into first place in program history. In addition, Logan's 439 assists are third all-time while her career scoring average of 14.5 ranks fourth. The Sandy, Utah, native is only the second player in FS history to record 1,000 points and 400 assists.
Using the Bench
Head coach Britt King has the advantage of a deep bench this year. She has used at least 10 players in every game, including 14 in the season opener against Delaware State, most used in an FS contest since King took over prior to the 1998-99 year. The reserves have rewarded King with 21.6 points per game this season.
Clark Paying Dividends
Mindy Clark had one of her best games as a Bulldog in Fresno State's 68-56 victory over Nevada on Jan. 12. Receiving her first start of the season, the sophomore center responded, establishing season-highs with 10 points and eight rebounds. She also was dominant on the defensive end, holding preseason first-team All-WAC selection and Wolf Pack leading scorer Kate Smith to just nine points on 3-of-11 shooting. Clark has started four of the last five games, a span in which she has averaged 6.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. She tied her season-high with 10 points Saturday at Hawai `i.
Junior Experience
Unlike last year's team, this season's squad is heavier on upperclassmen. While the 2000-01 edition had no juniors and only one senior, this season's squad breakdown will feature five juniors, all of whom are expected to see significant playing time. Included in those juniors are all three of the Bulldogs' all-conference selections last year - Lindsay Logan, Omelogo Udeze and Tiffany Simon. Of the juniors, all either start or have started at various times in 2001-02.
Terrific Trio
Last year, Fresno State's threesome of Lindsay Logan, Omelogo Udeze and Tiffany Simon was the most prolific in the WAC. This year, Logan and Udeze are at it again, and while Simon has been a force defensively, freshman Aritta Lane has stepped in and produced offensively, averaging 10.1 points per game. In addition, Lane is third in the WAC in rebounding at 8.3 per game while Logan is the second leading scorer at 16.2.
Shooting the Three...
The Bulldogs have made the three-point shot a staple of their offense in the last three years. Fresno State has netted 25 from beyond the arc in its last four games and has now made a three in 77 consecutive contests. The last time FS did not make a three in a game was March 1, 1999, a 78-48 loss to Rice in the WAC Tournament in Las Vegas. This year, FS leads the WAC in three-pointers with 6.3 per game while Lindsay Logan, who has made a three in 47 of the last 48 games, leads the conference with 2.8 treys per game.
...and Defending the Three
Not only are the Bulldogs shooting three-pointers, they are defending them as well. Fresno State is allowing opponents to hit only .297 of their attempts from beyond the arc, the second best mark in the WAC. The FS defense showed up Saturday, when Hawai`i hit only 4-of-18 (.222) three-point attempts despite entering as the WAC's top shooting team from three-point territory. This week chore will be shutting down Rice, fourth in the WAC three-point shooting with a percentage of .335.
Another Strong Class
For the third consecutive season, head coach Britt King has corraled a strong recruiting class. This year's group of newcomers was rated 53rd best in the nation by Women's Basketball Journal. All told, the Bulldogs signed eight players to national letters of intent. Cophie Moore (Arlington, Texas), a 5-foot 10-inch guard/forward, Joanna Barnes (Washington, D.C.), a 5-foot 10-inch two-guard, Aritta Lane (Alea, Hawaii), a 6-foot forward, Lisa Copeland (Orchard Lake, Mich.), a 5-foot 10-inch guard/forward, Veronica Mack (Phoenix, Ariz.), a 5-foot 6-inch guard, Barbara Johnson (Bakersfield, Calif.), a 6-foot 2-inch center, Kim Holston (Washington, D.C.), a 5-foot 5-inch guard, and Lauren Stayton (Inglewood, Calif.), a 5-foot 9-inch guard, all signed to play for the Bulldogs this year. This marks the first season since head coach Britt King took over in 1998 the Bulldogs have been comprised solely of players recruited by the current coaching staff.
Six in a Row?
One of the more amazing feats accomplished by any program in the WAC is Fresno State's stranglehold on the conference rebounding title. Last year, Omelogo Udeze's 9.7 average made her the fifth consecutive Bulldog to finish atop the WAC rebounding list. She joined past Bulldogs Janee Young (1996-97, '97-98) and Tiffany Lewis (1998-99, '99-00) in the record books. The only other WAC team to finish first in a statistical category five years in a row was Colorado State, which placed players atop the field goals attempted list from 1992-98. Currently, Aritta Lane is third the conference with an 8.3 average, including an 18-rebound performance Dec. 12 against San Francisco.
Board Games
Last year, outrebounding the other team was a boon for the Bulldogs. They were 7-5 in 2000-01 when grabbing more boards than the opposition and only 3-14 when they did not. But this year, its been just the opposite. Fresno State is only 4-5 when outrebounding its opponent this year, compared to 4-6 when it does not. The point was in perfect illustration Dec. 12 at San Francisco, when the Bulldogs pulled in 51 rebounds against the Dons but were defeated 69-67.
So Good, So Often
Game in and game out, opposing defenses know they must stop Lindsay Logan in order to defeat the Bulldogs. Nonetheless, the junior guard continues to put up eye-popping numbers. She currently is second in the WAC in scoring at 16.2 per game and is in the top five in several other categories. This comes off a year that saw Logan named first-team All-WAC after finishing atop in the conference in assists, double-digit scoring games and three-pointers per game. Following is a breakdown of where Logan currently sits on the WAC statistical sheet:
Category Avg/Total PlaceThrees Per Game 2.8 1stScoring 16.2 2ndFree Throw Percentage .844 2ndAssists 4.6 4thSteals 2.1 6thAll-WAC Back
All three of Fresno State's All-WAC players returned this year. Lindsay Logan, a first-team selection, Omelogo Udeze, a member of the second team, and Tiffany Simon, an All-WAC Defensive Team pick, are back for their junior seasons in 2001-02. They combined to make up the only threesome in the conference who averaged more than 12 points per game last year. This year, Logan is second in the WAC in scoring at 16.2 per game while Udeze averages 11.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Simon's stifling defense appears to have her destined for a second consecutive appearance on the All-Defensive Team.
Simon Steps Forward
Tiffany Simon became a large part of the Fresno State offense Jan. 17 against Boise State, tying her career-high with 24 points. Already one of the best defensive players in the WAC, Simon's emergence offensively makes her one of the team's most valuable players. A WAC All-Defensive Team selection last year, the junior guard's defensive prowess was never more evident than on Dec. 28 against SMU, when she shut down Andrea Cossey, one of the conference's top outside shooters. Once Simon switched to cover Cossey midway through the first half, the Mustang guard managed only two shots the rest of the game, missing both. The Detroit native is currently averaging 6.7 points and 3.8 boards per game, including a career-high 10 rebounds Thursday against San Jose State.
Mack the Knife
Although just a freshman, Veronica Mack has already shown herself to be one of the WAC's best from three-point territory. Never was this more evident than in her display at the end of regulation against Saint Mary's on Dec. 21. Mack turned SMC's McKeon Pavilion into her personal playground, sinking four three-pointers in the final three minutes, the last of which came as the buzzer sounded and forced overtime. The Phoeniz, Ariz., native has been especially productive in the last 10 games, a span in which she is averaging 9.6 points per game and has scored in double figures in six contests. Mack is fourth on the team with a 7.6 scoring average.
Close, But...
Fresno State had plenty of experience tasting narrow defeats the past two seasons. Unfortunately, that is a trend that has continued in 2001-02. The Bulldogs have been tied or have had a lead in the second half in seven of 11 losses this year. Following is a breakdown of Fresno State's heartbreaking losses this year:
Date Opponent Time Left Lead Final Score--------------------------------------------------------------------------Nov. 28 at California 8:42 FS 42-41 Cal 62-55--------------------------------------------------------------------------Dec. 12 at San Francisco :17 Tied 67-67 USF 69-67--------------------------------------------------------------------------Dec. 15 at Santa Clara 14:55 SCU 45-44 SCU 75-65--------------------------------------------------------------------------Dec. 21 at Saint Mary's 2:10 (ot) FS 67-66 SMC 69-67 (ot)--------------------------------------------------------------------------Jan. 3 at Rice 14:45 Tied 36-36 Rice 76-58--------------------------------------------------------------------------Jan. 5 at Tulsa 3:41 TU 59-53 TU 66-54--------------------------------------------------------------------------Jan. 17 Boise State 2:09 Tied 74-74 BSU 79-76--------------------------------------------------------------------------Jan. 26 at Hawai`i 12:27 Tied 38-38 UH 69-53--------------------------------------------------------------------------Island - and Bay Area - Fever
Although Fresno State did not win a game on the annual grueling San Jose State-Hawai`i road trip, the team has to be breathing a sign of relief that it is over. The Bulldogs have not had much success on the SJSU-UH trip in recent years. In fact, Fresno State has not defeated both the Spartans and Wahine on the road since the 1990-91 season.
Overtime Woes
Extra periods have not been kind to Fresno State in recent years. The Bulldogs have lost their last four overtime games, including a 68-66 defeat at the hands of Saint Mary's on Dec. 21. The 1999-00 season alone saw FS drop three overtime decisions. Since the 1994-95 season, the Bulldogs are just 1-9 in games involving overtime. The lone win came Dec. 17, 1998, when it took out San Diego 80-67.
Lining It Up
Fresno State has not only had its problems shooting free throws this year, but it also has struggled just getting to the line. The Bulldogs enter this week eighth in the WAC with a .643 free throw percentage. But most maddening to Fresno State has been the frequency with which its opponents get to the line. This season, the Bulldogs have taken 105 less free throws than their opponents, an average of 5.5 less trips per game. There have been seven occasions when FS's opponent has attempted 10 more free throws than it has. Here are those games:
Fresno State OpponentOpponent FT-FTA FT-A Difference Game ResultSouthern Utah 10-16 23-26 -13 WON 76-66-------------------------------------------------------------------------Bradley 9-18 17-30 -8 LOST 80-62-------------------------------------------------------------------------Louisiana Tech 6-8 16-21 -10 LOST 74-50-------------------------------------------------------------------------Rice 12-15 28-41 -16 LOST 76-58-------------------------------------------------------------------------Tulsa 3-6 15-20 -12 LOST 66-54-------------------------------------------------------------------------Boise State 11-15 22-28 -11 LOST 79-76-------------------------------------------------------------------------Hawai`i 2-3 23-31 -21 LOST 69-53-------------------------------------------------------------------------Point Taken
Fresno State's 93-63 victory over UTEP was notable for many reasons. Here is a look at some of the interesting facts from that victory:
- The 93 points was FS's highest point total since head coach Britt King took over prior to the 1998-99 season. It is also the most points scored in regulation by a Bulldog team since the 1992-93 season, when FS defeated Wyoming 99-70.
- The game marked only the third time since King took over that either Fresno State or its opponent eclipsed 90 points. The others were Arizona's 92 points last year and BYU's 100 points in the 1998-99 season.
- The 30-point margin of victory was the largest of the King era and was the biggest win in terms of points since Dec. 20, 1996, when Fresno State defeated Cal State Northridge 86-38.
- Twelve different Bulldogs scored in the victory and 10 played at least 12 minutes.
- Five players established new career highs for points.
Bombs Away
In her freshman season, Lindsay Logan proved she was capable of hitting the three-pointer. However, last year Logan took her three-point shooting to another stratosphere. The sophomore attempted 271, eclipsing the record she tied in 1999-00 by 92. Logan drained 3.1 three-pointers per game, tops in the WAC and tied for fifth in the nation. She has made at least one three-pointer in 46 of the last 47 games and in 69 of 76 games in her career. This year, her 51 three-pointers made ranks first in the WAC.
Bulldogs by the Notes
- The Bulldogs are 7-3 in the North Gym in 2001-02.
- Britt King has used at least 10 players in every game this year.
- Twelve different Bulldogs scored in the 93-63 victory over UTEP, most in the Britt King era.
- Fresno State's 2001-02 roster features eight freshmen, two sophomores and five juniors.
- The Bulldogs are 8-1 when shooting over 40 percent this year and 1-10 when they do not.
- FS is 7-0 when leading at halftime.
- Only six of the Bulldogs' 15 players are from California.
- The fewest points the Bulldogs have scored in a victory this year was 68, which came Jan. 12 against Nevada.
- Only four of Fresno State's final nine games are at home.
- Saturday's crowd of 2,254 at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu was the largest FS has played in front of this year.
- Opponents have shot 105 more free throws than Fresno State this season.
- The Bulldogs have never defeated both Rice and Tulsa - this week's opponents - in the same season.
- A loss Thursday to Tulsa would give FS its third three-game losing streak of the 2001-02 season.
- Fresno State has used six different starting lineups. Only Tiffany Simon has started every game this year.
- The Bulldogs 53 points scored at Hawai`i was their second lowest output of the season. The only game they scored less was against Louisiana Tech in a 74-50 loss.
