Fresno State Athletics
Women's Basketball Travels To Boise State
1/6/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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Jan. 6, 2003
The Tip-Off
Fresno State (7-5, 1-1 WAC)
at Boise State (3-9, 0-2 WAC)
Date: Thu., Jan. 9
Time: 6 p.m. PST
Site: Boise, Idaho
Stadium: The Pavilion at Boise State (12,380)
Series History: Boise State leads 5-2
Last Meeting: Boise State 66, Fresno State 54- OT (Mar. 5, 2002)
Later This Week...
Fresno State at UTEP (5-7, 0-2 WAC)
Date: Sat., Jan. 11
Time: 6:05 p.m. PST
Site: El Paso, Texas
Bulldog Update
Fresno State hits the road this weekend for the first time in conference play with two games on the schedule. The Bulldogs (7-5, 1-1 WAC) square off against Boise State (3-9, 0-2 WAC) on Thursday evening before traveling south to El Paso, Texas for a matchup with UTEP (5-7, 0-2 WAC) on Saturday. Fresno State began the 2002-03 WAC campaign with a 77-70 upset victory over Rice in its league opener at home last Thursday. The 'Dogs then had an opportunity to record back-to-back wins in WAC play for the first time since the 1997-98 season, but fell short in a 58-57 loss to Tulsa on Saturday. The defeat was the first for the Bulldogs at home this season, and the announced crowd of 2,119 was the largest ever to watch a women's basketball game in Fresno State history. A sweep this weekend would be quite an achievement for the Bulldogs, as the club notched just one road victory in WAC play last year (78-62 at UTEP). Looking ahead, the 'Dogs return home for contests against SMU and nationally-ranked Louisiana Tech the following weekend.
Scouting the Broncos
Boise State (3-9, 0-2 WAC) has lost five straight games, including their first two WAC meetings last weekend. The Broncos dropped a 69-64 decision to San Jose State in their conference opener, then were shut down in a 62-44 loss at Hawaii two days later. Two of Boise State's victories have come on the road (Weber State, Idaho), while the third respresnted their last win of the year- a 66-58 downing of Portland State at home. Mandy Welch has led the Broncos on offense this season, averaging 11.4 ppg despite only making four starts. Abby Vaugh is averaging 10.2 ppg with a team-best 21 steals and a 29-75 mark from three-point territory. Head coach Jen Warden is in her first season at the helm of the Broncos after a 10-year stint at Colorado.
Fresno State All-Time vs. Boise State
The Broncos own a 5-2 advantage over the Bulldogs in the all-time series, which first began during the 1984-85 season. Boise State has won the last three contests, including a sweep of all three meetings in 2001-02. The Broncos eliminated the Bulldogs from the 2002 WAC Tournament with a 66-54 overtime win in the opening round.
Scouting the Miners
UTEP (5-7, 0-2 WAC) is scheduled to face Nevada on Thursday night before hosting Fresno State on Saturday. Like Boise State, the Miners lost their first two WAC games last weekend (75 -57 at Hawaii on Jan. 2 and 83-60 at San Jose State on Jan. 4). UTEP appeared to be a roll before that point, winning three of their final four non-conference games. The Miners have three players averaging in double figures for scoring: Dragana Zoric (15.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg), Vaida Zagurskyte (13.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Kia Dowell (11.8 ppg, 23-56 from three-point territory). UTEP is led by second-year head coach Keitha Green.
Fresno State All-Time vs. UTEP
The series dates back to the 1992-93 campaign and is even at 7-7. Fresno State has had the upper hand lately, winning four of the last five games and a sweep of last year's battles. The Bulldogs won both games last year convincingly (93-63 at home and 78-62 on the road).
Be Prepared To Play
In what has become a season-long trend, 11 out of Fresno State's first 12 games have been decided by 10 points or less. The lone exception came in the form of a 12-point loss to Michigan State in the season opener. The Bulldogs have posted a 7-4 record in such games, winning by an average of four points. In contrast, the 'Dogs were just 5-7 overall last season in games decided by 10 points or less. Five of Fresno State's last six games have been decided by a mere five points or less, with three of those coming in the form of victories.
Back-to-Back A Reality?
Only four of Fresno State's first 12 opponents have entered their respective game with the Bulldogs with a losing overall record. The 'Dogs are currently 4-0 in such games. With both Boise State (3-9) and UTEP (5-7) claiming records below the .500 mark, the 'Dogs have a chance to notch back-to-back victories in WAC competition for the first time since the 1997-1998 season. Furthermore, Fresno State has failed to win consecutive WAC road games since the 1996-97 campaign (San Jose State, UNLV, Air Force).
Plenty of Production
With a 4-2 record in its last six games, the Bulldogs have been getting offensive production from several different players. Fresno State has had four different players score in double figures in four of its last six games. The feat occurred only six times all last year.
What's In A Streak?
While it may not seem like much, Fresno State has posted three separate winning streaks this year (one of three games and two of the two-game variety). Six years have gone by since the Bulldogs have been able to make that statement, with the 1996-97 campaign representing the last time the 'Dogs amassed at least three winning streaks. The Bulldogs have won three games in a row just three times over the last four years and have not won four in a row since the middle of the 1994-95 tenure.
Team Effort
12 of the 13 eligible players have seen playing time for the Bulldogs so far this year. More importantly, each student-athlete is getting an equal opportunity to prove themselves in the early going. Lindsay Logan leads the Bulldogs with 388 minutes thus far and nine different 'Dogs are averaging at least 10 minutes per game. Eight different players have received the starting nod as well at one time this year.
Last Week's Action:
Game #11: Fresno State 77, Rice 70 (Jan. 2, 2003)
Senior forward Omelogo Udeze matched her career high with 26 points to lead four Bulldog players in double figures as Fresno State led for all but five minutes in a 77-70 upset win over Rice in the WAC opener for both schools. Fresno State won its conference opener for the second straight year and snapped a 10-game losing streak to Rice, which was picked to finish second in the WAC preseason coaches poll. The Bulldogs, which led by as many as 16 in both halves, were dominant underneath the basket with Udeze finishing at 10-19 shooting from the field after several easy putbacks and lay-ups. Senior Laura Garcia continued her strong play with a season-best 14 points, while Lindsay Logan and Java Johnson chipped in with 12 points apiece. Thursday's victory marked the third time in four games that four Fresno State players reached double-figures.
Last Week's Action:
Game #12: Tulsa 58, Fresno State 57 (Jan. 4, 2003)
Tulsa's Allison Curtin knocked down two free throws with 10.1 seconds left to rally the Golden Hurricane past Fresno State 58-57 on Saturday evening at Selland Arena. In a contest that featured nine ties and 10 lead changes, Tulsa outscored Fresno State 39-34 in the second half and made a couple key defensive stops down the stretch to secure the win. Fresno State's Lindsay Logan had a chance to win the game on the final possession of the game for the Bulldogs but fell short on a running jumper. Curtin led all scorers with 22 points in the contest, while Omelogo Udeze paced four athletes in double figures for the Bulldogs with 16. Logan added 13 and senior Laura Garcia recorded 12, while junior Java Johnson notched her first career double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Home Sweet Home
The Bulldogs are 5-1 at home this year and have posted a 27-20 record since the 1999-00 season in games played at the North Gym. After suffering losses in their final four home contests of last year, Fresno State has turned things around this season. The Red Wave has played an important role this season, as Fresno State has drawn over 1,207 fans in six home dates thus far. The announced crowd of 2,119 during Saturday's loss to Tulsa at Selland Arena was the largest to ever attend a women's basketball game in Fresno State history. The 1,273 fans that turned out for the Bulldog's 66-64 victory against Saint Mary's on Dec. 30 was the largest North Gym crowd since 1,411 witnessed Fresno State's 60-51 win over Nevada on Jan. 20, 2001.
Early Returns
Fresno State's win over Saint Mary's translated into a 6-4 non-conference record for the year, marking the first time the program finished that portion of its schedule with a winning record since 1996-97. The Bulldogs finished non-conference play at 7-3 that year- coincidentally the last time the team finished with an overall winning record for the entire season. The 'Dogs finished sub-.500 in non-conference games over the last five years.
1998-1999: 5-8 non-conference...4-10 WAC
1999-2000: 7-7 non-conference...4-10 WAC
2000-2001: 4-8 non-conference...6-10 WAC
2001-2002: 5-5 non-conference...4-14 WAC
2002-2003: 6-4 non-conference...1-1 WAC
Down No Longer
In the midst of its surprising 7-5 start to the season, Fresno State has snapped lengthy losing streaks to several schools in the process. A breakdown follows:
SCHOOL PREV. LOSING STREAK STREAK ENDEDSanta Clara 5 games (1991-2002) 12-4-02 (Fresno State 62-55)San Francisco 3 games (1994-2002) 12-14-02 (Fresno State 61-57)Saint Mary's 5 games (1997-2002) 12-30-02 (Fresno State 66-64)Rice 10 games (1997-2002) 1-2-03 (Fresno State 77-70)
A Look At The WAC
The Bulldogs were ranked seventh in the 2002-03 preseason women's basketball coaches poll, garnering 39 votes. Fresno State finished ninth in the WAC last season at 4-14, and checked in at 9-20 overall.
RANK TEAM VOTES1 Louisiana Tech (9) 812 Rice (1) 723 Hawai'i 644 Tulsa 555 San Jose State 436 SMU 417 Fresno State 398 Nevada 269 UTEP 1810 Boise State 11
Board Games
One of the primary reasons for Fresno State's early success has the been its ability to rebound the basketball. Entering this weekend's matchups, the Bulldogs rank second among conference teams in the rebounding category with 486 overall and 40.5 per game. The Bulldogs have recorded rebounding totals of 40-or-more in seven games this year, including a season-best 51 against Saint Mary's. The 'Dogs have outrebounded their opponents in all but three games so far. Three different players are averaging at least five boards per game: Java Johnson- 8.4, Omelogo Udeze- 8.3 and Tiffany Simon- 5.3.
Omelogo Has Been Outstanding
Senior Omelogo Udeze has been one of the Bulldog's most dependable players thus far. Udeze has played in all 12 contests, and is leading the club in scoring (13.3 ppg) and is second in rebounding (8.3 rpg). The forward also leads the team in free-throw shooting (28-36 for a 78-percent clip). She has been extremely productive lately, registering three double-doubles in her last five games, while serving as the team's leading scorer in six games already. With her performance against Tulsa last weekend, Udeze moved into second place on the career rebounds list with 764.
Give It Up For Garcia
Senior Laura Garcia, who has been one of the Bulldog's most valuable reserves, is averaging 7.8 ppg and has made a team-best 23-55 triples (42-percent). She has scored in double figures in four of the last five games, and poured in a season-best 14 in Fresno State's upset of Rice last week. The 5-6 guard also made the All-Tournament team at the Navy Classic last month, racking up 21 points on 7-19 shooting from the field with eight rebounds and five assists through two games.
Java's Been Hot For The 'Dogs
The addition of junior Java Johnson has paid immediate dividends for Fresno State, as she is averaging 9.4 ppg and 8.4 rpg in her first five contests. She has produced double-digit totals in either points or rebounds in four of those games so far. Johnson's best performance thus far came against Tulsa, notching her first career double-double. The 5-11 native of Fresno, Calif., started at middle blocker for Fresno State's volleyball squad that went 23-7 overall this year and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Johnson was a 2002 First Team All-WAC selection and named to the 2002 AVCA All-West Region squad.
Bulldogs Have New Faith
Fresno State has also announced the addition of one new student-athlete, Faith Probst. Probst is a 6-1 freshman forward from Rowville, Victoria, Australia. She has been cleared to play and practice with the team and will wear uniform number 33 for the Bulldogs.
Clearly, A Second Half Squad
Fresno State head coach Stacy Johnson-Klein has apparently come up with the classic halftime speech, as her squad has performed at its best in the second half of many games this season. There have been several instances already this year when the club struggles from the outset, only to make a furious comeback in the second half. 457 of Fresno State's 772 total points have come in the second half (60-percent). The Bulldogs have had the lead at halftime in just four games this year, winning three. Conversely, the team is 3-4 when trailing at the half and 1-0 when the score is tied. In a telling example of its offensive struggles, Fresno State has failed to reach the 25-point mark at intermission on five different occasions.
A Good Starting Point
After using a different lineup combination for the first three games, Fresno State has used the same starting rotation in six of its last nine contests. The Bulldogs are 4-2 with the combination of three guards (Lindsay Logan, Chanie Sutherland, Tiffany Simon), one forward (Aritta Lane) and one center (Channan High). That's a far cry compared to last year when Fresno State employed 14 different starting lineups and no player started all 29 games.
Making A State-Ment
In addition to its success against West Coast Conference squads this season, the Bulldogs are currently a perfect 4-0 against California schools. Fresno State will play at least six games against programs within the home state, including two against rival San Jose State during conference action.
A Balanced Attack
One of the hallmarks of a contending team is the ability to have a different player step up and contribute. Fresno State's offensive attack has been fairly balanced for the most part this season, as the team has had a different leading scorer in five of the 12 games. Omelogo Udeze has been the game-high scorer for the 'Dogs in six games so far, while Lindsay Logan has accomplished the feat three times. Laura Garcia, Arrita Lane and Tiffany Simon have also paced the Bulldogs in the scoring department once already.
That's Why It's Called The Charity Stripe
Fresno State might be able to do some damage this year if it can get to the foul line on a regular basis. The Bulldogs have hit 107 of 154 free throw attempts so far for a 69.5-percent clip. Senior Omelogo Udeze is leading the club at the line so far, going 28-36 for a 77-percent mark. The 'Dogs' best effort in 2002-03 came in a 59-49 win against San Diego State when the club notched a 14-18 effort from the line.
Logan Stands Alone
Senior Lindsay Logan, who became Fresno State's career leader in assists on Nov. 29 in a 63-60 win over Butler, broke the school's career three-point field goal record in the Dec. 4 win over Santa Clara. Logan, who finished with a season-high 20, hit a triple from the top of the key with two minutes remaining to extend Fresno State's lead to 56-51 and eventually ice the game. She now has 230 for her career, surpassing the previous mark of 222 by Staci Oddo (1992-1996).
Five Athletes Sign Letters-of-Intent
Akiya Alexander (Evanston, Ill.), Paige Diggs (Amarillo, Texas), Brittani Green (Dallas, Texas), Nikki Wilson (Athens, Texas) and Tierre Wilson (Lawton, Okla.) have all signed national letters-of-intent to play for the Bulldogs in 2003-04 and represent head coach Stacy Johnson-Klein's first-ever recruiting class at Fresno State.
- Alexander is a 5-8 guard from Evanston High School in Evanston, Ill, where she averaged 11.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 5.0 apg. Alexander is described as a versatile, athletic player who has a knack for being able to penetrate and take charge in game situations.
- Diggs is a 5-9 guard who will be transferring to Amarillo High School in Amarillo, Texas. She plays both the point and shooting positions and played a key role on her BCI summer team that won the 16-under National Championship.
- Green is a 6-2 post player from Dallas Lincoln High School in Dallas, Texas. Her team has been the state runner-up in each of the last two years, and she also played on a BCI summer team that won the 16-under National Championship. Green averaged 17.8 ppg along with 7.2 rpg during her high school career.
- Nikki Wilson, a 6-3 forward from Chicago, Ill., is rated by many as one of the best junior college players in the country. She currently plays at Trinity Valley Junior College, which has produced five NCJAA National Champions.
- Tierre Wilson hails from Lawton, Okla., and attends Eisenhower High School. She is a point guard who is capable of taking complete control of a game. She averaged 16.4 ppg, 4.2 apg, 3.6 rpg and 2.4 steals per game.
