Fresno State Athletics
Women's Hoops Begins Season With Bulldog Extravaganza
10/30/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Complete Release in PDF Format
Oct. 30, 2003
Bulldog Basketball Extravaganza
Date: Wed., Nov. 5
Time: 7 p.m. PST
Site: Fresno, Calif.
Stadium: Save Mart Center (16,116)
The Tip-Off
The 39th season of Fresno State women's basketball gets underway on Nov. 13 with the first of two exhibition contests. The Bulldogs will officially open the regular season on Friday, Nov. 21, against Washington State in Pullman, Wash. This will be the second straight year the 'Dogs have opened with a road contest after debuting at home in the previous two seasons. Fresno State will be looking to duplicate last season's success, as the squad finished 21-13 overall for its first winning season since 1996-97 and made its first postseason appearance in 13 years.
Bulldog Basketball Extravaganza
The new home for Fresno State basketball will be unveiled Wednesday with the "Bulldog Basketball Extravaganza." Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and autograph sessions with both the men's and women's teams are slated for 6 p.m. A media all-star game, mascot basketball game and dance team performances are also planned. Banner ceremonies for last year's men's and women's teams will also be conducted. Head coaches Stacy Johnson-Klein and Ray Lopes will address the crowd and introduce their teams. The night features a three-point and dunk contest and both squads compete in a co-ed scrimmage. Tickets for the event cost $5 and $3 and are available at the Save Mart Center box office and through Ticketmaster.
Fresno State Classic To Open Save Mart Center
The 7th annual Fresno State Classic serves as the inaugural basketball event in the Save Mart Center. The Bulldogs won their second consecutive tournament title last year with a 59-49 win over San Diego State in the championship game. Fresno State opposes the University of Louisiana-Monroe in the opening round on Fri., Nov. 28, while Utah and Western Kentucky square off in the other game.
Can It Happen Again?
Fresno State's 2002-03 season may have ended with a 72-65 loss to Baylor in the quarterfinal round of the WNIT, but the year proved to be the beginning of a brand new era. The Bulldogs, who finished 9-20 overall and took ninth in the WAC in 2001-02, produced a 12-game turnaround last year that resulted in a 21-13 record and a third place conference showing. The 'Dogs advanced to their first postseason appearance since 1990, winning their first two games in the WNIT before falling to Baylor.
Bulldogs Picked Fifth In WAC Preseason Poll
Fresno State was ranked fifth in the 2003-04 preseason women's basketball coaches poll, garnering 45 votes. Fresno State finished third in the WAC last season at 11-7, and checked in at 21-13 overall after being projected in seventh place. Louisiana Tech, the defending regular season and tournament champions, has been picked to win the WAC for the third consecutive season after receiving nine first place votes and 81 points. Rice garnered one first place vote to finish second, while SMU (60) and Hawai'i (51) round out the top four schools ahead of the Bulldogs.
2003-04 WAC Preseason PollNo. Team Votes1 Louisiana Tech (9) 812 Rice (1) 703 SMU 604 Hawai'i 515 Fresno State 456 San Jose State 407 Tulsa 398 UTEP 309 Boise State 2110 Nevada 13
Depth Down Low
Much of Fresno State's success this year will depend on the play of its forwards. After losing Omelogo Udeze (13.4 ppg, 9.1 ppg- both team highs) to graduation and Java Johnson (6.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg) electing to concentrate on a professional volleyball career, the Bulldogs are looking at a group that is led by Aritta Lane. The 6-0 junior was third on the team in scoring last year at 7.5 ppg and pulled down 150 rebounds for a 4.5 average. Another likely starting option is sophomore Lauren Selmon, who was forced to sit out last year after transferring from Baylor. Despite not having yet played a game, Selmon is projected to be a consistent performer both on offense and defense this year. Sophomore Faith Probst joined the squad midway through the season and came in off the bench in 14 games. At 6-2, freshman Brittani Green is one of the taller Bulldogs on the roster and has the ability to contribute quickly.
Centers of Attention
Four different players earned starts at center last year, with Channan High making 15 and Mindy Clark 11. High has since graduated so Clark, a 6-4 senior, figures to be penciled in as the starter. Clark, Fresno State's tallest player, averaged 2.2 ppg and 2.1 rpg, while playing in a career-high 30 games in 2002-03. She has the ability to be a dominant post presence and can pose matchup problems for smaller post players. Sophomore newcomer Nikki Wilson might also be used at the position, as she stands 6-3. Wilson comes to Fresno State from Trinity Valley JC and is described as very athletic.
Guards Must Step Up
Three guards (Lindsay Logan, Tiffany Simon, Laura Garcia) from last year's team were lost to graduation but Fresno State feels like it has enough depth at the position to be effective. While the position remains unsettled, there are several options. The likely choices are a combination of senior Chanie Sutherland and junior Veronica Mack. Sutherland, who started all but one game in her first season last year, averaged 1.7 ppg and 1.4 rpg. After a breakthrough year in 2002-03, Mack should benefit from additional experience and win a starting job. She averaged 4.2 ppg and connected on 23 three-point field goals while playing in all 34 contests. Freshman Paige Diggs should provide additional minutes off the bench as she learns the system.
More In Reserve
Junior Cophie Moore has had a good offseason and returns to the Bulldog lineup. Moore, a 5-10 guard/forward, can be utilized at both positions and is one of Fresno State's better defensive players. Senior Chantea Fleming is similar in that she can play at either shooting guard or either of the two forward positions. Freshman Jasmine Plummer is a mobile 6-0 guard from Sacramento, Calif., and is very explosive in transition.
Quick Glace At The Schedule
Fresno State's 2003-04 schedule includes two fall tournaments, the Fresno State Classic and the Cowgirl Classic hosted by Oklahoma State. There are 10 non-conference games scheduled leading up to the WAC opener at home against Hawai'i. Three 2003 NCAA teams are featured on this year's schedule: Western Kentucky, Utah and Louisiana Tech. Three other schools competed in last year's postseason WNIT- Hawai'i, Santa Clara and Western Illinois.
Program Revival
Fresno State's 2002-03 season produced several team milestones that were worth noting. They include the following:
- With its 87-72 victory over Santa Clara on Mar. 21 in the first round of the WNIT, Fresno State reached the 20-win plateau for the first time since ending the season with a 21-12 overall mark in 1989-90.
- The Bulldog's victory over Oregon State on Mar. 24 in the second round of the WNIT gave them 13 home victories on the year- a program best.
- Fresno State's 21-13 record was a 12-game improvement from last year. That is the largest turnaround for back-to-back seasons in school history, besting the seven-game upgrade from 1982 to 1983.
- Fresno State more than doubled its home attendance last year, netting an average of 1,462 fans in 15 home dates. The team drew just 552 fans on the average in 14 contests in 2001-02. The Bulldogs, 13-2 at home, sold out the North Gym on five occasions.
- The Bulldogs posted 11 WAC victories in 2002-03, a feat that was last accomplished when the team had an 11-7 league record in Big West action during 1989-90. The third place conference finish also ties the 1985-86 squad for the best regular season mark.
Last California Team Standing
If you were a college basketball junkie living in California, you would have loved the Bulldogs. That's because when Fresno State tipped off against Baylor in the WNIT quarterfinals on Mar. 26, the 'Dogs were the only Division 1 college basketball team (men's or women's) from the state of California still playing their season. Fresno State's 34 games played last year were the most by any women's hoops team in program history.
All-WAC Accolades
The Bulldogs placed two student-athletes on last year's All-WAC squads. Omelogo Udeze was awarded All-WAC Second Team honors, while Tiffany Simon earned All-WAC Defensive Team recognition. Both Udeze and Simon earned the same awards, respectively, during the 2000-01 campaign as well. Lindsay Logan and Udeze were also both named to the 2003 WAC All-Tournament team for their efforts in the Bulldog's run. Cophie Moore was tabbed to the WAC All-Academic squad for her efforts in the classroom.
Dogs Making Progress
Fresno State's 54-51 victory over Hawai'i on Feb. 22 assured the team of its first winning season since the 1996-97 campaign when the club finished 14-13 ledger. Prior to 1996-97, the Bulldogs had accumulated a 51-92 record over the last five years. After winning just nine games in 2001-02 for its lowest victory total since 1981-82, last season proved to be a different story for the 'Dogs. With a 71-48 win over Nevada on Feb. 1, Fresno State reached 10 wins for the first time since 2000-01.
They May Be New To This, But...
Last year's Bulldog squad may have been newcomers to the postseason, but it didn't take them long to make their mark. In a year where every game seemed to shatter a program record or establish another first, the postseason was no different. Senior Omelogo Udeze pulled down a career-high 19 rebounds vs. Santa Clara in the WNIT first-round, setting a WNIT single-game record in the process. Fresno State's 62 rebounds in that tilt also bested the previous single-game WNIT record of 57, set by Iowa against Saint Louis the day before.
Be Prepared To Play
20 out of Fresno State's 34 games in 2002-03 were decided by 10 points or less, with the Bulldogs posting an impressive 13-6 record in such games. In contrast, the 'Dogs were just 5-7 overall during the 2001-02 campaign in games decided by 10 points or less. 10 games have been decided by a mere five points or less, with seven of those coming in the form of victories.
Board Games
One of the biggest reasons for Fresno State's success last year was the 'Dogs ability to rebound the basketball. The Bulldogs closed out the year ranked second among conference teams in the rebounding category with 1497 overall and 44.0 per game. Fresno State recorded rebounding totals of 40-or-more in 22 games this year, including a season-best 62 against Santa Clara in a postseason WNIT first-round win. The 'Dogs outrebounded their opponents in all but eight games. Three different players are averaging at least five boards per game: Omelogo Udeze (8.9), Java Johnson (6.7) and Tiffany Simon (4.8).
Setting The Bar
With the Bulldog's 96-80 victory over San Jose State on Feb. 20, Stacy Johnson-Klein became the all-time winningest first-year head coach in Fresno State women's basketball history. Johnson-Klein eclipsed the previous high of 13 victories by Lisa Wunder (1993-94). The 11 conference victories are also a program high for a rookie coach, besting the 8-2 mark that Donna Pickel produced in 1971-72.
WNIT Quarterfinals: Baylor 72, Fresno State 62, (Mar. 26, 2003)
After holding a comfortable lead for the entire first half, Fresno State shot just 16.2-percent in the second period in a 72-65 loss to Baylor in the quarterfinals of the WNIT. Lindsay Logan closed out her Bulldog career with the squad's first 30-point effort of the year, while Omelogo Udeze recorded her 12th double-double of the year, tallying 11 points and 14 rebounds in the loss. The Bulldogs led by as many as 15 in the first half, shooting 17-of-39 from the field. But the 'Dogs hit a wall in the second half, making just 6-of-37. And Baylor found its touch, making 14-of-31 for 45.2-percent. Logan's 8-13 shooting effort in the first half translated into 22 points, including four three-pointers. Fresno State maintained a double-digit lead for much of the first half, leading by 15 at 40-25 after a lay-up by Logan. But the Lady Bears closed out the opening period by scoring the final eight points and went into intermission down just 40-33. Baylor then caught on fire, opening the second half with a blistering 16-4 run. Baylor would open up a 51-44 lead, as the Bulldogs went just 1-of-15 to begin the second stanza.
WNIT Second Round: Fresno State 58, Oregon State 57 (Mar. 24, 2003)
Omelogo Udeze scored 18 points and led three Fresno State players in double figures as the Bulldogs defeated Oregon State 58-57 in a second-round WNIT game in front of a record crowd of 4,507 at Selland Arena. Aritta Lane posted a double for Fresno State with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Lindsay Logan added 11, all coming in the second half. The Bulldogs shot just 37 percent but forced Oregon State into 19 turnovers. The Beavers were just 4 of 17 from beyond the arc. Leading by one with 18 seconds left, Laura Garcia missed the front end of a one-and-one, giving OSU a chance to set up a final play. However, Leilani Estavan missed an off-balance 12-footer with five seconds.
WNIT First Round: Fresno State 87, Santa Clara 72 (Mar. 21, 2003)
Omelogo Udeze scored 15 points and grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds as Fresno State, making its first appearance in the postseason since the 1990 WNIT, defeated Santa Clara 87-72 in a first-round WNIT game at the North Gym. Udeze, who recorded her 11th double-double of the year, helped the Bulldogs hold a season-best 62-33 advantage on the boards. The Bulldogs hit a season-high 13 three-pointers and held Santa Clara to 39-percent shooting. Six Fresno State players scored in double figures. Laura Garcia led all scorers with 21 points, including a 5-8 mark from three-point territory. Veronica Mack had 16 while Linday Logan, Tiffany Simon and Java Johnson added 10 apiece.
Home Sweet Home, Part 1
The Bulldogs finished 13-2 at home in 2003-04 (12-1 in the North Gym) and posted a 34-21 record since the 1999-00 season in games played at the facility. The Red Wave played an important role last season, as Fresno State drew an average of 1,462 fans in 15 home dates. 13 of the 15 home games featured crowds of at least 1,000, including five sellouts. The announced crowd of 4,507 for the 58-57 WNIT second round win over Oregon State at Selland Arena was the largest to ever attend a women's basketball game in Fresno State history.
Home Sweet Home, Part 2
2001-02......
Total attendance through 14 games: 7,734
Average attendance through 14 games: 552
2002-03......
Total attendance through 15 games: 21,936
Average attendance through 15 games: 1,462
