Fresno State Athletics
Women's Basketball Hosts Fresno State Classic
11/26/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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Nov. 26, 2003
7th annual Fresno State Classic
Fresno State (0-1)
vs. University of Louisiana-Monroe (1-1)
Date: Fri., Nov. 28
Time: 7 p.m. PST
Site: Fresno, Calif.
Stadium: Save Mart Center (16,116)
Series History: First Meeting
Tournament Field: Fresno State (0-1), University of Louisiana-Monroe (1-1), Western Kentucky (1-1), No. 22 Utah (1-1)
Complete Tournament Schedule
Fri., Nov. 28-
Western Kentucky vs. No. 22 Utah- 5 p.m.
Univ. of Louisiana-Monroe vs. Fresno State- 7 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 29-
TBA vs. TBA- 5 p.m.
TBA vs. Fresno State- 7 p.m.
Tip-Off
The Bulldogs play their first official regular season game in the Save Mart Center this weekend during the the seventh annual Fresno State Classic. The tournament gets underway Friday when Western Kentucky (1-1) and No. 22 Utah (1-1), two NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago, face off in the opening round at 5 p.m. Fresno State (0-1) then takes the court for its first contest in the new arena against the University of Louisiana-Monroe (1-1) at approximately 7 p.m. Saturday's games are scheduled for 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively, with Fresno State playing in the late game. The Bulldogs have claimed the tournament title two straight years.
Radio Report
ESPN Radio 1430 AM is slated to broadcast Fresno State's game on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. whether it be the consolation or championship. Paul Swearengin and Scott Petty will handle the broadcasting chores. In addition, ESPN Radio 1430 AM is scheduled to air all Fresno State regular season home games.
Scouting University of Louisiana-Monroe
The Lady Indians (1-1) recently dropped a 68-59 decision to Southern Mississippi on the road Tuesday night. Louisiana-Monroe was led by Michelle Biley's 14 points, including a 6-9 clip from the free throw line. ULM, which finished 15-14 overall and sixth place in the Southland Conference last year, rallied for a 70-67 victory over Tulane in its season opener. Nina Randle's double-double (15 points, 14 rebounds) led all scorers while teammates Mindy Livaudais and Michelle Biley both chipped in with 10. Tulane shot 49.1-percent overall but the Lady Indians came back from a 12-point deficit and connected on 19-31 free throw attempts to earn the win. Head coach Mona Martin is 104-120 in eight seasons at the helm of the program.
Scouting Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky checks in at 1-1 overall after splitting two games in the Preseason WNIT. The Lady Toppers opened the year with a 70-63 win over Rhode Island before stumbling in a road contest at Texas Tech, 88-47, two days later. Western Kentucky, which has been receiving votes early on, is coming off a 22-9 record in 2002-03 that featured a Sun Belt Eastern Division title and NCAA Tournament appearance. Carla Bartee (13.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg) leads a trio of players averaging double-figures in scoring. Three different players are averaging 7.5 rebounds per game led by Bartee's 8.5 rpg. Head coach Mary Taylor Cowles is in her second season with WKU. Fresno State and Western Kentucky have never met in women's basketball.
Scouting No. 22 Utah
Utah, nationally ranked in both polls during the first two weeks, brings a 1-1 mark into this weekend. Like Western Kentucky, the Utes also participated in the Preaseason WNIT and split two games. Utah defeated Southeast Missouri State 76-65 in the first round and then dropped a 52-44 decision to UC Santa Barbara. The Utes were 24-7 overall last year and captured the Mountain West title en route to an NCAA Tournament appearance. Shona Thorburn leads the squad at 19.0 ppg through the first two games, while 2002-03 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year Kim Smith is averaging 15.0 ppg and 8.0 rpg. Elaine Elliott begins her 21st season as the head coach of the program. Utah is 10-2 all-time against Fresno State, including a 64-57 triumph at home last season. The Utes have never participted in the Fresno State Classic.
Fresno State Classic History
The Bulldogs will look for a repeat of last year's performance when the annual fall tournament begins Friday. Fresno State notched wins over Butler (63-60) and San Diego State (59-49) in 2002 to claim its second consecutive tournament championship in six tries. The Bulldogs own an 8-4 overall mark in the Fresno State Classic, which has been in existence since the 1997-98 campaign. During that stretch the 'Dogs have posted four runner-up finishes in addition to two tournament titles. Senior Lindsay Logan was awarded the tournament MVP award in 2002, the third of her career.
Fresno State in Home Openers
Entering this season, Fresno State holds a 20-12 record in home openers and has come away with a victory in its home debut three straight seasons. The 2002-03 home slate began with a 63-60 victory over Butler in the Fresno State Classic. Prior to last year, Fresno State opened its home schedule with wins over Delaware State (71-49) and Eastern Washington (67-45). The last team to upend the Bulldogs in the first game on their home court was Boise State, which scored a 77-62 win on Nov. 26, 1999.
Last Week's Action: Washington State 69, Fresno State 51 (Nov. 21)
Washington State raced out to an 18-point halftime advantage and held on for a 69-51 victory over Fresno State in the season opener for both teams. The Cougars, who shot 42.1-percent overall in the contest and were 17-21 from the free throw line, were aided by a first half that saw Fresno State commit 17 turnovers and shoot 21.7-percent (5-23) from the field. Aritta Lane led the Bulldogs with a game-high 24 points, 10 of which came from the charity stripe. She grabbed 10 rebounds on the night, recording a double-double in the process. Chanie Sutherland chipped in with 10 points and Jasmine Plummer had five assists and four steals.
Driving The Lane
After registering just two double-doubles last year, junior Aritta Lane recorded the 10th of her career in the season opener. Lane led all scorers with 24 points and 10 rebounds in 35 minutes during a 69-51 loss to Washington State last week. She did most of her damage from the charity stripe, connecting on 10 of 15 free throw attempts.
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.
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, as she stands 6-3.
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. 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.
Gimme Five!
One of the trademarks of head coach Stacy Johnson-Klein's offense in 2002-03 was her unique substitution method. Johnson-Klein employed a "five-for-five" rotation, where she works with two separate lineups and alternates among them based on productivity.
Home Sweet Home
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.
