Fresno State Athletics
Women's Basketball Begins Week At Long Beach State
12/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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Dec. 8, 2003
Fresno State Bulldogs (2-3)
at Long Beach State 49ers (2-4)
Date: Wed., Dec. 10
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Site: Long Beach, Calif.
Stadium: The Pyramid (5,000)
Series History: Long Beach State leads 19-7
Last Meeting: Fresno State 62, Long Beach State 60 (Jan. 4, 2000)
Later This Week...
Fresno State vs. Santa Clara Broncos (3-3)
Date: Sat., Dec. 13
Time: 2:30 p.m.
(second half of doubleheader with men's team)
Site: Fresno, Calif.
Stadium: Save Mart Center (16,116)
Tip-Off
Fresno State (2-3) continues its non-conference slate this week with a pair of games against regional opponents. The Bulldogs can climb above .500 for the first time this year with victories in both games. First up is a trip to Long Beach State (2-4), as the 'Dogs will battle the 49ers on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. The weekend concludes with Fresno State hosting Santa Clara (3-3) on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 2:30 p.m. in the Save Mart Center. That game represents the second half of a doubleheader with the men's team.
Radio Report
Saturday's game against Santa Clara is scheduled to be broadcast live on ESPN Radio 1430 AM, which serves as the home of all Fresno State regular season women's basketball games. Paul Swearengin and Scott Petty will handle the broadcast chores. Bulldog fans can also receive live game statistics on Fresno State's official athletics website, www.gobulldogs.com. This weekend's game is slated for a 2:30 p.m. tip-off, or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the men's basketball game against Creighton.
Scouting Long Beach State
Fresno State renews an old rivalry when it travels to Long Beach State (2-4) for a non-conference game on Wednesday night. The 49ers recently snapped a three-game losing streak with a 65-57 comeback victory over San Diego on Saturday afternoon. Despite trailing 35-23 at the break, Long Beach State used a season-high 21 points from Crystal McCutcheon to get the victory. McCutcheon is a threat offensively, averaging 12.5 ppg and 3.7 rpg. Petra Glaeser (12.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and Jayme Connors (6.8 rpg) are also key players to watch. LBSU is averaging 59.2 ppg and is surrendering 66.0. The 49ers finished 14-15 overall last season and 10-6 in the Big West Conference, good for third place. Head coach Mary Hegarty is currently in her first season at the helm of the program.
Fresno State All-Time vs. Long Beach State
There was a time when the two schools would match up twice a year when both were members of the PCAA and Big West conferences. However, the last meeting took place Jan. 4, 2000 when Fresno State nipped Long Beach State 62-60 in Fresno. The 49ers still hold a 19-7 edge in all-time series, including a 12-3 record in Long Beach. The Bulldogs have won three of the last four games in the series, with their last road win coming back on Nov. 13, 1996 in the form of a 66-51 triumph.
Scouting Santa Clara
Another geographical rival comes to Fresno later in the week when Santa Clara (3-3) visits the Save Mart Center. The rivalry has strengthened recently, with the Bulldogs defeating the Broncos 87-72 in the first round of the 2003 postseason WNIT. That followed a 62-55 win by the Bulldogs earlier in the season at the Leavey Center. Santa Clara defeated Nevada 60-53 on the road yesterday. Santa Clara is led by Michelle Cozad (19.6 ppg, 27-34 from the free throw line, nine three-pointers), Quinn Thomas (12.3 ppg) and Ashley Gonnerman (8.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg). The Broncos advanced to the postseason WNIT last year and went 20-11 overall and 9-5 in the WCC. Head coach Michelle Bento begins her second year with the Broncos.
Fresno State All-Time vs. Santa Clara
Again, the two schools are very familiar with one another. Fresno State's two-game sweep of Santa Clara last season upped its overall lead in the series to 17-13 and snapped a five-game losing streak to the Broncos. This will be the fourth meeting in the series since the start of the 2001 season. The Bulldogs are 11-3 all-time against the Broncos in Fresno. The most recent meeting in the series- last year's 87-72 Bulldog win in the first round of the postseason WNIT- was Fresno State's first postseason victory since the 1990 campaign.
Recapping Last Week's Action (Dec. 5-6)
Fresno State 64, Western Illinois 52- opening round of Cowgirl Classic
Fresno State used a 38-21 rebounding edge and a balanced offensive effort to notch a 64-52 victory over Western Illinois in the opening round of the Oklahoma State Cowgirl Classic. A season-high eight three-pointers also helped, with Chanie Sutherland and Veronica Mack recording three each. Aritta Lane led all scorers with 15 points, while Sutherland added a career-high 12 and Jasmine Plummer chipped in with 10. Western Illinois was held without an offensive rebound for the entire first half and tallied just two overall in the game. The Westerwinds trimmed Fresno State's second half lead to four, only to see the 'Dogs extend their lead to double digits with a final scoring surge.
Oklahoma State 67, Fresno State 60- championship game of Cowgirl Classic
Fresno State nearly overcame a 15-point second half deficit before falling in a 67-60 loss to Oklahoma State in the championship game of the Cowgirl Classic at Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Cowgirls held late second half leads of 54-39 and 63-51 but the Bulldogs made it a one-possession game at 63-60 with 26 seconds to play. Two free throws from Oklahoma State's Nine Stone ultimately iced the game and the Cowgirls went on to claim the 67-60 victory. Aritta Lane once again led the Bulldogs in scoring, tallying 12 points. For the weekend, she scored 27 points and pulled down 12 boards and was the Bulldog's lone representative on the Cowgirl Classic All-Tournament Team. Brittani Green and Veronica Mack each contributed 10 points in the loss. Mindy Clark registered seven points and eight rebounds in the loss.
Driving The Lane
Junior forward Aritta Lane is off to a hot start for Fresno State, having led the team in scoring in each of the first five games. Lane currently leads the squad in scoring (16.6) and rebounding (7.0), and she is 20-32 from the free-throw line. After registering just two double-doubles all of last year, she recorded the 10th of her career in the season opener at Washington State. In that game, Lane led all scorers with 24 points and 10 rebounds in 35 minutes. She has also been named to All-Tournament Teams at the Fresno State Classic and Oklahoma State Cowgirl Classic.
Winning The Rebound Battle
As long as the Bulldogs continue to win the battle of the boards, victories should be right around the corner. Fresno State is outrebounding its opponents 39.0 to 32.4 in the early going, including a season-best 53 against Louisiana-Monroe on Nov. 28. Three different players are averaging at least five boards per contest, with Aritta Lane leading the way at 7.0. Last weekend's victory over Western Illinois proved to be a telling example, as the Bulldogs limited the Westerwins to just two offensive rebounds overall and none in the first half of play. The Bulldogs ranked second in the WAC in rebounding at 44.0 last year and held the edge on the glass in all but eight games.
Sutherland Sets Career High
Senior Chanie Sutherland, who entered the season with a career high of nine points, has already topped that mark twice in the first five games. She poured in 12 points in a win over Western Illinois- nine of those coming on three-pointers- to establish a new personal best. Sutherland, who is averaging a team-best 29.6 minutes played, is 6-20 from beyond the arc overall. In 2002-03, she was 6-37 overall on the year.
Call The Plummer
Freshman Jasmine Plummer has been impressive in just her first five games, with her game highlighted by aggressive and opportunistic defense. The Natomas, Calif., native notched five assists in her first career game at Washington State and currently leads the team with 13. In two games during the Fresno State Classic, she recorded 18 points and 17 rebounds to go along with four assists and five steals. She is currently averaging 6.6 ppg and is third on the club in rebounding at 5.8 per contest.
No Charity?
Junior guard Veronica Mack is second on the team in scoring at 9.2 ppg, but has yet to attempt one free throw through the first five games. She is second in minutes played.
Green, Or Is She?
Forward Brittani Green may be just a freshman, but she has recently been playing like a veteran for the 'Dogs. Green notched a career-high 10 points in Fresno State's loss to Oklahoma State last weekend. She was active on the glass, grabbing six rebounds and even had three steals to her credit in 26 minutes of playing time. Green has also proven to be one of the team's more consistent free throw shooters in the early going as she is 6-8 in her trips to the line.
Sharing Minutes
Seven of Fresno State's 13 eligible players are averaging at least 15.0 minutes of playing time. Meanwhile, head coach Stacy Johnson-Klein continues to search for a consistent starting rotation. Two other Bulldogs are logging just over 13.0 minutes per contest, while 11 different players have received a starting nod through the first five games of the season.
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 champion, has been picked to win its third straight conference title after receiving nine first place votes and 81 points.
Big Win It Was
The Bulldog's 32-point win over Louisiana-Monroe back on Nov. 28 was Fresno State's largest victory since a 93-63 thrashing of UTEP on Jan. 19, 2002. The 88 points also established a new Fresno State Classic record for most points in a single game. The Bulldog's largest victory margin last year was a 25-point blowout of UTEP- a 64-39 home win on Feb. 6.
Can It Happen Again?
Fresno State's 2002-03 season may have ended with a 72-65 loss to Baylor in the quarterfinals 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 made their first postseason appearance since 1990, winning their first two games in the WNIT before falling to Baylor.
Quick Glace At The Schedule
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.
Home Sweet Home
Two games have been played at the Save Mart Center so far this year and the home crowds have been impressive. Fresno State topped the 4,000 mark on both nights- 4,341 for Louisiana-Monroe and 4,570 for Utah (now the largest in program history). The Bulldogs finished 13-2 at home last year, with 12 of those victories coming in the North Gym. The Red Wave played an important role in 2002-03, 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.
Home Sweet Home, Part 2
2001-02......
(majority of games played in the North Gym- 1,401 capacity)
Total attendance through 14 games: 7,734
Average attendance through 14 games: 552
2002-03......
(majority of games played in the North Gym- 1,401 capacity)
Total attendance through 15 games: 21,936
Average attendance through 15 games: 1,462
2003-04......
(all games played in the Save Mart Center- 16,116 capacity)
Total attendance through 2 games: 8,911
Average attendance through 2 games: 4,456
Shaking It Off
The ability to bounce back after a defeat aided the team in 2002-03, as the club was able to avoid lengthy losing streaks. The Bulldogs were 8-3 in games following a loss, compared to a 5-14 mark in similar circumstances during the previous season. So far this year, the team is 2-0 in games following a defeat.
