Fresno State Athletics
Bulldogs Can Improve Tourney Seeding With Sweep This Weekend
3/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Complete Release in PDF Format
Check out
"Ren's Court Report," an online diary
from sophomore Lauren Selmon.
March 1, 2004
Fresno State Bulldogs (11-15, 5-11 WAC)
at San Jose State Spartans (14-11, 6-10 WAC)
Date: Thu., Mar. 4
Time: 7 p.m.
Site: San Jose, Calif.
Facility: SJSU Events Center (5,000)
Series History: Fresno State leads 34-17
Last Meeting: Fresno State 81, San Jose State 39 (Jan. 5, 2004)
Tip-Off
Only one week remains in the regular season as teams continue to jockey for position in next week's 2004 McCaffrey WAC Tournament. Fresno State's goal remains a possibility: lock down the tournament's No. 6 seed and avoid an appearance in the play-in round. After enduring an eight-game conference losing streak earlier this season, the Bulldogs (11-15, 5-11 WAC) are fortunate to be in such a situation where they control their own destiny. However, a sweep of this weekend's road games at San Jose State (14-11, 6-10 WAC) and Hawai'i (7-18, 5-11 WAC) will accomplish that feat. And it will be a tough task, as the Bulldogs have not swept a two-game conference road trip since 1997 season when the team recorded wins at UNLV (74-68 on Jan. 16) and Air Force (62-53 on Jan. 18).
Scouting San Jose State
Once near the top of the conference standings, San Jose State (14-11, 6-10 WAC) enters Thursday's game against Fresno State having lost five of its last six. The Spartans were swept last weekend at Rice (64-44) and Tulsa (66-56). San Jose State began the year 9-1 before suffering an 81-39 loss to Fresno State on Jan. 5, but the team has won just five games since. The Spartans are outscoring their opponents 63.0 to 62.8 and are outrebounding their foes 40.0 to 38.8. Key players to watch include: Cricket Williams (13.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 169 assists, 82 steals), Tatiana Taylor (12.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 63-percent free throw percentage) and Teoma Taylor (9.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg). From beyond the arc, San Jose State is shooting 30.7-percent. Head coach Janice Richard is in her fifth year.
Fresno State All-Time vs. San Jose State
This rivalry dates back to the 1973-74 season, with the Bulldogs holding a 34-17 advantage. Fresno State has won three straight against San Jose State after dropping the previous four games. The Bulldogs picked up an 81-39 victory over the Spartans at the Save Mart Center back on Jan. 5. These two teams met three times last year, with the 'Dogs 96-80 at home on Feb. 20 and again on Mar. 12 in the opening round of the WAC Tournament with a 63-57 triumph. In games played in San Jose, Fresno State is 17-9 overall.
Scouting Hawai'i
The Bulldogs close out the regular season with a matchup against Hawai'i (7-18, 5-11 WAC) in Honolulu on Saturday night. A national television audience, along with a farewell tribute to Rainbow Wahine seniors and legendary head coach Vince Goo, highlight the contest. Hawai'i has also fallen on hard times as of late, winning just twice in the last nine games. The Rainbow Wahine were swept last weekend at Tulsa (68-57) and Rice (58-56). For the season, Hawai'i is being outscored by its opponents 63.2 to 57.9 and outrebounded 39.3 to 37.4. The club is shooting 36.2-percent from the field overall. The offense is sparked by Jade Abele (14.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 34 three-pointers), Janevia Taylor (8.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 39 steals) and April Atuaia (8.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 85-percent free throw shooter). Head coach Vince Goo, a mainstay on the island, is currently in his 17th year at the helm.
Fresno State All-Time vs. Hawai'i
Hawai'i owns a decisive 24-7 edge in the all-time series. In fact, the Rainbow Wahine have won 15 of the last 16 games against Fresno State. The exception was a 54-51 Bulldog win in the final WAC game played in the North Gym on Feb. 22, 2003. Prior to that triumph, Fresno State's last win over Hawai'i occurred back on Feb. 9, 1991 when the Bulldogs won 73-70 in overtime. Hawai'i squeezed out a 48-46 victory over Fresno State earlier this year back on Jan. 3. In games played in Honolulu, Fresno State stands at just 2-12.
Finishing Strong
Fresno State was 6-1 during the month of February last year and started a five-game winning streak midway through the month that ultimately propelled the club to an appearance in the postseason WNIT. The Bulldogs once again appear to have righted the ship after a slow start, having won four of their last six after suffering an eight-game losing skid. Fresno State still has an outside shot at a .500 season, but must sweep both road games this weekend and follow that with three wins in the WAC Tournament the following weekend.
Three-Point Barrage
Over the last four games, Fresno State is 30-88 from beyond the arc. While that may only translate to 34-percent, the three-point shot has opened up the offense. Against Tulsa on Feb. 19, Fresno State made 9-20 from three-point territory. The Bulldogs were 11-36 in a win over Boise State on Feb. 14, setting a single-game record for three-point field goals attempted. During the four-game stretch, the main threats have been junior Veronica Mack (8 three-pointers, including a record-tying 16 attempts at Boise State) and freshman Chantella Perera (17-37, with seven vs. Boise State).
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 42.1 to 35.8, including a season-best 59 against SMU on Feb. 7. Three different players are averaging at least five boards per contest, with Mindy Clark pulling down 8.2, Jasmine Plummer at 6.2 and Aritta Lane at 5.7 per game. A Dec. 13 victory over Santa Clara proved to be a telling example, as the Bulldogs outrebounded the Broncos 48-33 overall and 23-8 on the offensive glass.
Perera Bombing Away
Freshman Chantella Perera is quickly becoming a fixture in the Bulldog's starting lineup. After pouring in a career-high 25 points in a win over Boise State on Feb. 14, Perera scored 28 points in two games last week (15 vs. Tulsa, 13 vs. Rice). Perera, who has made six starts, is 27-94 overall from the field, with 20 of those coming in the form of three-pointers. As a result, she currently ranks fourth on the team in scoring with 7.8 ppg in 11 games played.
Turnovers Have Plagued The 'Dogs
Fresno State has committed 557 turnovers to lead the WAC. The Bulldogs are averaging 21.4 miscues per game and have tallied at least 20 turnovers or more in a game 15 times. Twice the team has handed the ball away 30 times, resulting in a win (53-50 vs. Denver) and a loss (81-59 at Louisiana Tech). Fresno State's opponents are averaging 19.2 turnovers. In 2002-03, Fresno State made 632 turnovers the entire year. Nevada ranks just ahead of the Bulldogs with 555 turnovers.
Shaking It Off
The Bulldogs are now 8-7 in games following a loss this season. Last year, Fresno State was 8-3 in games following a defeat, compared to 5-14 in 2001-02
Close Calls Going The Other Way
20 out of Fresno State's 34 games in 2002-03 were decided by 10 points or less, with the Bulldogs posting an impressive 14-6 record in such games. This season has been a little different, as the team has played 12 games within 10 points and is sporting a 5-7 record under those circumstances. The Bulldogs are 2-2 in games decided by three points or less, with those losses coming at home in conference play (48-46 to Hawai'i and 52-50 to Boise State).
Freshman Stepping Up For The 'Dogs
Part of Fresno State's early success has hinged on the contributions it has received from three freshmen: Paige Diggs, Brittani Green and Jasmine Plummer.
- Paige Diggs: Diggs enjoyed her best game of the year on Dec. 13 against Santa Clara when she established career highs in points (9) and rebounds (6). Against UTEP on Jan. 17, she played 23 minutes. She is averaging just 3.2 ppg but has provided a spark off the bench the 'Dogs. She is 5-13 from beyond the arc so far this year.
- Brittani Green: The Dallas, Texas, native is developing into a solid post option for the Bulldogs. Green notched a career-high 14 points in a loss at Rice on Jan. 22 and was 10-13 from the charity stripe in that contest. She has been active on the glass, grabbing 73 rebounds and has been consistent from the foul line with an 44-61 clip. She has pulled down at least five boards in a game eight times. Green is sixth on the club in scoring with 4.6 ppg.
- Jasmine Plummer: Aggressive on defense and opportunistic on offense, Plummer notched five assists in her first career game at Washington State and is second on the team with 46. She is currently fifth in scoring with 6.4 ppg and is second on the club in rebounding at 6.2 per contest. Plummer is also leading the team in steals with 37 on the year. Her 19 blocked shots are a team-best.
Driving The Lane
Junior forward Aritta Lane is having an impressive year. Lane is averaging a team-best 12.2 ppg and ranks third in rebounding at 5.7 per game. She is also 79-120 from the free-throw line. Against Santa Clara on Dec. 13, she paced the Bulldogs with a career-high 25 points, and has led the team in scoring 11 times. Lane, tabbed WAC Player of the Week for Dec. 8-14, was also named to All-Tournament Teams at the Fresno State Classic and Oklahoma State Cowgirl Classic.
Clark Controls The Paint
Senior center Mindy Clark has developed into one of the premier post players in the WAC. Clark is currently averaging 8.1 ppg, a clip that is good enough for third on the squad. She is also leading the team with 8.2 rebounds per game and 212 overall. She has recorded six double-doubles this year, including three in the last seven games. In a win over Boise State on Feb. 14, Clark established a career-highs with 16 boards to go along with 14 points. Against Cal State Fullerton on Dec. 19, she recorded her first career double-double with a 11 boards and 10 points. Clark has started a career-best 21 games.
Mack Attack
Junior guard Veronica Mack is having a breakthrough season, setting career highs in almost every statistical category. Mack is second on the team in scoring at 8.5 ppg and poured in a career-best 19 against Cal State Fullerton on Dec. 19 before matching the mark two days later at UCLA. She has displayed a knack for hitting the three-point basket, as she leads the team with 44 treys in 152 chances. Mack is averaging a team-best 27.8 minutes per game.
Home Sweet Home
13 games were played at the Save Mart Center in 2003-04 and the home crowds were impressive. Fresno State, which finished 7-6 at home, topped the 4,000 mark every game, with the 5,237 fans that turned out for last weekend's contest against Nevada representing the largest crowd in program history. The Bulldogs drew 61,026 total fans this year and averaged 4,694 per game- both program records. This year's success comes on the heels of last year, in which the Bulldogs finished 13-2 at home. 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.
.
