Fresno State Athletics
Road Success To Be Tested This Weekend
1/31/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 31, 2005
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Fresno State Bulldogs (12-6, 4-5 WAC) at
Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (12-5, 8-1 WAC)
Date: Thu., Feb. 3
Time: 4:30 p.m. PST
Site: Ruston, La.
Facility (capacity): Thomas Assembly Center (8,000)
Series History: Louisiana Tech leads 9-0
Last Meeting: Louisiana Tech 80, Fresno State 70
(Jan. 8, 2005 at Fresno, Calif.)
Radio: ESPN 1430 AM- live (Play-by-play: Brian Risso)
Tip-Off
Fresno State (12-6, 4-5 WAC) stands at 8-1 on the road, although that mark will be put to the test this weekend against the WAC's top two teams. The Bulldogs begin the road swing with a contest at conference leader Louisiana Tech, which is now 12-5 overall and 8-1 in league action. The Lady Techsters, who got off to a slow start, have turned things around enough to be receiving poll votes. Two days later, Fresno State will square off against second-place SMU (15-4, 6-3 WAC) in Dallas. The Bulldogs have won four of their last six games against the Mustangs but were beaten earlier this season at home.
Scouting Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech (12-5, 8-1 WAC) began the season with a 4-4 start through eight non-conference games but has emerged as the WAC's top team. The Lady Techsters have been playing like three-time defending conference champions during the first half of league play. The only blemish came last week in a rare defeat at Boise State, where the Broncos won a 62-59 decision and ended the Lady Techsters' 23-game conference winning streak. That means Louisiana Tech will be ready to play when the Bulldogs visit the Thomas Assembly Center, where the home team is undefeated in WAC competition. Louisiana Tech, receiving votes in the AP poll, is outscoring its opponents 68.2-63.2. Players to watch include: Tasha Crain (16.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 90-114 from the free throw line, 71 assists), Tamika Kursh (6.9 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and Erica Taylor (3 games played, preseason WAC Player of the Year pick). Head coach Kurt Budke is in his third year.
Fresno State All-Time vs. Louisiana Tech
The series has been lopsided, as Louisiana Tech has won all nine meetings played between the two schools. The Lady Techsters have won seven of those games by at least 20 points. The other two contests have resulted in 10-point Louisiana Tech wins at Fresno, the most recent of which came back on Jan. 8 in an 80-70 defeat at the Save Mart Center. Fresno State is 0-3 in Ruston.
Scouting SMU
Fresno State's second stop on this weekend's road trip will be in Dallas, where the Bulldogs battle SMU (15-4, 6-3 WAC). Since embarking on an eight-game winning streak that peaked with a 68-59 win over the Bulldogs on Jan. 6, the Mustangs are just 3-3 in their last six games. SMU, which is 10-2 at home this year and will face Nevada on Thursday night, swept a pair of road games last week at UTEP and Boise State. SMU has outscored its opponents 67.3-56.7 on the year and is outrebounding its foes 44.3-40.2 per game. The Mustangs rely on the following: Janielle Dodds (14.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg), Katie Gross (9.8 ppg, 38-87 from three-point territory for 43-percent) and Kendall Shead (8.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 92 assists, 47 steals). Rhonda Rompola is 250-155 all-time in her career at SMU.
Fresno State All-Time vs. SMU
SMU owns a 9-6 edge in the all-time series, which dates back to 1998. The Bulldogs have won four of the last six meetings, although the Mustangs recorded a 68-59 victory at the Save Mart Center on Jan. 6. Fresno State entered that game 10-1 at the time and will be looking to avenge the loss. Fresno State's only win in Dallas came two years ago, when the Bulldogs won 77-70 in overtime on Feb. 15, 2003. The Bulldogs are 1-5 all-time on the road against SMU.
February Is Finally Here
After an impressive 10-1 start to the season, Fresno State has encountered a road block as of late. The Bulldogs have lost five of their last seven and that continues what has become an unfamiliar trend. Since head coach Stacy Johnson-Klein's arrival in 2002, Fresno State squads have typically struggled during the month of January. However, the Bulldogs have always managed to regroup down the stretch run and establish the best possible position for WAC Tournament play. Fresno State is a combined 18-8 in the final two months of the season under Johnson-Klein.
20-20 Club
Amy Parrish and Chantella Perera both reached the 20-point mark in last weekend's 75-67 win over Nevada, signaling the first time that two Fresno State players scored 20 points or more in a game since the start of the 2001 campaign. Prior to Saturday, the last time the feat occurred was in a 71-65 win over Cal State Northridge on Nov. 22, 2001, as Lindsay Logan scored 25 and Omelogo Udeze 22.
`Dogs Find Their Touch
After watching their shooting percentage dwindle in five straight games, the Bulldogs turned in one of their best efforts of the year against Nevada last week. Fresno State made 28-of-57 from the field for a 49.1-percent clip, possibly a good omen considering the 2005 WAC Tournament will be played at the Lawlor Events Center. Prior to Saturday, Fresno State had reached the 40-percent mark twice since Jan. 1 and bottomed out with a season-low 28.9-percent in a 67-61 loss to Tulsa.
Lane Looking At A Record?
Senior Aritta Lane is currently 84-148 from the field, translating into a shooting percentage of 56.8-percent. Kellie Murphy is Fresno State's record holder for field goal percentage in a single season, setting the standard at 58.7-percent during the 1984-85 campaign. Lane ranks third in the conference in that category, behind national leader Amber Jackson of San Jose State (69.6-percent) and Tulsa's Jillian Robbins (57.1-percent).
Press Wreaking Havoc For Opponents
A swarming, quick pressure defense has yielded favorable results for Fresno State, which has now forced a combined 100 turnovers over the last four games. In those contests, Fresno State has also come up with a total of 51 steals. The results have been easy lay-ups in transition and a renewed sense of energy on defense.
Score at the Half
Not sure how the Bulldogs will fare against an opponent? Enjoy the first 20 minutes then glance at the scoreboard at halftime. The `Dogs are 11-1 when either leading or tied at the half and 0-5 when trailing. Fresno State is outscoring its opponents 575-515 in the first half and 635-601 in the second.
Road Warriors...but the streak is over
A 68-64 loss at UTEP on Jan. 15 was Fresno State's first of the season, as the Bulldogs entered the game tied with the University of Richmond for the best road record in the nation at 7-0. The defeat also snapped Fresno State's 10-game winning streak (dating back to last year), which at the time was the longest active road winning streak in Division 1 women's basketball.
Winning The Rebound Battle
Fresno State has outrebounded its opponents by an average of 42.6 to 35.7 per game, a margin of +6.9 that currently leads the WAC. The Bulldogs have outrebounded their opponents 13 times this year and are 9-4 in such situations. Fresno State has tallied at least 40 rebounds on 13 different occasions and recorded a season-best 55 against San Diego on Dec. 5. Three players are averaging at least five boards: Aritta Lane at 6.7, Amy Parrish at 6.6 and Mirenda Swearengin at 5.3 per game.
If It's Not Broke...
Head coach Stacy Johnson-Klein used 11 different lineup combinations last year, the majority of those switches taking place during the team's eight-game losing skid. This season has been different, as Fresno State's lineup has changed four times. The Bulldogs won their first six games of the season with a lineup of Mirenda Swearengin, Chantella Perera, Toni Atherely and Amy Parrish.
Sharing Minutes
Eight of the 15 players who have appeared in at least one game are averaging at least 10 minutes of playing time. Brittani Green (9.7), Faith Pronbst (9.6) and Toni Atherley (8.9) are close behind and would bump that total to 11.
Parrish Contributing Inside
Junior forward Amy Parrish continues to emerge as a force inside. An 11-point, 13-rebound performance against Boise State on Jan. 13 gave Parrish her third double-double. She leads the team in scoring (11.9 ppg) and ranks second in rebounding (6.6 rpg). Parrish has scored in double-figures in nine straight games and 13 overall. In WAC action, she is averaging 14.8 ppg and 8.3 rpg.
Driving The Lane
Fresno State's leading scorer from a year ago, Lane is second in that category with 11.2 ppg while shooting 56.8-percent from the field (84-148). She also leads the club with 6.7 rebounds per game to aid Fresno State's assault on the boards. Lane, who has scored in double-figures 10 times and has led the team in scoring five times, matched her career-high with 25 points in a victory against San Diego back on Dec. 5. She recorded her third double-double of the year on Jan. 22 against Tulsa, with 18 points and 13 boards.
Her Engine Is Always Running
Junior guard Mirenda Swearengin has excited fans early and often with her no-look passes and lightning-quick speed. The transfer from New Mexico Junior College is third on the club in scoring with 9.9 points per game and leads the team in assists (4.0 per game) and three-pointers (25). Even more impressive, she ranks third on the team in rebounding with at 5.3 per game.
Shaking It Off
During the first two seasons under head coach Stacy Johnson-Klein, Fresno State demonstrated the ability to bounce back after a tough defeat. The Bulldogs were 9-3 following a loss during the 2002-03 season and 8-7 after a defeat last year. Fresno State is now 20-13 in games following a loss under Johnson-Klein.
Getting To The Line
The Bulldogs have made 221-332 (66.6-percent) from the foul line, while their opponents are just 188-281. Amy Parrish (50-73) and Aritta Lane (32-53) have been the most frequent visitors, but Veronica Mack's 90-percent clip (9-10) is the best on the roster.
