Dec. 5, 2000
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San Diego State Aztecs (3-4) at
San Jos? State Spartans (3-2)
DAY/DATE: Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2000
PLACE: The Event Center (5,000), San Jos?, Calif.
TIME: 6 p.m. PST
SERIES: Aztecs lead, 16-2
WEBCAST: Wednesday night's game at San Jos? State can be heard live over the Internet at www.goaztecs.com. Dan Lawton will handle the play-by-play for all road contests with Bill Earley (p-b-p) and Tammy Blackburn (analysis) calling the home webcasts.
San Diego State Storyline
The San Diego State women's basketball team (3-4) closes out a four-game road trip Wednesday night, when the Aztecs travel to San Jos? State (3-2) to meet the Spartans. The game, which pits former Western Athletic Conference rivals, will be the 19th meeting between the two teams. SDSU is coming off one of its most successful weeks on the road in recent seasons, including victories at Portland State and versus Alcorn State in the opening round of the Unilever Lady Tiger Classic at Missouri.
A Quick Look At The Aztecs
Winners of two of its last three (all on the road), San Diego State enters Wednesday night's game at San Jos? State with a 3-4 record...SDSU's three wins in seven games marks its fastest start under current head coach Barb Smith...Last year, the Aztecs opened their season 2-8 before winning game No. 3 at CS Fullerton on Dec. 30...San Diego State's back-to-back wins versus Alcorn State and Portland State last week were the first consecutive wins away from campus for the Aztecs since SDSU won the 1997 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament in Las Vegas...Much of San Diego State's success thus far has been due to the impact of a pair of newcomers, junior Tanisha Knight and freshman Nicolette McCartny...Knight has scored in double figures in each of the Aztecs seven games this season and enters Wednesday's game as SDSU leading scorer (14.1 ppg) and rebounder (5.3 rpg)...McCartny, the Mountain West's field-goal percentage leader (71.7 percent) is the only other Aztec currently averaging double figures in scoring (10.6 ppg).
About San Jos? State
Head coach Janice Richard, in her second season at San Jos? State, has the Spartans on the brink of one of the nation's top turnarounds...After winning just three games all of last year, San Jos? State enters the week with a 3-2 record, including a 73-64 win at Weber State Saturday...Hot-shooting junior college-transfer Atari Parker leads the Spartans in both scoring (18.2 ppg) and rebounding (6.4 rpg)...SJSU has also gotten solid performances from newcomers Danada Smith (12.6 ppg) and Cricket Williams (11.2 ppg), while freshman Tatiana Taylor has been a surprising force on the boards (6.2 rpg).
Series Shorts
Wednesday night's game at the Event Center will be the 19th in a series that to Dec. 3, 1977...San Diego State has dominated the series, winning 16 of the previous 18 encounters, including six in a row...The Aztecs have also had good luck in San Jos?, winning all seven contests between the two schools in the Bay Area, including the last meeting, a 78-46 victory over the Spartans on Feb. 27, 1999 to close out the '98-99 campaign...Head coach Barb Smith is 4-0 against San Jos? State.
SDSU Versus The Current WAC
San Diego State's game at San Jos? State will be its second versus a Western Athletic Conference school since the Aztecs left to join the Mountain West. Last season, SDSU defeated TCU, 63-51, in Cox Arena. The Aztecs are 73-33 (.689) all time against current WAC affiliates.
The Last Time We Met
Three Aztecs finished in double figures as San Diego State completed a season sweep of the Spartans with a 78-46 victory at the Event Center on Feb. 27, 1999. Claire Swinbank and Charley Murray led the way with 13 points each as SDSU ran out to a 40-19 halftime lead. The Aztecs, who also got 10 points from Atim Otii, led by as many as 34 during the second half. Aisha McGee and Ayana Smith each scored 11 to lead San Jos? State.
Most Recently - Aztecs Fall In Unilever Lady Tiger Classic Final
Junior Tanisha Knight scored a career-high 22 points and San Diego State got another 15 from junior Claire Swinbank, but it wasn't enough to overcome high-scoring Missouri as the Tigers defeated the Aztecs, 89-69, in the championship game of the Unilever Lady Tiger Classic Saturday night in Columbia. Missouri (5-1) was paced by tournament MVP Amanda Lassiter, who led all scorers with 31 points. Tracy Franklin and Marlena Williams each added 16 for the Tigers, who captured their fourth straight Lady Tiger Classic. Freshman Nicolette McCartny also finished in double figures for San Diego State (3-4), which had won its last two on the road. Missouri threatened to turn the game into a rout on several occasions. But the Aztecs, who were never able to find an answer in last year's battle in San Diego, countered all but the final Tiger run with one of their own. San Diego State trailed 40-31 at intermission and by 18 with just under 18 minutes to play after Missouri opened the second half with a 9-0 run. The Aztecs, however, responded with a 14-2 spurt of their own, including seven points from Knight, to close the Tigers' lead to 51-46. But that's as close as SDSU would get as Lassiter took over the game down the stretch, scoring seven of the Tigers' next 10 points to put the contest out of reach. An Aztec Win Wednesday Night Would...
* Move San Diego State back to .500 for the second time this season.
* Put San Diego State at .500 or better after eight games for the first time since the Aztecs opened the 1997-98 campaign 5-3.
* Give head coach Barb Smith her 30th victory at San Diego State.
* Mark the first time since '97-98 that SDSU has won three games in a single season away from campus.
* Improve SDSU to 17-2 all time versus San Jos? State.
Aztecs in Midst of Brutal Road Swing
When you open with six of your first eight on the road, your bound to have some tough weeks. After a brief, two-games-in-two-days glimpse of Cox Arena last weekend, San Diego State opened a four-game road trip last Tuesday at Portland State. The Aztecs then return home for a short 20-hour layover in San Diego before heading to Missouri for the Lady Tiger Classic at 7 a.m. Thursday. SDSU wraps up the road trip at San Jos? State on Dec. 6.
The Road Less Traveled
After winning just once on the road in 1999 and twice last year, San Diego State already has a pair of road wins under its belt this season. In fact, combining last year's season-ending victory at Colorado State with last week's back-to-back wins over Portland State and Alcorn State, the Aztecs have played .500 ball on the road in their last six regular-season contests. It is the best six-game road stretch since winning 5-of-6 away from campus to close out the 1996-97 campaign.
3-4 Start Best Under Smith
Though San Diego State's 3-4 record isn't going to gain the Aztecs any top-25 votes, it is SDSU's best seven-game start since the 1996-97 season, when SDSU opened 5-2. It is also the fastest the Aztecs have notched three wins in a season under Smith. Last year, SDSU started its season 2-8 before defeating CS Fullerton, 80-51, on Dec. 30 for win No. 3.
Getting Defensive
San Diego State opened last week by holding Portland State and Alcorn State to an average of 46.5 points. It was the fewest points in back-to-back games since Portland (50) and Indiana State (39) combined to score just 89 points (44.5 ppg) in game Nos. 2 and 3 last season. Alcorn State's 25.8 percent shooting percentage on Friday night was one of the lowest ever by an Aztec opponent. SDSU held Loyola Marymount to just 20.8-percent shooting on Dec. 17, 1994 to set the school record.
Streaky Shooting
San Diego State has improved its shooting dramatically over a year ago. Last season, the Aztecs shot just 40.4 percent from the field. This year, SDSU is connecting on 46.4 percent of its shots. In fact, the Aztecs have shot better than 50 percent in 6-of-14 halves thus far. San Diego State's 67 percent second-half shooting percentage against Alcorn State was the third time this season that the Aztecs have shot better that 60 percent in a half. The Aztecs shot over 60 percent in both halves versus Illinois State, to finish at 68 percent (32-of-47). That performance broke a 13-year-old school record, eclipsing the old mark of 65 percent (34-of-50) set on Jan. 19, 1987, versus Hawaii.
SDSU Turnovers Hit Bear Market
After struggling in the turnover department much of last season, San Diego State has cut its turnovers four per game in 2000-01. SDSU averaged 22.5 last year and enters Wednesday's games averaging 18.5. Though they had 22 miscues at Missouri, it was a far cry from last year's game when SDSU committed 37 versus the Tigers. The Aztecs have already posted three games with 17 or fewer, including just 12 last Tuesday at Portland State -- SDSU's fewest turnovers since committing just eight versus Pepperdine on Dec. 7, 1996.
Special Service
In addition to taking better care of the ball this season, San Diego State has also made better decisions with the ball. The Aztecs, who rank fourth in the Mountain West Conference in assists with 16.9 per game, have already had two games -- Illinois State and Portland State -- in which assists outnumbered turnovers. SDSU had only one game all of last year with a positive assist-to-turnover ratio.
Slow Starts and Fast Finishes
Through seven games this year, San Diego State has shown itself to be a second-half team. The Aztecs, who are averaging 63.7 ppg on offense, have scored more points in the second half of every game thus far for an average of 11.7 points more after intermission. SDSU's biggest second-half surge came versus Alcorn State, when the Aztecs doubled their first-half production (20) in the second period (40). Earlier this year at LMU, the Aztecs reeled of 17 more points after the break than they did in the opening session. Overall, SDSU has scored 60 percent of its points after halftime.
Stop, Thief
One of San Diego State's most amazing turnarounds this season has been in the steals category. Through seven games, the Aztecs rank tied for second in the Mountain West Conference in steals per game at 10.14. SDSU picked off another 10 versus Alcorn State and now has notched double-digit steals in three games on the year. Last season, SDSU averaged just 8.5 spg, good for seventh in the eight-team league, and finished with double-figures in steals just 10-of-28 games.
Who's Got Next?
It looks as if Barb Smith has achieved her goal of having a much more balanced offensive team in 2000-01. The Aztecs have played just seven games thus far and already have had four different leading scorers. Most recently, freshman Nicolette McCartny poured in a game- and season-high 17 versus Alcorn State to take high-scorer honors. Sophomore Jamey Cox has led the way three times, junior Tanisha Knight twice and junior Atim Otii once.
Good Knight!
Just how big has junior Tanisha Knight been for the Aztecs since arriving from Central Arizona JC? Knight, who has scored in double figures in all seven games, leads San Diego State in both scoring (14.1) and rebounding (5.4). In fact, her 14.1 ppg average ranks fourth in the Mountain West Conference. Knight had an impressive three-game stretch last week for the Aztecs. After opening up with 17 points in SDSU's win at Portland State, the junior score 12 points against Alcorn State before pouring a team- and career-high 22 against Missouri. SDSU's leading scorer in two games this season, Knight has also connected on over 77 percent of her free throws (27-of-35), and was an all-tournament selection at both the Pacific Bell Classic as well as the Unilever Lady Tiger Classic.\
Surprise Story
There may not be a better story in the Mountain West Conference that Freshman Nicolette McCartny. Lightly recruited out of high school despite putting up impressive numbers, the Chicago native has done nothing but shine since arriving on Montezuma Mesa. The league's leader in field goal percentage at 71.7 percent, McCartny has finished in double figure in 5-of-7 games and is second on the team in scoring (10.6 ppg). McCartny was at her best last week versus Alcorn State, finishing with a game- and season-high 17 points on 7-for-8 shooting. She came back the following night to score 14 against Missouri. McCartny's other double figure scoring games came at Montana (11), LMU (10) and versus Illinois State (11).
Holiday Season Starts Early For Lee
The holiday season is a time for giving and SDSU's Shannon Lee has apparently gotten into the spirit early. Last year's Mountain West Conference assist leader, Lee, did herself one better versus Illinois State, dishing out a league-record 14 versus the Redbirds. It was also the fourth-best single-game total in San Diego State history and the most since Michelle Miles totaled 14 against Fresno State on Jan. 21, 1992. SDSU's record holder is Crystal Lee (no relation), who had 16 against Long Beach State on Feb. 1, 1990. Shannon Lee now owns the five best assist games in the MWC's short history. Her 39 assists so far this season has also moved her into eighth place on SDSU's career assist chart with 274. Lee needs just 13 more to surpass Sandy Wright (292) for seventh and 20 to overtake Shelda Arceneaux (299) for sixth.
Dishes and Drives
Claire Swinbank hasn't quite hit mid-season form, but the junior has certainly regained much of her stride. Swinbank, who is averaging 7.1 ppg, scored a season-high 15 against Missouri in the championship game of the Unilever Lady Tiger Classic. In the previous two games, Swinbank used her passing to have an impact, dishing out a career high seven assists versus Portland State and four more against Alcorn State -- both were team-highs. Swinbank is the fourth Aztec this season to post at least five assists in a game - Shannon Lee (five times), Jamey Cox (5 vs. Illinois State) and Tanisha Knight (6 vs. LMU) are the others.
Back To Her Old Tricks
Sophomore Jamey Cox has picked up right where she left off as a true freshman, leading the Aztecs in scoring three of SDSU first five games. Cox opened the 2000-01 campaign with 13 points versus the Lady Griz before scoring 12 against the Lions. She added a team-high 21 in the championship game of the Pacific Bell Classic versus Chattanooga and has now finished in double figures in 24-of-33 collegiate games, including five 20+ point performances. Last season, Cox finished fifth in the MWC scoring race with a 13.7 ppg average. She enters this week's play with an 9.0 ppg average after being held scoreless for the first time in her collegiate career at Portland State.
Ouch, That's Gotta Hurt
It may be early, but San Diego State has already suffered its share of injuries. After missing all of the 1999-00 campaign with a torn left ACL, Sophia Sledge received another setback in practice Nov. 8 when she suffered a broken right thumb. The injury is expected to sideline the senior guard until late December. Junior Missy Schomaker also missed SDSU's second exhibition after suffering a broken nose in practice Nov. 7. Most recently, sophomore guard Nicole Bemi-Morrison suffered a concussion in Monday's workout when she was knocked to the floor by teammate Andrea Kiesling prior to the Portland State game. Both players were cleared for action for last weekend's tournament.