Nov. 21, 2001
UC San Diego (0-0) at
San Diego State (1-1)Friday -- November 23, 2001
Cox Arena at Aztec Bowl (12,414)
San Diego, Calif.
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m.
Webcast: For the second consecutive season all San Diego State women's basketball games can be heard live over the Internet at www.goaztecs.com. Bill Earley (p-b-p) and Tammy Blackburn (color) will call all the home webcasts, with Dan Lawton handling the play-by-play from the road.
The Records: San Diego State is 1-1 after dropping a 74-60 decision Sunday at California. Friday's game will be the season opener for UC San Diego (0-0).
In The RPI: San Diego State ended the 2000-01 campaign as one of the nation's most improved teams according to the RPI rankings. SDSU closed out 2000-01 ranked No. 134 in the RPI, an improvement of 95 spots over its ranking of 229 in 1999-00.
SDSU Coach Barb Smith: Smith (Ohio State '86) is in her fifth season at San Diego State. She owns an overall record of 40-69 (. 367) with the Aztecs.
UCSD Coach Judy Malone: Malone (UCSD '74) is in her 26th seson with at UCSD. She owns a 356-273 record with the Tritons.
Series History: Friday's game will be the first in nearly 23 years between the Aztecs and Tritons. San Diego State won the only previous meeting between the two schools, scoring a 72-33 victory Nov. 28, 1978.
San Diego State Returns Home to Face UC San Diego Friday Night At Cox Arena
The San Diego State women's basketball team, 1-1, will try to get back in to the win column Friday night when the Aztecs host Division II UC San Diego at 7:30 p.m. in Cox Arena.
The Aztec opened the season at home with a 63-54 come-from-behind victory over Cal Poly, but were unable to sustain the momentum during a brief one-game visit to the Bay Area, dropping a 74-60 decision at California.
The game will serve as the season opener for UC San Diego, which is coming off a 15-12 campaign in 2000-01, its first at the Division II level.
Long Time, No See
San Diego State and UC San Diego have not met since a 72-33 Aztec victory on Nov. 28, 1978. In fact, it's been so long since the Aztecs and Tritons did battle that none of SDSU's current players were even born the last time the two squads faced one another.
City Champs
Playing an intra-city rival has been been a positive experience for San Diego State through the years. Since its inaugural season, the Aztecs are 28-1 against San Diego-based universities.
However, it's been a while since the SDSU played one of its cross-town foes as the Aztecs have not squared off with a local school since defeating San Diego, 55-34, Nov. 26, 1996.
The Next Best Thing
With San Diego State's shot at its first 2-0 start in eight years out the window, the Aztecs will be looking to open a season 2-1 for the first time since the 1996-97 campaign. SDSU, which has started each of the last three season 0-2, has won at least twice in its first three games 16 times in its history, including seven straight between 1991-97.
Inside The Aztecs
Through two games, San Diego State is still searching for consistency. The Aztecs have looked brilliant at times, like during a 25-7 run that virtually erased a 19-point deficit at Cal, and not so good at others (i.e. a six-minute first-half drought vs. the Bears).
Still, the overall assessment from a year ago is better. The Aztecs are shooting the ball at a higher percentage as well as rebounding better.
The Aztecs have been led thus far by senior forward Atim Otii, who is shooting at an 85-percent clip from the field and is the team's leading scorer, averaging 15.0 ppg. Otii also ranks third on the team in rebounds with 11, including 10 in the season opener versus Cal Poly.
Jamey Cox is the only other Aztec to have scored in double figures in both games - 11 vs. Cal Poly and 13 at Cal. Cox is also tied for the team lead in 3-pointers with four.
The only other Aztec averaging double figures in Claire Swinbank with 10.5 ppg. She led the Aztecs at Cal with a game-high 15 points and is shooting over 56 percent from the floor.
Ashonda Williams, who had a team-high nine rebounds at Cal, and Valencia Howard are the Aztecs' leaders on the boards, averaging 7.5 and 7.0 rebounds, respectively.
A Quick Look At UC San Diego
UC San Diego will be making its 2001-02 to season debut Friday night, when the Tritons visit Cox Arena. UCSD returns two starters and 10 letterwinners from last season's 15-12 (11-11 CCAA) campaign, its first at the Division II level.
Senior guard Maya Fok is the Tritons' leading returning scorer. She averaged 10.8 ppg a year ago and also dished out 100 assists.
UCSD is coached by Judy Malone. Entering her 26th season with the Tritons, the 1974 UCSD grad owns a 356-273 record.
And The Tritons Make Three
San Diego State will serve as a season-opening opponent for the third straight time Friday night against UC San Diego. Last week, the Aztecs faced Cal Poly in the season opener for both squads, while Sunday's game at Cal was the 2001-02 lid-lifter for the Golden Bears.
Noting SDSU's Game At Cal
San Diego State fell to 1-1 on the season with its 74-60 loss at California, Sunday.
SDSU clawed its way back from a 19-point deficit and trailed by just two with seven minutes to play but could manage just a single field goal over the next six minutes of the game.
San Diego State shot nearly 50 percent from the field and had more looks at the basket than Cal, but turned the ball over 26 times.
Three Aztecs finished in double figures, paced by Claire Swinbank's game-high 15 points.
Atim Otii (14 points ) and Jamey Cox (13 points) finished in double figures for the second straight game.
Otii and Morgan Vargas both fouled out as Cal went to the free-throw line 38 times compared to just nine trips by the Aztecs. It is the first time two Aztecs have fouled out of one game since last year's season opener at Montana.
Ashonda Williams led all players with a game-high nine rebounds.
Eyes It, Skys It and Buys It
If the first two games are any indication, San Diego State should be tremendously improved on the offensive end this season. In the Cal Poly and California games, the Aztecs were a combined 44-of-99 (44 percent) from the field, up from last year's 42 percent and a dramatic improvement from the 39 percent the Aztecs shot during the 1998-99 season.
Four players have shot over 50 percent in each of the first two games, including team leaders Atim Otii (85 percent) and Claire Swinbank (56 percent).
Oh, Those Pesky Turnovers
Despite shooting better from the floor, turnovers have helped to negate the Aztecs' offensive production, however. San Diego State has turned the ball over 26 times in each of the first two games, which goes a long way toward explaining SDSU's 61.5 ppg scoring average.
Last season, the Aztecs averaged just 19.7 turnovers in 28 games - and improvement of nearly three miscues per game over the 1999-00 season.
Better On The Boards
After being outrebounded by over four boards per game a year ago, San Diego State appears to have gotten a handle on its rebounding woes. Through two games, the Aztecs are +3.0 in the rebound column, and have three players who have gathered at least nine boards in a game this year.
Cruising To Victory At 60
Over the past two seasons, the number 60 has been key for the Aztecs. When San Diego State has held an opponent below 60 points during the last two years the Aztecs are 20-6 (.769). The formula has held in both games thus far in 2001-02 as the Aztec held Cal Poly to just 54 points in their season-opening victory, but yielded 74 points in their loss at Cal.
Going To The Glass
Junior-college transfers Ashonda Williams and Valencia Howard have been pleasant surprises in the rebounding department through two games. The pair, which played the last two seasons together at Contra Costa College, rank 1-2 on the team in rebounding with Williams averaging 7.5 rpg and Howard 7.0. Williams led all players with a game-high nine Sunday at Cal, while Howard shared game-high honors with Atim Otii in the opener, clearing 10 in her major-college debut.
Ashonda As Advertised
Junior-college transfer Ashonda Williams came to San Diego State with a reputation as a big-time scorer after scoring over 1,200 points in just two seasons at Contra Costa College. Through four games, including a pair of exhibitions, Williams has put 16-point outings versus USA Elite and Cal Poly.
Williams, who led the California state JC ranks in three-point shooting last season, has also been solid from beyond the arc and was 4-for-7 from 3-point land against the Mustangs in the opener.
Otii Opens On Fire
If senior Atim Otii is out to prove her 2000-01 Mountain West all-conference accolades were no fluke she's on the right path. After two games, Otii is shooting at a lights-out 85 percent clip (11-for-13), including a perfect 6-for-6 performance at California.
The only Aztec other than Jamey Cox to finish in double figure in each of SDSU's first two games, Otii notched just her third career double-double in the season opener against Cal Poly, scoring 16 points, including 14 in the second half, and tying for game-high rebounding honors with 10 boards.
Just Try To Keep Her Out Of The Lineup
Otii, the only Aztec to start every game over the past two seasons, started her 58th-consecutive contest last Sunday at California.
Cox Does It Again
Jamey Cox has made a habit of scoring in double figures during her two-year career on The Mesa. The junior is at it again in 2001-02, finishing with 11 points versus Cal Poly and 13 points at California. She has now scored in double digits in 37-of-56 (66 percent) games during her Aztec career.
The Aztecs' leading scorer for the past two seasons, Cox has a real shot at becoming SDSU's first 1,000-point scorer since Jodi Nowlin-Tres in 1997. She enters the UC San Diego game with 682 points.
Hot Starter
No Aztec has been hotter in SDSU's four game this season (including two exhibitions) than guard Claire Swinbank. The senior was the lone player to finish in double figures in both preseason exhibition games, pouring in a game-high 19 points against Team Concept and adding a double-double (11 points/11 rebounds) versus USA Elite.
After a six-point outing versus Cal Poly, Swinbank came back to lead the Aztecs in points against California, scoring a game-high 15 in 38 minutes of work.
In the four games, Swinbank is averaging 10.0 ppg, over three point above her career average (6.8 ppg).