Jan. 14, 2002
Game No. 15San Diego State (8-6/0-1) at
No. 20/21 Colorado State (13-3/2-0)
Thursday - January 17, 2002
Moby Arena (8,745)
Fort Collins, Colo.
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Tip-Off: 7 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 dropped its conference opener at UNLV, 67-55, and enters the week 8-5 (0-1 MWC). No. 20/21 Colorado State is coming off a sweep at BYU and Utah and is 13-3 (2-0 MWC).
In The RPI: San Diego State enters the week ranked No. 168 in the most recent RPI rankings release by collegerpi.com. Colorado State is ranked No. 38.
SDSU Coach Barb Smith: Smith (Ohio State '86) is in her fifth season at San Diego State. She owns an overall record of 47-74 (.388) with the Aztecs.
CSU Coach Tom Collen: Collen (Bowling Green '77) is in his fifth year with the Rams and has guided CSU to a 118-29 (.803) record.
Series History: San Diego State has owned the all-time series and leads 15-5. Colorado State swept last year's meetings, winning in San Diego, 55-54, and Fort Collins, 81-67.
San Diego State Continues Conference-Opening Road Trip at No. 20/21 Colorado State Thursday
Coming off a heart-breaking 67-55 loss at UNLV Saturday in Las Vegas, San Diego State (8-6, 0-1 MWC) puts the wraps on its three-game conference-opening road trip this week with trips to No. 20/21 Colorado State, Thursday, Jan. 17, and Wyoming, Saturday, Jan. 19.
The Aztecs appeared poised to record one of the biggest upsets of the early Mountain West Conference season at UNLV and led the Lady Rebels by 17 points late in the first half. But UNLV's all-everything player Linda Frohlich sparked a 20-2 run that erased SDSU's advantage as the Aztecs let the Lady Rebels off the hook for the second straight season at the Thomas & Mack Center after running out to a double-digit lead.
Still, San Diego State's effort against arguably the MWC's hottest team -- the win was UNLV's 10th in a row and improved the Lady Rebels to 14-1 -- was commendable as SDSU held UNLV to just 39.6 percent shooting and out-rebounded the Lady Rebels, 36-33.
Things won't get any easier this week for the Aztecs, who take on their first ranked opponent of the season Thursday, No. 20/21 Colorado State (13-3, 2-0 MWC). Despite suffering injuries to key players, the Rams opened league action with a road sweep at BYU and Utah last week. CSU is 8-1 this year in Moby Arena.
A Quick Look At The Aztecs
Despite its loss at UNLV last Saturday night, San Diego State is playing its best basketball of the season. The Aztecs entered the UNLV game riding a three-game winning streak and led the Lady Rebels 36-26 at halftime before suffering just their second defeat in the last seven games.
Forward Atim Otii continues to lead the Aztecs in both points (11.4 ppg) and rebounds (5.9 rpg) and recorded her 11th double-digit scoring game of the season at UNLV with 13 points.
Guards Claire Swinbank (11.2 ppg) and Jamey Cox (10.2 ppg) are also averaging double figures, while forward Ashonda Williams, who hit 4-of-8 3-pointers at UNLV, is just below the mark at 9.8 ppg. Cox also leads the MWC in assists with 5.8 per game and has at least six assists 11 times this season.
What's At Stake For The Aztecs
* A win over Colorado State would be the first of conference play this season for San Diego State and snap a two-game losing streak versus the Rams.
* An Aztec victory over the Rams would also be SDSU's third in its last four trips to Fort Collins.
* With a win Thursday night, San Diego State would improve to 9-6 (1-1 MWC) and equal last year's start as its best under current head coach Barb Smith through 15 games.
* A win Thursday night would also mark the second straight season SDSU has opened Mountain West Conference play 1-1.
* The Aztecs will also be out to snap a six-game road conference losing streak Thursday night. San Diego State hasn't won in league play away from campus since defeating Air Force, 50-49, on Jan. 11, 2001.
Noting SDSU's Conference Opener at UNLV
* San Diego State led by 17 points with three minutes to play in the first half before UNLV scored the final seven points of the period to cut the Aztecs' lead to 36-26 at intermission.
* The Aztecs managed just two points coming out of the break as UNLV used a 15-2 run to overtake SDSU.
* San Diego State out-shot (42.3 percent to 39.6 percent) and out-rebounded (36-33) UNLV, but the Lady Rebels paraded to the free throw line 26 times while the Aztecs were granted a season-low six trips.
* UNLV became the seventh SDSU opponent to be held below 40-percent shooting in the last 10 games.
* Ashonda Williams led the Aztecs in scoring for the sixth time this season and equalled a pair of career-highs with 16 points and four 3-pointers. She also had a team-leading eight rebounds.
* The Aztecs lost for the first time this season when both Jamey Cox (10 points) and Claire Swinbank (13 points) scored in double figures.
* Swinbank and Cox extended their double-figure scoring streaks to five and four games, respectively
* Cox tied a season high with eight assists and has now had at least six assists in 11 games this year.
San Diego State-Colorado State Series Notes
* San Diego State leads the all-time series, 15-5. However, Colorado State has captured the last two encounters.
* The Rams won for the first time ever in San Diego last season and also posted their first-ever season sweep of the Aztecs.
* San Diego State has won three of the last four meetings in Fort Collins and is 6-3 all time against CSU in Moby Arena.
* San Diego State's last win in Fort Collins was a 58-51 upset of the Rams in the 1999-00 season finale on March 4, 2000. It was also the Aztecs' last win in the series.
* Four of the last five game in the series have been decided by 10 or fewer points, including a one-point CSU victory last season in San Diego.
* Aztec head coach Barb Smith is 2-2 all-time versus Colorado State and 1-1 in Fort Collins.
A Quick Look At Colorado State
The Mountain West Conference's only ranked team, No. 20/21 Colorado State (13-3. 2-0 MWC) is coming off a huge week in the Beehive State as the Rams toppled both BYU, 81-64, and Utah, 87-77 3ot, on the road to open league play.
The Rams, who have now won three games in a row and seven of their last nine, are 8-1 at home this season and have taken out the likes of defending national champion Notre Dame (then ranked No. 15) and Colorado (then ranked No. 11) this season in Moby Arena.
CSU returns four starters and nine letterwinners from last year's NCAA Tournament squad and like last season continues to be one of the MWC's most potent offensive clubs. The Rams average nearly 78 points per game and rank No. 2 in the Mountain West in scoring.
Forward Ashley Augspurger (14.6 ppg) leads the CSU offensive attack and ranks No. 6 in the Mountain West in scoring and No. 9 in rebounding (6.2 rpg). She has 12 double-figure scoring games thus far, including three 20-plus point performance, and has led the Rams on the scoreboard seven times.
Guards Angie Gorton (14.3 ppg) and Elizabeth English (13.0 ppg) are also scoring in double figures, however English is out for the remainder of the season after tearing the ACL in her right knee on Dec. 14. In her place, Colorado State has turned to sophomore Jasai Ferrucho and freshman Ashley Venekamp.
Center Shannon Strecker, who killed the Aztecs in Fort Collins last season with 22 points and 12 rebounds, leads the Rams on the glass and averages 6.4 rpg.
About The Game
Colorado State loves to press, run and force an up-tempo game. However, if the Aztecs try to get into a track meet with the Rams it could spell disaster.
In the last two seasons, San Diego State has held Colorado State below 60 points three times and come away winners twice. However, SDSU tried to run with CSU last year in Fort Collins and found itself on the wrong end of an 81-67 loss.
The Aztecs will have to keep the Rams' potent offensive attack in check again if they are to have a shot at victory Thursday in Fort Collins. CSU likes to pour it on has won by an average of 21 points in its 13 victories this year. The Rams are also 9-0 this season and 59-1 under head coach Tom Collen when scoring at least 80 points.
The Last Time We Met: SDSU at CSU 3/1/01
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Tempo, turnovers and too many second chances proved to be too much to overcome for San Diego State the last time the Aztecs faced the Rams, as Colorado State pinned an 81-67 loss on SDSU on March 1, 2001 at Moby Arena.
Claire Swinbank scored 18 points and Anita Bundage added 13 to lead SDSU.
Six Rams finished in double figures paced by Shannon Strecker, who led all scorers with 22 points. Strecker also pulled down 12 of CSU's 41 boards as the Rams finished with a 16-rebound advantage on the glass.
The Aztecs actually out-shot the Rams, 48 percent to 43 percent, but CSU's advantage on the offensive boards led to 26 more opportunities at the basket. Colorado State finished the game with 78 field goal attempts, the most of any SDSU opponent during the 2000-01 campaign.
Colorado State led 33-24 at intermission and took control of the game just four minutes into the second half, riding a 13-3 run to a 21-point lead, its biggest of the game. SDSU immediately responded with a 9-2 spurt of its own but never was able to get the deficit back to single digits as the Aztecs got as close as 10 with just over two minutes to play.
Still On A Roll
Despite falling at UNLV, 67-55, last Saturday, the Aztecs continue to play their best basketball of the season.
Winners of five of its last seven games, San Diego State had its three-game winning streak stopped in Las Vegas. Still, SDSU has outscored its opponent in seven of the last eight halves heading into Thursday's meeting with Colorado State.
Overall, San Diego State has won seven of its last 11 games after getting out to a 1-2 start.
Road Rules Remain in Effect
One down, two to go. After playing eight of its first 13 games on campus, San Diego State opened its string of three consecutive Mountain West Conference road games last week at UNLV. The Aztecs close out the three-game trip this week at CSU and Wyoming. In all, the Aztecs will play five of their first seven league games on the road, meaning that SDSU will play just twice in Cox Arena during the first month of the Mountain West season.
Road Rash
The road has not been kind to the Aztecs so far this season. San Diego State enters the week with a 2-4 record away from Cox Arena, including a 1-4 mark on enemy turf and will be looking to snap an six-game conference road losing streak when it meets Colorado State.
So far this season, the Aztecs have been a completely different team on the road, scoring nearly 16 points fewer and grabbing almost five less rebounds on average that they do in Cox Arena.
San Diego State does have two wins away from campus this season, defeating Prairie View A&M at TCU and winning at Missouri-Kansas City. The Aztecs' win at UMKC snapped an eight-game road losing streak dating to last season. SDSU's last conference road win came at Air Force, Jan. 11, 2001.
Winning Big
In its eight victories this season, San Diego State has won by an average of 17.5 points.
The Aztecs' 22-point victory over Portland State was its fourth this year by 20 or more points. Last year, SDSU posted only three wins of 20 or more points for the entire season.
Like Deja Vu All Over Again
San Diego State's three-game winning streak to close out its 2001-02 pre-conference schedule improved the Aztecs to 8-5 in non-conference games. It is the same record with which SDSU concluded its 2000-01 non-league slate and matches last year's start as its best under current head coach Barb Smith.
Like last year, the Aztecs took some time to gel out of the gates and closed non-conference play with victories in 5-of-6 games. A season ago, SDSU started out 3-5 before ending its pre-league schedule on a five-game winning streak.
Better On The Boards
* San Diego State has out-rebounded five straight opponents, including UNLV by three in Las Vegas Saturday night, and 8-of-14 overall heading into Thursday's game at Colorado State.
* Prior to the Creighton game -- the last time SDSU lost the rebounding war -- the Aztecs had been out-boarded in four straight and were averaging -3.4 rpg on the season.
* SDSU posted its largest rebounding margin of the year against Radford, grabbing 41 boards to RU's 24. The Highlanders' 24 rebounds were also the fewest by an Aztec opponent on the season.
* The Aztecs are on the plus-side in rebounding (+0.4 rpg), though not by much. It is the first time SDSU has had a positive rebound margin since the second game of the season.
* Last year SDSU finished up -4.1 in rebounding.
* So far this season, San Diego State is 6-2 when out-rebounding an opponent. The Aztecs lost for just the second time when dominating the glass at UNLV.
Getting Hot At The Right Time
San Diego State has shot over 50 percent from the floor twice in the last four games and over 40 percent in 10-of-14 contests this season.
By comparison, SDSU's opponents have reached the 40-percent plateau in just 6-of-14 games this year.
SDSU enters Thursday's game at CSU shooting 43.4 percent from the field this season to rank fourth in the Mountain West Conference.
You Gotta Make Your Free Throws
San Diego State's improved free throwing has helped it get back on the winning track of late.
After struggling from the charity stripe in the season's first seven games, San Diego State has connected on over 70 percent of its free throws in each of the last seven games (five of which were wins), including a season-best 79 percent (11-for-14) against Portland State.
SDSU Free Throws Games 1-7 Games 8-14Free Throws Made 67 86Free Throws Attempted 109 115Free Throw Percentage 61.5 74.8Record 3-4 5-2
The Best Offense Is...
San Diego State has held five of its last seven opponents below 60 points, winning all five games. In fact, just two opponents this season have managed to crack the 70-point barrier.
Saturday at UNLV, the Aztecs held the Lady Rebels to 13 points below their season scoring average, but still missed the key 60-point mark in a 67-55 loss.
Playing strong defense has been one of the big keys to victory over the past two seasons for SDSU, which is 26-6 (.813) during that span when holding an opponent under 60 points.
Either Way It's All Good
San Diego State has found it can win with both defense and offense this season. Through 14 games, the Aztecs are a perfect 5-0 when scoring at least 70 points. SDSU is also perfect (7-0) when holding an opponent below 60 points.
Getting Defensive - Aztecs No. 39 in FG% Defense
San Diego State has picked up the defensive intensity of late, holding seven of its last 10 opponents below 40- percent shooting and all 10 below 42 percent.
As a result, the Aztecs enter the week ranked 39th nationally and fourth in the Mountain West in field goal percentage defense at 38.3 percent, have now held over half of their 2001-02 opponents under 40 percent from the field, including San Jose State (36 percent), Sacramento State, (27 percent -- a season-low for an SDSU opponent), UMKC (33 percent), Radford (30 percent), Portland State (38 percent) and UNLV (39.6 percent) in six of their last eight games.
Since SDSU's win over Navy on Nov. 25th, opponents have connected on just 196-of-536 attempts (36.6 percent) from the field.
Stop, Thief
San Diego State's defensive intensity has been most obvious of late in the steals category. Over the last seven games -- five of which were SDSU wins -- the Aztecs have registered double-figure steals five times, and narrowly missed making it six with nine steals at UNLV. SDSU grabbed a season-high 20 against Radford and 18 versus Detroit to close out its pre-conference slate. The Aztecs are a perfect 6-0 this year when reaching double-digits in steals.
More Keys To Victory
Rebounding and turnovers continue to be keys to victory for San Diego State. The Aztecs have out-rebounded eight opponents and come away winners six times.
Creighton, which held SDSU to 35 percent shooting from the field, and UNLV, which shot 26 free throws to the Aztecs' six, are the only opponents to survive being out-boarded by SDSU. Sacramento State and UMKC are the only SDSU opponents to out-rebound the Aztecs and lose.
On the turnover front, San Diego State is 7-1 when committing fewer miscues. The only time the Aztecs have won the turnover battle but lost the war came versus UCSD when SDSU had three fewer miscues than the Tritons.
San Diego State has come away with fewer turnovers in five of its last seven games and is averaging fewer turnovers than its opponents this season.
Spreading The Wealth
San Diego State has also had seven players score in double digits at least twice. Atim Otii leads the way with 11 double-digit scoring games with Ashonda Williams and Claire Swinbank not far behind with nine each. Jamey Cox owns seven double-digit scoring games, while Morgan Vargas has three, and Missy Schomaker and Valencia Howard each have two.
Whose Got Next?
Through 14 games, the scoring has been spread around by the Aztecs, who have had five different players turn in high-point honors.
A Sweet Six
With its win over Portland State, San Diego State won its sixth non-conference home game of the year. It is the first time in six seasons that the Aztecs have posted six non-league home wins. Including its victory over the Vikings last Saturday, the Aztecs closed out their 2001-02 non-league home slate at 6-2, their most pre-conference home wins since SDSU went 6-0 at home in non-conference play during the 1995-96 campaign.
New To You
After using the same starting lineup in the first eight games of the season, SDSU head coach Barb Smith has shaken things up of late and has used a different set of starters in four of the last six games. Atim Otii, Jamey Cox and Claire Swinbank are the only Aztecs to have started all 13 games this season.
Starting Lineup (F-F-C-G-G) RecordWilliams, Otii, Vargas, Swinbank, Cox 4-4Schomaker, Otii, Vargas, Swinbank, Cox 1-0Schomaker, Otii, McCartny, Swinbank, Cox 0-1Knight, Otii, McCartny, Swinbank, Cox 2-0Williams, Howard, Otii, Swinbank, Cox 1-1
Offensive Output
Atim Otii continues to be one of the Mountain West's hottest shooters and enters the week ranked No. 3 in the league in field goal percentage.
Though she has only paced San Diego State on the scoreboard twice, Otii leads the Aztecs in double-figure scoring games with 11, including 10 points at UNLV last week. In addition to being a team best, her 11.4 ppg scoring average ranks 15th in the conference and is well above her 7.9 ppg career scoring average.
Crashing the Offensive Glass
Atim Otii may lead the Aztecs in rebounding with a solid 5.9 rebounds per game. But when you look inside the numbers the senior's totals become even more impressive. Through 14 games, over half of Otii's rebounds (42-of-83) have come on the offensive glass. Her 3.00 offensive rebounds per game rank fourth in the Mountain West Conference, while her overall rebounding total is just 11th.
Double Plays
In addition to being the Aztecs' leading scorer, Otii also leads the team in rebounding (5.9 rpg) and in double-doubles (3). The senior recorded double-double No. 3 of the season at Creighton with 12 points and a career-tying-best of 12 rebounds. Otii has also recorded double-doubles this year versus Cal Poly (16-10) and Navy (17-11).
More Than Ever Before
Otii entered 2001-02 with two career double-doubles. She has already exceeded that number this season alone and now owns five for her career. She is the only Aztec to post a double-double this year.
Starts Piling Up For Otii
San Diego State senior Atim Otii made her 69th consecutive start at UNLV. She is the only Aztec to start every game over the past two-plus seasons.
Michelle Suman owns SDSU's career record for consecutive starts with 118.
As Advertised
Junior-college transfer Ashonda Williams came to San Diego State with a reputation as a big-time scorer after pouring in over 1,200 points in just two seasons at Contra Costa College. Through 14 games, Williams has already finished in double figures nine times and has led the Aztecs in scoring in six games, including her 16-point performance at UNLV. She is averaging 9.8 ppg to rank fourth on the team in scoring.
Bombs Away
For two years, the Aztecs have been looking for an outside shooter to compliment Jamey Cox. It appears that search is now over as newcomer Ashonda Williams continues to knock down shot after shot from beyond the arc.
Williams, who led the California state JC ranks in three-point shooting last season, has been more than solid since arriving at SDSU and ranks sixth in the Mountain West Conference in 3-point shooting at 40.7 percent, including 8-for-16 from behind the line in the last four games.
The junior opened the UNLV contest with three straight triples and tied a career-high with four for the game. She now trails only Jamey Cox in 3-pointers made with 24 this season, a figure that ranks seventh in the Mountain West.
Swinbank Continues To Shine
Senior Claire Swinbank is playing some of the best basketball of her collegiate career over the past five games. The Aztecs leading scorer three times over the span, Swinbank has averaging 14.3 points, four rebounds and five assists during the last five games, including a season-high 17 points against Detroit.
More 'Bank Shots
With her five consecutive double-figure scoring games, Claire Swinbank has now scored in double figures in 9-of-14 outings this season.
The Aztecs' second leading scorer with an 11.2 ppg average, the senior is scoring at a rate over 4.0 ppg above her career average.
Poised From The Perimeter
Jamey Cox and Ashonda Williams may get most of the attention as SDSU's top outside threats, but Claire Swinbank as been the Aztecs' most consistent shooter from the perimeter thus far.
Swinbank is hitting at a 43-percent clip from the floor, tops among the Aztecs' perimeter players, including 47 percent (9-for-19) from beyond the arc.
Swinbank is also second on the team in assists with 66 (4.9 apg) and had a career-best nine versus Navy earlier this season.
Cox Back Heating Up In Time For Conference
Jamey Cox snapped a four-game drought of non-double figure scoring games with her 13 points against Radford. She followed that performance up with 14 points against Detroit, a game-high 16 versus Portland State and 10 at UNLV. She has now scored in double digits eight times this season and 43 times during her 68-game career.
Over the last four games, Cox has averaged 13.3 points and is shooting nearly 50 percent from the field (16-of-33, 48.5 percent), including over 40 percent from 3-point distance. The junior has also canned 14-of-16 (87.5 percent) of her free throws and produced a better that 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio (29 assists to just 13 turnovers).
3-Point Threat
Jamey Cox continues to show why she is considered one of the Mountain West's most dangerous players from beyond the arc. Cox, who has connected on 37 percent (26-for-71) of her 3-point attempts this season, has hit at least one three in 13-of-14 games on the year. Cox enters the week ranked No. 10 in the Mountain West Conference in 3-point shooting and No. 5 in 3-pointers made per game. She has now made 145 treys during her two-plus year career at SDSU to rank No. 2 all time in that category behind two-time honorable mention All-American Falisha Wright, who knocked down 206 triples from 1992-95.
Two Can Play At That Game
In addition to ranking among the Mountain West Conference's top scorers, Jamey Cox and Claire Swinbank are also among the league's top playmakers. Cox has had at least six assists in 11-of-14 games this year, including a season-high eight against both Radford and UNLV. She now has 81 (5.8 apg) assists this season to rank No. 1 in the Mountain West Conference. Swinbank, who has 66 on the year, has had at least four assists in seven straight games. She is ranked No. 5 on the MWC assist chart with 4.7 apg.