March 1, 2002
Game No. 27Brigham Young (18-8/9-4) at
San Diego State (10-16/2-11)
Saturday - March 2, 2002
Cox Arena at Aztec Bowl (12,414)
San Diego, Calif.
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Tip-Off: 8:30 p.m. (PST)
Webcast: Live over the Internet at www. goaztecs.com. Bill Earley and Dan Lawton will call the action.
Television: Live in San Diego by Channel 4 San Diego. Chris Marlowe will handle the play-by-play with Tammy Blackburn providing the analysis.
The Records: San Diego State dropped to 10-16 (2-11 MWC) Thursday as the Aztecs fell to Utah, 47-45. BYU is coming off a 64-48 win at UNLV and is 18-8 (9-4 MWC).
In The RPI: SDSU is ranked No. 190 in the most recent ranking released by collegerpi.com. BYU is No. 49.
SDSU Coach Barb Smith: Smith (Ohio State '86) is in her fifth season at San Diego State. She owns an overall record of 49-85 (.367) with the Aztecs.
BYU Coach Jeff Judkins: Judkins (Utah '78) is in his first season with the Cougars and has led Brigham Young to an 18-8 record.
Series History: Brigham Young leads the all-time series, 13-9, and has won eight of the last nine meetings between the two teams.
Aztecs Wrap Up Regular Season With Late Tip Against Brigham Young In Cox Arena Saturday
San Diego State closes out its 2001-02 regular season Saturday, when the Aztecs host Brigham Young in Cox Arena. The game, which is the nightcap of a men's-women's doubleheader, will tip at approximately 8:30 p.m. and can be heard live over the Internet at www.goaztecs.com. The contest is also slated for a local cablecast on Channel 4 San Diego.
The Aztecs will also be bidding farewell to five seniors at the game as Tanisha Knight, Atim Otii, Missy Schomaker, Claire Swinbank and Morgan Vargas make their final appearances in Cox Arena.
San Diego State (10-16, 2-11 MWC) is coming off yet another heart-breaker, as the Aztecs were edged by Utah, 47-45, at home Thursday night. It was the seventh Mountain West Conference loss by 10 points or less and the fifth straight 10-or-under loss for the Aztecs, who fell to 5-9 on the year in games decided by 10 or fewer points.
Winners of three of its last four games and eight of 10 overall, Brigham Young is coming off a huge win at UNLV as the Cougars held Lady Rebel All-American Linda Frohlich to just nine points in a 64-48 road victory. A win over the Aztecs Saturday, coupled with a New Mexico loss at Colorado State, would give BYU a share of second place in the Mountain West Conference.
BYU leads the all-time series, 13-9, and has won eight of the last nine games between the two squads. However, San Diego State is 7-4 at home versus BYU and defeated the Cougars, 63-61, the last time the two teams played in Cox.
At Stake For The Aztecs
- San Diego State will be out to snap a two-game overall losing streak and a two-game slide versus BYU.
- The Aztecs will be looking for its second straight home win over the Cougars.
- The Aztecs will also be looking to end a four-game home losing streak. SDSU's last win in Cox Arena was a 58-50 victory over Air Force on Jan. 26th.
- San Diego State has won three of its last four regular season finales and will be out to make it 4-of-5.
A Quick Look At The Aztecs
Just call San Diego State this year's hard-luck team of the Mountain West Conference. The Aztecs continued their struggle in tight games, dropping a 47-45 decision to Utah Thursday night in Cox Arena. It was the fifth straight loss overall and the seventh in conference play by fewer than 10 points for the Aztecs, who have won just five times in 14 10-or-under games this season.
Once again, the Aztecs played solid defense, holding the Utes under 40-percent shooting and limiting Utah to its lowest point total of the season. The Aztecs also had 15 steals on the night.
But as has been the case so many times this season, it was SDSU's offense that did it in. The Aztecs combined to shoot just 27 percent from the floor and managed just 17 first-half points.
One of the league's top defensive squads, this has been a theme of San Diego State's 2001-02 season. The Aztecs have only allowed three conference foes to shoot better than 40 percent. The Aztecs have also held six league opponents below 60 points.
However, San Diego State has struggled to put points on the board. The Aztecs exploded for 83 at Air Force -- their second-highest scoring output of the season -- but are averaging just 53.5 ppg in conference play. By comparison, SDSU scored an average of 65.0 points in its 13 non-league games.
One player that hasn't struggled during conference competition is guard Claire Swinbank. On fire over the last month and a half, the senior has averaged 12.8 points and six rebounds in league games, leading the Aztecs in scoring seven times and finishing with double-digit points on nine occasions. She is also averaging 2.4 steals per conference game, good for fourth in the Mountain West.
Up front, forward Atim Otii continues to be the Aztecs' go-to player. Otii, who has scored in double figures 15 times this season, is averaging nearly 10 points per game and ranks 10th in the MWC in rebounding with 5.9 rebounds per game. She has also collected 73 offensive boards this season to rank fifth in that category.
Juniors Jamey Cox and Ashonda Williams have also been solid offensively this season for SDSU. Cox, who has hit 12 of her last 20 attempts from 3-point distance (60 percent), is No. 3 on the team in scoring at 9.5 ppg and has scored in double figures in three of four contests. Williams, who had 16 at Air Force, has now scored in double digits 11 times this season.
San Diego State-BYU Series Shorts
- Saturday's game will be the 23rd all time between the Aztecs and Cougars and the 12th time the two teams have squared off in San Diego.
- Brigham Young leads the all-time series, 13-9, and has won eight of the last nine encounters.
- San Diego State is 7-4 in its previous 11 home games versus BYU.
- San Diego State snapped a six-game losing streak vs. the Cougars with its 63-61 home victory last season.
- The home team has won 15 of the 21 non-conference tournament meetings.
- San Diego State has not played an overtime game since the Aztecs and Cougars went into an extra period on Jan. 16, 1999. BYU won the game, 72-71.
- Aztec head coach Barb Smith is 1-7 against BYU.
- First-year Cougar head coach Jeff Judkins notched his first win against the Aztecs earlier this season.
A Quick Look At BYU
Brigham Young is on a roll of late and enter Saturday's contest at 18-8 (9-4 MWC). The Cougars are coming off a 64-48 victory at UNLV and just may be poised to make a run in next week's Mountain West Tournament.
Winners of three of their last four and 8-of-10, BYU ranks second in the MWC in scoring at just under 73 points per game. The league's second-best shooting team, the Cougars have connected on 45 percent of their shots this season, including a conference-leading 41 percent from 3-point distance.
Junior shooting guard Erin Thorn is averaging just under 17 points and ranks tied for second in the league's individual scoring race. She has also dished out 92 assists this season. Jennifer Leitner (12.2 ppg), Melanie Pearson (10.5 ppg) and Stacy Jensen (10.0 ppg) are also scoring in double digits for the Cougars.
Leitner has paced BYU on the glass, hauling down an average of 8.5 rpg, while Jensen leads the BYU offensive attack and has 111 assists on the year.
Finishing Touches From The Utah Game
- San Diego State's two-point loss to Utah was its closest of the year.
- SDSU has now dropped eight straight to Utah, its longest losing streak against any Mountain West Conference team.
- The Aztecs led by one when Utah's Kelcy Stireman made a steal and a lay-up with 14 seconds to play to put the Utes up for good.
- Utah's 47 points were a season-low and the sixth time in 13 conference games that an SDSU opponent has failed to crack 60 points.
- The Aztecs finished with 15 steals and have now reached double figures in that category in seven league games.
- Tanisha Knight came off the bench to total season highs in both points (12) and rebounds (8).
- Morgan Vargas turned in her best game in conference play, finishing with eight points and three rebounds.
The Last Time We Met: SDSU at BYU 1/31/02
PROVO, Utah - Atim Otii and Claire Swinbank each scored 12 points, but the rest of the Aztecs combined for just 17 as San Diego State suffered a 67-41 loss at the Marriott Center on Jan. 31, 2002.
SDSU played good enough defense to win, holding BYU to just 3-for-14 from beyond the arc, 36 percent overall shooting and its fifth lowest point total of the year. But the Aztecs' offensive woes continued as San Diego State scored a season-low 41 points on a season-worst 25 percent shooting.
SDSU trailed by just 11 points with 14 minutes to play in the contest and looked as if it was going to make a game of it down the stretch. But just like that, the Aztecs went ice cold from the field, managing a lone Swinbank jumper over the next 10 minutes as BYU used a 20-2 run to take total control of the game and a 63-34 lead.
Jennifer Lietner scored 11 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead BYU.
Heartbreak
San Diego State continues to be a competitive, yet snake-bitten squad since the start of Mountain West Conference play. Though the Aztecs own just a 2-11 league record, San Diego State has dropped seven of its 11 losses by 10 points or less, including a two-point loss to Utah Thursday. On six occasions, the Aztecs have taken a lead into the final media time-out of the first half only to let things slip away. Overall, San Diego State is just 5-9 in games decided by 10 points or less. Below is a look at SDSU's close conference losses this season.
Pour It On
It's no secret that the Aztecs have had difficulty scoring points this season, but when San Diego State has been hot on the offensive end it's translated into victories. SDSU scored its second highest point total of the season at Air Force, pouring in 83. The Aztecs are a perfect 6-0 when scoring at least 70 points.
Playing Low Ball
When the Aztecs' offense isn't clicking, its defense usually is. San Diego State has held 13 opponents below 60 points this season and has fared well when doing so. SDSU is 8-5 on the year when keeping the opposition below the 60-point plateau.
It's Gotta Be The Free Throws
San Diego State has struggled getting to the line this season and has taken more free throws than its opponent in just eight games. Getting to the stripe has been a good omen for the Aztecs, however. SDSU is 6-2 on the year when attempting more free throws than its opponent and 6-1 when converting more free throw attempts. SDSU lost for the first time this season when making more free throws that its opponent versus Utah.
Taking Care Of The Rock
Since the start of conference play, the Aztecs have done a much better job of taking care of the basketball. SDSU averaged nearly 21 miscues per game during non-league play but has sliced nearly four turnovers per game off that total since the start of MWC competition.
More Turnover Tales
San Diego State has committed fewer turnovers than its opponents in 8-of-13 league games and rank third in the MWC in turnover margin in conference contests.
Stop, Thief
One of San Diego State's most dramatically improved areas this season has been in the steals department.
- The Aztecs entered the week ranked No. 3 overall and No. 2 in league games in thefts.
- SDSU has had more steals than its opponent in 16-of-26 games.
- The Aztecs have reached double figures in steals 13 times this season.
- Over the last 18 games, SDSU has registered double-figure steals 12 times, and narrowly missed making it 14 with nine steals at both UNLV and BYU.
- San Diego State's 15 thefts against Utah Thursday marked the seventh time since the start of conference play that the Aztecs have registered double-digit steals.
- SDSU grabbed a season-high 20 against Radford and 18 versus Detroit to close out its pre-conference slate.
On The Charts
- Senior Atim Otii moved into San Diego State's top 10 in free throws made at Air Force, knocking down 12-of-14 attempts. She now has 199 for her career. Earlier this year the senor busted SDSU's top 10 in attempts.
- Otii needs just five more blocks to take over the No. 6 position in blocked shots. She is also within 20 boards of cracking SDSU's top 10 in rebounding.
- Junior Jamey Cox has 169 career 3-point baskets and ranks No. 2 all time. She needs 37 more to catch SDSU's career leader Falisha Wright (206).
- Cox, No. 9 all-time in assists, is just five shy of moving into the Aztecs' No. 8 position.
Getting Defensive
San Diego State's defense has been ranked among the league's best for most of the season. Through 26 games, the Aztecs have allowed only 10-of-26 opponents to shoot better than 40 percent, including just four conference foes.
Last weekend at New Mexico, the Aztecs held the Lobos to just 34 percent from the floor and Thursday against Utah, the Utes connected on only 39 percent of their shots.
Wyoming in Laramie is the only opponent this season to crack the 50-percent plateau. Prior to that game, SDSU had allowed just three of its previous 11 opponents to shoot better than 40 percent and had held 6-of-8 below 60 points.
Spreading The Wealth
San Diego State has had eight players score in double digits this season. Claire Swinbank leads the way with 17 double-figure scoring games followed by Atim Otii with 15. Jamey Cox is third with 12, while Ashonda Williams has 11. Morgan Vargas, Valencia Howard and Tanisha Knight have turned in three each, with Missy Schomaker tallying two.
The Best Offense Is...
San Diego State has held 11 of its last 18 opponents, including 6-of-13 in conference, below 60 points, winning six of the 11 games. In fact, just five opponents this season have managed to crack the 70-point barrier.
The Aztecs lost for the just the second time this season when holding an opponent below 60 points against New Mexico, 58-49. It was the second time in three games that the Aztecs had been defeated by that score.
The previous week at No. 20 Colorado State, the Aztecs held the Rams without a 3-point field goals in a tough, 58-49 loss.
San Diego State also lost to UNLV, 57-49, Wyoming 53-43 and Utah, 47-45.
Playing strong defense has been one of the big keys to victory over the past two seasons for SDSU, which is 27-11 (.711) during that span when holding an opponent under 60 points.
Swinbank Making Bid For All-MWC Honors
San Diego State's hottest player over the last 17 games has been Claire Swinbank. Below is a quick look at the senior's performance over the last two months.
- Since the start of conference play, Swinbank has taken over as San Diego State's leading scorer, averaging 11.9 points per game.
- Swinbank, a 6.8 ppg scorer for her career, has averaged 12.8 ppg since the start of conference play, the eighth-best total in the league.
- The senior has scored in double figures 13 times in the last 17 games, leading the Aztecs in scoring 10 times over that span, including her 16 points at Air Force.
- Swinbank is averaging 6.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game since the start of league action.
- One of the top defensive players in the Mountain West Conference, Swinbank has notched 39 steals in the last 17 games, an average of 2.3 per game.
More 'Bank Shots
By scoring in double digits in 13 of the last 17 games, Claire Swinbank has now reached double figures in 17-of-26 outings this season and has taken over as SDSU's leading scorer with 11.9 ppg.
The senior was also prominent in the Mountain West Conference rankings this week and ranks No. 11 in scoring, No. 4 in assists, No. 4 in steals and No. 5 in assist-to-turnover ratio. Since the start of MWC play, she has been ever more impressive and ranks No. 9 in scoring, No. 7 in rebounding, No. 6 in assists, No. 6 in free throw percentage, No. 2 in steals, and No. 11 in assist-to-turnover ratio during SDSU's 12 MWC games.
Atim The Dream
Atim Otii continues to be one of the Mountain West's hottest shooters and entered the week ranked No. 12 in the league in field goal percentage. Though she has only paced San Diego State on the scoreboard three times this season, Otii is second on the Aztecs in double-figure scoring games with 15, including 12 points at Air Force last Thursday night.
Ironwoman
San Diego State senior Atim Otii made her 81st consecutive start against Utah. 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.
Steals From The Post
Most post players aren't know for their quick hands, but SDSU's Atim Otii is changing that notion of late. The senior ranks sixth in the Mountain West in thefts, averaging just under two per game, including five games with at least three picks. She had four more vs. Utah Thursday.
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 26 games, nearly half of Otii's rebounds (73-of-152) have come on the offensive glass. Her 2.8 offensive rebounds per game average entering the week ranked fifth in the Mountain West Conference, while her overall rebounding total is 10th.
Double Plays
In addition to being the Aztecs' second 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 versus Cal Poly (16-10) and Navy (17-11).
Cox Heating Up
Junior Jamey Cox has scored in double digits in three of the last four games. She is averaging double-digit points over the last four contests and has connected on 12-of-20 treys.
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 36 percent (50-for-141) of her 3-point attempts this season, has hit at least one three in 23-of-26 games on the year and at least three treys six times.
- Cox enters the week ranked No. 9 in the Mountain West Conference in 3-point shooting but fifth in 3-pointers made per game.
- She has now made 169 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.
- With 50 3-pointers this season, Cox has hit at least 50 treys all three years since arriving at SDSU.
Two For The Century Mark
Name the only Mountain West Conference team to have two players crack in the century mark in assists. Answer? San Diego State. Both Jamey Cox and Claire Swinbank moved past 100 assists on the road last week. Cox, who has 107 on the year, now ranks third in the MWC in assists per game with 4.24, while Swinbank, who has 107, ranks fourth at 4.20.
Cox has had at least six assists in 11-of-26 games this year, including a season-high eight against both Radford and UNLV. Swinbank has had at least four assists in 13 of the last 18 games.
Ash Is Back
After struggling for much of the conference season, junior Ashonda appears to have finally gotten her legs back under her in the last four games.
Williams, who scored in double digits in 8-of-13 non-league games, had turned the trick just once in the first eight games of Mountain West play.
However, the junior scored 12 points against Wyoming and equalled a season-high with 16 at Air Force. She has now scored in double digits 11 times this season.
SDSU is 7-4 on the year when Williams reaches double figures.
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 enters the week ranked 11th in the Mountain West Conference in 3-point shooting at 34.0 percent.
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 35 this season, a figure that ranks 10th in the Mountain West Conference.
Williams Going To The Glass
Though Ashonda Williams' scoring totals have dipped since the start of Mountain West play, the junior's rebounding totals have skyrocketed. Williams averaged just 3.8 rebounds during SDSU's non-league schedule, but since the start of conference action has gone hard to the glass and is averaging 4.9 boards, including eight-rebound performances at UNLV and Utah.
Her rebounding in conference play has moved her into the team's No. 2 position with 4.4 rebounds per game on the season.
Comeback Kid
Tanisha Knight has been a true spark off the bench for the Aztecs of late. A 5.8 ppg scorer for the season, Knight is averaging 10.0 points in the last three games, including season-high 12-point outings against Air Force and Utah. The senior also had a season-best eight rebounds versus the Utes. However, she may have had her best all-around game at New Mexico, scoring six points, grabbing seven boards, dishing out a career-high six assists and committing just one turnover. She also had six points versus Wyoming, seven against UNLV, 10 at Utah and eight at BYU.