Jan. 27, 2015
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State women's basketball team faces its second straight conference heavyweight on Wednesday when it invades the Central Valley for a clash with Mountain West leader Fresno State, beginning at 7 p.m. PT. A live audio stream will be available on GoAztecs.com with SDSU alumnus Chris Ello calling the action courtside from Save Mart Center. In addition, the Aztecs-Bulldogs matchup will feature streaming video courtesy of the Mountain West Network.
SDSU (6-12, 3-4 MW) is coming off a 49-36 loss to second-place Colorado State at home last Saturday. Despite holding the Rams scoreless over the final eight minutes, the Scarlet and Black was unable to overcome a 19-point deficit after shooting just 30 percent for the game. Meanwhile, Fresno State (15-3, 7-0) won its 11th in a row with a 62-44 triumph at Nevada.
The road team has emerged triumphant in the last five regular-season meetings between the Aztecs and Bulldogs, with the latter claiming a 56-44 decision at Viejas Arena on Jan. 3. Despite the setback, SDSU still maintains a 25-14 advantage in 39 varsity encounters, including a 9-7 mark in Fresno.
The Aztecs will be hoping that history repeats itself when they take to the floor on Wednesday. Last year at Save Mart Center, SDSU saddled Fresno State with its first loss in conference play with a thrilling 70-69 upset as Danesha Long hit the go-ahead jumper from the right wing with 4.9 seconds remaining. With that victory, the Aztecs became the sole team to defeat the Bulldogs twice in their building since they joined the league in 2012. SDSU also posted a 74-49 road decision over Fresno State in front of a national television audience in 2013 en route to winning its second straight MW regular-season title.
The Aztecs and Bulldogs were former members of the Western Athletic Conference, meeting on 15 occasions between 1993 and 1998, and were once rivals in the Big West Conference as well, squaring off against one another nine times from 1987-1990.
Collectively, SDSU finds itself in the top half of the Mountain West in three-point field goal percentage defense (2nd - (.278)), which ranks 42nd in the nation, rebounding defense (2nd - 35.3/gm) and rebounding margin (5th - (+3.4)). Individually, junior Erimma Amarikwa (Vacaville, Calif.) occupies the ninth spot for all games in rebounding (6.7/gm) and is 10th in free-throw percentage (.694). She also enters the week averaging 12.4 points per contest in league play, which ranks 11th.
Following Wednesday's game, the Aztecs will travel to the Beehive State to take on Utah State, starting at 2 p.m. MT/1 p.m. PT. SDSU will be facing the Aggies once during the regular season this year and will looking to avenge a 79-69 defeat in their last visit to Logan during the 2013-14 campaign.