Nov. 25, 2016
SAN DIEGO -
San Diego State visits the Garden State this weekend for the Seton Hall Thanksgiving Classic. Appearing in the tournament are the host Pirates, Aztec head coach Stacie Terry's alma mater of UT Arlington and Central Connecticut State.
The Aztecs (1-3) will open the tournament with a game on Sat., Nov. 26 at Noon ET against UT Arlington. Depending on the outcome of SDSU's game and the result of Central Connecticut State and Seton Hall's game on Saturday, San Diego State will face either team on Sun., Nov. 27.
SDSU has never faced UT Arlington or Central Connecticut State. The lone game between SDSU and Seton Hall was on Dec. 28, 1991, when the Aztecs fell to the Pirates, 71-61.
Junior McKynzie Fort has been outstanding in the early part of the season. With four games under her belt, she has averaged a career-high 19.8 points per game to rank second in the Mountain West. Starting all of SDSU's contests this year, freshman Baylee Vanderdoes has emerged as a vital piece of the Aztecs' game plan. Sitting second with 5.8 rebounds per game, she boasts a team-best .588 (10-for-17) field goal percentage.
For SDSU head coach Stacie Terry, the Aztecs' game against UT Arlington will hold greater personal significance. Terry was a four-year letterwinner at UT Arlington from 1994-98, earning all-Southland Conference honors as a senior in 1997-98 after leading the team in scoring with 17.4 points per game. She scored 1,169 points during her Maverick career and still ranks among the school's top 10 in 3-point field goals made (third), assists (sixth), steals (seventh), 3-point field goal percentage (ninth) and free-throw percentage (10th). Additionally, she is just one of 17 players in Maverick history to surpass the 1,000-point plateau. Terry got her start behind the bench at UT Arlington, serving as a graduate assistant at UT Arlington for the 1999-00 season.
SDSU will face a UT Arlington team that can boast its best start to a season since 1999-00 at 3-0. The Mavericks most recently topped Western Kentucky, who received votes in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, 71-68, on the road and narrowly edged Wichita State, 74-70. Offensively, the team is led by reigning Sun Belt Player of the Week Christina Devers and her 19.3 points per game. The Mavericks are also getting help from Rebekah VanDijk's back-to-back doubles (29th nationally) and Cierra Johnson's conference-leading 4.33 steals per game. Krista Gerlich is in her fifth year as the Mavericks' head coach.
Seton Hall is not showing any signs of a letdown following a 2015-16 campaign in which it appeared in its second consecutive NCAA Tournament. The team is currently averaging an outstanding 85 points per game, led by Khade Carrington's .607 (34-56) shooting percentage and 23.3 points per game. Madison Jones is Seton Hall's top playmaker, boasting a team-high 21 assists, while Angel Delgado is averaging a double-double at 14.5 points and 11 rebounds per game. In his fourth year at the helm of Seton Hall's program is Anthony Bozzella.
Central Connecticut State has had a rough start to its season, with its only win coming in overtime vs Vermont on Nov. 18. Most recently, the team suffered a 39-point loss to Massachusetts on the road, falling 76-37. Defense has been the Blue Devils' greatest downfall this season, getting out-scored an average of 14.3 points per game. Despite that, the team has seen offensive production, led by Aleah Epps' 13.5 points per game. Andi Lyndon and Giocelis Reynoso are the Blue Devils' top ball handlers, each averaging over 10 rebounds per game. Beryl Piper is Central Connecticut State's 10-year head coach.
Season tickets are available for the Aztecs' 2016-17 home schedule and start at just $60. Tickets can be purchased through GoAztecs.com, over the phone by calling (619) 283-7378, or by visiting Qualcomm Stadium's Window E between 9 a.m. PT and 5 p.m. PT.