Preseason Notes
• The Aztecs lost four starters and six players total from a year ago. The Aztecs return just 34.6 percent of their scoring from last season.
• Najé Murray (Stockton, Calif.), who was named to the Mountain West all-freshman team last year, is the Aztecs' leading returning scorer (9.3 ppg). She led all MW freshmen in three-pointers made per game and was fourth overall in scoring among freshmen.
• The support from the community was record-breaking a season ago. The Aztecs had 22,069 fans over their 16 home games for an average of 1,379. That broke the total and average attendance records set in 2007-08, when the Aztecs drew 14,730 fans for an average of 1,133 per game.
• The Aztecs have had a winning record at home in 10 of the past 12 seasons.
• The Aztecs shot 71.4 percent from the free throw line last year, their best mark since the 1988-89 season and the fourth best rate in program history.
• The Aztecs made 200 three-pointers last season, the second most in program history (204, 2016-17). They made 33.7 percent of their three-point attempts, their best percentage since the 2009-10 season and the fourth best rate in program history.
• For the second straight season San Diego State's incoming freshman class is nationally ranked. The Aztecs' 2018 recruiting class is ranked 59th nationally (according to Prospects Nation), fourth in the Mountain West. G/F Mallory Adams (Frisco, Texas), G Jayden Perez (Las Cruces, N.M.) and G Sophia Ramos (San Antonio, Texas) comprise the freshmen class.
•Transfers Zayn Dornstauder (Ball State) and Taylor Kalmer (Oregon State) will also join the Aztecs this year, although Kalmer will sit out the 2018-19 season due to NCAA transfer rules. Dornstauder, a 6'3" center from Canada, redshirted at Ball State last year after playing two years at San Francisco as a reserve. Kalmer, a 5'8" guard, spent her past three years at Pac-12 powerhouse Oregon State where she averaged a career-high 6.0 points per game last season.
Scouting the Rainbow Wahine
• Hawai'i went 12-18 last year and 5-11 in the Big West, good for eighth place.
• They return four starters and 11 letterwinners from a season ago.
• They were picked to finish fifth in the Big West in the coaches poll and No. 6 in the preseason media poll.
• Hawai'i lost their season opener 64-65 to Pepperdine at home. Makenna Woodfolk paced them with 18 points, including going 7-for-7 from the FT line.
• In their season opening loss, they knocked down 50 percent of their three-point attempts (7-for-14).
• Julissa Tago is the team's leading returning scorer (9.4 ppg)
• Senior guard Tia Kanoa averaged 5.1 assists per game last season.
• Makenna Woodfolk averaged 8.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game a season ago.
• Following their game against San Diego State, they will play at USD on Sunday.
• Head Coach Laura Beeman is entering her seventh year at Hawai'i and holds a 102-84 record.
All-Time Series vs. Hawai'i
• The Aztecs are 12-14 all-time against Hawai'i and 8-5 at home.
• Their first meeting was January 15, 1980, a 58-54 home win for the Aztecs.
• This will be their first meeting since 2011 when the Aztecs won 71-44 on the road.
Last Time Out (vs. Biola - Exhibition - 11-2-18)
The Aztec women's basketball team knocked off Biola 63-53 in an exhibition contest at Viejas Arena Friday evening. After falling behind by double-digits in the first quarter, the Aztecs used a 15-2 run in the third quarter to take the lead and then held off the Eagles down the stretch.
Téa Adams led all scorers with 18 points while Najé Murray and freshman Mallory Adams each had a double-double. Murray poured in 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Mallory Adams hauled in 16 rebounds to go with 12 points.
The Aztecs started slow and missed all their three-point attempts (6) and free-throws (5) in the first quarter, allowing Biola to take a 17-6 lead.
SDSU started to heat up in the second quarter, pouring in 24 points in the quarter while not committing any turnovers. The Adams duo – sophomore Téa and freshman Mallory, combined to score 17 of the Aztecs' 30 first half points, but the Eagles held a 35-30 lead at the halftime break.
The Aztecs went on a 15-2 run in the third quarter to take a 45-40 lead, their first of the game. Great ball movement fueled their run; all six of their third quarter field goals were set up by an assist.
Once the Aztecs took the lead, they never relinquished it. Down the stretch, they held Biola without a field goal for a five minute span. Despite only scoring three field goals in the fourth quarter, SDSU iced the game with ten free-throws.
The Aztecs outrebounded the Eagles 53-36 and had 20 second chance points while Biola only had two.
Noting the Biola Game
• The Aztecs have won their last 13 exhibition games.
• Since this was an exhibition game, official stats do not count. However, if they did, this would be the first time two Aztecs recorded a double-double since November 14, 2014 when Cheyenne Greenhouse and Erimma Amarika accomplished the feat.
• The Aztecs started two freshmen, two sophomores and one junior. That group had a combined 33 career starts.
• If the freshmen duo of Sophia Ramos and Mallory Adams start on Friday, it will be the first time two freshmen started the season opener since 2003 (Michelle Elliott and Courtney Fritz).
• During the Aztecs 15-2 third quarter run they had assists on all six of their field goals.
• The Aztecs finished strong, taking their biggest lead (12 points) with 43 seconds left in the game.