| LBSU Hosts Final Three Regular Season Games at The Pyramid PDF FILE
FULL 2002-03 SCHEDULE RECORD: 12-14 BIG WEST: 9-6 HOME: 6-7, AWAY: 6-6, NEUTRAL: 0-1 UPCOMING STORYLINE
The 49ers (12-14,9-6 Big West) can shore up the third seed in the Big West Conference Tournament with a win over UC Irvine (16-10, 9-6 Big West) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in The Pyramid. It will be the final regular season game for both ballclubs. The Beach and UCI can finish as high as third and as low as fifth for the upcoming Big West Conference Tournament in Anaheim starting on March 12. UC Santa Barbara won its eighth-straight Big West title, while Pacific has the second seed. LBSU has lost four of its last six games heading into the regular season finale. Glory Johnson has virtually wrapped up the Big West Conference scoring title, averaging 17.0 points per game, and is a candidate for Big West Player of the Year, ranking in the top-10 in scoring, rebounding, blocks, field goal shooting, and free throw shooting. Johnson currently leads the Big West with nine double-doubles. Thursday will also mark the home finales for two seniors, Johnson (Phoenix, AZ) and guard Jinga Gosschalk (Amsterdam, Holland).
49ER PROBABLE STARTING UNIT
F-Glory Johnson (Sr., Phoenix, AZ), 17.0 ppg, 9.2 rpg
F-Jennifer Baker (Jr., Riverdale, MD), 8.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg
C-CeCe Rush (Fr., Pontiac, MI), 2.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg
G-Candice Wilson (So., Sacramento), 11.0 ppg, 4.4 apg
G-Christina Mack (So., Glendale, AZ), 5.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg
TEAM STATS: FG: 39%, 3PT: 25%, FT: 69%, PPG: 64.5
MARCH 6
host UC Irvine (16-10, 9-6 Big West)
The Pyramid | 7:30 p.m.
TEAM STATS: FG: 42%, 3PT: 36%, FT: 59%, PPG: 66.4
NOTES: LBSU defeated UCI 64-50 to open Big West Conference play... the Anteaters have won four of its last six, splitting last week's contests with UC Santa Barbara (losing 78-56) and Cal Poly (winning 86-74)... Christina Callaway has led the team in scoring in four of those six contests and leads the club with 13.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game... Wendy Gabbe is averaging 13.1 points and 7.6 rebounds as the second half of Irvine's 1-2 punch... Kristen Green is averaging 10.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game... three players are averaging double digits... Lisa Faulkner is ranked 16th in the nation in assists (6.5)... UCI is hitting 36% of its threes this season, but are shooting just 42% from the field and 59% from the charity stripe.... UCI began the year 7-3, going 9-7 since... the Anteaters have not beaten the 49ers since 1998 when it swept the season series... the nine conference wins are the most for UCI since that season. RUNNING THE SHOW
Dallas Bolla is in her eighth season as the head coach of LBSU basketball. The Beach has gone 118-111 in her seven-plus years. Before this year, the team had won at least 16 games in each of the last four seasons. The 49ers have won at least 10 Big West games in each of the last four seasons, and will need to win Thursday to get there this season.
TOURNAMENT SCENARIOS
Here is a list of possible scenarios for the upcoming Big West Conference Tournament in Anaheim, starting on March 12 and running through March 15:
UC Santa Barbara has guaranteed themselves the top seed, followed by the University of Pacific, after that, the #3 through #6 seeds are up in the air.
#1 Seed: UC Santa Barbara
#2 Seed: Pacific
#3 Seed: LBSU or UC Irvine
#4 Seed: LBSU, UC Irvine or Idaho
#5 Seed: LBSU, UC Irvine or Idaho
#6 Seed: Idaho or Cal Poly
If LBSU Wins: The Beach is 10-6 and the third seed... then... If Idaho Wins Twice: Idaho is the fourth seed, at 9-7, because they would have beaten UOP twice, leaving UC Irvine as the fifth seed.
or... If Idaho loses once: UCI would be the fourth seed at 9-7 and Idaho would be the fifth seed at 8-8.
or... if Idaho loses twice: UCI would be the fourth seed, at 9-7, and Idaho would end up 7-9 (see below).
If LBSU loses: UCI is the third seed at 10-6...
then... If Idaho Wins Twice: Both Idaho and LBSU are 9-7, with Idaho gaining the fourth seed because for sweeping Pacific.
or... If Idaho loses once: LBSU is still 9-7, Idaho is 8-8, meaning The Beach are the fourth seed and Idaho is the fifth seed.
or... If Idaho loses twice: LBSU is 9-7 and the fourth seed, Idaho will end up 7-9 (see below).
If Idaho finishes 7-9 and If Cal Poly wins both of its games and ends up tied with Idaho at 7-9, they would win the tiebreaker, giving Cal Poly the fifth seed and Idaho the sixth seed. If Cal Poly loses at all, they will be the sixth seed and Idaho is the fifth seed.
LAST WEEK
MARCH 1 | LBSU 75, CAL POLY 65
CP 29-36--65 (Uphoff/Henke 16, Team: 27%)
LBSU 35-40--75 (Johnson 25, Team: 45%)
Glory Johnson produced her ninth double-double of the season of 25 points and 13 rebounds, leading the 49ers to a 10-point victory over Cal Poly, avenging an earlier loss at San Luis Obispo. Lauren Bull contributed a career-night of 18 points, five rebounds and four assists, while Candice Wilson added 10 points. The Mustangs stayed in the game by converting 28-of-32 from the free throw line. LBSU used a 13-6 run over a four minute stretch late in the second half to pick up their ninth conference win.
FEBRUARY 26, 2003 | UCSB 85, LBSU 75
UCSB 39-46--85 (Taylor 23 pts, Team: 51%)
LBSU 32-38--70 (Johnson 22 pts, Team: 40%)
The Gauchos tied up its eighth-straight Big West title before a regionally-televised audience on Wednesday, holding The Beach to 40% shooting. Consecutive threes by the 49ers, brought the game to within 45-43 with 16 minutes left in the game, but UCSB went on a 20-4 run to put the game away. Johnson produced 22 points and 11 rebounds in the losing cause, while the Gauchos had four player reach double digits.
SENIORS WINDING DOWN CAREERS
Two seniors will play in their final home games on Thursday, Glory Johnson and Jinga Gosschalk. Johnson has established herself as one of the top post players in the Big West over her two years with The Beach, averaging double digits in each of her two seasons. This year she is a candidate for BWC Player of the Year. Gosschalk is one of the deadliest sharp shooters in the Big West, hitting 35% of her threes over her two-year career. Both will be honored before Thursday's contest.
DOUBLE-DOUBLES ARE GLORY-OUS
Last week senior forward Glory Johnson (Phoenix, AZ) averaged 23.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per game, picking up her eighth and ninth double-doubles of the season. Johnson not only leads the Big West in points per game, but also in double-doubles with nine. On the year, Johnson is averaging 17.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
BULL MARKET
Junior wing Lauren Bull (Rockford, IL) produced a career-night on Saturday, setting career-bests in points (18) and assists (4) and coming one rebound short of her career-high, settling for a season-best five boards versus Cal Poly.On the year, Bull is averaging 4.6 points per game.
BAKER COOLS OFF
Junior wing Jennifer Baker (Riverdale, MD), after a career-best 20 points at CS Northridge on February 22, cooled off last week with a combined six points. Baker had tallied double digits in eight straight games before being shutdown last week.
DOUBLING UP WILSON
Sophomore guard Candice Wilson (Sacramento, CA) has reached double digits in 10 of her last 14 games, including a career-best 22 points at Pacific on February 20. Wilson is second on the team in scoring, with a 11.0 points per game and is amongst Big West leaders in assists (4.4).
LONGEST STREAK SINCE 1991-92
The 49ers 5-0 start to start the Big West was their best start to Big West play since 1991-1992. That team lost its sixth game at UCSB. This year's team dropped its sixth game at Cal Poly. The team's five-game win streak was the longest since 2000-01 (also five). The 49ers were also ahead of UC Santa Barbara in the standings for much of the first part of the conference season, before its current downturn.
SCORING LEADERS
Glory Johnson (Phoenix, AZ) has virtually locked up the Big West scoring title, averging 17.0 points per game this season. She is the third 49er in four years to lead the Big West in scoring, following Jackie Moore (18.5 ppg) in 2000-01 and Rhoda Smith (21.1) in 1999-2000.
ADDING THEM UP FROM THE LINE
The 49ers are shooting 69% from the charity stripe, the team's top free throw mark since 1988-89 when the team hit 71% of its foul shots. Glory Johnson leads the club with an 80% clip.
STEALING THEM AWAY
The Beach currently leads the conference in steals, averaging 10.0 steals per game. If the team can continue at its current pace, it will be the first time in school-history that the 49ers have led the conference in back-to-back years. In fact, before last year, LBSU had never led the conference in steals.
CONFERENCE SCORING BARRAGE
Three players, Glory Johnson (17.9), Candice Wilson (12.2) and Jennifer Baker (10.1), are averaging double digits in conference play. Johnson (9.2) and Baker (6.9) are the team's leading rebounders.
DEFENSIVE EFFORTS
Part of the reason the 49ers were 5-0 in conference was their defense. During the streak, LBSU limited opponents to a 39% clip, holding them under 40% in four of five games.
WELCOME TO B*C*H 4077
The 49ers have three players out for the season, and one more on the IR due to injury, setting available players at nine. Redshirt freshman center Sarah Stout (Orlando, FL) is out indefinitely with a bad left leg. Freshman reserve forward Deja Blevins (Atlanta, GA) was lost for the year in mid-January at Idaho, when she tore the ACL in her left knee. Starting center Jayme Connors (Las Vegas, NV), was lost for the season after six games, after fracturing a bone in her left ankle. Freshman Liz Sun (Chatsworth, CA) suffered an ACL injury to her knee in a spring high school tournament game and is currently in rehabilitation.
49ERS PICKED TO FINISH THIRD
The Beach were picked to finish third in both the Big West Coaches and Media polls. UC Santa Barbara, winners of the last seven conference titles, was picked to win it, again, followed by Pacific and LBSU. The next tier features Idaho, Cal Poly, UC Irvine and UC Riverside, while CS Fullerton and CS Northridge make up the rest.
REACHING THE PRO'S
Jackie Moore (1998-2001), the former Big West Conference Player of the Year (2001) was a reserve for the Indiana Fever of the WNBA in 2002. Moore played in 18 games, starting two, scoring 42 points and adding 29 rebounds.
TRANSFERS WILL REDSHIRT
Six-foot-six German National Team member junior Petra Glaeser (UNLV) and sophomore guard Crystal McCutcheon (Pepperdine) are redshirting after transferring from Division-I institutions, as per NCAA guidelines.
SANTOS COMPLETES RECRUITING CLASS
Brazilian National Teamer Fernanda Santos (Sao Paulo, Brazil) has signed a National Letter of Intent for the 2003-04 season. Santos is the second National Teamer to commit to play for The Beach for the 2003-04 season. Santos, a 6-3 guard, will play her sophomore season at Grayson Junior College (TX) after playing at Lee University (TN) as a freshman.
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