Long Beach State University Athletics
49ers Travel to Arizona, Pepperdine
12/11/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
LB Travels to Arizona, Pepperdine PDF VERSION of this RELEASE Game # 10 at Arizona 49er Nuggets The Long Beach State women's basketball team plays two more games on the road beginning with Arizona on Tuesday, Dec. 12 (7 pm) and at Pepperdine on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 2 pm. Long Beach State is 14-2 all-time vs. Arizona dating back to 1977. The 49ers have lost the last two contests with the Wildcats, and have not been in Tucson since 1992. Arizona is coached by former 49er head coach Joan Bonvicini. Bonvicini spent 12 seasons at The Beach. LB is 10-2 all-time vs. Pepperdine dating back to 1979. The 49ers won a thrilling double-overtime game last season, 81-75, in the Walter Pyramid on Dec. 21. What You Should Know: about The Beach In her fourth season as head coach, Mary Hegarty has her youngest squad in her short tenure at LBSU. However, the 2005-06 conference Coach of the Year is quite optimistic with her 13 newcomers (eight freshmen) and five returnees. One of the key returnees is sophomore Karina Figueroa. The 5-8 guard will be called upon to lead the young squad. Figueroa, who averaged 9.6 points per game last season, was selected to the Pre-Season All-Conference Team as well. Other returnees include: Val Willhoit, Randi Cameron, and Kaiti O'Brien. The 49ers were conference co-champions last season. 06-07 Squad Breakdown Seniors 1 (Willhoit); Juniors 3 (Calhoun, Musina, Pagani); Sophomores 5 (Cameron, Figueroa, O'Brien, Pena, Saucedo); Freshmen 8 (Bagley, Beckner, Jacob, Johnson, Sims, Takata, Timmons, Wade); Redshirt Freshman 1 (Foster) Last Game Recaps (vs. UNLV, Dec. 9) The UNLV women's basketball team practically led from start to finish and left the Walter Pyramid with a 61-44 victory over Long Beach State on Saturday night. LBSU fell to 1-8 on the season, while the Rebels improved to 3-4. Karina Figueroa led The Beach with a season-high16 points, while Kaiti O'Brien chipped in with eight points and seven rebounds. Lauren Sims contributed nine points and two assists. Sequoia Holmes posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead UNLV. The 49ers seemed to carry their momentum from late in the first half to the second when they took a one point lead, 33-32, after a Madison Pagani layup. The Rebels quickly erased the slim deficit and eventually built an 11 point lead, 51-40 after a Holmes jumper. UNLV jumped out to an early 6-0 lead after a Sequoia Holmes layup, before a Sims three-pointer ended the Rebel scoring run. UNLV pushed its lead to eight, 25-17, after a Pace three-pointer at the 5:41 mark. After the Rebels held an eight point lead (32-24) with 3:28 left in the period, the 49ers began to chip away at the Rebel lead behind a tough defense and seven consecutive points (a jumper and a pair of free throws by Figueroa, and a three-pointer by Sims). UNLV did not convert a field goal in that span, but did hold a 32-31 halftime lead. Last Game Recap (at San Diego, Dec. 3) Led by Kaiti O'Brien's career-high 15 points, the Long Beach State women's basketball team picked up its first win of the season, with a 53-37 victory over host San Diego on Wednesday evening. Madison Pagani registered a double-double with 16 rebounds and 10 points for LBSU (1-7), while Lauren Sims contributed with 10 points as well. The 49ers shot 43 percent from the field (23-of-53) and out-rebounded the Toreros 42-32. Karina Figueroa chipped in with eight points as well (six in the second half) for The Beach. Amanda Rego paced USD (6-2) with 13 points. San Diego shot just 22 percent from the field (15 percent in the second half). In fact USD only scored 12 second half points. Long Beach State never relinquished its second half lead and led by as many as 18 after a three-pointer by Tyresha Calhoun at the 7:33 mark. LB kept its defensive pressure up and didn't allow USD to score in the final 1:44 of play. The 49ers prevented a letdown after San Diego took an early 7-2 lead on a Rego layup, with a 6-2 run to trim the deficit to 9-8 on a Lindsey Beckner layup. The 49ers eventually took the lead, 15-14 on a Pagani jumper. This Week's Opponents Arizona (5-5) Arizona committed 17 second-half fouls and Utah (5-4) converted 20-of-23 free throws in the final half to take a 66-60 win over the Wildcats (5-5) on Saturday afternoon in the Huntsman Center, in a game that had 21 lead changes. Arizona finished the game shooting 42.6 percent (23-54) from the field, and held Utah to a 38.3 percent mark (18-47). Utah out-rebounded Arizona 35-28, and finished the game 25-of-31 (80.6 percent) from the free throw line. The Wildcats shot 8-of-11 from the charity stripe. "This is a disappointing and tough loss for us," head coach Joan Bonvicini said. "This was a hard one to lose because we played hard, but we need to play smarter. We are at a breaking point in our season right now, and we don't want to be an average team with a .500 record. We want to be a good team, but in order to be a good team we have to play with heart and we have to play with smarts." Individually for Arizona , junior Jessica Arnold posted a season-high 20 points, one off her career high. Senior Joy Hollingsworth posted 17 points and seven rebounds, and junior Ashley Whisonant added 10 points and six assists. Pepperdine (6-4) Senior Jasmane Clarendon saw limited action in her first game of the season, that was the good news. The bad news was Pepperdine was without the services of forwards Teena Wickett and Teiosha George and fell to UC Riverside 65-51 Wednesday night. Without its top two rebounders, Pepperdine (6-4) was dominated on the glass as Riverside (4-5) outrebounded the Waves by a 44-28 margin. Daphanie Kennedy led Pepperdine with 14 points and Jessica Ross had 11 as the Waves shot 30.4 percent for the game (17-of-56). Kemie Nkele led all players with 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Roney Friend and Katerina Glyniadaki had 10 apiece for Riverside. The Highlanders held a 33-29 lead at the half despite Pepperdine turning nine Highlander turnovers into 10 points. BWC Pre-Season Polls Long Beach State was picked to finish third in the Big West Conference in both the coaches and media polls released in October. Home Friendly Long Beach State is 24-8 over its last 32 home games dating back to Nov. 24, 2004. Also in that span, LBSU has knocked off two ranked opponents (Houston, Dec. 20, 2004, 54-52 and USC, Nov. 23, 2005, 51-46). The 49ers went 13-2 in the Walter Pyramid last season. CSTV: TNG The next generation of internet broadcasting is here, with the on-going sponsorship between the Big West, Long Beach State and CSTV, Inc., the rest of the home basketball season will be webcast on CSTV.com and the 49er website. Fans can also listen live to all 49er games via www.longbeachstate.com 2006-07 49ers After claiming its first conference championship in 15 years last season, Long Beach State is reloaded and ready to contend for a second consecutive crown and a post-season berth this season. "I can't say it enough, but I've never been more excited about coaching any team more than this one," boasted fourth year head coach Mary Hegarty. "We have solid returnees and enthusiastic, hard working newcomers who bring a lot of energy to this program. We have players who are proud to be a part of Long Beach State and the tradition we've had here. They are eager to help this program excel." Despite being a very young squad (eight true freshmen on the roster), what really has Hegarty excited is the fact that the 06-07 team has more height, depth, perimeter shooting, and the important ability to score in the paint than any of her previous teams at LBSU. Player Notes #20 Karina Figueroa >>Selected to the BWC Pre-Season All-Conference Team >>Has scored in double-figures five times this season • Posted 16 points and five assists vs. UNLV on Dec. 9 • Recorded eight points (six in the 2nd half) at USD, Dec. 6 • Tallied eight points and a steal at Utah (Dec. 1) • Scored 13 points and dished out eight assists at LMU, Nov. 21 • Had 13 points and four rebounds vs. Oregon • Dished out a season-high six assists vs. Montana State, Nov. 17 • Tallied 11 points vs. Santa Clara on Nov. 12 • Posted 12 points at #22 USC (Nov. 10) #2 Tyresha Calhoun >>Leads team in steals (19) and assists (32) >>18-for-25 from the charity stripe this season (.720) • Chipped in with seven assists and two steals at USD, Dec. 6 • Had 10 points, six assists, and six steals at South Dakota St, (12/3) • Pulled down six boards at LMU (Nov. 21) • Led the team with 16 points (was also 6-for-6) from the line vs. Santa Clara on Nov. 12 • Registered 14 points and five assists in her 49er debut at #22 USC on Nov. 10 #23 Kaiti O'Brien >>Leads the 49ers at 6.0 rebounds per Game >>Leads the team with a .500 field goal percentage • Recorded a career-high 15 points at San Diego on Dec. 6 • Had eight points, seven rebounds, two steals vs. UNLV, Dec. 9 • Had 12 points, nine rebounds at Utah (Dec. 1) • Posted eight points at LMU on Nov. 21 • Pulled down seven rebounds v.s Oregon on Nov. 19 • Registered her first career double-double (13 and 12) with four assists and two steals vs. Santa Clara on Nov. 12 •Tallied 8 points and 5 rebounds vs. #22 USC on Nov. 10 #3 Lauren Sims >>Shooting .368 from three-point range this season (10-of-24) >>Has 25 Defensive Rebounds on the year • Recorded two three-pointers at San Diego on Dec. 6 • Connected for eight points at Utah (Dec. 1) • Had two steals at LMU (Nov. 21) • Had six points, three rebounds vs. Oregon, Nov. 19 • Connected for 20 points (5-of-6 from three-point range) vs. Montana State on Nov. 17 • Posted her first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds (both career-highs) vs. Santa Clara on Nov. 12 #21 Courtney Jacob >>Solid Contributor off the bench • Had three assists, two blocks and a steal at San Diego on Dec. 6 • Posted six points, eight rebounds at South Dakota St (Dec. 3) • Had seven points, seven rebounds, and three assists vs. Santa Clara on Nov. 12 • Made her 49er debut with eight points, six rebounds, and a steal at #22 USC Other Notables... Madison Pagani registered her first double-double in a 49er uniform with 16 rebounds and 10 points at San Diego on Dec. 6...Lisa Takata made her first career start vs. Oregon on Nov. 19 and registered five points and four steals...Brett Timmons made her first career start vs. Oregon on Nov. 19 and pulled down seven rebounds...Amanda Foster scored her first collegiate points (4) vs. Montana State on Nov. 17...Ally Wade has made five three-pointers this season, and scored a career-high nine points at South Dakota St on Dec. 1. And Finally... Long Beach State head coach, Mary Hegarty announced that three players -- LaTorya Barbee (Moreno Valley/Canyon Springs HS), Brittany Brumfield (Long Beach/Long Beach Poly HS), and Ashley Bookman (Redondo Beach/Redondo Union HS), have all signed National Letters-of-Intent to enroll at LBSU for the 2007-08 season. "All three players come from excellent high school programs," commented Hegarty. "We (coaching staff/Long Beach State women's basketball) continue to recruit the best local players." Barbee averaged 7.9 points per game and dished out 75 assists and registered 43 steals as a junior last season. In her sophomore season, Canyon Springs went 31-4, and won the CIF Championship, before falling in the State Championship game. "LaTorya is a poised point guard with great quickness and the ability to defend the ball," said Hegarty. Brumfield averaged nearly four points per game, while registering 40 steals for Long Beach Poly as a sophomore during the 2004-05 season. Brumfield missed the majority of her junior season after suffering a knee injury during practice. "Brittany is an exciting playmaker who uses her speed extremely well, offensively and defensively." Bookman's Redondo team defeated Brea Olinda, 56-53 in the Southern Section Division II-A Championship game in March – its third section title in the last six years. In the semifinals, Bookman scored nine points to lead Redondo to a 71-63 win over Cajon. "Ashley's a versatile ‘four' player," said Hegarty. "She has the ability to play on the perimeter and run the floor." |
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