Long Beach State University Athletics
LBSU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL OPENS SEASON AT NEVADA, PEPPERDINE
11/9/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Complete LBSU Game Notes (PDF)
Game 1: Long Beach State at Nevada
Date: Friday, Nov. 11, 2016
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Reno, Nev.
Arena: Lawlor Events Center (11,536)
Radio: KBEACH.org / KBEACH App
Radio Talent: Jason Schwartz
Webcast: TheMW.com
Live Stats: NevadaStats.com
Game 2: Long Beach State at Pepperdine
Date: Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016
Time: 1 p.m.
Location: Malibu, Calif.
Arena: Firestone Fieldhouse (3,104)
Radio: KBEACH.org / KBEACH App
Radio Talent: Jason Schwartz
Webcast: None
Live Stats:
LONG BEACH STATE OPENS SEASON ON THE ROAD, HEADS TO NEVADA AND PEPPERDINE
The Long Beach State women's basketball team will start the 2016-17 campaign on the road as it heads to Nevada for its season opener at 6:30 p.m. (PST) on Friday, Nov. 11. The Beach then makes its way to Malibu for a 1 p.m. (PST) showdown at Pepperdine on Sunday, Nov. 13.
QUICK HITS
• Long Beach State has advanced to the postseason (WNIT) in three of the last four seasons (2013, 2015, 2016).
• The Beach welcomes back 10 letterwinners and all five starters from last year's team that went 24-9.
• Long Beach State was tabbed as the favorite to claim the 2016-17 Big West title in both the coaches preseason poll and the media poll.
• It was the 49ers' second-straight 20-win campaign and marked the most victories in a season since 1990-91.
• Over the last two years, Long Beach State has compiled an impressive 46-19 record.
• LBSU returns three All-Big West honorees in seniors Raven Benton, Anna Kim and Jewelyn Sawyer.
• Benton was a first-team selection and enters her final year ranked 18th in 49er history with 1,112 career points.
• Kim and Sawyer earned honorable mention recognition, while Sawyer is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.
• The Beach has led the Big West in steals in each of the last three seasons.
BENTON HEADING TOWARD ELITE COMPANY
Senior Raven Benton became the 24th player in program history, and the fourth in head coach Jody Wynn's tenure, to surpass 1,000 career points last year. The Tacoma, Wash., native needed only 83 games to accomplish the feat, making her the 12th-fastest 49er to hit 1,000. Benton has the chance to become part of an even more elite group as she needs only 37 rebounds to join the likes of Cindy Brown, LaTaunya Pollard and Penny Moore as the 12th member of LBSU's 1,000-point/500-rebound club.
SCOUTING THE WOLF PACK
Nevada opens the 2016-17 season looking to turn things around after a 5-25 record a year ago. The Wolf Pack is led by head coach Jane Albright who is in her eighth year at the helm of the program and is 104-148 in her time at Nevada. The squad returns seven letterwinners, three of which are starters, while adding five newcomers to the mix. The Wolf Pack is led by Stephanie Schmid, a senior guard, who finished her junior campaign averaging 11.1 points per game to go along with 68 rebounds, 29 steals and 25 assists. Additionally,
SERIES VS. NEVADA
Long Beach State leads in its all-time series with Nevada, 13-6, but saw its four-game win streak against the Wolf Pack snapped in the last meeting in Reno on Nov. 15, 2013 as Nevada defeated the Beach, 91-61, for its largest margin of victory in the series. LBSU is still 6-3 when playing at Lawlor Events Center.
A GLANCE AT PEPPERDINE
The Waves kick off the 2016-17 season Sunday against Long Beach State as Pepperdine looks to improve upon its 7-24 overall record last year. The season's squad features six returning contributors from a year ago, two players coming off of redshirt freshman seasons, one junior college transfer and four incoming freshmen. Allie Green is the Waves' leading returner as she averaged 9.2 points per game last season while adding 3.3 rebounds per game. She also grabbed 34 steals and put up 11 blocks.
SERIES VS. PEPPERDINE
The Beach leads in its all-time series with Pepperdine, 12-3, and has come out on top in the last two meetings with the Waves. LBSU defeated Pepperdine, 74-61, at home in 2013, and 78-69 on the road in 2014.
THE BEST IN THE (BIG) WEST
Long Beach State was picked as the favorite to claim the 2016-17 Big West Conference title in both the coaches' preseason poll and hte media poll. The Beach claimed five first-place votes in the coaches' preseaon poll to finish in front of UC Davis and UC Riverside. In the media poll, the 49ers received nine first-place votes to claim first place, while UC Riverside picked up seven first-place votes to come in second.
