No. 7 Cal State Fullerton vs. No. 6 Long Beach State
Long Beach, Calif. | The Pyramid
Tuesday, March 11, 2014 | 8:30 p.m.
Game Coverage: Live Stats | Video | Audio | LBSU Notes
Cal State Fullerton Game Notes (PDF)
Tip-Off
Cal State Fullerton begins its quest for its first ever Big West Tournament crown as the seventh seed when it takes on sixth-seeded Long Beach State Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. inside the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, Calif.
Watch it Live
Tuesday's game will available on ESPN3/WatchESPN. To access video for Cal State Fullerton's game visit www.fullertontitans.com, click the women's basketball schedule page then click the "video" link to watch through ESPN3.
Listen Live
There will be live audio streaming available for Cal State Fullerton's game versus Long Beach State. To access audio for the game visit www.fullertontitans.com, click the women's basketball schedule page then click the "audio" link.
Live Stats
There will be live stats available for Cal State Fullerton's game this weekend.To access live stats for the game visit www.fullertontitans.com, click the women's basketball schedule page then click the "live stats" link.
Follow the Titans!
Fans can keep up with the latest in Titans athletics by following us on Facebook (Facebook.com/CSUF.Athletics), Twitter (@FullertonTitans) and YouTube.com (YouTube.com/csfathletics). In addition, the women's basketball team has established its own official Facebook (Facebook.com/WBBTitans) and Twitter pages (@WBBTitans).
A Look at the Series...
No. 7 Cal State Fullerton (12-17, 8-8 Big West) vs No. 6Long Beach State (16-14, 8-8 Big West)
Overall Record... 35-63
Home Record... 17-29
Away Record... 12-31
Neutral Record... 5-3
Big West Record... 15-43
Longest Win Streak... 15 games
Longest Losing Streak... 26 games
Current Streak... Won 1
Record in Last 10 Meetings... 5-5
Last Meeting...Mar. 1, 2014 at Long Beach, Calif. (W, 71-55)
Series Game-by-Game (Last five meetings)
03.01.14 Long Beach, Calif. W 71-55
02.01.14 Fullerton, Calif. L 83-64
03.12.13 Irvine, Calif. W 54-48
02.14.13 Fullerton, Calif. L 58-56
01.19.13 Long Beach, Calif. L 45-39
Series Note: Saturday marks the 79th meeting all-time meeting between the two schools... the two teams split the regular season contests with the road team winning each game...the Titans are 15-43 against LBSU in Big West Conference play...Fullerton's largest margin of victory was a 88-45 (43 pts) win Apr. 11, 1970 at Fullerton...Fullerton's largest margin of defeat was a 94-45 loss in Fullerton, Calif., on Feb. 11, 2001.
Looking at Long Beach
Long Beach State (16-14, 8-8 Big West) enters the first round matchup in sixth place after dropping the past three of four games.
The 49ers are led by freshman guard and former Big West player of the week Raven Benton, as she averages 12.3points per game. She also ranks second on the team in rebounding, pulling down 5.5 boards per contest. Lauren Spargo and Alex Sanchez also help the 49ers out as they each average 10.2 points per contest.
LBSU averages 70.5 points per game and leads the league in steals per game (5.8 spg). The 49ers were picked to finish fourth in the conference in the Big West's preseason conference poll.
Conference Call
The Titans are 202-304 (.399) all-time against Big West Conference foes. Fullerton was 7-14 last season against league foes and won two games in the conference tournament before losing to Pacific in the semifinals.
Last Time Out for the Titans
Behind 44 combined points from senior Alex Thomas and junior Chante Miles, Cal State Fullertons' stifling Titan defense downed Hawai'i, 61-42, on senior night at Titan Gym Saturday.
With the win, Fullerton (12-17, 8-8 Big West) finishes tied for sixth with Long Beach State. The Titans begin their postseason journey Tuesday at the Pyramid in Long Beach, where it will take on rival Long Beach State at 8:30 p.m.
For Hawai'i (16-12, 10-6 Big West), the loss moves them to the number three seed in the Big West tournament, but still gives them a first round bye. Their first game will be on Wednesday at 6 p.m. against the second-lowest seed to advance, meaning the two teams could possibly meet once again Wednesday night.
Miles poured in 24 points off 8-of-15 shooting, while recording five steals in a winning effort. In her final game at Titan Gym, Thomas chipped in 20 points, including a three-pointer at the 17:07 mark of the first half, which lifted her over 1,000 total career points. Senior Sydney Haydel led the Rainbow Wahine with 10 points, while sophomore guard Destiny King contributed nine points and seven rebounds in the loss.
The Titans got off on the right foot as five of the first seven points came from Thomas, including her three-pointer which gave her 1,000 career points. Over the next 12 minutes, the two teams battled back and forth, but Miles took control of the game and led the Titans on a 13-2 run to give the Titans a 27-15 advantage with 2:53 left in the half.
Fullerton then took a 31-15 lead into the half behind 14 points from Miles on 4-of-7 shooting. The Titans also held Hawai'i to a season-low 25 percent shooting in the opening stanza, while the Titans shot 45 percent from the field.
The Titans picked it up where they left off in the second half as they extended their lead to 17, holding a lead of 38-21 with 14:46 remaining. The Rainbow Wahine tried to creep back into the ballgame and cut the Titan lead down to 12 at one point, but the home team's defense was just too much for Hawai'i.
As Fullerton sustained its lead in the final minutes of the game, Brianna Barfield and Thomas received standing ovations in their final exit. The Titans were able to hold UH to 29.1 (16-for-55) percent shooting on the night and force 17 turnovers.
Thomas Reaches 1,000 Points Milestone
Senior Alex Thomas reached the 1,000 career point mark after knocking down a three-pointer with 17:07 left in the first half against Hawai'i last Saturday. The Mission Viejo, Calif., native has averaged 15.2 ppg this season and a conference best 20.6 ppg in Big West play.
All-Big West Honors
Senior guard Alex Thomas was named to the All-Big West Second Team, while Chante Miles earned an honorable mention nod, it was announced on Monday morning. Samantha Logan was also named to the All-Big West Freshman team.
Freshman Sensation
Freshman forward Samantha Logan was named to the Big West's 2014 All-Freshman team Monday. For the second straight season a Titan has been named to the freshman team (Annie Park, 2012-13).
Titans in the Tourney
Fullerton is making its 13th consecutive appearance in the Big West Tournament and its 24th overall berth since the 1985-86 season...Fullerton is 16-24 (.400) all-time in the conference postseason event, winning at least one game in the tournament in five of the last seven seasons and three times advancing to the semifinal round during that span... head coach Daron Park is making his first appearance to the conference tournament. The Titans last season defeated Long Beach State and Hawai'i before dropping a close one to Pacific in the semifinals.
Rematch From Last Year
Last season, the Titans and 49ers squared off in the Big West Tournament first round at the Brens Event Center. Eighth-Seeded Fullerton used a 27-13 run over the final 10:46 to rally and knock off fifth-seeded Long Beach State 54-48 after putting up a tournament low 13 points in the first half.
Last Time Out Vs. Long Beach State
Fullerton and Long Beach State will go head-to-head for the third time this year with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals on Wednesday. The last time the two schools played Fullerton outscored the 49ers 46-23 in the second half behind Kathleen Iwuoha's double-double performance (25 points, 12 rebounds) to come away victorious 71-55 at the Pyramid.
Keeping it Neutral
The Titans are 0-2 this season at neutral sites, dropping two games in Northern California to Toledo and Alabama back in November. Fullerton averaged 56 points on 34.1 percent shooting (45/132) while it gave up 64.0 points per game to the two opponents. The Titans are 2-10 on neutral courts in the past few seasons. Fullerton is 1-0 at the Pyramid this season.
Oh What a Win Would Do
A win Tuesday vs. Long Beach State would give the Titans their most conference wins in a season since the 1990-91 season when Fullerton won 14 games under Dr. Maryalyce Jeremiah.
Most Wins Since 2009-10 Season
After recording win number 12 on the season against Hawai'i last Saturday, the Titans have now went over 11 wins for the first time since 2009-10 when Fullerton won 15 games. The last time the Titans won at least eight conference games was also the 2009-10 season when the team won eight Big West games.
2013 Big West Scholar Athletes
Three Titans have been named a Big West Scholar Athlete it was announced last week. Fullerton had senior guard Alex Thomas, senior forward Mya Olivier, and junior forward Xava Grooms named due to their acadmeic achievements.
Iwuoha's Career Night
Forward Kathleen Iwuoha's big performance on March 1was key for the the Titans as they defeated Long Beach State, 71-55. The junior forward poured in a career high 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Iwuoha set new career highs in field goals made (9), free throws made (7), and minutes played (40).
Bend Those Knees
Fullerton has played many close games due to its tough defense and currently ranks second amongst Big West opponents in points allowed per game (66.0 ppg).
Flying Under the Radar
Samantha Logan is making her presence felt. She currently is second on the team in overall rebounding (6.4 rpg). Her overall rebounding per game ranks eigth best in the Big West and her defensive rebounding ranks fourth in the conference (4.8 rpg).
Williams' Block Party
Junior forward Natalie Williams leads the Titans with 14 blocked shots this season and now ties Charlee Underwood (2003-2007) for eighth on the all-time among career shot blockers.
Winning the Close One
Fullerton defeated Cal Poly 78-77 on 2/20 and recorded its first one-point victory this season. The Titans have now won four games by three points or less this season.
Season Update
A New Starting Five
After using the same starters for the past 15 games, the Titans have used a new starting lineup in each of the past four games.
Where We Rank
Heading into the conference tournament lets see where the Titans rank amongst other Big West opponents overall. Fullerton ranks second in the Big West Conference in three-pointers per game (7.75). The Titans rank second in turnover margin (+2.69) and fourth rebounding defense percentage (.674), and scoring defense 67.1 ppg.
Big West Win #200
After knocking off conference leader Cal Poly on Feb. 20, 78-77, at Titan Gym, Fullerton recorded its 200th all-time Big West win.
The Amazing Alex
After averaging 8.6 points in non-conference games, senior guard Alex Thomas has stepped up her game as the Mission Viejo, Calif., native is averaging 20.6 points per game in conference games, which is the second highest among Big West players.
What's Trending
Fullerton has recorded two or more double-digit scorers in all (27 games), but two games this season...the Titans bench has outscored the opponent's bench in more than half the contests this season...Fullerton has only committed more turnovers than their opponents twice in the last 20 games...the Titans have used eight different starting lineups this season and are 8-7 with the most commonly used lineup.
From the Charity Stripe
Against Hawai'i on Feb. 15, the Titans shot a season-high 35 free throws with senior guard Alex Thomas attempting 19 of them. Thomas converted 15 of her free throws and fell one make short of the single record and three shy of the most free throw attempts in a game for a Titan.
Living Pretty in the 60's
The Titans are 11-5 when scoring 60+ points this season, compared to a 1-12 mark when scoring under 60 points...Fullerton is 5-1 when scoring at least 70 points this season.
Shooting Over 40 percent
The Titans are 7-2 when shooting better than 40 percent from the field and 5-0 when shooting better than 40 percent from behind the arc.
Out-Rebounding the Opponents
The Titans are 8-1 when grabbing more rebounds than the opponents. However, when Fullerton doesnt grab more rebounds than their opponent they are 4-14.
Most Three-Attempts
The Titans shot a whopping 41 three-pointers versus Long Beach State on Feb. 1, which gives Fullerton a new school record for most three-pointer attempts in a single game. The Titans previously shot 40 treys against Iowa State (12/8/13) earlier this season.
Miles Dishing Out Assists
After 29 games, junior guard Chante Miles is fourth in the Big West in assists. The Compton, Calif., native has 114 assists this season and set a new career high against UC Irvine on Mar. 6 after dishing out nine assists. Miles previously had eight assists (twice) versus Alabama (11/30) and UCSB (1/25) earlier this season.
UCSB Winning Streak at Home Snapped
Fullerton's win last weekend at UCSB signified the end of what was a 23-year losing streak in Santa Barbara. The Titans previously defeated the Gauchos at the Thunderdome on Feb. 12, 1991 (22 games).
All About Getting Better
Fullerton finished 5-13 in the Big West last season. The Titans already have eight conference wins as it heads into the conference tournament.
Miles Ahead of the Rest
Chante Miles has averaged 13.9 points per game, which ranks second on the team. Miles set a new career high after scoring 26 points against Cal Poly on Feb. 20. The Compton, Calif., native has had double-digit scoring figures in 23 of 29 games this season and has 43 total in her career. Last season the junior guard had 19 double-digit scoring games.
The Second Half, Times Two
Fullerton has scored 54.3 percent (975/1795) of its total points this season in the second half. If one were to replace Fullerton's first half scoring with its second half scoring this season, the Titans would be averaging 67.2 points per game compared to its current 61.9 points per game clip.
California Dreamin'
All 11 players on the roster call California home and all are natives of Southern California.
Finding the Right Mix
Cal State Fullerton has used eight different starting lineups this season and is 8-7 with a lineup of Chante Miles, Hailey King, Alex Thomas, Samantha Logan, and Kat Iwuoha. Alex Thomas is the only Titan to have started in every game this season.
A Streak Meant for Snapping
After defeating Cal Poly on Thursday the Titans snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Mustangs. Previously, the Titans hadn't defeated Cal Poly since Feb. 25, 2010.
Versus the Top 25
Iowa State was the first nationally ranked opponent for the Cal State Fullerton women's basketball program since the Titans played Gonzaga on Dec. 2, 2011 when the 24th ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs defeated Fullerton 73-60 at Titan Gym. Last season the Titans played three teams (Georgetown, Gonzaga, Pacific) that received votes in either the AP or USA Today Coaches Poll.
Fullerton has lost its last 14 consecutive games against teams either ranked or receiving votes in either poll dating back to a 68-65 win over Idaho (receiving votes in the Associated Press poll) on Jan. 24, 2004, in Moscow, Idaho... the Titans have lost their last 25 meetings with top 25 foes since posting a 75-63 victory over No. 24 (Associated Press) Long Beach State on Jan. 21, 1991.
Overall, Fullerton is 11-95 against nationally ranked competition dating to the 1977 season... the Titans have not been listed among the top 25 since Feb. 4, 1991, breaking into the Associated Press poll at No. 24 that week.
Recycled Notes
Start of a New Era
Head Coach Daron Park begins his first stint as the head coach of Cal State Fullerton women's basketball. Park spent last season as the associate head coach at USC. Park enters his first season as a head coach and is the first male head coach in Cal State Fullerton women's basketball history. Park recorded his first win as the head coach of the Titans on Nov. 22 versus Columbia.
Breaking Down the Titans
Cal State Fullerton return all five starters and 11 letterwinners overall from last season's squad that finished 11-22 overall and 5-13 in the Big West Conference, good enough for eighth place. The Titans were the No. 8 seed in last year's conference tournament, falling to Pacific in the Big West Conference Semifinals, 54-51. The Titans have stability with the return of Chante Miles who returns as the team's leading scorer (10.5 ppg). All-Big West Conference Tournament team honoree Mya Olivier returns for her senior season as one the team's leading rebounder (5.3 rpg) and scorers (7.2 ppg) from a season ago. Twenty-eight game starter Kathleen Iwuoha also returns looking to build off a solid sophomore campaign where she averaged 5.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Guard Alex Thomas will also provide an offensive threat after averaging 8.4 ppg last season.
Titans Tabbed 7th in Big West Media Poll
The Cal State Fullerton women's basketball team was picked to finish seventh in the 2012-13 Big West Conference race according to a vote of league media members released by the conference office on Oct. 23. The Titans received 59 points to finish just behind, UC Davis which was sixth with 72 points. Cal Poly managed to edge out Hawai'i as the favorite to take home the conference crown with 17 first place votes and 177 points overall. Hawai'i was tabbed second with 159 points (three first place votes), Cal State Northridge third with 121 points, Long Beach State fourth with 120 votes, UC Santa Barbara fifth with 100 points, UC Davis sixth with 72 points, UC Irvine with 54 points, and UC Riverside ninth with 38 points.
By the Numbers
Cal State Fullerton returns 91 percent of its 1,779 points scored, 91 percent of its rebounds, 90 percent of its field goals made, 68 percent of its free throws made, and 67 percent of its block shots from a season ago.
Hit Me Your Best Shot
Cal State Fullerton boasts a rigorous 13-game non-conference schedule that includes one road contest against No. 23 Iowa State, according to the AP Preseason Poll. The Titans first road test will come in New York to face off against Albany and Columbia. Later in the month, Fullerton travels to Northern California compete against Toledo and Alabama in the SMC Hilton Concord Classic. Six of the Titans' 13 non-conference affairs will be played away from Titan Gym.
New Kids on the Block
The Titans welcome two new faces to the squad for the 2013-14 season with Samantha Logan and Chelsea Waddy joining the squad.
Join the "Tipoff Club
The Cal State Fullerton women's basketball program invites fans and supporters of the Titans to join the "Tipoff Club," a club created to allow fans to become engaged specifically with the Fullerton women's basketball team. Membership benefits include an opportunity to support and improve the quality of the program, a regular newsletter with insights from the coaching staff, a lanyard to gain access to select pregame chalk talks, and an invitation to participate in special events with the team. For more information or to make a gift to the women's basketball team and become a member of the "Tipoff Club," please make a gift by visiting: https://giving.fullerton.edu/giving/giving.aspx?szAccount_no=95993