2019-20 STATS | UCLA PREVIEW | BIG WEST RELEASE
FULLERTON, Calif. - The Cal State Fullerton women's basketball team opens up the 2020-21 season on Friday at 4 p.m. PT at UCLA. The game will be played without fans in Pauley Pavilion and will be broadcast live online. The opener was originally scheduled for 2 p.m. PT on Wednesday but the game was postponed.
MATCHUP HISTORY
The Bruins own a 25-10 advantage in the all-time series against the Titans. Last time these programs squared off, the Bruins notched a 78-62 victory against in November of 2008.
2019-20 SEASON RECAP
The team returns seven of the top nine scorers from the 2019-20 squad that went 17-14 overall and posted the first winning season since 1991. Senior Carolyn Gill, who was named the 2019 Big West Hustle Player of the Year and was a member of the Big West All-Defensive Team. She posted numbers of 8.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Junior Amiee Book is back after tallying 12.7 points per game last season, the third-best mark on the squad. Opportunities are there for the taking this year as 2020 Big West Player of the Year Raina Perez transferred to North Carolina State and senior guard Taylor Turney opted out of playing the 2020-21 season due to COVID-19.
SCOUTING REPORT
UCLA is coming off a 26-5 season in 2019-20, the fifth-straight 20-win season under Coach Close. The Bruins finished 14-4 in Pac-12 play, good for second place in the regular season standings. UCLA advanced to the semifinals of the Pac-12 Tournament and was on track to host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, but subsequent postseason play was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the conclusion of the season, Michaela Onyenwere earned AP Third-Team All-America accolades. Onyenwere and then-senior Japreece Dean earned All-Pac-12 honors.
2020-21 ROSTER BREAKDOWN
Junior Amiee Book scored in double figures 16 times last season and was third on the team with 12.7 points per game. She led the team with 46 three-point field goals made while also pitching 5.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Senior Carolyn Gill tallied 8.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game last season and will look take more of an aggressive role in the offense this season. Senior Joy Krupa is back after playing the first nine games of last season before suffering a season-ending injury. Krupa was off to a great start, averaging 10.7 rebounds to go with 4.4 points and 3.1 assists per game. Sophomores Anniken Frey and Megan Nieto played in all 31 games last year at roughly 10 minutes per game but will likely see increased opportunities this season.
NEWCOMERS
Head coach Jeff Harada and his staff brought in three freshman to join the squad as well as one junior college transfer. Center Ashlee Lewis from Cerritos and Australian guards Gabi Vidmar and Bella Stratford make up the freshmen class. Junior guard Pressila Blanco made the move to Fullerton from Cypress College. With guard spots available for the taking, look for Vidmar and Stratford to battle with the returners for those minutes.