FULLERTON, Calif. - The Cal State Fullerton women's basketball team rings in the 2012-13 season at Nevada, Friday at 6:30 p.m. The Titans will then return to Fullerton for their home debut vs. Sacramento State, Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at Titan Gym.
Cal State Fullerton's game vs. Nevada will have a live video stream available at www.NevadaWolfpack.com (subscription required). The Sacramento State game will be streamed live for free on BigWest.TV. The link is available on the CSUF Women's Basketball Schedule.
Audio coverage for Sunday's game vs. Sacramento State will be available for free through FullertonTitans.com. Just click the audio link on the CUSF Women's Basketball schedule page to listen. There will be no audio coverage for the Nevada game.
Live stats will be provided for both games this week. To access live stats for the Nevada game, go to www.NevadaWolfpack.com and click on the women's basketball schedule then click the link for GameTracker. For the Sacramento State game go to www.FullertonTitans.com and go the women's basketball schedule then click live stats.
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Fans can keep up with the latest in Titans athletics by following us on Facebook (CSUF.Athletics), Twitter (@FullertonTitans) and YouTube.com (YouTube.com/csfathletics). In addition, the women's basketball team has established its own official Facebook and Twitter pages (@WBBTitans)
A Look at the Series...
Cal State Fullerton (0-0) vs. Nevada (0-0)
Overall Record 7-10
Home Record 5-3
Away Record 2-7
Neutral Site Record 0-0
Longest Win Streak 5 games
Longest Losing Streak 9 games
Current Streak Won 1
Record in Last 10 Meetings 2-8
Last Meeting
Dec. 10, 2011 @ Titan Gym (W, 76-74)
Last Meeting at Nevada
Dec. 16, 2007 (L, 82-57)
Series Notes: Last time these two schools played the game came down to the wire with Cal State Fullerton's Mya Olivier converting on a three-point play with two seconds left to lift the Titans to a 76-74 victory. The Titans were trailing by as many as six points with with three minutes to play in the contest. Olivier recorded 13 points and 10 rebounds in the win, while Kathleen Iwouha chipped in with nine points and eight boards...Win marked the closest point margin all-time between the two schools (previous smallest was four, happened three times)...Win also marked closest margin of victory for the Titans since Dec. 31, 2010 (58-56, at UC Davis)...Titans haven't won a game in Reno since Feb. 17, 1994 (Seven straight defeats)
Not Know About Nevada? Now You Do!
The Wolf Pack come into the 2012-13 season looking to improve on a 7-23 mark (3-11 conference record) from a season ago. Nevada has lost its two leading scorers from a year ago in Kate Kevorken (16.0 PPG) and Kayla Willaims (12.9 PPG). Senior gaurd Chanelle Brennan figures to be one of the main pieces to the puzzle for Nevada this season after scoring 10.1 points and grabbing 4.4 rebounds per contest last year. Danika Sharp will be another strong option at gaurd for the Wolf Pack. She averaged 8.7 points per game last season and went off for 17 points on 7-of-18 shooting in last week's 73-68 exhibitian loss to San Francisco State. Nevada was picked to finish eigth in the Mountian West coaches/ media poll.
Cal State Fullerton (0-0) vs. Sacramento St. (0-0)
Overall Record: 7-1
Home Record: 1-1
Away Record: 4-0
Neutral Site Record: 2-0
Longest Win Streak: 4 games
Longest Losing Streak: 1 game
Current Streak: Won 3
Record in Last 10 Meetings: N/A
Last Meeting: Nov. 11, 2011 @ Sac. State (W, 81-64)
Last Meeting at Home: Dec. 9, 2010 (W, 100-74)
Series Notes: Mya Olivier tallied seven points and grabbed 15 rebounds (two shy of career-high) while Kathleen Iwuoha scored 12 points and grabbed six boards on the way to Cal State Fullerton's 81-64 season-opening win over the Hornets last season. The Titans led wire-to-wire and built a lead as big as 23 points...The win was one of seven double-digit wins the Titans had last season...Six of seven all-time wins vs. Sac. State have been by 8+ points...Fullerton has reached the 80-point mark in last three games vs. Hornets...Last time the Hornets and Titans hooked up at Titan Gym on Dec. 9, 2010 (W, 100-74), Fullerton scored 100 points for only the 11th time in school history...Titans haven't reached the 100-point plateau since
The Buzz on the Hornets
Sacramento State enters 2012-13 looking to build off a 13-19 record (7-9 conference mark) from a year ago. The Hornets return four of five starters from last season including their leading scorer in senior forward Kylie Kuhns (13.3 PPG, 11.6 RPG). Junior gaurd Alle Moreno also returns as the the second leading scorer from last season, as she averaged 13.3 points per contest. The Hornets are coming off a 78-59 exhibition win over the Acadamy of the Arts last week where Alle Morano led all scores with 19 points in 21 minutes of action. Sacramento State was picked to finish seventh in the Big Sky coaches poll and sixth in the media poll.
Last Time Out For the Titans
Cal State Fullerton junior Kathleen Iwuoha finished with a game-high 16 points and 19 rebounds as she led the Titans to a 91-51 victory over La Verne in an exhibition affair last Saturday afternoon at Titan Gym.
Iwuoha shot 7-of-11 from the field in 23 minutes of action, while senior Lauren Bushong provided a spark off the bench, posting 15 points and eight boards. Natalie Williams, Alex Thomas, and Chante Miles also chipped in with double-digit figures.
Junior Megan Musashi led the Leopards with 11 points, shooting 4-of-11 from the floor and grabbing three rebounds. Junior Lindsey Foster also contributed with nine points and three boards of her own.
The Titans jumped out to an early 13-0 lead within the first five minutes of the contest, taking advantage of La Verne's 0-for-7 shooting start. The Leopards chipped away to make it a 32-21 deficit at the 4:03 mark of the first half, but would get no closer as Fullerton went on an 8-3 run over the final four-plus minutes and took a 40-24 lead into halftime.
The Titans kept the momentum rolling in the second half, outscoring the Leopards 33-12 over the first 12 minutes of the second half. Fullerton's lead eventually ballooned as high as 42 points with 2:13 remaining in the contest.
The Titans posted 51 second-half points and held La Verne to 27 percent shooting from the field for the game en route to the victory. Fullerton also forced 27 turnovers and outrebounded the Leopards 65-36 for the game.
Breaking Down the Titans
Cal State Fullerton returns two starters and seven letterwinners overall from last season's squad that finished 11-19 overall and 4-12 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 top seeded Cal Poly in the opening round for a second consecutive season, 71-53.
A new era of Fullerton basketball begins after the team says goodbye to two of the top three scorers from a year ago in Megan Richardson (16.1 PPG) and Lauren Chow (8.1 PPG) due to graduation. However, the Titans will have some stability with the return 2012 All-Big West honorable mention Mya Olivier who returns as the team's leading rebounder (7.4 RPG). 26-game starter Kathleen Iwuoha also returns looking to build off a solid freshman campaign where she averaged 5.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
Titans Tabbed 10th in Big West Media Poll
The Cal State Fullerton women's basketball team was picked to finish 10th in the 2012-13 Big West Conference race according to a vote of league media members released by the conference office on Oct. 24.
The Titans received 29 points to finish just behind Orange County rival UC Irvine, which was ninth with 65 points. Cal State Northridge managed to edge out Pacific as the favorite to take home the conference crown with six first place votes and 161 points overall. Pacific was tabbed second with 159 points (five first place votes), UC Santa Barbara third with 153 points (three first place votes), Cal Poly fourth with 127 votes (one first place vote), Long Beach State fifth with 116 points (one first place vote), Hawai'i sixth with 81 points, UC Davis seventh with 80 first place votes, and UC Riverside eighth with 74 points.
Filling in the Holes
Cal State Fullerton returns just 52 percent of its 1,830 points scored, 60 percent of its rebounds, 53 percent of its field goals made, 28 percent of its three-pointers made, 61 percent of its free throws made, 43 percent of its assists, and 63 percent of its steals from a season ago.
New Kids on the Block
The Titans bring in four new faces to this year's squad, but only two true freshmen compared to the seven that joined last year's team. The Titans welcome Brianna Barfield (TR, Citrus JC), Xava Grooms (TR, Utah State), Briana Hubbard (FR), and Annie Park (FR).
You Can't Teach Tall
This year's Titan squad could be one of the tallest in recent memory; featuring six players listed at 6-feet or taller –tied for the tallest Fullerton squad since the 2007-08 team listed seven players taller than 6-foot.
Block Party
Lauren Bushong's next block will be the 50th of her career, which would tie her for eighth all-time (Charlee Underwood, 50 - 2003-07) on the school's career blocked shots list. She is currently eight blocked shots away from Kisa Hughes, who ranks seventh on the list with 57 swats.
My-oh-Mya
After suffering a season-ending injury early into the 2010-11 season, she rebounded in a positive manner last year, finishing as the team's leading rebounder (7.4 RPG) and third on the team in scoring (8.8 PPG) in addition to earning a Big West Honorable Mention. She provided the game-winning bucket in the Titans' 76-74 win over Nevada last year.
Tourney Tested
The Titans will face a schedule loaded with postseason participants in 2011-12 as they will face three (with a fourth possible depending upon the outcome of the Cal Classic Nov. 23- 24th) NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago (Georgetown, Gonzaga, Big West rival UC Santa Barbara, and possibly California) as well as five WNIT teams from 2011-12 in Oregon State, Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge, Pacific, and UC Davis for a total of at least eight tournament teams. That matches the amount faced last season.
Winning in the Beginning
Cal State Fullerton is 26-17 all-time in season opening contests (12-11 on the road), including an 81-64 opening night victory at Sacramento State last season. The Titans have won three of their last four openers and two of their last three road debuts. Fullerton is 0-1 all-time vs. Nevada when opening a season. The lone defeat came 71-56 at Nevada to begin the 2004-05 campaign. The Titans have won four of their last five home openers, that streak will be put to the test Sunday when Sacramento State rolls into town. The Titans are 2-0 all-time vs. the Hornets in season openers.
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Cal State Fullerton boasts a rigorous 12-game non-conference schedule that includes one neutral contest against a team hovering near the AP preseason top 25 rankings in No. 33 Georgetown. Depending upon the outcome of the first game of the Cal Classic (Nov. 23- Nov. 24th) the Titans could also square off against No. 13 California in Berkeley. Seven of the Titans' 12 non-conference affairs will be played away from Titan Gym. Gonzaga is also ranked 29th in the USA Today preseason coaches poll (California 15th, Georgetown 30th).
California Dreamin'
All 14 players on the roster call California home. Twelve of the 14 players are from Southern California while two of them are from up north. All three assistant coaches completed their undergraduate degrees at Southern California instituations as well. (Lori Morris at San Diego, Jorge Cerna at San Diego State, and Monica Quan at Concordia)
Fullerton's Fountian of Youth
The Titans come into the 2012-13 season ranked tied for the sixth youngest team in D-I basketball, with the team's average experience being one year per player. The program holds five freshman, five sophomores, three juniors (with one being a JC transfer in Brianna Barfield), and one senior. The Titans have lost three starters from last year's squad in senior Megan Richardson, senior Lauren Chow, and junior Alicya Crisp. Sophomore center Jasmine Grayson left the program as well
Aloha Hawai'i!
The Big West Conference welcomes the University of Hawai'i women's basketball team back to the league for its second stint as a Big West women's basketball participent. The Warriors were members of the Big West from 1984-1996.
Cal State Fullerton will play 18 conference games (one home, one away vs. Hawai'i added) instead of the traditional 16 games as has been done in years past. The Titans will still play 29 regular season games, two non-conference games have been subtracted. The top eight teams in the conference will still qualify for the Big West Tournament. San Diego State will return as the conference's 11th member, effective July 1, 2013.
Register for 2012-13 Tip-off Party
The Cal State Fullerton women's basketball team invites fans and supporters of the program to its third-annual Tip-Off Celebration and fundraiser on Saturday, Dec. 1, at 6 p.m. at the Titan Student Union Pavilion on campus.
Tickets are $40 for a night of fun, food, and dancing as attendees will get a chance to meet with and hear from head coach Marcia Foster and the rest of the coaching staff as well as members of the 2012-13 Titans' squad.
For more information about the event, please contact Assistant Coach Monica Quan via email at mquan@fullerton.edu or at 657-278-7655, or register online at www.fullertontitans.com.