TIP-OFF
The Titans return to Titan Gym to continue preseason play, hosting the University of San Diego on Wednesday night and Eastern Washington on Sunday afternoon.
COME SEE THE TITANS
The Titans host San Diego on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. for a "Titans Territory" T-Shirt Giveaway night before hosting Eastern Washington on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Titan Gym. Parking is only mandatory on Wednesday night and is $8.
For all December games, if you bring an unwrapped toy you will receive a general admission ticket! All toys will be donated to Toys for Tots. Remember all CSUF students get in to all home games for FREE.
FOLLOW ALONG LIVE
There will be live video, audio and stats for both games against San Diego and Eastern Washington this week. You can find all links at fullertontitans.com under the Women's Basketball schedule link.
FOLLOW THE TITANS!
Fans can keep up with the latest in Titans athletics by following us on Facebook (Facebook.com/FullertonTitans), Twitter (@FullertonTitans), Instagram (WBB_Titans) 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
Cal State Fullerton (2-7) vs. San Diego (7-1)
Overall record: 7-13
Home Record: 4-6
Away Record: 3-7
Neutral Site Record: 0-0
Longest Win Streak: 4
Longest Losing Streak: 8
Current Streak: L - 8
Record in Last 10 Meetings: 1-9
Last Meeting: Nov. 18, 2014 (L, 54-60)
Overall Record: 2-5
Home Record: 2-1
Away Record: 0-3
Neutral Site Record: 0-1
Longest Win Streak: 1
Longest Losing Streak: 3
Current Streak: L - 2
Record in Last 10 Meetings: 2-5
Last Meeting: Nov. 24, 2012 (L, 45-50)
SERIES NOTES
SAN DIEGO: The Titans and Toreros have met 20 times, San Diego taking the reins by leading the series with 13 wins. The Toreros have won the last eight meetings.
EASTERN WASHINGTON: EWU currently leads the series with five wins, but this will be the first time the two teams have met since the Titans have been under Coach Park's tutelage.
BREAKING DOWN THE TOREROS
Head coach Cindy Fisher is in her 14th year at the helm of the Toreros and returns two starters and 12 letter winners to a 2014-15 squad that was picked to finish fourth in the WCC Preseason Poll. So far this season the Toreros are 7-1, dropping their first game last weekend to Washington State.
BREAKING DOWN THE EAGLES
The Eagles are led by head coach Wendy Schuller who has been at the helm of the program for the past 15 years. Eastern Washington returns four letter winners to the floor from a squad that went 21-12 last season and made it to the WNIT Second Round.
TITANS SHOOTING DOUBLE-DIGITS
A trio of Titans have hit their fifth game this season shooting double-digit points. Freshman Dani Craig hit her fifth game on Thursday night against Montana State while freshman Michelle Berry and senior Karima Gabriel each had their fifth game on Sunday afternoon against Montana.
Freshman Michelle Berry leads the Titans both offensively and defensively, averaging 16.0 ppg while also leading in rebounds with 7.8 rpg. The freshman has totaled 144 points in the first nine games which is good for first in the Big West while boasting the second-most rebounds in the conference with 70.
CONSISTENT IN THE POST
Transfer center Karima Gabriel has proven to be consistent in the post for the Titans, recording three double-digit games in the last four matches.
The Titans are currently riding a seven-game losing streak, matching a streak held by the 2012-13 squad.
The next longest streak took place in the 2012-2013 season when the Titans lost nine straight.
The Titan freshman trio of Jade Vega, Dani Craig and Michelle Berry have started all seven games so far this season, and all three are averaging double-digit points per game. Berry currently leads the Titans in ppg and rpg while Craig leads the Titans at the free throw line, sitting at 13-13 on the season. Vega has also chipped in offensively, averaging 10 ppg and lead in the Titans in both steals and assists on the year.
STEADY SAMI
Junior Sami Logan is the most experienced Titan on the roster, and it's been showing on the court. The junior veteran has been consistent defensively, averaging 5.7 rebounds and 5.8 points per game while leading four new faces on the floor.
Freshman Michelle Berry set a program record by scoring the most points by a freshman in history after posting 38 against Portland State. The performance earned her the first Big West Athlete of the Week honors, which also is the first time a Titan freshman has earned the accolades.
CONFERENCE CALL
Cal State Fullerton is 3-58 all-time against the West Coast Conference and 18-25 all-time against the Big Sky Conference.
In his second season at the helm of the Titans, Park led them to the program's fourth Big West Conference Tournament semi final in the last nine years while producing Big West Conference First Team selection, Chante Miles. The Titans finished with an overall record of 13-19 and a Big West Conference record of 5-11. The Cal State Fullerton women's basketball team worked their way into the record books on various occasions, setting records in fewest points allowed in a half, most three-point field goals made in a game, most three-point field goals made in a season, and most three-point field goals attempted in a season.
Park is the first male head coach in Cal State Fullerton women's basketball history and recorded his first win as the head coach of the Titans on Nov. 22, 2013 versus Columbia.
Prior to joining the Titans' staff as the associate head coach, Karen Middleton spent six seasons at the helm of the Western Carolina women's basketball program, leading the Catamounts to a semi-final appearance in the Southern Conference Tournament in 2014.
Before her stint at Western Carolina, Middleton was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Eastern Washington University (1994-97), was an assistant coach at the University of South Carolina (1992-94), spent two years as an assistant at the University of Illinois (2007-2009), and was an assistant coach at Stanford University for ten years (1997-2007).
The Big West Preseason Media Poll was released on Oct. 27 with the Titans picked to finish seventh during the 2015-16 season. After posting 23 wins and claiming the 2014-15 regular season crown, Hawai'i was deemed the favorite with 13 first palce votes. Checking in right behind Hawai'i was UC Riverside in second, earning 2 first place votes followed shortly behind by Cal Poly. CSUN, the two-time defending Tournament champion rolled in at fourth place, while Long Beach State, UC Davis, Fullerton, Irvine and Santa Barbara rounded out the poll.
HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT
Cal State Fullerton's 2015-16 schedule slates many competitive games, including games against teams that found themselves in the post-season last year.
"Our goal is to hopefully challenge our team appropriately in the non-conference to ultimately prepare us for the difficult Big West Conference schedule," Park said. "To have a early stretch of 5 out of 6 conference games on the road is a tough challenge for even the most experienced teams so it will be important for us to prepare accordingly and be ready to compete every time we step on the court."
The Titans welcome eight new faces to the squad for the 2015-16 season. Here is more on the transfers and true freshmen ready to make an immediate impact this season:
Iman Lathan • G • 5-9 • University of Nevada
Played two seasons at the University of Nevada… Academic All-Mountain West honoree ... appeared in 20 games for Nevada during her rookie season ... logged 82 minutes of playing time, averaging 4.1 minutes per game ... totaled 34 points in her 20 games, 1.7 points per game average ... grabbed 17 rebounds, dished out five assists and collected six steals ... shot 49 percent (16-of-33) as a freshman from the field, going 2-for-7 from the free throw line ... scored a season-best eight points during an overtime win at Air Force (2/1), on perfect 4-of-4 shooting ... posted season-high four rebounds during the second game of the season versus Long Beach State (11/15) where she also scored four points and registered her first career assist ... scored at least two points in 11 games ... recorded her first collegiate point, rebound and steal in the season opener at Utah Valley (11/8) ... played a season-best nine minutes in three separate contests, Long Beach State (11/15), San Jose State (1/1) and at Air Force (2/1)
A 2015 graduate and a two-year basketball letter winner for the Spartans… Also played varsity soccer where she was named First Team all league…. In her junior year she averaged 12 points and 11 rebounds per game… Her senior season she averaged 14 points and 13 rebounds per game.
Dani Craig • G • 5-8 • Iowa City West HS • Coralville, Iowa
Played four years on the varsity squad for head coach BJ Mayer… As a senior she was named First Team All Mississippi Valley League honors while slating her name in the record books in assists with 121 and three-pointers with 51… She was a part of the Trojans squad as a freshman when they played in the State Championship… Dani was also a part of the National Honor Society and played varsity soccer as well.
Was a four-year starter on the varsity basketball team under head coach Stacey Henson… Was named to the All-District Second team in her freshman and sophomore seasons before being named to the All-District First team her junior and senior campaigns…. Was named the Offensive Player of the Year three times in her career while being named team MVP her junior season when she averaged 13 points and had a career high 30 point game.
Karima Gabriel • C • 6-2 • Boston College • Manchester, N.H.
At Boston College Karima played in 29 games, started 10 ... Averaged 5.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 15.9 minutes per game ... Scored in double-figures in five games .... Had a career-high 12 rebounds vs. Notre Dame on Jan. 11 ... Had a season-high 14 points vs. Pitt on Jan. 24 ... Finished the season with 45 blocks, most by a BC player since the 2010-11 season ... Led the team in rebounding in six games and in blocks 11 times. At DePaul as a freshman she played in 18 games for DePaul University...Averaged 4.2 minutes and 1.1 rebounds a game...DePaul advanced to the NCAA Tournament and lost to Tennessee in the 2nd round.
Played two seasons at University of Central Florida… As a Sophomore in 2014-15 she appeared in 21 games, averaging 1.2 points in 6.4 minutes per game…Provided a boost off the bench in UCF's win over Jacksonville, recording 6 points, 3 rebounds in 10 minutes, including a buzzer-beating jumper before halftime… Clocked season-high 16 minutes in conference-opening win at Houston, tallying 2 points and 2 rebounds… Shattered career-high with 8 rebounds against Memphis (2/18)
Lauren Nubla • G • 5-5 • C.K. McClatchy HS • Sacramento, Calif.
Played four years on the varsity squad for head coach Jessica Kunisaki… named Second Team All Metro League in her sophomore and junior seasons… During her senior year she led the McClatchy Lions to the CIF Division I Championship title while earning First Team All Metro League honors…. Was also named Athlete of the Year and won the CIF sportsmanship award her senior year with 246 points and 14 three-pointers as a senior.
Played three years of varsity basketball under head coach Jane Morris… while playing for the Pilots, she led them to their second straight CHSAA championship…. earned Daily News Player of the year and was named to the Daily News First and Second teams throughout her career… Was named Bronx Player of the year and was named to the All Bronx First Team.