CSUDH Women's Basketball Weekly
January 2, 2006

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Recapping Last Week
The duo of Brigayle Iglehart and Jessica Liang led the way for CSUDH as each player scored 18 points as the Toros beat the Golden Eagles of the University of Minnesota-Crookston, 73-53, on the opening day of the Eva Schicke Memorial New Year’s Classic, presented by Stanislaus Farm Supply at Warrior Arena Friday night.

The two teams would remain relatively close for the most of the first half, with the Toros only able to extend their lead to double digits with left than five minutes left in the half, before settling for a 33-24 advantage heading into intermission.

After the break, a long-range bomb by Brittney Blankenship would push the Toro lead to 12, and another trey by Iglehart five minutes later would extend the Toro lead to 21 at 46-25.

A bucket by Iglehart at the 9:15 mark would give the Toros their largest leads at 26 points, and CSUDH would never look back.

In addition two the 18-point efforts by Iglehart and Liang, Blankenship would chip in nine points and four rebounds, while Michele Hale came off the bench to pull down a team-high six rebounds.

As a team, the Toros shot 43.1 percent from the field (25-for-58) compared to the 36.7 percent effort from the Golden Eagles (18-for-49) and held a slight 36-to-32 advantage in rebounds.

Due to a snowstorm in Colorado, the Toros would have to cut their weekend short, as Colorado State-Pueblo was unable to make the trip.

News & Notes
Long-range bombardiers: Junior Jessica Liang started out the season as the Toros long range threat, but junior transfer Unique Bennett is quickly becoming another long range threat.

Over the past five games Bennett has hit nine three-point shots (second most behind Liang), with five of them coming in her second-half coming out party against Grand Canyon University.

On the season Bennett is shooting a team leading 52.9% (9-for-17) from beyond the arc, and after only seeing six minutes combined in the first two games of the season, Bennett is averaging close to 13 minutes per game and getting more and more looks at the basket.

Second-half surge: So far this season the Toros have shown that the half-time chalk talk in the locker room has been highly effective, as CSUDH has scored more points in the second half than the first.

In the opening frame the Toros have scored 210 points, shooting .394 (84-for-213) from the field, .366 (15-for-41) from the three-point line, and .600 (27-for-45) from the free throw line.

After the break the Toros have scored 257 points while shooting .403 (79-for-196) from the field, .426 (20-for-27) from three, and .658 (79-for-120) from the free throw line.

239 and counting: With the Toros’ wins over Notre Dame de Namur and the University of Minnesota-Crookston over the past couple of weeks, head coach Van Girard is on pace to reach his 250th career win on February 6 when the Toros attempt to avenge their lone CCAA loss when they travel to La Jolla, CA, to take on UC San Diego.

Coach Girard currently holds the most wins at their current school of any head coach in the CCAA. Sonoma State’s head coach Mark Rigby is the closest to Girard with 153 wins followed by Cal State San Bernardino’s head coach Kevin Becker with 151 heading into this weekend.

About This Week’s Foes

• Sonoma State Seawolves (3-5, 2-2 CCAA) It has been a rocky ride for the Seawolves this season, dropping their first three games before winning back-to-back contests against Cal State San Bernardino (68-51) and then No. 17 ranked Seattle Pacific (56-49), only to drop the next game against then No. 14 ranked Western Washington (56-64).

  SSU would get back to conference action with a double dose of Humboldt State.

  Against the ‘Jacks in Rohnert Park, CA, Lauren Redfield led the offense with 17 points as the Seawolves held off a late rally by Humboldt State for the 55-51 win.

  As a team SSU would narrowly out shoot HSU from field 34.8% to 32.2%, although HSU would have a 59-46 advantage in shot attempts.

  The largest statistical disparity would be at the free throw line, with the Seawolves converting 19-of-29 attempts to the ‘Jacks 7-of-18.

  Ten days later in Arcata, CA, the Seawolves would be thumped by the ‘Jacks, 74-49.

  Nichola Hester would be the only SSU player in double figures with 10 points.

  SSU would be out shot 51.8% to 38.3% from the field and out rebounded 36 to 23.

• Humboldt State Lumberjacks (7-2, 2-2 CCAA) The ‘Jacks started their first season in the CCAA with a 40-65 loss to Cal State San Bernardino (12/1), but rebound for a 78-55 win over Cal Poly Pomona (12/2) the next night.

  HSU would struggle out the gate against the Coyotes by scoring 14 first-half points shooting 25% from the field, while CSUSB shot over 40% to jump out to a 33-14 lead.

  The ‘Jacks would nearly double their offensive output in the second half with 26 points, but the HSU defense would allow CSUSB to shoot a blistering 60.9% from the field.

  Katie Wilder would be the lone ‘Jack in double figures with 11 points.

  The next night Wilder would explode for 28 points to lead HSU to a 78-55 win over Cal Poly Pomona.

  Mia Spasowska would chip in 22 points while Jennifer Haayer added 11 in the win.

  After a pair of non-conference wins over Notre Dame de Namur (76-46) and Northwest Nazarene (54-51) the ‘Jacks returned to conference action with a loss to Sonoma State (55-51).

  After crushing UC Santa Cruz (82-46), the ‘Jacks kept the momentum, by avenging their earlier loss to Sonoma State with a 74-49 beating of the Seawolves.

  Wilder would again go wild with 20 points and nine rebounds, while Spasowska chipped in 15 points.