CSUDH Women's Basketball Weekly
February 6, 2007

This Release in PDF

This Week’s Opponents:

• @ UC San Diego (2/6)
• vs Humboldt State (2/9)
• vs. Sonoma State (2/10)

Recapping Last Week
After a 2-0 week versus Cal State Monterey Bay and San Francisco State the Toros were riding a wave of momentum heading into last week, looking to upset the nationally ranked Wildcats of Chico State for the second time this season, and pick up a win over Cal State Stanislaus to help secure a post season spot.

However, the Toros would not quite be able to complete the second half comeback against Chico State on Thursday, and then they let a late lead slip through their fingers to host Cal State Stanislaus the next night.

Despite shooting 28 percent in the opening half, the Wildcats led 27-21 as Amber Simmons finished the half with nine points and nine rebounds. An 11-2 run capped by consecutive Simmons layups built the Wildcats’ lead to 38-25 with 14 minutes to play.

Brittney Blankenship quickly got the Toros back in the game by scoring six straight points to spark a 14-2 run that cut the lead to 40-39. Spencer and Simons scored to stretch the lead to five, and then more than three minutes passed before either team could score again.

Ennisha Kyles scored with 3:58 remaining and Aujaneé Baldwin made a free throw, but a Jade Smith-Williams jumper put the Wildcats’ cushion at 46-42. Iglehart’s jumper cut it to 46-44 before Simmons answered with a layup and the Wildcats made three free throws to lead 51-44 with 52 seconds to play.

Iglehart converted on a layup, and Blankenship scored another with 19 seconds remaining to pull the Toros to 51-48. One steal by Jessica Liang later, Iglehart was fouled with 11 seconds to play and missed both. Simons’ free throw with three seconds remaining sealed Chico State’s 59th straight win when holding an opponent to fewer than 70 points.

After a slow first half that saw the Warriors take a 28-18 lead into the intermission the next night, both teams battled in the second half with the Warriors slipping in the game-winning shot with just two seconds on the clock to earn the win over the Toros.

Early in the second, the Warriors saw their lead erased behind a 16-4 Toro. Brigayle Iglehart led the Toro charge with 12 of the 16 points, building a small 34-32 lead with 10:38 to play.

The score would get knotted six more times in the final 10 minutes with the Warriors making it 49-all on a pair of free throws by Gwendolyn Page.

After Jessica Liang missed the go-ahead jumper for Dominguez Hills, Tiare Dvorak delivered the game-winner with two ticks to go to seal the win.

The Warriors won the rebounding battle with a 42-37 advantage, but still had trouble keeping the ball with 27 turnovers to the Toros’ 13.

News & Notes
Getting Back Her Form: Returning 2nd-Team All-CCAA honoree Alan Bailey is beginning to get back the form that made her an All-CCAA selection last season, coming off her first double-double since December 2 against Chico State.

In both of her first two seasons as a Toro, Bailey has averaged over 11 points and six rebounds, but throughout most the first half of the season, the Altadena native was averaging just over nine points and just under six rebounds.

The junior has responded with a strong four-game stretch to end the first half, and begin the second half of the season averaging 12 points and 8 rebounds while only playing 25 minutes a game.

In her career up to this point, Bailey has played in 69 games while making 61 starts, logging 1634 minutes in a Toro uniform. Bailey has scored 770 points while shooting well over 50% from the field, including the Toros’ single season field goal record as a freshman, shooting 57%.

On the boards the John Muir HS alumnus has ripped down 440 rebounds, with nearly 47% of them coming on the offensive end.

Defending in the nation: Despite the Toros’ recent slide, they are still one of the best defensive teams in the nation.

CSUDH is allowing opponents to shoot just 36.9% from the field, which places them 47th in the nation, and their opponents are only averaging 59.1 points per game, placing them 51st.

One reason for the Toro defensive success has been the defense of junior transfer Brigayle Iglehart, who currently is 55th in the nation with 2.6 steals per game.

The Toros have held all but one opponent to under 80 points, and eight opponents under 60 points.

About This Week’s Foes

• No. 18 UC San Diego Tritons 15-3, 11-2 CCAA
  About the Tritons The Tritons are coming off a pair of impressive wins, first a 76-48 drumming of Cal State Stanislaus followed by a decisive 80-63 win over No. 8 Chico State.

  Leora Juster led the Triton offense with 22 points against the Warriors and 32 points against the Wildcats on national television, en route to her 6th CCAA Player of the Week award.

  Against Cal State Stanislaus the Tritons would miss just two shots in the first four and a half minutes of play to race out to a 12-2 lead with 15:30 on the clock.

  UCSD would pull back on the accelerator a little, taking six minutes to push their lead to 20 at 28-8 with 8:03 of the clock.

  UCSD would never let the game get close for the rest of the first half and the entire second half.

  In addition to Juster’s 22 points, Meaghan Noud, Michelle Oseir, and Alexis Mezzetta would all be in double figures with 17, 13, and 10 points, respectively.

  In front of a national television audience, the two nationally-ranked teams would be close through most of the first half.

  The Wildcats would hold a lead until the 5:15 mark, when a pair of free throws by Juster knotted the game at 32-32.

  A jumper by Hillary Hansen would give the Tritons the lead, kicking off a 13-4 run to end the half and put UCSD up 11, 47-36.

  UCSD would not look back in the second period, completing the come from behind win and capturing the top spot in the CCAA.

• Humboldt State ‘Jacks 14-5, 9-5 CCAA
  About the ‘Jacks The ‘Jacks are coming off a home split last weekend, winning over Cal Poly Pomona (73-60), and then falling to Cal State San Bernardino 49-59.

  Against the Broncos the ‘Jacks would hold a 14-point lead with 6:17 on the clock and seemingly build momentum with every trip down the floor. However, CPP would use a 9-2 run to cut the deficit to just five at 33-28, and go into intermission down only six.

  HSU would turn up the intensity in the second half, pushing its lead back to double digits in the first five minutes, and the ‘Jacks would maintain their lead for the rest of the game.

  Katie Wilder would lead the offense with 20 points, eight boards, and six assists, while Jennifer Enos and Mia Spasowska would also be in double figures with 17 and 13 points, respectively.

  Against CSUSB the ‘Jacks would play catch up the entire night, but would never quite catch the Coyotes.

  Down 12 with 7:18 on the clock, HSU would use an 11-1 run over the next three and a half minutes to cut the deficit to just two at 25-23, but, the Coyotes would respond and stretch their lead to 32-23 heading into intermission.

  In the second half the ‘Jacks would never really be in the game and faced a double-digit deficit nearly the entire half.

  Wilder would once again turn in a strong performance with 18 points, while Spasowska chipped in 16 points in the effort.

• Sonoma State Seawolves 9-9, 8-6 CCAA
  About the Seawolves
  Currently the Seawolves have won three in row, with a pair of low-scoring home victories last weekend.

  SSU first beat Cal State San Bernardino, 49-40, and then beat Cal Poly Pomona, 49-33.

  Against CSUSB the two teams would be back and forth over the first five minutes, before a layup by Nichola Hester would give SSU the lead for good.

  The Seawolves would slowly build momentum and finish the first half with a 27-14 lead.

  Not much would change in the second half as the Seawolves would continue to hold a double-digit lead for most of the period and come away with the win.

  The SSU defense would hold CSUSB to a 26.9 field goal percentage and cause 18 turnovers.

  Danae Wellander would be in double figures with 14 and eight boards, while Chelsey Armacost chipped in 12 points.

  The low scoring would continue against CPP as the Seawolves managed only 18 first half points, but, SSU would be able to hold the Broncos to only 16 points.

  Both teams would shoot under 30% from the field in the first half and under 70% from the free throw line.

  SSU would find some offense after intermission, scoring 31 points and holding CPP to just 17 points for the easy win.