Jan. 11, 2016
San Jose, Calif. - Starting Mountain West Conference play 3-0, the San José State women's basketball team stumbled at Colorado State on Saturday afternoon for its first loss. The Spartans look to get back on the winning track when they travel to Laramie, Wyoming, to take on the Wyoming Cowgirls on Wednesday night.
San José State Spartans (5-10, 3-1 MW)
at
Wyoming Cowgirls (9-5, 2-2 MW)
January 13, 2016 - 7:00 p.m. (MT)
Laramie, Wyoming - Arena-Auditorium
Live Stats and Streaming Video available at www.sjsuspartans.com
BYRD 32 BOARDS FROM 2ND ON SPARTANS CAREER LIST
Riana Byrd (Sr., C, Richmond, Calif.) has grabbed 915 rebounds in her San José State career and entering the team's game against Wyoming sits 32 boards from passing Rhoda Chew (946 from 1982-85) for second place on the program's career list. Byrd is the third player in program history to pass the 900 career-rebound plateau. The other two players to reach at least 900 rebounds, Chew and Elinor Banks (1,062 rebounds - 1978-81), both surpassed the 1,000-career points list.
GOOD START TO CONFERENCE PLAY
With wins at Utah State (86-74 on12/30) and over Air Force (81-60 on 1/2) and San Diego State (78-73 on 1/6) to open conference play, the Spartans 3-1 in league action heading into their game at Wyoming. It's the best start to a conference slate for the San José State since the 2005-06 season. That year the team opened Western Athletic Conference play 4-0.
The best start for SJSU in a conference season came in both the 1977-78 and 1978-79 when the team went an undefeated 12-0 in the NorCal.
SENIOR LEADS
Nyre Harris (Sr., G, Stockton, Calif.) is a team captain and is leading by example. Harris tops the team with 2.5 steals per game and 53 defensive rebounds. In addition, she second in minutes (28.7/g) and assists (43), third in total rebounds (5.5/g) and offensive rebounds (29). Harris has started every game and is second leading scorer on the team at 10.7 point per game. In the opener, against Southern Oregon (11/13), Harris picked up the first double double of her college career scoring 11 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. At Pacific (12/12) she did it again with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
A 5-8 shooting guard, she is second in the conference in steals, is the 21st leading scorer and the 20th leading rebounder.
TOUGH PRESEASON SLATE PAYING OFF
A tough preseason schedule gets you ready for the conference slate. If that is true then San José State is prepared now that Mountain West action has started. Of the Spartans 11 non-conference opponents, nine participated in the postseason in 2014-15. SJSU is 3-1 in Mountain West play, its best conference start in 10 years.
LADD SURGES AS A STARTER
MyMy Ladd (So., G, Seattle, Wash.) continues to show the skills which got her named Ms. Basketball in the state of Washington in 2014. A career 5.0 ppg scorer, in the last eight games Ladd has tallied five double figure scoring games and has averaged 9.4 ppg over the stretch while grabbing 4.0 rebounds. Since being inserted in the starting lineup, seven games ago she has shot 64% from the floor, 60% from three-point range and 62% from the line.
RAMOS MW NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR...FOR A REASON
Dezz Ramos (Jr., PG, West Valley, Utah) is showing why the voters for MW Newcomer of the Year got their selection correct. She leads the team and is second in the Mountain West in scoring at 19.0 point per game. In 14 games Ramos has reached double figures 13 times, and in seven games has scored at least 20 points. Versus South Dakota (12/8) she erupted for 31 points. It was her Spartan high and the second best single-game scoring effort in her collegiate career.
RIANA RAMPS IT UP IN MW PLAY
In the Spartans four conference games senior Riana Byrd (Sr., C, Richmond, Calif.) has dramatically upped her game. Her points per game have gone from 7.6 to 12.3. Rebounds are up from 5.7 to 9.8; blocks from 1.0 to 3.0 and steals from 0.5 to 1.5.
OFFENSE ANYONE?
From the first game of the year the Spartans have led the Mountain West in scoring. Through 15 games, San José State is averaging 77.1 points a game, which is 5.6 points per outing better than the conference's second ranked team, Utah State. SJSU's scoring rate is the 25th highest in the nation.
BIGS DOING IT ON BOTH ENDS
In the Spartans up-tempo offense, you might not expect the post players to be able to contribute on both ends, but Riana Byrd (Sr., C, Richmond, Calif.) and Jasmine Smith (Jr., F, Burbank, Calif.) are getting it done. Combined for the season, the pair is averaging 19.1 points and 13.3 rebounds per game. And in Mountain West action they have kept right on rolling. In four conference match-ups they are averaging 20.3 points and 15.8 rebounds.