Jan. 19, 2016
San Jose, Calif. - When the San José State women's basketball team and Boise State Broncos meet on Walt McPherson Court on Wednesday night, the top two offenses in the Mountain West Conference will be on display.
San José State Spartans (6-11, 4-2 MW)
vs.
Boise State Broncos (10-6, 3-2 MW)
January 20, 2016 - 7:00 p.m. (PT) - San Jose, Calif. (The Event Center)
TOP MW OFFENSES FACE OFF IN THE EVENT CENTER
When the Spartans and Broncos meet on Wednesday night in The Event Center, the top two offenses in the Mountain West will be on display. San José State leads the league in points per game (75.1). Boise State ranks second (70.6 ppg), 4.5 points per game back. In conference action the teams are even closer. SJSU remains on top of the league at 70.6 points per game. Boise State is right behind them at 69.2.
TOP THREE-POINT SHOOTING TEAM MEET ON WALT McPHERSON COURT
In 17 games, San José State has made 135 three-pointers this year for an average of 7.9 per game. The average leads the Mountain West and ranks 23rd in the nation. Boise State is averaging 6.1 made three-pointers per game second highest rate per game in the league. The positions are reversed in conference play. Boise State is averaging 7.6 per game to the Spartans 6.5. SJSU has played one more Mountain West game than Boise State (6-to-5) and made one more three than the Broncos (39-to-38).
BYRD HAS 1,000-CAREER POINTS IN HER SIGHTS
Riana Byrd (Sr., C, Richmond, Calif.) has scored 961 career-points entering the Spartans game against Boise State. At her career average of 9.0 point per game she should crack the 1,000 point plateau in the game at Air Force (1/30). When she scores her 1,000th point she will be the 14th player in Spartans history to reach the milestone.
BYRD 21 BOARDS FROM 2ND ON SPARTANS CAREER LIST
Riana Byrd (Sr., C, Richmond, Calif.) has grabbed 925 rebounds in her San José State career. Entering the team's game against Boise State, she sits 21 boards from equaling 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.
SPARTANS OFF TO ITS BEST MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE START
One-third of the way through its third year in the Mountain West, San José State is off to its best start in conference play. The Spartans are 4-2 and alone in third place in the league standings. It took SJSU 10 games in 2014-15 to reach four wins and 12 games in its inaugural season of 2013-14 to get its fourth win.
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 LEADERSHIP
Nyre Harris (Sr., G, Stockton, Calif.) is a team captain and is leading by example. Harris tops the team with 2.4 steals per game and 62 defensive rebounds. In addition, she second in minutes (28.6/g) and assists (45), third in total rebounds (5.5/g) and offensive rebounds (32). Harris has started every game and is second leading scorer on the team at 9.9 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 23rd leading scorer and the 19th leading rebounder.
LADD SHINES IN NEW ROLE...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 nine games Ladd has tallied five double figure scoring games and has averaged 8.8 ppg over the stretch while grabbing 4.1 rebounds. Since being inserted in the starting lineup, eight games ago she has shot 58% from the floor, 50% from three-point range and 62% from the line.
RAMOS BACKS UP PRESEASON HONORS
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 19.5 point per game. In 16 games Ramos has reached double figures 15 times, and in nine games has scored at least 20 points. Versus South Dakota (12/8) she erupted for 31 points and sank the game winner at Wyoming (1/13).