Jan. 8, 2016
San Jose, Calif. - When the San José State women's basketball team plays the Colorado State Rams in Fort Collins, Colo., on Saturday, both teams will be looking to protect their perfect records in Mountain West play and remain atop the league standings.
San José State Spartans (5-9, 3-0 MW)
at
Colorado State Rams (12-1, 2-0 MW)
January 9, 2016 - 2:00 p.m. (MT)
Fort Collins, Colo. (Moby Arena)
3-0 IN CONFERENCE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME
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 have started league action 3-0 for the first time since the 2005-06 season. That year the team opened Western Athletic Conference play 4-0. Three other times the team has started with a 4-0 record and once, in 1981-82, opened 5-0 in NorCal League play.
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.
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 are averaging 19.7 points and 13.3 rebounds per game. And in Mountain West action they have upped their game even more. In three conference match-ups they are averaging 23.0 points and 18.3 rebounds.
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 3-0 in conference play, its best conference start in 10 years.
RIANA RAMPS IT UP IN MW PLAY
In the three conference games, which SJSU has played, senior Riana Byrd (Sr., C, Richmond, Calif.) has dramatically upped her game. Her points per game have gone from 7.6 to 14.3. Rebounds are up from 5.7 to 11.0; blocks from 1.0 to 3.0 and steals from 0.5 to 2.0.
IT'S LADD TIME
MyMy Ladd (So., G, Seattle, Wash.) is showing the promise she displayed in being named Ms. Basketball in the state of Washington in 2014. A career 5.0 ppg scorer, in the last seven games Ladd has tallied five double figure scoring games and averaged 10.0 ppg over the stretch while grabbing 5.0 rebounds. Since being inserted in the starting lineup, six games ago she has shot .687 from the floor, .600 from three-point range and .620 from the line.
RAMOS ... TIP OF THE SPEAR
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 19.8 point per game. In 1 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.
MORE ON DEZZ
In addition to her scoring prowess, Dezz Ramos (Jr., PG, West Valley, Utah) is among the elite in the Mountain West in several other categories. Entering Saturday's game at Colorado State she leads the conference in three-point field goals (2.6/g), is second in three-point percentage (.447) & free throw percentage (.883), fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.4:1) and fifth in assists (4.4/g).
FROM BEYOND THE ARC THERE ARE ONLY GREEN LIGHTS
In 14 games the Spartans have hoisted 361 threes and made 119, an average of 8.5 made a game. All three numbers lead the Mountain West. Nationally, the team ranks 11th (3-PTM) , 14th (3-PTA) and 18th (3-PT/g).
Individually, Dezz Ramos (Jr., PG, West Valley, Utah) leads the MW in three-pointers made (34) and three-pointers per game (2.7), and second in three-point percentage (.447) . Nationally, she ranks 64th, 53rd and 28th in those three categories, respectively.