San Jose, Calif. – With preseason practice complete and its lone exhibition in the books, the San José State women's basketball team opens the 2018-19 season on Tuesday evening in The Event Center against the San Francisco State Gators. Tip off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Walt McPherson Court.
San José State Spartans (0-0)
vs.
San Francisco State Gators (0-0)
Tuesday, November 6 – 7:00 p.m.
The Event Center, San Jose, Calif.
QUICK LOOK AT THE GATORS
This will be San Francisco State's second exhibition of the year. On November 2, they lost at Pacific 98-41. SFSU posted a 5-20 record last year, 3-19 in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play and did not participate in any postseason play. They averaged 63.3 points a game in 2017-18 but were outscored by opponents by more than seven points per game.
Following her junior campaign, leading scorer (15.8 ppg) and rebounder (10.3 rpg) Jhaina Stephens is back to lead the Gators. However, SFSU lost is top assist and steals producer Rachel Iozzia. Iozzia dished out 5.0 assists and snagged 1.6 steals per game. Tyiteyana Jefferson, the team's leading shot blocker at 0.6/g, is also gone.
Natasha Smith is in her first season leading the Gators' program and her first season as a head coach on any level.
SJSU VS. THE CCAA
Overall, San Jose State is 26-6 (81.3 percent) against the current make up of the schools in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The last time the Spartans were defeated by a CCAA team was an 86-81 final at San Francisco State on December 21, 1983. Of the seven CCAA teams the Spartans have played, SFSU has the best record against San Jose State at 8-3.
SEASON OPENERS ARE A COIN FLIP
San José State has played 43 season openers and have a 21-22. Only three of seven head coaches, Sharon Chatman (in 1976-77), Tina Krah (in 1986-87), and Jamie Craighead (in 2013-14) have begun their Spartans career with a win in their first game. Chatman had seven season-opening victories in her 10 years at the helm of the San José State program (1977-86), the most in Spartans history. The late Janice Richard won six of her seven season openers as the Spartans head coach (1999-2006). Craighead has won two-of-five season openers leading the Spartans.
In available records, SJSU is 11-30 when it plays its first game and when opening the season on the road is 8-9.
IT'S A THREE THING
In the 2017-18 season, two Spartans set program records for making three pointers. Analyss Benally (Jr., G, Shiprock, N.M.) sank 60 threes which are the most by a sophomore in program history and are the ninth most by a Spartan in a single season. Megan Anderson (So., G, Fresno, Calif.) dropped in 46 treys which is a freshman record for San José State women's basketball and 18th most for a single-season for the program. In addition to her freshman record, Anderson led all Mountain West freshman and was the fourth most accurate freshman three-point shooter in the nation last season at .438 (46-105). Her .438 percentage is also a single season record for the program.
SPARTANS SELECTED TO FINISH ELEVENTH IN MW PRESEASON COACHES & MEDIA POLL
By a vote of the conference's 11 head coaches and media members, the 2018-19 Spartans are predicted to finish 11th in the Mountain West.
SJSU has lost nearly 46 percent of its scoring from a season ago. The Spartans averaged 68.6 points per game and have to replace 31.1 from three players, including 13.5 points per game from Myzhanique Ladd, the team's leading scorer in 2017-18.
In its five previous seasons, SJSU was selected to finish conference play in ninth (2013-14), tenth (2014-15), eighth (2015-16), fifth (2016-17) and ninth again (2017-18).
BACK TO BASICS
Leading into the 2018-19 season, head coach Jamie Craighead is emphasizing a "back to basics" approach with particular attention being placed on the team's defense. Following a disappointing 2017-18 season, the first in which her Spartans failed to reach double-digit wins, Craighead will have to replace 45 percent of the team's offense, from what last season was the second youngest team in Division I women's basketball.
"Last year we were so young and it was a building year," Craighead said. "I don't like using that term, but ultimately that's what it was. With 11 underclassmen, it is going to take time to see results. But looking back, there was so much growth during the season. Our players competed and never made excuses, which is a testament to their resiliency and character. Last season will only help us this year and moving forward."
SPARTANS CRUISE TO WIN IN EXHIBITION VS. CHICO STATE
San Jose State cruised to a 94-63 exhibition game victory over Chico State on October 28 in The Event Center.
Five Spartans scored in double figures led by freshman Raziya Potter's (Fr., G, Tracy, Calif.) 14 points. In addition to Potter, Danae Marquez (So., PG, Fresno, Calif.) scored 13 points. Fieme'a Hafoka (Jr., G, Kihei, Maui) added 12 and both Megan Anderson (So., G, Fresno, Calif.) and Cydni Lewis (So., F, Long Beach, Calif.) finished with 11.
San Jose State led 28-19 after the first 10 minutes and took a 56-30 advantage into the locker room at halftime. They extended the margin to 31 points, 74-43 after three and that was the final margin.
Analyss Benally (Jr., G, Shiprock, N.M.) finished with nine points. Nefer León (Fr., G, Vitoria, Spain) had five points and Andrea Kohlhaas (Sr., F, Besigheim, Germany) scored six, Alexis Harris (Jr., C, Palo Alto, Calif,) added two points, Mikaylah Wilson (So., F, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) had four and Courtesy Clark (So., G, Sacramento, Calif.) contributed seven.