Phoenix, Ariz. - Boasting a 2-0 record and sitting alone on top of the conference standings, the San José State women's basketball team returns to action when it travels to Boise State for games on Thursday and Saturday at ExtraMile Arena.
The Spartans were led by senior bigs Tyra Whitehead and Meghan Oberg in their victory over Utah State last week to tip-off conference play. The duo poured in 18 points a piece while Whitehead added 10 rebounds for her second double-double in as many games this season.
Meeting SJSU will be the fellow unbeaten Broncos. Guard Jade Loville (16.7 points per game) is the team's leading scorer, while senior Mallory McGwire tops the team on the glass with 9.5 rebounds per game. Boise State enters Mountain West play with a record of 3-0, most recently defeating Eastern Washington on Dec. 10.
The first game of the series will start at 2:00 p.m. (MT), while Saturday's finale is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. (MT) start.
Each game will be televised by the Mountain West Network. Spartan fans can follow San José State on social media all season long by following @SanJoseStateWBB on Twitter or @sjswbb on Instagram.
STORYLINES
SCOUTING BOISE STATE
Boise State is off to a 3-0 start on the 2020-21 season and will tip-off conference play when it meets the Spartans. The team is coming off an 84-64 victory over Eastern Washington - its third win by 20+ points in as many games this year. Senior Mallory McGwire led all scorers with 18 points in the victory over the Eagles.
It's guard Jade Loville who leads the Broncos in scoring with an average of 16.7 points per game. McGwire tops the team on the glass, pulling down 9.5 rebounds per game.
Boise State is 3-0 at home so far this season and was 13-4 at ExtraMile Arena a year ago. Its last loss in Boise came on Feb. 8, a 58-56 defeat at the hands of Utah State.
AN SJSU WIN WOULD (THURSDAY EDITION)
> Mark back-to-back seasons with a victory in first conference road game since the 1982-83/1983-84 campaigns
> Mark the program's first 3-0 start since the 1979-80 season
> Be better than a loss
SJSU VS. THE MOUNTAIN WEST
Overall, San José State is 125-227 against the current make up of schools in the Mountain West. The Spartans last victory over a Mountain West member came last week against Utah State at GCU Arena in Phoenix.
Senior Tyra Whitehead led her team in the 78-73 victory, tallying 18 points while pulling down 10 rebounds and dishing out five assists.
IT'S A DRY HEAT
The Spartan women's basketball program has relocated its day-to-day operations to the Arizona Grand Resort & Spa due to the current public health directives in Santa Clara County. Each member of the team will continue to be tested regularly for COVID-19 while in Phoenix. While in the desert, the coaches, student-athletes and staff members will be in as controlled an environment as possible while getting the opportunity to host games against conference opponents.
IN CONFERENCE ROAD OPENERS
The Spartans won their first conference road game of the season a year ago, notching a 76-61 victory over Utah State in Logan. A win on Thursday against Boise State would mark back-to-back seasons with a victory in the first conference road game since the 1982-83/1983-84 campaigns (81-66 at San Francisco, 64-61 at Santa Clara in NorPac action).
SUCCESS IN MOUNTAIN WEST OPENERS
SJSU's victory over Utah State last week marked the program's sixth win in its last seven conference openers.
HOT OUT OF THE LOCKER ROOM
San José State's 28-point third quarter against Utah State marked the program's best quarter offensively since Jan. 22 (31-point first quarter vs. New Mexico).
DOUBLE-DOUBLE, WHITEHEAD STYLE
Senior Tyra Whitehead is the Mountain West's only performer to tally two double-doubles in her first two games of the 2020-21 season.
LONG LAYOFF
25 days between SJSU's first and second games of the year marked the longest in-season layoff in program history, topping the previous highs of 17 days.
Layoff Duration Dates First Result Upon Return
25 days 11/26/20 - 12/20/20 Win (78-73 vs. Utah State)
17 days 12/11/89 - 12/27/89 Win (75-55 vs. Santa Clara)
17 days 12/14/85 - 12/30/85 Loss (60-45 at Santa Clara)
16 days 12/12/90 - 12/27/90 Loss (80-71 vs. Portland State)
14 days 12/15/87 - 12/28/87 Loss (86-47 vs. Duke)
THE TREMENDOUS TWENTY-NINE
San José State is one of just 29 unbeatens among Division I teams that have started their 2020-21 seasons.
SINCE BACK WHEN IT WAS THE PAC-10
SJSU's win over the Golden Bears marked the program's first victory over a Pac-12 opponent since back when the conference was named the Pac-10 (68-66 at No. 22 California - Dec. 9, 2009).
A HISTORIC DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Tyra Whitehead's double-double at California marked the program's first double-double against a power conference opponent in 16 years. The last Spartan to accomplish the feat was Amber Jackson, who totaled 18 points and 15 rebounds in a 66-60 loss at Mississippi State on Dec. 19, 2004.
WINNING TIME
SJSU is 26-0 in its last 26 games when holding a lead with five minutes remaining. Most recently, San José State led Utah State 70-65 with five minutes to play (won 78-73).
M3GHAN 0B3RG
Behind the strength of a career-high four made three-pointers, senior Meghan Oberg recorded a career-high 18 points in last week's victory over Utah State.
THREE'S COMPANY
Senior Meghan Oberg enters Thursday's game as the nation's leader in three-point field goal percentage (minimum two makes per game/players must have played in 75% of their team's games).
Rank / Player / Three-Point FG %
1. Meghan Oberg (San José State) 80.0
2. Emma Tecca (Akron) 75.0
3. Isabella Geraci (Cleveland State) 71.4
4. Haylee Swayze (Rice) 70.6
5. Jordan Sanders (USC) 68.2
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS (AND THE BALL)
San José State currently ranks No. 4 nationally in fewest turnovers.
Rank / Team / Turnovers
1. Portland State - 12
2. UC Davis - 14
3. Coppin State -17
4. San José State - 24
5. Wagner - 25
WHITE(HEAD) NOISE
Senior Tyra Whitehead currently ranks No. 5 nationally in assist turnover ratio (minimum three assists per game/players must have played in 75% of their team's games). As a team, the Spartans rank third in the Mountain West in assist turnover ratio.
Rank / Player / Three-Point FG %
1. Allie Best (Marist) 21.0
2. Braxtin Miller (Ohio State) 10.0
3. Myah Taylor (Mississippi State) 9.0
4. Madison Greene (Ohio State) 7.33
5. Tyra Whitehead (San José State) 7.00
SPANNING THE GLOBE
The 2020-21 Spartans will have supporters in plenty of different time zones this season. This year's roster features student-athletes from nine different states (Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Texas, Virginia) and two countries (Nigeria, United States).
CRAIGHEAD & PRESNELL
San José State head coach Jamie Craighead got her coaching career started as an assistant at Seattle Pacific under current Boise State head coach Gordy Presnell. The Falcons made the NCAA Division II Tournament in each of Craighead's three seasons on staff in Seattle and the team advanced all the way to the national title game in 2005.
THE STREAK THAT WILL NOT END (HOPEFULLY)
San José State has scored in 1,121 consecutive games since the NCAA began sponsoring women's basketball.
SPARTANS IN THE NEWS
Be sure to bookmark our clips and links page for all of the latest San José State women's basketball coverage.
MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE MEDIA INFORMATION
For any information concerning Mountain West basketball, contact Theresa Kurtz, Associate Director of Strategic Communications. Mountain West information is also available online at www.themw.com.
SPARTAN ATHLETICS FUND FAN CUTOUTS
Spartan Nation, don't miss your chance to be represented in the stands at the Provident Credit Union Event Center this season by grabbing your Cardboard Cutout today. If interested, follow this link to register!