Countdown To Conference Play
Just 13 days until the start of conference play for Big West women's basketball. Prior to kicking off league action, the nine member schools are spending the holiday break facing multiple west coast school in preparation for January 2 - the first Big West games of the year. Some of the bigger matchups are national vote-getter California at Long Beach State (12/21), Arizona at UC Riverside (12/23) and Cal State Fullerton at No. 13 Oklahoma (12/30). The Titans' showdown marks the third ranked opponent a Big West member has faced this season.
Aggies' Success On The Court Continues
UC Davis added another win to its season-long and conference-best win streak after downing Yale 60-55. The Aggies enter the holiday break riding a five-game streak and hope to add to their victory total Dec. 21 at Seton Hall and versus Kansas Dec. 29. League-leading UC Davis (7-3) is one of two teams with an above .500 record. Cal Poly is the other team, holding a 5-4 mark.
Thompson's Career Night
In Cal State Northridge's 68-50 win over Miami (Ohio), senior Katrina Thompson led five Matadors in double-figures, finishing with 14 points in addition to her six rebounds, seven assists and seven steals. Thompson's seven assists were a career-high and she matched a career-best with seven steals.
UC Irvine Sets New Record From Charity Stripe
UC Irvine's 87-73 win over Eastern Washington was partially achieved from impressive shooting from the charity stripe, where the Anteaters made a Big West Conference and school record 55 trips to the line. Of the 55 attempts, UC Irvine sunk 45, also a conference and school best. Leading the charge for the Anteaters was Mikah Maly-Karros, who went 16-of-23 from the free throw line, a single-game individual high for UC Irvine.
Struggles In Santa Barbara
Sunday, Dec. 20, UC Santa Barbara posted its second straight loss, seventh overall, to fall to 3-7 on the year. This marks the worst Gauchos start to a season since 1983-84, a team that finished 3-25. UC Santa Barbara looks to turn things around before the new year with trips to Idaho (12/28) and Gonzaga (12/30).
A Look At The Big West Stats
UC Davis isn't just sitting atop the Big West standings with a 7-3 record, it owns the top spot in a handful of statistical categories. The Aggies are shooting a league-high .773 from the line, while averaging a conference-best 12.1 steals per contest. Scoring defense, scoring margin and turnover margin are a few other categories UC Davis reigns supreme.
Cal Poly is also holding steady atop the Big West in multiple categories. Most impressive stat is the Mustangs' .433 field goal percentage and their offensive rebounding average of 39.3 per contest. Cal Poly also holds rank in assists (16.0 APG) and assist/turnover ratio.
Cal Poly's Santiago...A Standout on Offense and Defense
Cal Poly's Kristina Santiago is the lone individual in the Big West Conference to rank in the top five in both scoring and rebounding. The junior forward owns a league-best 18.1 points per contest and is currently tied for third in rebounding with a 7.0 average. Santiago is blowing away last year's numbers of 15.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Close...But No Cigar
In the young season, the Big West Conference members have played 17 contests that were decided by five points or less. Unfortunately the league has been on the losing end of most of the games, posting a 6-11 mark. UC Irvine is the lone school that has registered multiple nail-bitting victories, defeating Loyola Marymount, 65-62, and Seattle, 60-59. On the other end of the spectrum, Cal State Fullerton lost three games by a grand total of 11 points two weeks ago.
Margaritis Eyes Coaching Milestones
UC Riverside head coach John Margaritis has his sights set on two coaching milestones in 2009-10. He is currently just two wins shy of capturing his 200th career win. Along with his overall victories, he is inching his way towards his 100th win at UC Riverside with an 88-72 mark. Margaritis, averaging 17.2 wins per season over a five-year span, has the 100th win well within reach.
Live On The Net
The Big West Conference and the CBS College Sports Network are partnering to bring you exclusive coverage of Big West sports, press conferences, interviews and features into your home via the Internet! Now in its fifth year, BigWest.TV covers every home and conference contest in womens volleyball as well as mens and womens basketball. Also covered are select contests in men's and women's soccer, baseball, softball, and Big West Conference Championships. A monthly subscription of $9.95 or an annual subscription of $79.95 delivers exclusive coverage to you. If you can't make it to the gym or the field, you can still catch all the action on BigWest.TV!