By snoadmin
Similar to last season’s preseason predictions, the Long Beach State women’s basketball team was picked to finish third in the Big West by both the media and coaches polls.
Also, like last season’s squad that got off to a slow start but managed to win its first Big West Conference Title in 15 years, this year’s squad has also lost the first two games of the season.
Actually, to defend their conference crown, this year’s squad will most likely need the same unpredicted surge of last season, and more.
Despite having Mary Hegarty, the 2006 Big West Coach of the Year on the bench, the 49ers will have to fill in the gaps left by a handful of graduating seniors.
“We have a lot of new talent, young talent and with a couple of players like Karina [Figueroa] coming back, we will move along,” Hegarty said. “Our goal is always to win the conference but we ultimately want to be in the NCAA Tournament.”
The 49ers lost four starters in forwards Jayme Connors and Fernando Santos and guards Jeannie Saunders and Crystal McCutcheon, the Big West Player of the Year.
The squad lost a lot of offense in McCutcheon’s conference-leading 17 points per game, but Hegarty believes the young roster will add a new dimension to the offense as well as depth in all positions.
The young roster is filled with nine freshmen, including one redshirt freshman and five sophomores.
Hegarty said the roster, composed of mainly first and second-year players will not affect the squads tempo and overall plan.
As for veteran leadership, the 49ers will have to look to Val Willhoit, the lone senior on the team and juniors Tyresha Calhoun, Valeriya Musina and Madison Pagani.
Headlining the returnees is sophomore point guard Figueroa, who is expected to take over the leadership role.
“I have always considered myself a leader,” Figueroa said. “Actually I expected to be the leader of this team, not just on the court but off the court as well. It sort of comes along with being the point guard and handling the ball.”
An ankle injury sidelined Figueroa for the last seven games of the season, but she was still named to the Big West All-Freshmen Team and was a Big West Honorable Mention.
In only 20 games last season, she averaged 9.8 points per game including 11.8 points per game in conference play.
During the summer, Figueroa started for the Peruvian National Team, averaging nine points per game before being sidelined by another ankle injury.
“Karina has improved a lot. Her injury is progressing and she has gained a lot of experience,” Hegarty said. “She has improved her handling and shooting skills and she participated on the Peruvian National Team over the summer.”
Hegarty reloaded the guard position, which lacked depth last season, by adding Calhoun (transfer) and freshman Lisa Takata. Also, the squad will look to freshman perimeter shooters, Ally Wade, Lauren Sims and Courtney Jacob.
Jacob was selected to the Orange County Register’s Top-5 high school athletes watch list prior to the start of the season.
Under Pressure • Santa Clara players surround Madison Pagani during the game last Sunday at The Walter Pyramid. With a 0-2 record, the 49ers will host Montana State this Friday. Chay Chhuon / Daily Forty-Niner
2006-2007 LBSU Women’s Basketball Schedule
DATE TEAM TIME
11/10 at USC 7 p.m.
11/12 Santa Clara 2 p.m.
11/17 Montana State 5 p.m.
11/19 Oregon 2 p.m.
11/21 at Loyola Marymount 4 p.m.
12/1 at Utah 6 p.m.
12/3 at South Dakota State 11 a.m.
12/6 at University of San Diego TBA
12/9 UCLV 4 p.m.
12/12 at Arizona 7 p.m.
12/16 at Pepperdine 2 p.m.
12/18 Army 7 p.m.
12/28 UC Davis 7 p.m.
12/30 Fairfiled 2 p.m.
1/4 *at UCSB 7 p.m.
1/6 *at Cal Poly 4 p.m.
1/11 *Pacific 7 p.m.
1/13 *CS Northridge 5 p.m.
1/18 *at CS Fullerton 7 p.m.
1/20 *at UC Riverside 5 p.m.
1/27 *UC Irvine 5 p.m.
2/1 *at CS Northridge 7 p.m.
2/3 *Pacific 7 p.m.
2/8 *Cal Poly 7 p.m.
2/10 *UCSB 5 p.m.
2/15 *UC Riverside 7 p.m.
2/17 *CS Fullerton TBA
2/24 at UC Davis 7 p.m.
3/3 *UC Irvine 4 p.m.
3/7-3/10 Big West Tournament TBA
(Anaheim Convention Center)
*Big West Conference Games
All Times Pacific
