Titans Open Exhibition Schedule on Sunday Oct. 31, 2003 – Fullerton, Calif.
THE SCENARIO The Cal State Fullerton women’s basketball team (7-21 overall,
5-11 in the Big West Conference in 2002-03) opens up the 2003-04 campaign
this weekend with an exhibition contest against “Love & Basketball”
on Sunday night (Nov. 2) at 6 p.m. at Titan Gym.
THE SERIES: “LOVE & BASKETBALL” VS. CAL STATE FULLERTON Cal State Fullerton and “Love & Basketball” have met
in exhibition contests in each of the last three seasons, with LNB coming
out on top in all three games. All three contests have been decided by
seven points or less, with the closest game between the two teams coming
in 2001 as “Love & Basketball” triumphed, 87-86, on a last-second
lay-up by Mary Apiafi. LNB won, 73-66, last season in Titan Gym and 67-62
in 2000. Apiafi has been the main offensive weapon against the Titans,
scoring 21 points in last season’s contest and 24 points in the 2001
tilt.
A QUICK LOOK AT “LOVE & BASKETBALL” “Love & Basketball” is an AAU team comprised of Southern
California residents, most of whom are former collegiate players at local
area universities. The team gets its moniker from a similarly named major
motion picture released by New Line Cinema in 2000.
Six former UCLA players are included on the roster and are joined by two
players from USC, and one each from UC Irvine, San Diego State and TCU.
Some of the more recognizable names to Southern California women’s
basketball fans: two-time All-Pac-10 honoree Tashara Carter (USC), All-Mountain
West Conference honoree Mary Apiafi (SDSU), and All-Pacific-10 Conference
selection Janae Hubbard (UCLA).
A QUICK LOOK AT THE TITANS Cal State Fullerton has a lot to work with as the Titans take to the
floor for their 2003-04 campaign.
It all begins on the sidelines as new/former head coach Dr. Maryalyce
Jeremiah returns to the bench for her 24th year of collegiate head coaching
and her eighth with Cal State Fullerton. Jeremiah has a 375-238 career
record and a 112-93 mark with the Titans in her first go-round.
Assisting her will be an entirely new coaching staff made up of former
Cal Poly assistant/associate head coach Marcia Foster, Fullerton alumna
Barb Bausch, who spent the last 10 years building Guilford College into
a Division III power, and former Titan All-American Eugenia (Miller) Rycraw.
On the court, the Titans will be led by the senior duo of center Rochelle
Ortega (Fresno, Calif.) and guard Tamara Quinn (Lomita, Calif.), although
Quinn will miss the first few games recovering from off-season knee surgery.
Both players finished tied for second on the team in scoring in 2002-03
(9.0 ppg).
A cast of newcomers dons the Titan jersey for the first time this season.
Transfer Cynthia Sorrell (Palomar College) and freshman Ariel Adams will
add depth to Fullerton’s inside play, while guards India McDaniel
(Sacramento, Calif.) and Charlee Underwood (San Francisco, Calif.) will
battle for playing time right away in a somewhat depleted Titan backcourt. SCHEDULE NOT FOR THE WEAK Cal State Fullerton’s 2003-04 schedule is not for the faint or
weak of heart as it is once again loaded with tough competition.
The Titans have the possibility of facing up to six schools which saw
action in postseason play last year – four of those participants
in the NCAA Tournament.
New Mexico and UC Santa Barbara each advanced to the second round of the
NCAA’s while Brigham Young and Alabama State (possible opponent)
were first-round qualifiers.
Fullerton will also meet a pair of WNIT teams in back-to-back contests
when former Big West rivals UNLV (first round) and Fresno State (quarterfinalists)
return to Titan Gym on Dec. 13 and 19, respectively.
QUINN AMONG ELITE GROUP Cal State Fullerton senior Tamara Quinn could join a very prestigious
club if her senior season turns out to be as good as her previous three
years.
Quinn needs just 219 points to become the 14th player in Cal State Fullerton
women’s basketball history to reach the 1,000-point plateau.
She also stands fifth among active Big West players with 791 points, sixth
in assists (147), fifth in field goals (269), third in three-pointers
(86) and fourth in free throws (167).
MOST IMPROVED TEAM IS... Cal State Fullerton showed a five-game improvement in the win column
at the end of the 2002-03 season, a large leap for a program which talled
just one win two years earlier.
The Titans’ 7-21 overall record and 5-11 mark in Big West play were
the most wins in both categories by a Fullerton squad since the 1997-98
season (10-17, 7-8).
In fact, the seven wins last season matched the win total from the previous
three years combined and the conference win total was just one win shy
of the previous four-year combined total.
