Jan. 15, 2004
Menuez On Pace to Reach 1,000-point Milestone Thursday
Over her four-year Torero career and heading into this Thursday's WCC game with Loyola Marymount, Marta Menuez has totaled 996 points, leaving her 4 points shy of the 1,000 mark. Only seven players in USD history have reached the milestone, with current pro Erin Malich and first-year San Diego assistant Kerri Nakamoto joining the 1,000-point club last season. Also to note, Menuez is on pace to total 500 career rebounds. To date Marta owns 479 career boards, leaving her 21 shy of the 500 mark. Menuez set a single-game career-high with 12 rebounds last weekend at St. Mary's.
More on Menuez, San Diego
The San Diego women own a 5-9 record heading into the second week of West Coast Conference play. Road games with Loyola Marymount (10-5), Thursday 7pm, and Pepperdine (6-9), Saturday 7pm, await USD in Los Angeles. The Toreros, who were picked to finish sixth in the WCC by the league's coaches before the season began, will try and snap a three-game losing streak Thursday against LMU. Before USD dropped a 56-47 decision to St. Mary's on the road this past Saturday, the Toreros completed its non-conference schedule. In late December, the Toreros put together a three-game home winning streak, culminated with an upset win over Georgetown 65-58 on December 28th. During that span the Toreros averaged over 70 points per game. Senior center Marta Menuez (Bodega, Calif.) is averaging 14.8 points per game, second highest in the West Coast Conference. Menuez needs just four points to reach 1,000 for her career. Menuez also ranks second among all league players in FG% (.500) and fourth in rebounding (7.1rpg). Menuez set a single-game career-high with 12 rebounds last weekend at St. Mary's. Both Menuez and classmate Melissa Padgett (Reno, Nevada) provide veteran head coach Kathy Marpe with senior leadership throughout the 2003-04 campaign. Padgett is clearing a WCC-best 5.39 defensive rebounds per game. The Toreros are also receiving key contributions from a host of sophomore players, including probable starters PG Polly Dong (Auburn, Calif.), G Lindsay Helvey (Anaheim, Calif.) and F Jamie Corwin (Renton, Calif.), along with scoring off the bench from G Brandi Collato (Del Mar, Calif.).
Helvey emerging as Super Soph
Sophomore G/F Lindsay Helvey (Anaheim, Calif.) buried a career-high four treys last Saturday at St. Mary's. Helvey worked her way into San Diego's starting line-up on December 6th vs. Long Beach State, six games into the season, and has responded by setting career-highs in virtually every statistical category. Helvey poured in 16 points to lead USD past Georgetown 65-58 on December 28. Her three-point accuracy (.39%) ranks her 5th among all WCC players.
Scouting the weekend opponents:
Loyola Marymount (10-5; 1-1 WCC)
The Lions reeled off eight consecutive wins during their non-conference schedule and own a 10-5 overall record. Ninth-year head coach Julie Wilhoit is armed with senior leadership in F Kate Murray (Tigard, OR), C Adrianne Slaughter (Englewood, CO) and G Raelen Self (Makaha, HI). Both Murray and Slaughter average double figures in scoring- Murray (14.5 ppg) and Slaughter (10.5ppg). The 6-foot Murray not only leads the team in scoring, but also 3PFG (21), assists (2.8 apg) and FT% (.865). Murray's 15 points and nine rebounds allowed the Lions to upend Portland 58-50 on the road Monday. The win improved LMU's league record to 1-1 after losing 70-54 to Gonzaga Saturday.
Pepperdine (6-9; 0-2)*
*The Waves host Santa Clara Thursday at 7pm
Despite being picked to win the West Coast Conference by the league's coaches, Pepperdine struggled in its first two WCC outings last week. The Waves fell victim to lopsided road losses to Gonzaga (75-44) and Portland (84-68) and are looking to break into the win column in WCC play when they host Santa Clara Thursday at 7pm. Pepperdine has a balanced offensive attack, with senior G Shandrika Lee averaging a team-high 11.9 points per game. Six different Waves have led the team in scoring this season for a Pepperdine team that has faced six ranked opponents.
Floor Leader Polly Dong Leads the Conference in Assists
No other player in the West Coast Conference is helping her teammates pad their stats more than San Diego's sophomore point guard Polly Dong. With an average of 5.4 assists per game and 76 on the season, Dong ranks first among all WCC players by nearly a full assist per game. On two different occasions this season Dong has dished out nine assists, a career high, most recently against Oral Roberts on December 22.
USD's Marta Menuez leads the WCC in scoring
6-foot-1 senior center Marta Menuez matched a career-high with 26 points in USD's double overtime loss to New Mexico State earlier this season, helping her post a season average of 15.4 points per game. That average is tops in the West Coast Conference. The Bodega, California native also ranks third in the league in offensive rebounds (3.08 orpg). Menuez earned All-WCC honors a year ago and is challenging San Diego school records in total points and points per game average in a single-season. Menuez's 2003-04 campaign has seen her match a career-high in rebounding (11-rebounds vs. then-No. 18 UC Santa Barbara). Menuez was also honored as the WCC Player of the Week (11/23) after shooting 9-of-13 from the floor en route to scoring 23 points and grabbing eight rebounds during a 96-74 USD win over Nevada.
San Diego Runs Into Nation's Number 1
The Toreros are one game removed from hosting the nation's then-No. 2 and current No. 1 Texas Tech at the Jenny Craig Pavilion December 30th. After upending Georgetown in the first round of USD's annual Surf 'N Slam Holiday Classic, San Diego squared off against unbeaten Texas Tech for the Tournament crown. The Red Raider's No. 2 ranking was the highest ranked team San Diego had ever faced on its home floor. Tech came away with an easy 95-47 win, snapping San Diego's three-game winning streak.
Toreros On the Air
USD @ Pepperdine Saturday, January 15, 2004 7:00 PM
Live Audio Broadcasts on WWW.USDTOREROS.COM
Former USD greats Paula Bott (play-by-play) and Susie Erpelding (color analyst) will be the voice of San Diego women's basketball throughout the 2003-04 season. All USD home games and selected road contests can be heard live over the internet on www.usdtoreros.com. USD will play in front of a television audience at least three times during the course of the '03-04 season. Fox Sports West and Fox Sports Northwest will air San Diego's road game with WCC rival Portland on Thursday, January 29th at 7:00pm. The Toreros will also be showcased locally on San Diego 4 on both January 22nd against St. Mary's at 7:00pm and on February 5th against Santa Clara at 7:00pm.
Last Time Out
San Diego Falls to SMC in League Opener
Moraga, CA -Saint Mary's defeated San Diego 56-47 in women's basketball action Saturday night in the West Coast Conference opener for both schools. USD drops to 5-9 on the year despite leading most of the way at St. Mary's McKeon Pavilion. The Gaels improve to 1-0 in conference play and 9-6 on the season. Marta Menuez had 12 rebounds for San Diego and Lindsay Helvey scored 12 points, all on three-point baskets.
The Torero defense limited Saint Mary's to just 19 first half points. San Diego jumped out in front early, 19-5, and took a 26-19 advantage into the locker room. The Gaels offense came alive in the second half, shooting 42% from the floor to outscore USD 37-21 and rally for the win.
Saint Mary's was led offensively by Evynn Van Burger, who scored a game-high 13 points. The Gaels' Serena Benavente and Triola Jackson each added nine points and Monica Mertle chipped in with eight. Saint Mary's also received offensive support from Brianna Winn and Sheridan Arredondo, who each scored five points off the bench.
USD Head Coach Kathy Marpe
Kathy Marpe is now in her 31st year as a head coach and her 24th season leading the USD women's basketball program. In her career Marpe has reached milestones aspiring coaches can only dream of; 370 career coaching victories, 111 West Coast Conference wins, two WCC coach of the year awards, two conference tournament championships and two NCAA Tournament teams. As a Torero, Marpe has coached 12 First Team All-West Coast Conference players, and more importantly, 30 of Marpe's players have been honored as WCC Scholar Athletes. Her 1999-2000 team matched a school record of 17 overall wins featuring future professional players Susie Erpelding and Jessica Gray. The 1999-2000 Toreros ran through the WCC Tournament, beating the number one seeded Pepperdine Waves 68-51. San Diego was awarded the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, becoming the second San Diego team Marpe would lead into the big dance. On February 3, 2001 Marpe became just the fourth coach in WCC history to reach 100 conference victories. By season's end and now entering the 2002-03 campaign, Marpe now owns 106 WCC wins, ranking her third all-time in WCC career coaching victories. Marpe's 352 overall career wins puts her in an elite class of about 60 NCAA coaches that have won over 300 games in a career.
