March 19, 2014
Complete Release in PDF Format 
TIP OFF: The University of San Diego women's basketball team (22-8) will now return to the postseason for a third consecutive season, as they host Cal Poly this Thursday at 6 p.m. in a Women's National Invitation Tournament game.
LAST TIME OUT: Senior guard Amy Kame's last second jumper did not fall, as the University of San Diego women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaking 60-58 decision to Saint Mary's College Friday evening in the quarterfinal round of the West Coast Conference championships at the Orleans Arena. With USD trailing by three points, Kameron Knutson was fouled with 2.3 second left. She hit the front end of her two free throw attempts, then purposely missed the second. As the ball flew out of bounds, the buzzer sounded to end the game. However, the officials reviewed the play, and discovered the clock had been started incorrectly, giving USD the ball with 1.3 seconds remaining. Kame received the inbounds pass and launched a turnaround baseline jumper for the tie, only it did not fall, ending the game at its final score of 60-58. Amy Kame led the Toreros scoring effort with 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting from the field, while also pulling down nine rebounds. Malina Hood was the next highest scorer with 11 points on 4-of-15 shooting from the field. Sophia Ederaine tied a WCC Tournament single-game record with seven blocked shots, while also pulling down eight rebounds. As a team, USD shot 34.5% from the field, and outrebounded the Gales 44-39.
TOREROS IN THE POSTSEASON: San Diego has made seven postseason appearances in the history of the program. This marks the fourth trip to the WNIT for USD, and third year in a row. USD is 5-3 all-time in WNIT games, posting an 0-1 record in 2006-07, then having a magical run to the Final Four in 2011-12, going 4-1. Last season, USD defeated Hawaii in the first round in San Diego, then fell on the road to Utah. USD will look to improve upon this record on Thursday, when they host Cal Poly.
USD VS. THE BIG WEST: San Diego is 3-0 against teams from the Big West Conference this season, having defeated Cal State Fullerton, 65-42, Long Beach State 68-51, and UC Irvine 79-55. USD will look to remain perfect against the Big West on Thursday when Cal Poly comes to town.
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS: Cal Poly enters the game with an overall record of 18-13 after falling to Cal State Northridge in the Big West Conference Tournament championship game. The Toreros lead the all-time series at 9-8, but Cal Poly did take the last meeting, a 69-50 decision in San Louis Obispo back on Nov. 17, 2012. A pair of 17.3 ppg scorers in Ariana Elegado and Molly Schlemer paces the Mustangs offensively. Joane Erving is the only other Mustang averaging double figures at 11.7 ppg. The Mustangs are under the direction of 17th-year head coach Faith Mimnaugh, who is 234-258 in her career in San Luis Obispo.
LAST TIME VS. THE MUSTANGS: The University of San Diego women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season, as they fell to Cal Poly 69-50, on Nov. 17, 2012 in a non-conference game at Mott Gym. Alysse Barlow led the scoring effort for the Toreros, as she recorded 10 points on 5-of-14 shooting, while also recording five rebounds and dishing out four assists. Amy Kame and Maya Hood both recorded nine points, while both Kame and Klara Wischer each pulled down eight rebounds. As a team, USD shot .362 from the field, and were out rebounded 41-40.
IMPRESSIVE SEASON CONTINUES: San Diego women's basketball team, continues to reach uncharted waters for the program. The Toreros have surpassed any USD team before them, by beginning the season 15-0, then jumping into the top-25 on the week of Jan. 6 at No. 24 for the first-time in program history, and they were also receiving votes in the top-25 polls for eight consecutive weeks. San Diego has defeated five post-season teams from a year ago along the way in Northern Colorado, Idaho, San Diego State, Saint Mary's, and BYU. USD has also knocked off Arizona State, who was ranked in the top 25 for a majority of the season, and is currently in the NCAA Tournament.
BLOCKING HER WAY INTO HISTORY: San Diego junior forward Sophia Ederaine recorded seven blocks in the WCC quarterfinal loss to Saint Mary's on March 7. These seven blocks tied a tournament single-game record with former Torero great Chris Enger, as well as SMC's Louella Tomlinson. Those seven blocks also moved Ederaine's season total to 72, good for sixth all-time at USD in single-season blocks. Her career total has now moved to 183, which is good for third all-time at USD.
WHO'S HOT FOR THE TOREROS: San Diego senior guard Amy Kame has now moved her streak of scorning double figures to five consecutive games, thanks to a 12-point effort in the loss to Saint Mary's in the WCC quarterfinals. During this streak, Kame has shot 53% from the field (35-66), while averaging 19.8 ppg, with a career-high of 31 coming in a win over Loyola Marymount on Feb. 19.
TOREROS IN HOME GAMES: San Diego has truly made the Jenny Craig Pavilion, one of the toughest venues for opponents to play. USD is bolstering a 14-1 record at home. This season USD is out scoring their opponents by a margin of 14.5 ppg (1,088-870), while shooting .450 from the field and holding their opponents to just .366 shooting. USD is out rebounding the opposition by a 9.6 boards per game (635-491). Four different active Toreros are averaging double figures paced by Amy Kame's 15.7 ppg, followed by Malina Hood's 13.6 ppg, Sophia Ederaine's 10.9 ppg, and Felicia Wijenberg's 10.3 ppg.
TRIO OF TOREROS EARN ALL-WCC ACCOLADES: The University of San Diego women's basketball team had three players earn All-West Coast Conference accolades, highlighted by senior guard Amy Kame being selected first-team All-WCC. Both sophomore guard Malina Hood and senior forward Felicia Wijenberg were named All-WCC honorable mention.
BRAINS AND BASKETBALL: The University of San Diego women's basketball team had three players named to the West Coast Conference All-Academic team. Both senior guard Amy Kame and junior forward Sophia Ederaine were selected the All-Academic team, while Brooke Jelniker was named honorable mention. Both Ederaine and Kame are making their second consecutive appearance on this prestigious team. At the conclusion of each athletic season, the WCC selects an all-academic squad for each WCC-sponsored sport. To be considered, a student-athlete must maintain at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average, while also being a significant contributor to her team.
THREE STRAIGHT 20-WIN SEASONS: With the 59-52 win over Portland on Feb. 15, the Toreros posted their third consecutive 20-win season, and fourth overall 20-win season in program history. Last season, when USD won its 20th game, it marked back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time ever. So new heights continue for the Toreros under ninth-year head coach Cindy Fisher. This string of 20-win seasons has ended like this... In 2011-12, USD finished with a program-best 26-9 overall record, and a trip the Final Four of the WNIT...then in 2012-13, USD posted a 22-10 overall record and reached the second round of the WNIT. Where will this season's team end up? Time will only tell. The only other 20-win Torero team was the 2006-07 squad, who went 21-9 and made the first round of the WNIT.
MOVIN ON UP: Senior guard Amy Kame continues to move her way up the all-time scorers list at USD. She currently sits at No. 4 overall with 1,472 points, and is 38 points behind Susie Erpelding (1996-2000) for third all-time. However, Kame's game is not limited to scoring, as she is currently third all-time in career steals with 209, and is now seventh all-time in career assists at 308.
