By Ernie Gonzalez (@superego1012 ):
Coming off a season-low scoring performance of 46 points in Laramie, San Jose State’s women’s basketball is set to host the UNLV Lady Rebels Wednesday night inside the Event Center.
The Spartans (6-14, 3-6 MW) are losers of three straight while the Rebels (11-8, 6-2 MW) are hot, winning six of their last seven.
SJSU’s starting point guard Taylor Turney who leads the team in scoring, averaging 13.9 points per game is coming off one of her worst shooting games of her career, hitting just 1-10 from the floor for just two points last Saturday in Wyoming.
Turney, who attended high school just 20 minutes from the Cox Pavillion will play the Rebels for the the second time this season and fourth time in her career, a team she is 1-2 against.
She will need to get some help from her shoulder mate and experienced-leader of the team Myzhanique Ladd, who also had a forgettable performance versus the Cowgirls with just eight points in 36 minutes.
Ladd enters Wednesday night second on the team in scoring, right on Turney’s trail putting up 12.8 points per night.
The senior guard also leads the team in rebounding, (7.1 per game) nearly three more than any other player on the Spartan roster (Cydni Lewis 4.3).
Rebounds have been the most consistent statistic to dictate a Spartan victory, as SJSU has been beaten on the boards mightily in all six conference losses.
In order for the Spartans to have success, they must contain three double-digit Lady Rebels. Brooke Johnson, Katie Powell and Nikki Wheatley all average a dozen or more per night.
Look for freshman forward Cydni Lewis to have a solid game, as she is due for a breakout contest. Saturday in Wyoming, she finished with nine points and four rebounds. Look for her to build on that.
As for sophomore guard Analyss Benally, she’s still flirting with her 47th triple of the season, one that would tie her for the most made threes in a year by a second-year player. She currently has 46.
Tip-off is at 7 p.m.