More Updates From the Sovereign Bank Arena

Alexis Gray-Lawson, Devanei Hampton, Ashley Walker and Joanne Boyle each participated in the press conferences as well as one-on-one interviews with an ESPN producer for the game tomorrow. The set-up was slightly different with the players doing the ESPN interviews while Boyle was at the press conference, and then they switched.

The Bears took to the floor at the Sovereign Bank Arena for an open practice and we'll soon head to Princeton for a closed, extended practice.

Staff Update: Fresno State Notes

During our shootaround at the Galen Center this morning, I put together some notes on Fresno State for everyone’s entertainment.

Key Facts:
- Fresno State has hit 10 or more three-pointers in 31 games, dating back to last season
- The Bulldogs upset then-No. 22 TCU, 75-71 (the week prior to TCU defeat of Cal) but lost at then-No. 3 Stanford, 100-62
- FS has led the nation in treys made per game all season, they are currently making 9.5 a game
- Jaleesa Ross is FS’s leading scorere, averaging 13.8 ppg, Hayley Munro and Bailey Amundsen are behind her with 10.3 and 10.2 ppg, respectively

More Facts
- FS also has an Ashley Walker on the team, she averages 5.5 points per game as compared to Cal’s Ashley Walker, who has 19.3 ppg
- Cal and Fresno State had four common opponents this season – TCU, Stanford, Nevada and San Jose State. The Bears were 3-2 against those teams and the Bulldogs were 5-1

Bulldog Background
- Earned the automatic bid after winning its second consecutive Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Championship
- FSU executed its defense at the WAC Tournament, holding opponents to 34 percent shooting and 51 points per game

Dancing Bulldogs
- Last season in the NCAA Tournament, the Bulldogs were a 14 seed last year, lost to No. 3 Baylor, 88-67, in the first round
- This year is only the second season in program history that FSU has made it to the Big Dance

FSU vs. Cal History
- Cal holds a 20-5 all-time series advantage over Fresno State
- The Bears have won the past four meetings
- Most recent game last season, when Cal dropped FSU, 83-79

Head Coach File: Adrian Wiggins
- Took over as interim coach on Feb. 9, 2005 and led the ’Dogs to six wins in their final eight games of the season and a berth in the WNIT
- Was so well-liked and accomplished during his period as interim coach, that he was given the official head coaching job.
- Was the 2007-08 WAC coach of the year
- Has posted a 71-36 record with Fresno State

Photo/Staff Update: Today at the Galen Center

Today, the team administrators had a couple of quick meetings before heading into practice with the team. Here are some pictures from our time at the Galen Center this morning and afternoon.

The North entrance to the Galen Center with official NCAA signage.

A large poster of the NCAA bracket in the media workroom:

Cal in the Trenton, N.J. Regional part of the bracket:

When head coach Joanne Boyle, Devanei Hampton, Alexis Gray-Lawson and Ashley Walker participated in the official press conference (you can read the transcript of the press conference in this blog post), the rest of the team was available for media interviews during the open locker room period. In between interviews, the team relaxed by watching some NCAA men’s basketball in a USC locker room:

After the media interviews, the team took to the court at the Galen Center for a quick practice, which was open to the media as evidenced by the photographer in this picture:

Following the open practice, the Bears entered into a closed practice before returning to the hotel for a lunch of Mexican food. The team will take it easy this afternoon to rest up before Saturday’s game. They will watch some film, attend a study hall to get in some studying (even though they’re on spring break!) before dinner.

All photos courtesy Anna Oleson-Wheeler.

Staff Update: We’ve Made It to L.A.

The Cal women’s basketball team and crew have made it to Los Angeles. We flew into Los Angeles Airport on Thursday evening and headed straight to the hotel. Tomorrow the team will participate in one form of a press conference or another. Head coach Joanne Boyle and three players will attend the press conference. Everyone else will stay in the locker room to conduct interviews with media members. After the interviews are complete, the team will spend time practicing at the Galen Center.

Every year that the Bears have gone to the NCAA Tournament (this is the fourth in a row!), the team makes a special post-season t-shirt for everyone. This year, the shirt is black with yellow writing. It says “California Basketball” on the front and “2009 NCAA Tournament: The game is easy…with unity” on the back.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for quotes from the press conference and player journals!