The Fresno State women’s basketball team, coming off a confidence boosting 102-57 exhibition win against Fresno Pacific University on Oct. 30, kicks off the regular season tonight at Maples Pavillion against the Stanford Cardinal.
Tonight also marks the Bulldogs’ debut under head coach Raegan Pebley.
“Our girls are excited to go up there and play Stanford on its home floor and compete,” Pebley said. “I know a lot of people subscribe to this and I do as well. You’ve got to play the best to beat the best and this is a great opportunity for Fresno State.”
The Bulldogs face arguably one of their toughest nonconference opponents tonight against Stanford.
The Cardinal, were perfect in conference play last season posting an 18-0 Pac-12 record and finishing the regular season at 35-2.
Stanford has won the Pac-12 championship the last 12 years running and was pegged to win it again this year by a preseason coaches’ poll.
“These games, sometimes when you play them, it is better for the underdog to play right away,” Pebley said. “This is as good a time as any and we’re going to approach every situation focusing on the positive and what we need to do to make the most of it.”
Junior guard Ki-Ki Moore, a San Francisco native and Fresno State’s leading scorer last season, returns to her Bay Area roots tonight against Stanford.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to start the season off against them and see what we need to get better at,” Moore said.
Against the Sunbirds, Fresno State’s starting lineup consisted of Moore, senior Rosie Moult, Taylor Thompson, Bree Farley and Alex Sheedy.
Freshman center Jacinta Vandenberg will join the starting rotation in place of Sheedy, who will contribute off the bench, Pebley said.
In 14 minutes of playing time against Fresno Pacific, Vandenberg posted four assists and led the team with two blocks.
“We’re going to have Sheedy come off the bench tomorrow,” Pebley said. “We’re going to start a young freshman, Jacinta, and it’ll be baptism-by-fire for that girl.
“Sheedy could come in if we got into early foul trouble with Rosie or Taylor or Ki-Ki. We could rotate her in for any one of those five and shift positions around and that allows us some flexibility.”
The Bulldogs will make their Save Mart Center debut on Monday against Cal Maritime.