The Long Beach State women’s basketball team takes on a pair of Pac-10 teams this week, beginning with a match-up against USC on Thursday, Dec. 3. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. at the Walter Pyramid.  The 49ers will then head to Oregon on Sunday (Dec. 6) for a 2 p.m. showdown with the Ducks.  Come back to LBPOSTsports.com all weekend for the reports, updates and pictures!

USC (3-3) at
Long Beach State (3-3)
Date: Thursday, Dec. 3
Time: 7 p.m. (PST)
Location: Walter Pyramid
Series Record: LBSU leads, 36-17

Long Beach State (3-3) at
Oregon (5-1)
Date: Sunday, Dec. 6
Time: 2 p.m. (PST)
Location: McArthur Court
Series Record: LBSU leads, 6-2

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SCOUTING THE TROJANS
USC (3-3), which was receiving votes in the latest AP and ESPN/USA Today polls, is coming off wins over No. 13 Texas and No. 19 Mississippi State at the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam. Ashley Corral has paced the Trojan offense with 15.5 points per game, while Brianna Gilbreath (11.3 ppg) and Aarika Hughes (10.0 ppg) are also averaging double figures. Hughes leads the squad in rebounding with 6.0 boards per contest.

A GLANCE AT OREGON
The University of Oregon improved to 5-1 on the season after defeating Cal State Fullerton and Portland State at the World Vision Invitational. The Ducks also suffered their only loss of the season to Wisconsin last weekend. Nicole Canepa and Taylor Lilley lead all UO scorers with 14.8 points per game, while Amanda Johnson is averaging a double-double with 14.3 points and a team-high 11.8 rebounds per outing.

THE SERIES
Long Beach State leads in its all-time series with USC, 36-17, but the Trojans won the last meeting in Los Angeles, 85-50, on Nov. 10, 2006. The 49ers are 21-2 when playing the Women of Troy at home.

The Beach also leads in its series with Oregon, 6-2. In the last outing on Nov. 29, 2007, LBSU emerged victorious on the road, defeating the Ducks, 66-45. Long Beach State is 3-1 when playing in Eugene, Ore.

SIMS SIZZLES IN MIAMI
Senior Lauren Sims tied a school single-game record with seven 3-pointers en route to a career-high 25 points in a loss against the undefeated Hurricanes on the first day of the Wyndham Miami Thanksgiving Tournament. Sims has reached double figures in scoring in five of the 49ers’ six games and has hit the 20-point mark twice.

FIGUEROA NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Karina Figueroa was named to the Wyndham Miami Thanksgiving All-Tournament Team after averaging 20.0 points, 7.5 assists and 6.5 rebounds per outing. Figueroa nearly had a triple-double against the Hurricanes with 23 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, while posting a team-high 17 points in a win over Rice.

BOOKMAN ON THE BOARDS
Junior Ashley Bookman is currently tops on the team and third in the Big West with 7.7 boards per game. She has led The Beach on the glass in four of its six games and is the only 49er to reach double figures this season with a career-high 11 rebounds at New Mexico State on Nov. 20.

49ERS AMONG THE BIG WEST LEADERS
In addition to leading all players in the Big West in scoring and assists, Karina Figueroa is also fourth in steals (2.17/game) and seventh in free throw percentage (84.9 percent). Lauren Sims is tops in the conference with 20 3-pointers made, second in 3-point field goal percentage (50.0 percent) and fifth in field goal percentage (52.5 percent). Ally Wade also ranks among the top 10 in 3-point field goals made, 3-point field goal percentage and rebounding, while Lindsey Beckner is tied for sixth with 1.00 blocks per outing.

FIGUEROA JOINS 1,000-POINT CLUB
It didn’t take long for senior Karina Figueroa to find herself among the 49er elite as she surpassed 1,000 career points in her first game back after redshirting the 2008-09 campaign. Figueroa, who needed 16 points to hit the milestone, led The Beach with a team-high 23 in a season-opening victory against Prairie View A&M. Figueroa now ranks 18th among LBSU’s all-time leading scorers with 1,093 career points.

UP NEXT
Long Beach State returns to action next week when it heads south for its final non-conference road games. The 49ers will take on San Diego State at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 11, before making their way to the University of San Diego for a 2 p.m. contest on Sunday (Dec. 13).

Reports From LBSU