49er Women Open Season on the Road

The Cal State Long Beach women’s basketball team, ranked No. 2 in the nation, will open its season tonight against LSU at Baton Rouge, La. The 49ers will then travel to Knoxville, Tenn., for a game Saturday night against top-ranked Tennessee.

Defending Big West Conference champions, Joan Bonvicini’s 49ers were 28-6 last year and went to the final four of the national playoffs in Tacoma, Wash., where they lost in the semifinals to Auburn.

The top returning player is All-American guard Penny Toler, who averaged 22.5 points and 5.3 assists a game last season.

Also back are guard Traci Waites (10.9 points and 4.6 assists); center Angelique Lee (10.9 points and 6.5 rebounds), and forwards Shameil Coleman (10.3 points and 5.6 rebounds) and Cheryl Dowell (8.4 points and 6.7 rebounds).

Shannon Smith, the team’s leading rebounder last year, quit to devote more time to her studies.

The top newcomer is sophomore Penny Moore, a guard/forward who was a high school All-American in Falls Church, Va.

Bonvicini’s record in 9 seasons at Cal State Long Beach is 246-49 (.834).