San Diego State head coach Barb Smith likens her basketball teamto a construction project.

Three and a half years ago, Smith explains, she broke ground on avacant lot. Since then, she and her players have laid the groundwork.They’ve fitted the piping, they’ve poured the concrete.

So what’s the next step?

“This is the year our house will be built,” Smith said.

On Saturday, SDSU will begin its fourth season under Smith’sdirection. Since being named head coach on May 2, 1997, she’s had 12players either quit the game or the team. Over the stretch, hersquads have gone 26-53.

On media day (Oct. 4), both the press and the coaches in theMountain West Conference conducted their preseason polls. Both hadthe Aztecs slated for seventh place in an eight-team league.

Nevertheless, Smith says her team has the ability to raise someeyebrows.

“We’re glad we were ranked where we were,” Smith said. “We are adifferent team than we were last year. We have more talent, moredepth, more experience and more leadership than we’ve had since I’vebeen here.”

On top of returning four starters from last season and two morefrom the previous one, this year’s group seems to differ from thoseof the previous campaigns.

Case in point: This summer the players got together on their ownaccord and painted a mural inside their locker room.

Its theme? A puzzle. With every player having her own piece.

“It came from them,” Smith said. “It was a team effort. Thosethings would have never happened in the past. There’s a lot moreownership with this team and that’s going to make all thedifference.”

Frontcourt

SDSU has big shoes to fill now that center Mary Apiafi hasgraduated. Last season, the second team all-MWC selection averaged12.1 points and 9.1 rebounds.

“Mary’s spot is our biggest concern right now,” Smith said. “Thatposition is wide open.”

For now, 6-foot junior Atim Otii gets the nod in the middle. Inher previous two years, Otii averaged 7.5 points and 4.8 rebounds.

Also sharing time in the paint will be Andrea Kiesling and MorganVargas.

Kiesling, a 6-foot-3 sophomore from Montana, missed all but twoconference games after breaking her right fibula against BrighamYoung Jan. 16. She has since healed.

Vargas, a 6-foot-4 junior college transfer, is recovering ratherquickly after giving birth in early August.

Returning to the Aztecs at small forward is Anita Bundage. Thesenior averaged 8.4 points and 6.6 rebounds last season. Backing upBundage on the wing will be Missy Schomaker.

Nicolette McCartny, the team’s lone freshman, will start at powerforward.

As a senior in high school, McCartny averaged 18 points and 14rebounds. She also set an Illinois record for blocked shots in aseason (177).

For now, junior college transfer Tanisha Knight backs up McCartnyat the four spot.

Backcourt

One year ago, the Aztecs had two true guards — Jamey Cox and ShannonLee. Currently, they have five.

“I’m excited because I’m going to be able to look down the benchand see subs,” Smith said. “We’re going to be able to play morefull-court offense and defense.”

Guard Claire Swinbank agrees.

“Jamey won’t have to play 40 minutes a game,” she said. “We’regoing to push it at both ends.”

Currently, SDSU’s starting backcourt will have Cox at the pointand Swinbank at the two.

Cox, a sophomore guard from Waterloo, Iowa, led the Aztecs inscoring last season (13.7 points per game) and led the MWC in freethrow percentage (.819).

Swinbank, a junior who missed last year because of personalreasons, made the Western Athletic Conference’s all-newcomer team inthe 1999-99 season.

Until last Wednesday, senior Sophia Sledge was battling Cox for astarting position. However that afternoon, she broke her right thumbduring practice. She is expected to be out until late December.

Two years ago, Sledge led the Aztecs in scoring (10.7 points pergame). She missed last year with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

For now, Lee will back up Cox at the point. Last season, thesenior from Pasadena led the MWC in assists (5.93 per game).

Nicole Bemi-Morrison will also appear in spot situations,particularly when the Aztecs need a three-pointer.

Outlook

So what exactly does Smith expect from this year’s team?

“We’ve got to break .500,” Smith said. “But we’re shooting for thetop spot and we’re not going to be happy with anything less.”

Although SDSU appears to be more talented than it was a year ago,it will need to improve its play on the road. Last season, the Aztecshad an abysmal 2-10 road record.

This year, the team plays six of its first eight and eight of its13 non-conference games away from Cox Arena.

“What we purposely did this year was schedule more road games inthe pre-conference season,” Smith said. “We’re going to overcome theroad problems right away.”