Aztecs’ Burns Pushing Murguia Into Greatness

Beth Burns, San Diego State women’s basketball coach, admits she is probably freshman forward Christina Murguia’s “worst nightmare.”

“She probably sees me in her sleep,” Burns said. “The woman wants to be great. She’ll be the first to tell you she needs to be pushed. And that’s what I’ve done.”

The pushing is paying off for Murguia, a two-time Times All-County selection from Castle Park High, and Burns. Thanks to Burns’ intense conditioning drills, Murguia has taken off 23 pounds since arriving at SDSU. A slimmer and quicker Murguia has given Burns the flexibility to play her at small forward or big forward.

Murguia, who has started the past three games at small forward, is averaging 7.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists in the Aztecs’ five games.

Murguia got her first start in the Aztecs’ victory over nationally ranked USC Dec. 3. She did not score, but had four assists, including one of the behind-the-back, no-look variety.

“There were no stars in her eyes when she started against USC,” Burns said. “She has incredible vision. That pass was the kind of thing a coach just shakes her head on. I can’t coach that kind of thing.”

Burns said Murguia, at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, has been a tough matchup for most small forwards.

“She’s hard to guard, but then she’s had a hard time guarding people too,” Burns said. “She’s got a long way to go with her defense.”

Burns said Murguia was not forced to play much defense at Castle Park and she developed bad habits.

“No matter what she did in high school, it didn’t matter,” Burns said. “She was bigger than and stronger than everybody she was playing against. All she had to do was wait in the middle and swat down whatever came in there.”

Murguia is averaging 18 minutes a game, but her playing time will increase as her conditioning improves, Burns said.

“The only reason her minutes are not higher is because she’s always in foul trouble and that’s because of her conditioning,” Burns said.

And when Murguia’s defense and conditioning come around?

“She could be like a Charles Barkley-type player,” Burns said. “She has incredible quickness, tremendous vision and great court vision. I’ve seen a lot of players and she can be a great player, not a good player.”

What was it last year?: Kathy Marpe, the University of San Diego women’s basketball coach, already knows what her New Year’s resolution is for 1992.

After starting 1-4 with losses coming against San Diego State, Louisiana Tech, Providence and Cal State Long Beach and facing a schedule of Hawaii, Stanford, Weber State and UCLA, Marpe said, “My New Year’s resolution is to schedule easier opponents.”

Back to Peru: University of San Diego’s Jose Luis Noriega is returning to Lima, Peru, to defend his Peruvian National tennis championship Dec. 19.

Noriega won the tournament in 1989 and 1990 and earned a spot on Peru’s Davis Cup team both years. His toughest competition will probably come from Paba Arraya, ranked 115th in the world.

When Noriega returns to the United States, he will play in the Adidas Invitational Jan. 22-26 at Indian Wells. Noriega is ranked seventh by the Intercollegiate Tennis Coaches Assn. entering the USD’s spring season.

The Toreros’ Laura Richards, who won the Rolex Regional at UC Irvine, is ranked 20th in the women’s rankings. SDSU’s doubles team of Nicole Storto and Sue Hawke is ranked fourth.