WAC BASKETBALL NOTEBOOKTECH REPRESENT the WAC in 2002 NCAA TOURNAMENT Louisiana Tech, Western Athletic Conference Tournament and regular season champions, will represent the WAC in the 2002 NCAA Tournament. The Lady Techsters advance to their 21st NCAA Tournament, only Tennessee has advanced to as many tournaments. The WAC Champions are the No. 5 seed in the East Regional.
Louisiana Tech earned the WACs automatic bid by defeating Hawaii in the Williams WAC Tournament Championship game, 53-50 on March 9. The Lady Techsters enter the NCAA Tournament with a 25-4 record and hold an overall NCAA Tournament record of 61-18. Last season, the Lady Techsters defeated Georgia State, former WAC school TCU and Missouri before falling to UConn, 67-48.
In the first round, Louisiana Tech will take on UC Santa Barbara (22-5) in Austin, Texas. If the Lady Techsters advance, they will take on the winner of the Texas/Wisconsin-Green Bay game. La. Tech will play on Friday, March 15 at a time to be determined. The No. 1 team in the Lady Techsters region is Duke followed by the No. 2 seed Baylor.
EAST REGIONAL
1. Duke
2. Baylor
3. South Carolina
4. Texas
5. Louisiana Tech
6. Cincinnati
7. Drake
8. TCU
9. Indiana
10. Syracuse
11. St. Peters
12. UC Santa Barbara
13. Wisconsin- Green Bay
14. Liberty
15. Bucknell
16. Norfolk State
ONE THE ROAD... AGAIN? Louisiana Tech earned its 21st bid to the NCAA Tournament. But for the first time in 10 years, the Lady Techsters will not be playing at the friendly confines of the Thomas Assembly Center, the "TAC." This year, Louisiana Tech will play on the road.
Louisiana Tech travels to Austin, Texas, to play UC Santa Barbara on Friday. It is the first time since 1992 that the Lady Techsters have played their first round game on the road. In 1992, Louisiana Tech lost to Northern Illinois, 77-71 in overtime in DeKalb, Ill. It is the last time that the Lady Techsters have lost in the first round.
RICE AND HAWAII HEAD TO WNIT Rice and Hawaii both advance to the Women's National Invitational Tournament.
Rice faces Houston at Hofheinz Pavilion in Houston on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the first round. It is the first meeting between the two teams since Feb. 10, 1996. The Owls have been in the WNIT two times, 1998 and 1999. Rice holds a 2-2 record in the postseason tournament.
The Lady Cougars are 22-7 this year after going 1-1 in the Conference USA tournament last week. Houston is 11-1 at home this season. The Lady Cougars leading scorer is Chandi Jones who averages 22.6 points a game.
The Wahine advance to their third consecutive WNIT. Hawaii faces Oregon State March 14 at 7 p.m. in the opening round of the 32-team tournament. Oregon State is making its second consecutive WNIT appearance. The Beavers finished the regular season with a 16-14 overall record and an 11-7 Pac-10 record. Their best since the 1995-96 season.
Last season, the Wahine advanced to the semifinals of the WNIT with wins at home over Santa Clara, BYU and Oklahoma State. Hawaii's impressive run was ended by New Mexico. Hawaii also participated in the 2000 tournament, losing to Saint Marys (Calif.) in the first round.
TWO LADY TECHSTERS NAMED TO ALL-DISTRICT TEAM Louisiana Tech had two players named to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA)/Kodak All-District team for District Seven. Sophomore Amber Obaze and senior Ayana Walker earned the honor. Both are now eligible for All-American honors which will be announced at the Final Four in San Antonio, Texas on March 28.
District 7
Jordan Adams New Mexico C
Linda Frohlich UNLV F
Angie Gorton Colorado State G
Amber Obaze Louisiana Tech G
Erin Thorn BYU G
Ayana Walker Louisiana Tech F
THE WAC IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT The WAC owns an all-time record of 15-32 (.319) in NCAA Tournament games. The nine teams from the 2000-01 season own an 8-17 (.320) record, 4-6 (.400) as WAC members. New WAC member Louisiana Tech is 61-18 (.772) in NCAA play. The WAC's other new member, Boise State is 0-1 in the NCAA Tournament.
THE WAC IN THE WNIT The WAC owns an all-time record of 13-12 (.520) in WNIT games. The 10 teams currently in the WAC own an 11-9 (.550) record in WNIT games, 7-6 (.538) as WAC members. Last season, Hawai`i advanced to the semifinals of the WNIT, falling to New Mexico.
LA TECH WINS WILLIAMS WAC TOURNAMENT The women's championship was decided in the final minute, as Louisiana Tech pulled out a win against Hawaii. The Lady Techsters defeated the Rainbow Wahine, 53-50. La Tech's Ayana Walker was named the tournament MVP.
In the championship game, MVP Walker scored 14 points in the close win. Cheryl Ford scored 15 points with 13 rebounds for her 10th double-double of the season. Walker, Ford and Obaze were La. Tech's three leading scorers entering the game. They combined to score 45 of the Lady Techsters 53 points, including 15 of the final 16 points down the stretch. Ford finished the game with 15 points and 13 rebounds, and was named to the WAC All-Tournament team.
Hawaii had three players in double figures, Christen Roper (12 points), Janka Gabrielova (11 points) and Kim Willoughby (12) all of whom made the all-tournament team. Willoughby was also named to the WAC Volleyball All-Tournament team in November.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM Hawai`i placed three players, while WAC Champion Louisiana Tech had two named to the Williams WAC Tournament All-Tournament team. Hawaii's Christen Roper, Janka Garbielova and Kim Willoughby were named the all-tournament team. Louisiana Tech's Cheryl Ford earned all-tournament honors along with teammate Ayana Walker who earned MVP honors.
THIS WEEK IN THE WAC Three WAC schools are still in action this week with Louisiana Tech representing the WAC in the NCAA Tournament and Rice and Hawaii playing in the WNIT.
RECORDS SET Several records were broken at this year's WAC Tournament. Individually, UTEP's Kimya Murray tied the record for three point field goals made in a game with six against SMU in the first round. Murray also tied the record for three pointers attempted with 14 in the same game. As a team, the UTEP squad set the record for three-pointers attempted in a game with 29 against SMU.
Hawaii's defense was responsible for several records falling. The Wahine and Nevada set the record for fewest points in a game with 86 in the quarterfinals (UH 54, Nevada 41). In the semifinals, Hawaii kept Rice to 36 total points. The previous record was 38 set in 1993 when San Diego State kept Fresno State to 38 points. As a team, Hawaii also had the best free throw percentage shooting 81.0 percent (34-42) in three games.
REWIND: THE 2001 NCAA TOURNAMENTTCU LOSES IN SECOND ROUND OF NCAA Eleventh-seeded TCU suffered a hard-fought 80-59 defeat at the hands of third-seeded and sixth-ranked Louisiana Tech in East Regional second-round action on March 19. TCU finished the season with a school-best 25-8 record, smashing the programs previous best win total by nine. TCU, who entered the game averaging more than seven three-pointers per game, connected on just 4-of-22 attempts (17.4 percent). The Frogs made just 23-of-67 field goals against the Techsters. However, TCU was able to out rebound Tech by a 43-37 mark. Jill Sutton led the team with 12 points and finished her career with 1,300 points, three points shy of becoming TCUs all-time leading scorer. Tricia Payne added 11 points for TCU and was followed closely by Janice Thomas and Kati Safaritova, who had 10 points apiece.
NATIONAL LEADERS The WAC continues to have players rank among the leaders in NCAA statistics. Through March 4, three WAC players are among the leaders in blocked shots per game. Tulsa's Alyssa Shriver is 10th in the country in blocks, averaging 2.6 a game. Hawaii's Christen Roper is 14th in the nation in blocked shots, averaging 2.5 blocks per game. Rice's Johnetta Hayes is 23rd with 2.2 blocks a game.
Louisiana Tech remains second in the nation in rebounding margin (15.7) behind No. 1 Connecticut. Hawaii is 16th in rebound margin (7.3).
The Lady Techsters continue to hold the second spot in scoring margin (25.0), just behind UConn. In WAC games, the Lady Techsters have a scoring margin of 29.6. La. Tech is also fifth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 54.0 points per game with the Wahine 14th, allowing 57.3 points per game.
Four WAC schools are among the leaders in field goal percentage defense. La. Tech remains second holding the opposition to a 32.9 field goal percentage. Hawaii is seventh in the country (34.8 percent). Tulsa holds onto 26th spot (36.9 percent), and Rice is 26th (36.9 percent).
LA. TECH CAPTURES FIRST WAC TITLE One game after being upset by Rice, No. 6 Louisiana Tech captured its 20th win and its first Western Athletic Conference regular season title with a 67-62 win over Tulsa on the road.
The title was the Lady Techsters 10th-straight conference title after winning nine-straight Sun Belt crowns. This is now the 25th time in 28 seasons that La. Tech has won 20 or more games.
Louisiana Tech had won 77- straight games against conference opponents before falling to Rice on Feb. 21. The loss also halted the Lady Techsters WAC-record conference winning streak at 14. Louisiana Tech has won 15 of 16 conference games this season.
In all, Tech has won 13 regular season conference titles - among the American South, Sun Belt and Western Athletic in only 15 years of league affiliation.
THE WAC IN THE POLLS After capturing the Williams WAC Tournament, Louisiana Tech remained in the top 10 in both the Associated Press and the ESPN polls this week. The Lady Techsters were still No. 8 in both the USA Today/ESPN poll and the Associated Press poll. The highest ranking the Lady Techsters have had this season is No. 5 in the Associated Press poll on Nov. 19. After its strong showing at the tournament, Hawaii received one vote in the ESPN poll.
SINGLE-SEASON RECORDS WAC GAMES
Total Points
1. 380 Becky Hammon, CSU, 1996-97
2. 373 Becky Hammon, CSU, 1998-99
3. 333 Cricket Williams, SJSU, 2001-02
Field Goal Percentage
1. 67.9 Becky Heidotten, TU, 2001-02
2. 64.8 Michelle Suman, SJSU, 1991-92
3. 63.9 Amy Burnett, UW, 1992-93
Three-Point Field Goals
1. 56 Kimya Murray, UTEP, 2001-02
2. 55 Becky Hammon, CSU, 1998-99
3. 54 Julie Krommenhoek, UU, 1997-98
Total Blocks
1. 47 Debbie Dimond, BYU, 1992-93
2. 43 Alyssa Shriver, TU, 2001-02
3. 41 Christen Roper, UH, 2000-01
4. 40 Debbie Dimond, BYU, 1994-95
5. 39 Michelle Suman, SDSU, 1993-94
6. 37 Michelle Suman, SDSU, 1994-95
7. 36 Cheryl Ford, LT, 2001-02
8. 34 Johnetta Hayes, RU, 2001-02
Total Free Throws
1. 115 Amy Burnett, UW, 1994-95
2. 105 Amy Pack, UTEP, 2000-01
3. 104 Leela Farr, TU, 2000-01
4. 100 Leela Farr, TU, 2001-02
Total Steals
1. 67 Cricket Williams, SJSU, 2001-02
2. 64 Tomika Young, BYU, 1991-92
3. 58 Jodi Nowlin-Tres, SDSU, 1996-97
4. 57 Kasie Pittman, TU, 1997-98
5. 52 Janee Young, FS, 1997-98
6. 51 Laura Ingham, UN, 2001-02
Tamika Stukes, UNM, 1997-98
WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HONOREES NAMED The 2001-02 all-Western Athletic Conference teams have been named, following a vote of the WAC's head coaches.
The first team has only one repeat performer from last year with Nevada's Kate Smith making her second appearance on the all-WAC squad. Louisiana Tech's Cheryl Ford and Ayana Walker as well as San Jose State's Cricket Williams join Smith on the first team.
Louisiana Tech's Cheryl Ford was named player of the year as the Lady Techsters complete their first season in the WAC. Ford a junior center from Summerfield, La., had a strong conference season. In WAC games, Ford was fourth in the league in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game. She led the WAC in rebounding (10.4 rpg) and was tied for second in blocks (2.00 bpg).
Louisiana Tech's Erica Smith and Fresno State's Aritta Lane tied for Co-Freshman of the Year honors. It was the first time since the 1998-99 season that two players earned the award. In league games, Smith was second in field goal percentage, shooting 50.5 percent. Lane was fourth in the league in rebounding (8.2 rpg), playing in all 28 of the Bulldogs' games.
San Jose State's Janice Richard captured her first Coach of the Year honor, leading the Spartans to a 17-10 record, 12-6 in the league. In her third season as the Spartans head coach, Richard led the Spartans to a dramatic turnaround after a 13-16 season last year.
2001-02 All-Western Athletic Conference TeamFirst Team all-WAC
Cheryl Ford Louisiana Tech C
Ayana Walker Louisiana Tech F
Kate Smith Nevada C
Cricket WilliamsSan Jose State G
Leela Farr Tulsa F
Second Team all-WACLindsay Logan Fresno State G
Janka Gabrielova Hawaii G
Amber Obaze Louisiana Tech G
Kimya Murray UTEP G
Carla Morrow Tulsa G/F
Player of the Year: Cheryl Ford, Louisiana Tech
Coach of the Year: Janice Richard, San Jose State
Co-Freshmen of the Year: Erica Smith, Louisiana Tech
Aritta Lane, Fresno State
2001-02 All-Defensive Team
Amber Obaze Louisiana Tech G
Essence Perry Louisiana Tech G
Ayana Walker Louisiana Tech F
Laura Ingham Nevada G
Cricket WilliamsSan Jose State G
2001-02 All-Newcomer Team
Aritta Lane Fresno State F
Erica Smith Louisiana Tech G
Elisa Inman Rice F
Kimya Murray UTEP G
Alyssa Shriver Tulsa C
NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS WAC teams have faced 15 non-conference opponents that played in last years NCAA Tournament and 13 teams that participated in the 2001 postseason WNIT. The results are as follows:
NCAA Opponents
Louisiana Tech 81, Michigan 66
Oklahoma 75, Tulsa 62
Tennessee 90, Louisiana Tech 75
SMU 49, Utah 48
Oral Roberts 63, Tulsa 61
Washington 99, Boise State 50
Duke 76, Louisiana Tech 64
Colorado State 84, Nevada 57
Arkansas 55, Tulsa 52
Oklahoma 91, SMU 70
Texas Tech 74, Rice 43
Connecticut 70, Louisiana Tech 54
Utah 72, Nevada 53
Tulsa 75, Oral Roberts 58
Idaho State 68, Boise State 52
LSU 72, Rice 47
Rice 72, Notre Dame 61
IMPROVEMENTS FROM LAST SEASON Three of the 10 WAC teams have already won as many games as they had last season: Rice, San Jose State and Tulsa.Tulsa has already won nine more games than last season's 8-21 finish. Tulsa's 17 wins is the most ever by the Hurricane. The 1983-84 team won 16.
NON-CONFERENCE MARK WAC teams are 47-46 (.505) in non-conference games. The WAC is 3-10 against teams that have been ranked or are ranked in the top 25 - Hawaii (0-2); Louisiana Tech (1-3); Nevada (0-2); Rice (2-1); SMU (0-1) and Tulsa (0-1).
SHRIVER AND INGHAM SINGLE-GAME LEADERS Nevada guard Laura Ingham's 17 assists against UTEP on January 17 is tied for first in assists in a game in the nation this season. Tulsa junior Alyssa Shriver is also a national leader this season. She broke the Tulsa and WAC record for blocks in a single game, recording 14 against La. Tech on 1/ 24. The 14 rejections were the most by any player in the nation this season and one shy of the NCAA record set by Amy Lundquist of Loyola Marymount on Dec. 20, 1992. Southern Mississippi's Sonja Brown is behind Shriver with 11 blocks.
20 SOMETHING Three WAC teams have already recorded 20 wins this season. Louisiana Tech has recorded at least 20 wins in 25 of its 28 seasons. Rice reached 20 wins in its last regular season game. With its win over Tulsa the Owls not only reached the 20-win mark, but they also secured the No. 2 seed in the tournament.