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Weekly Release
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PLAYER OF THE WEEK Sophomore Jillian Robbins has been named the Western Athletic Conference Womens Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 6. This is the first career WAC Player of the Week honor for the first-team all-WAC selection.
Robbins turned in two of the best games of her career last week and helped Tulsa to back-to-back victories over in-state rivals Oral Roberts (68-64) and Oklahoma (67-59). For the week, Robbins connected on 17-of-30 field goal attempts (57.0) and sank 14-of-19 free throw attempts (74.0), and she averaged 24.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 4.5 blocks.
Playing down the road against cross-town rival, Oral Roberts, Robbins scored a career-high 28 points and added 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the year in leading Tulsa to a 68-64 victory. She connected on a career-best nine field goals and finished 9-of-16 (.562) from the field, and hit 10 of 14 (.714) free throw attempts. Robbins also chipped in three assists, two steals and four blocked shots in 32 minutes of action. She tallied 11 points in the first half and 17 in the second period.
Other nominees included: Aritta Lane, Fresno State; Lauren Neaves, Rice; Amber Jackson, San Jose State; Sarah Davis, SMU.
LOUISIANA TECH DROPS FROM POLLS Louisiana Tech dropped out of both of the polls for the first time since 1992, ending a streak of 221 appearances. The Lady Techsters are 3-2 after losses to Missisippi State and Illinois.
PRESEASON HONORS Lindys Sports Annuals named Louisiana Tech No. 16 in its preseason poll this season. They were the only WAC team to earn a spot in the top 25. Street and Smtihs mentioned both Louisiana Tech and Rice as the best of the rest, just outside the top 25.
OFF TO THE RACES Fresno State is off to its first 5-0 start since 1971-72. Fresno State has had a different leading scorer (Chantella Perera, Amy Parrish, Mirenda Swearengin, Veronica Mack/Brittani Green, Aritta Lane) in every game this year. In addition, the Bulldogs have had a different leading rebounder in four of the first five games. Ten of the 14 players who have appeared in at least one game so far this year are averaging at least 10 minutes of playing time early on. Two other players averaging at least eight minutes per game.
SECOND-HALF HEROES In Tulsas six wins, the Hurricane has trailed at halftime in the last four of the last six victories. Tulsa led at halftime this year in only the season opener against Texas-San Antonio, 40-31, as the Hurricane went on to an 80-62 win. In the next four games, Tulsa has trailed at the intermission. Tulsa trailed Southwest Missouri State by three points (31-28), Texas-Pan American by nine points (34-25), Oral Roberts by eight points (32-24) and Oklahoma by two (30-28). Tulsa is outscoring the opposition in the second half in those four come-from-behind victories by a margin of 13.5 points. Tulsa averaged 41.5 points in the second half, compared to the oppositions 28.0 points. In the second half, Tulsa outscored SMS (43-36), Texas-Pan American (40-15), ORU (44-32) and Oklahoma (39-29). In the first half of those four games, the opposition has outscored Tulsa 31.8 to 26.3 points.
WAC TO CHANGE IN 2005-06 Over the last year, the WAC issued invitations to Idaho, New Mexico State and Utah State effective July 1, 2005, the same date that Rice, SMU, UTEP and Tulsa are moving to Conference USA. This season, Idaho is 3-3, New Mexico State is 2-3 and Utah State is 3-2.
YOUTH RETURNS FOR RAINBOW WAHINE Among UHs 12 returnees are six sophomores who already have earned significant playing time. As true freshmen, each were thrown right in the mix, with five of them earning at least one start. Brittany Grice had the most starts with 21, while Janevia Taylor started 19 games at point guard, including all 18 WAC games. Pam Tambini started 13 contests, despite injury, while Bryony Crouch had three starts. Dalia Solia earned her first start at Louisiana Tech on Feb. 12. The freshmen played 44 percent of the team's minutes, while contributing 41 percent of the scoring and 41 percent of the rebounding in 2003-04.
CBS SPORTSLINE SELECTS WAC SCHOOLS AS THREE OF PRESEASON TOP-64 TEAMS CBS.sportsLine.com three WAC three schools as some of top 64 teams in the nation in its preseason previews. Louisiana Tech was picked 28th, while Rice was 53rd. Tulsa came in at No. 62.
RETURNING ALL-WAC AWARDS WINNERS Several of the WACs top performers will return for play in 2004-05. Three first-team all-WAC selections will return, including Hawaiis Jade Abele, Rices Lauren Neaves and WAC Newcomer of the Year, Jillian Robbins of Tulsa. Only one second-team performer returns this season, Louisiana Tech guard, Erica Taylor. Neaves, Robbins and Taylor will all be back from the all-defensive team. Boise States Michelle Hessing, Hawaiis Janevia Taylor and UTEPs Charnette Phelps join Neaves and Robbins as returnees on the all-freshmen team.
HAWAII SAYS ALOHA TO BOLLA Hawaii announced the hiring of Jim Bolla as the new coach of the Rainbow Wahine basketball program. Bolla replaces Vince Goo, who retired following the conclusion of the 2003-04 season after 17 seasons as head coach.
Bolla was formerly head coach at UNLV. During his 14-year tenure at UNLV, from 1982 to 1996, Bolla became the most successful coach in the programs history with a record of 300-120 (.714). He led the Lady Rebels to nine post-season appearances, including seven NCAA Tournament bids, and guided his teams to 11 winning seasons, including nine consecutive with 20 or more wins. Bolla guided the school to its highest ranking during the 1989-90 season when the Lady Rebels were ranked second in the nation in both the AP and USA Today polls, before finishing the season with a 28-3 mark.
WAC TOURNAMENT TRAVELS TO RENO After one season in Fresno, the WAC Tournament will move to Reno in 2005. The 2005 WAC Tournament will be played at Nevadas Lawlor Events Center, March 8-12. The seven through 10 seeded teams will play on Tuesday, March 8. The remaining six teams will play in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, March 9 with the top seed competing versus the winner of the 8-9 Tuesday game, the No. 2 seed vs. No. 7 or No. 10, etc. The winners will play in the semifinals on Friday and the championship game will be Saturday.
NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS WAC teams could face at least 15 different non-conference opponents that played in last years NCAA Tournament and seven teams that participated in the 2004 postseason WNIT.
NCAA Opponents
SMU vs. Maine, Nov. 21
Rice vs. Texas Tech, Nov. 22
Tulsa vs. SW Missouri State, Nov. 24
Louisiana Tech vs. Mississippi, Nov. 24
Rice vs. Auburn, Nov. 26
UTEP vs. Arizona, Nov. 29
Rice vs. Baylor, Nov. 30
SMU vs. TCU, Dec. 2
Tulsa vs. Oklahoma, Dec. 4
Fresno State vs. UCLA, Dec. 11
Louisiana Tech vs. Tennessee, Dec. 15
Louisiana Tech vs. Oklahoma, Dec. 18
WAC teams could also face the following NCAA Tournament teams in regular-season tournaments this season:
Hawaii vs. Georgia, Nov. 26-28
Hawaii vs. Michigan State, Nov. 26-28
Hawaii vs. TCU, Nov. 26-28
Nevada vs. Southern, Dec. 3-4
Hawaii vs. Houston, Dec. 17-18
WNIT Opponents
Fresno State vs. Pepperdine, Nov. 19
Louisiana Tech. vs. Arkansas State, Nov. 28
Boise State vs. Idaho State, Dec. 6
Nevada vs. UNLV, Dec. 22
UTEP vs. Arkansas State, Nov. 26
UTEP vs. Arkansas State, Dec. 29
WAC teams could also face the following WNIT teams in regular-season tournaments this season:
Rice vs. Xaiver, Nov. 26-27
Nevada vs. Arizona State, Dec. 3-4
Nevada vs. Gonzaga, Dec. 3-4
Boise State Broncos (2-2, 0-0 WAC)The Broncos have won two-straight games ... Boise State defeated Idaho State on Dec. 6, 60-52, in Bronco Gym ... the Broncos improve to 2-2 overall and host Air Force on Dec. 10 at 7:00 p.m. ... the Broncos controlled the paint, with two post players snagging double-doubles - Jamie Hawkins with 13 points and 12 rebounds and Michelle Hessing with 10 points and 15 rebounds ... a third player, forward Denise Hill, added 11 points ... Cassidy Blaine and Cariann Ramirez each added nine points a piece to round out the team's top five scorers.
Fresno State Bulldogs (5-0, 0-0 WAC)Fresno States impressive start to the year has prompted some early-season research ... in addition to their quest for the best season start in program history, the Bulldogs have won five in a row for the first time since February of 2003 during the teams WNIT run ... if Fresno State defeats Washington State on Dec. 9, the Bulldogs will be enjoying their first six-game winning streak since the 1989-90 campaign ... also, since an overtime win at Boise State on Valentines Day of last year, Fresno State has won 10 of its last 12 games overall.
Hawaii Rainbow Wahine (1-2, 0-0 WAC)Hawaii head coach Jim Bolla earned his first win with a 70-68 win over California ... Alofa Toiaivoa scored 11 of her points and recorded four of her blocks in the second half to help UH secure its lead ... Toaiavao and senior Jade Abele also combined for six of Hawaii's nine steals ... Amy Sanders and Milia Macfarlane also aided UH in the win with 12 and 11 points, respectively, most of which came in the first half when UH built its double-digit lead ... Hawaii will be back in action hosting the Waikiki Beach Marriott Invitational, Dec. 9-11 ... Southeast Missouri State and BYU join Hawaii in the round-robin tournament with UH and Southeast Missouri State facing off on Dec. 9 at 7:00 p.m.
Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (3-2, 0-0 WAC)Louisiana Tech dropped out of both of the polls for the first time since 1992, ending a streak of 221 appearances ... the Lady Techsters are 3-2 after losses to Missisippi State and Illinois ... this week, the Lady Techsters take the week off before facing Alcorn State and No. 9 Tennessee.
Nevada Wolf Pack (2-3, 0-0 WAC)Nevada will return home to host San Diego State on Tuesday, Dec. 7 then Texas A&M, Corpus Christi on Thursday, Dec. 16 the two-game home stretch will be the last until Jan. 6 when Louisiana Tech comes to town by Jan. 6, Nevada will have played seven of the last nine games on the road including the WAC opener at San Jose State on Dec. 30, and spending the New Years holiday in Hawaii the Wolf Pack will have a tough span after this week as it will play six games in 14 days, with only one at home the Wolf Pack is looking to avenge last seasons 67-52 loss to the Aztecs in San Diego, Calif. Last years loss was only the second time Nevada had played SDSU, the Dec. 7th game will be the first between the two hosted in Reno.
Rice Owls (5-4, 0-0 WAC)Rice went 2-1 on the week, culminating in a team title at the Gene Hackerman Rice Invitational... earlier in the week, Rice lost a heartbreaker to ninth-ranked Baylor after leading the Lady Bears by as much as 11points ... freshman Maudess Fulton scored a career-high 19 points at Baylor to lead Rice... senior Annie Peck had
two games with double-digit points, including her first-career double-double against Kent State in the tournament championship game with 15 points and 10 rebounds ... Michelle Woods scored a career-best 22 points against Monmouth, adding four steals in the Rice win.
San Jose State Spartans (3-2, 0-0 WAC)San Jose State will take on will take on future WAC school New Mexico State on Dec. 11 ... the Aggies are 2-3 so far this season ... Lamisha Augustine scored a season-high 21 points in a loss to Santa Clara ... against San Fransisco ... Augustine also added eight points and three steals with two blocks ... freshman Amber Jackson averaged 16.5 points as the Sparants went 1-1 last week ... Jackson also added 16 rebounds in the two games.
SMU Mustangs (5-1, 0-0WAC)Junior post/forward Sarah Davis is currently third on SMU's all-time career list for locked shots with 94 ... Davis needs 16 blocks to move into second, surpassing Katie Remke ...
freshman Janielle Dodds posted her second consecutive double-double on Dec. 2 against No. 23 TCU with a career-high 20 points and 10 rebounds ... in fact, Janielle scored SMU's first 12 points and surpassed her previous career-high eight minutes ... speaking of double-doubles, Davis 13-point, 12-rebound performance on Dec. 5 against North Texas marked the third team double-double of the season, which matches the entire team double-double total from the 2003-04 season ... through six games last season, SMU held a 2-4 record.
UTEP Miners (2-3, 0-0 WAC)UTEP dropped to 2-3 on the season with losses at No. 25 Arizona and at home to Texas-San Antonio the Miners will not play again until Tuesday, Dec. 14, when they travel to New Mexico State UTEP's next four opponents have a combined record of 5-17 Angie McGee and Marta Dydek lead the team in scoring at 9.8 points per game Dydek has 11 blocks in five games this season Kasia Krezel averages 9.0 points per game and has a team-high 12 steals in five contests ten players average at least 10 minutes per game with seven averaging at least 18 per contest UTEP has limited its opponents to 60.0 points per game with three teams being held under 55 points.
Tulsa Golden Hurricane (5-0, 0-0 WAC)In the 5-0 start for the Hurricane, Tulsa has defeated two NCAA participants from a year ago, Southwest Missouri State (71-67) and Oklahoma (67-59) ... Tulsa will play a total of six games against 2004 Postseason Tournament teams, as the remaining four games come against WAC rivals Louisiana Tech, who played in the NCAA Tournament, and WNIT participant Rice. Tulsa plays both teams twice ... the Hurricane will open the conference season at Louisiana Tech on Dec. 30.