At 5-2, Hawai'i is off to its best start since the 2002 campaign when the team won six of its first eight games. UH has won three straight, tying the longest such streak under second-year head coach Jim Bolla. The Rainbow Wahine will look for its fourth straight win versus Campbell, a feat they have not accomplished since 2002. In addition, UH?™s wins at San Francisco and Santa Clara marked the first time since 2001 that the Rainbow Wahine were victorious in their first two road games of the year.
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XBOX LIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK ?“ San Jose State?™s Lamisha Augustine has been named the Xbox Live Western Athletic Conference Women?™s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 12. This is the senior?™s first Player of the Week honor of the season. Augustine, a senior from Fresno, Calif., helped San Jose State end a four-game losing streak scoring a personal single-game best 35 points in a 78-66 non-conference win over Colorado State. Augustine?™s 35 points and 5-for-5 from three-point range are single-game bests among all WAC players for games played through December 10. She notched her third double-double of the season in the Colorado State win with her 11 rebounds. The all-WAC honoree is the first Spartan in more than a year to score at least 30 points in a game. Her 35 points matches the fifth highest single-game total by a San Jose State women?™s basketball player. She had field goal and three-point field goal percentages above 50 percent for the week.
Other nominees included: Nadia Begay of Boise State had 20 points against Wyoming … Chantella Perera of Fresno State averaged 15.3 points as the Bulldogs won two games … Brittany Grice of Hawai'i averaged 16.5 points and 13.5 rebounds as the Rainbow Wahine won two games on the road … Leilani Mitchell of Idaho scored 30 points in a 99-70 win against Utah Valley State… Aarica Ray-Boyd of Louisiana Tech averaged 16.0 points as the Lady Techsters went 1-1 last week … Jessica Freeman of Utah State scored a career-high 21 points as the Aggies won their first game of the season.
THREE-POINT FRENZY ?“ Idaho set a school record with 14 made three-point field goals versus Utah Valley State (Dec. 8). The previous record was 13 set on February 26, 1998, in a game versus Long Beach State. Leilani Mitchell tied a school record with seven made three-point field goals versus Utah Valley State (Dec. 8). She shot 7-of-8 from beyond the arc in the game and now shares the record with four other Vandal players. She is the first player to make seven three-pointers in a game since Susan Woolf on Dec. 19, 1999. Idaho was two three point-field goals away from the WAC record. Mitchell was also two away from the WAC record.
ESPN TO CELEBRATE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF NCAA WOMEN?™S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP ?“ Beginning Monday, Jan. 9, through the National Championship game on April 4, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will count down the 25 most memorable moments from the NCAA Women?™s Basketball Tournament?™s 25-year history. A 30-second vignette will air during 25 women?™s basketball telecasts in ranking order, starting with No. 25 during the Big 12/Big Ten Challenge featuring Oklahoma at Ohio State on January 9 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Moments ranked 24-11 will continue to be announced during regular-season women?™s basketball coverage through Selection Monday on March 13.
The moments and rankings were determined by an industry-wide blue ribbon panel consisting of notable players, coaches, journalists and executives from the NCAA and WBCA.
One of the featured moments:
Final Four (Norfolk, Va.) ?”1982
The Lady Techsters win the first-ever NCAA title, beating Cheyney, 76-62. Janice Lawrence is named first-ever Most Outstanding Player as a sophomore.
NEVADA TO HOST 2006 TOURNAMENT ?“ For the second consecutive year, Nevada?™s Lawlor Events Center (11,200) will host the WAC Basketball Tournament. The dates for this year?™s tournament are March 7-11. The 2007 and 2008 tournaments will be held in Las Cruces, N.M.
IDAHO SETS WAC RECORD ?“ Idaho set a WAC and Idaho record with 40 three-point field goal attempts against Oklahoma State. Idaho was 10-of-40 (.250) in the game.
2005-06 EXPERIMENTAL RULES ?“ This season, all certified men?™s and women?™s basketball games that occur before January 1 are required to use experimental rules. This year?™s women?™s experimental rules are:
1. Moving the 3-point line 9 inches behind the current three-point line to create a new experimental distance of 20 feet, 6 inches.
2. Using the 10-second backcourt rule.
NO SLUMPING ?“ San Jose State sophomore Amber Jackson is continuing the sharp shooting that helped place her on the all-WAC second team last season. Jackson third the WAC in scoring, averaging 18.1 ppg. She is also first in rebounds, averaging 10.7 rpg. She is eight in the nation in shooting percentage (.65). Last season, Jackson was first in the league in shooting percentage (.659) and third in scoring (14.9 ppg).
WAC IN THE NCAA STATS ?“ Fresno State is seventh in the nation in rebound margin (13.7). Cincinnati leads the nation (18.5). Idaho is 11th in three-point field goals per game (7.6). Idaho?™s Leilani Mitchell is third in the nation in steals, averaging 4.5 spg, while Louisiana Tech?™s Tasha Williams is 15th, averaging 3.7 spg. Mitchell is also 12th in assists per game (6.3). New Mexico State?™s Irma Kmitaite is 11th in the nation in free-throw percentage (.944).
BREAKING THE STREAK ?“ When New Mexico State faces UC-Irvine on Wednesday, Dec. 14 a streak will be broken. Both teams are 0-6 entering the game in Irvine. The matchup between New Mexico State and UC Irvine could be said to be a clash of opposites. The Aggies average just 49 points per game and have yet to score 60 in a game while the Anteaters surrender 90.5 points per game and have yet to hold an opponent under 81 points.
NEVER OUT OF IT ?“ Hawai'i is 3-0 when trailing at the half this year. Hawai'i overcame a nine-point second half deficit to defeat Washington State, 68-63, in the first round of the Rainbow Wahine Classic. In the tournament third place game two days later, Hawai'i fell behind, 13-0, to Texas A&M to start the game and trailed by 10 points with 15 minutes left, before pulling out a 68-66 victory. In its first road game of the season, the Rainbow Wahine trailed by five at the break and by as many as seven early in the second half, then proceeded to dominate San Francisco in a 71-63 win. UH was 3-12 when trailing at the half last year and the largest comeback was eight points at SMU.
WAC JOINS NCAA CELBRATION OF WOMEN?™S CHAMPIONSHIPS ?“ The Western Athletic Conference has joined the NCAA national office in celebrating the 2005-06 season as the 25th anniversary of NCAA Women?™s Championships.
The NCAA is encouraging the more that 1,020 member colleges, universities and conferences to recognize the 2005-06 season as the 25th anniversary of women?™s championships. Recognition can include special campus activities, banners and signage, promotional events, program inserts, the naming of anniversary teams, and special awards. Activation kits were provided to all NCAA Division I, II and III colleges and universities in an effort to assist with the initiatives on their campuses.
BOISE STATE WELCOMES PRESNELL ?“ Gordan Presnell became Boise State?™s head coach in June. He is the sixth head coach in the program?™s 35-year history (36th in 2005-06). He is also the second man to lead the Broncos. The other was Tony Oddo (1984-89). One unique aspect of Presnell?™s hire is that he is the first head coach in program history to have previous head coaching experience at the four-year collegiate level. He comes to Boise State after 18 successful years at Seattle Pacific University. Oddo had junior college experience with men, but no other coach was a previous collegiate head coach until they were hired at Boise State.
FAURHOLT CANDIDATE FOR SENIOR AWARD ?“ Idaho?™s Emily Faurholt was announced as a candidate for the 2005-06 Bayer Advantage?® Senior CLASS Award, the nation?™s premier tribute to college seniors. The award, now in its fifth year, is presented annually to the nation?™s senior player-of-the-year for NCAA Division I men?™s and women?™s basketball.
Faurholt, a senior from Kennewick, Wash., is one of Idaho?™s top returning players after averaging 23.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game during the 2004-05 season. Her points-per-game average ranked second in the nation. Faurholt made history as the ninth-quickest player to reach 1,000-career points, reaching the plateau in just her 43rd Division I game, and ended the season on nine all-time records lists at UI.
This season, Faurholt is averaging 20.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. She is shooting the ball at a 50-percent clip both in field goals (26-of-52) and 3-point field goals (7-of-14) and is 23-of-25 (.920) from the free-throw line.
Faurholt is the only representative from the WAC.
FIRST AND SECOND ROUND SITES SET ?“ For the second-straight season, there will be pre-determined sites for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament. Last season, Fresno State was one of the chosen sites. This season is the 25th anniversary of the women?™s basketball tournament. The Final Four travels to Boston, Mass., for its silver anniversary. On April 4-6, Harvard University and Northeastern University will host the Final Four. All games will be played at the FleetCenter, home of the Boston Celtics.
Boise State Broncos (5-3, 0-0 WAC)
Boise State looks to break a three-game losing streak this week ... the Broncos will play at San Diego on Dec. 18 ... Nadia Begay is 28th in the nation in three-point field goals per game, averaging 2.9 ... as a team, Boise State is 39th in the nation in field-goal percentage defense (35.5) ... Begay is second in the league in three-point field goals made (2.88) ... junior Michelle Hessing is fourth in the WAC in blocked shots, averaging 1.63 bpg.
Fresno State Bulldogs (5-2, 0-0 WAC)
Fresno State?™s Amy Parrish notched her second-double double of the year with 14 points and 11 rebounds in the Bulldogs 67-50 win over UC Riverside last week ... she was one of three Bulldogs to score in double-figures ... the Bulldogs (5-2) have now won three in a row, holding their opponents to exactly 50 points in every game ... this week, Fresno State will host Arizona State and Arizona ... last year, Arizona State played its first and second round NCAA Tournament games in the Save Mart Center in Fresno ... Parrish is second in the WAC in rebounds, averaging 10.1 rpg.
Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine (5-2, 0-0 WAC)
Hawai'i played its first regular season non-conference road games since the 1993-94 season last week ... the Rainbow Wahine defeated both Santa Clara and San Francisco ... it was Hawai'i?™s first back-to-back road wins since defeating UTEP and Boise State in 2003 ... the Rainbow Waine return home for a four-game homestand ... they will face Campbell College twice this week ... Brittany Grice?™s four blocked shots againast Texas A&M on Nov. 27 is tied for the lead in the WAC this season ... Amy Sanders is tied for fifth in the league in scoring, averaging 14.9 ppg.
Idaho Vandals (3-5, 0-0 WAC)
The Vandals hold a record of 31-4 when leading at halftime since the 2003-04 season, including a 3-1 record this season ... Leilani Mitchell has totaled nine assists in each of her last three games ... with 10 made free throws in two games last week, Mitchell moved into third place on the Idaho records list for career free throws made ... her current total is 344 ... Faurholt is second on the list with 382 free throws made ... Mitchell is currently in second place on the Idaho records list for career steals ... her current total is 244 and she is 40 steals short of passing Christy Van Pelt for the school record.
Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (4-2, 0-0 WAC)
Louisiana Tech will host Mississippi State on Dec. 13 ... the Lady Techsters contest against the Lady Bulldogs will precede Tech?™s men?™s game against UL-Lafayette which is scheduled to tip at approximately 8 p.m. ... the game will be the first of three-straight for the Lady Techsters against members of the Southeastern Conference as Tech travels to face No.1 ranked Tennessee Thursday before returning home to play Mississippi Dec. 20 ... Louisiana Tech is 67-37 all-time against current members of the SEC.
Nevada Wolf Pack (1-7, 0-0 WAC)
The Wolf Pack hosts Sacramento State Saturday, Dec. 17 at 5 p.m. in Lawlor Events Center, before taking 11 days away from competition to concentrate on finals that week and then break for Christmas ... Nevada will look to break a two-game losing streak this week ... freshman Brandi Fitzgerald is fourth in the league in steals, averaging 2.25 in eight games played.
New Mexico State Aggies (0-6, 0-0 WAC)
After taking a week off for final exams, New Mexico State, is set to kick off a two-game road trip to California this week ... the Aggies will play at UC Irvine (0-6) Dec. 14 and at Cal Poly (4-2) Dec. 17 ... junior guard Irma Kmitaite is NMSU?™s leading scorer for the season, averaging 12.5 points per game, while sophomore forward Sherell Neal is second on the squad with 9.3 ppg and a team-high nine steals ... she also averages 4.3 rpg ... sophomore point guard Monique Bribiescas is averaging 5.3 points, 3.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds per contest.
San Jose State Spartans (3-4, 0-0 WAC)
The Spartans snapped a four-game losing streak behind a career day by senior Lamisha Augustine ... San Jose State defeated Colorado State, 78-66, to break the streak ... Augustine scored 35 points to lead the Spartans .. the 35 points was the most in the WAC this season ... Augustine made 13 field goals in that game which ties for first in the league ... super sophomore Amber Jackson is eighth in the nation shooting percentage (.651) ... she is 44th in the nation in scoring (18.1).
Utah State Aggies (1-5, 0-0 WAC)
The Aggies broke a five-game losing streak last week with a dominating, 74-51, win over Utah Valley State ... the Aggies were led by senior Jessica Freeman ... Freeman is one of four Aggies averaging 10 points per game at an even 10.0 ... she leads the team in field goal percentage at 64 percent, while also leading with 11 blocks ... her field goal percentage and block average (1.83) both rank second in the WAC ... Ali Marchant has two 20-point games this season ... Marchant?™s four blocks against Idaho State on Dec. 2 is tied for the most in the WAC this season.