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PLAYER OF THE WEEK Hawaiis Amy Sanders has been named the Western Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 14. This is the first career WAC Player of the Week honor for the junior. It is also the first honor for the Rainbow Wahine this year.
Sanders, a junior from Huntington, Calif., averaged 18.5 ppg and 10.5 rpg in games against Louisiana Tech and SMU. The Rainbow Wahine defeated the Lady Techsters and lost to the Mustangs by two. She posted back-to-back double-doubles with 27 points and 10 rebounds versus La Tech and 10 points and 11 rebounds against SMU. Sanders scored a career-high 27 points, including the game-winning basket in the Rainbow Wahine's 79-78 overtime win over Louisiana Tech. The guard hit 13-of-16 free throws versus the Lady Techsters and for the week was 15-of-18 from the charity stripe.
Hawai'i's win over Louisiana Tech was its first over the Lady Techster in 15 all-tme meetings, dating back to 1980. The Rainbow Wahine join Rice and Boise State as the only teams to have defeated the Lady Techsters since they joined the WAC during the 2001-02 season.
Other nominees included: Jasmine Plummer, Fresno State; Tasha Crain, Louisiana Tech; Meghan McGuire, Nevada; Valeriya Berezhynska, Rice; Lamisha Augustine, San Jose State and Sarah Davis, SMU.
ON TAP THIS WEEK Second place teams Rice and San Jose State will try to break away from each other this week. The Lady Owls are at home against Nevada and Fresno State. The Spartans are on the road against UTEP and Boise State. Both teams are currently 8-4 in league play behind Louisiana Tech. The Lady Techsters face, 8-5, travel partner SMU on Feb. 19. Due to Bracket Buster Saturday on the mens side, this game has been changed to a 3:00 CT tipoff.
ITS ALL IN THE NAME There have been 13 weeks of player of the week honors this season, but only four letters of the 26-letter alphabet are represented. There have been three honorees with names starting with the letter L, Lakiste Barkus of Louisiana Tech, Lauren Neaves of Rice and Lamisha Augustine of San Jose State. There were two winners with names starting with the letter J, including three-time winner Jillian Robbins of Tulsa and Janielle Dodds of SMU. There were also two honorees with names starting with the letter T, Tamika Kursh and Tasha Crain of Louisiana Tech. Crain has earned the honor twice. Finally, two Ambers have garnered player of the week honors, Amber Young of Nevada and Amber Jackson of San Jose State. This week, the streak continues with Hawaiis Amy Sanders earning player of the week honors.
NEVADA SWEEPS HOME SERIES There was no memory of a seven game losing streak that ended last week when Nevada picked up its second-straight win at Lawlor Events Center on Feb. 12. In front of 1,185 faithful, Nevada downed UTEP 68-62 improving to 7-16, 3-10 WAC. The streak ended with a 58-53 win over Boise State. The Wolf Pack have more than doubled their win total from last season when Nevada went 3-26. For the first time since the 2001-02 season, Nevada won both games of a home WAC series.
REGAL RPI Despite a few setbacks last week, the league still has an overall Rating Percentage Index (RPI) of seven, according to the Womens Basketball Coaches Association. This is the highest RPI for the WAC in five seasons.
Last season mid-way through the conference season, the WAC had a WBCA RPI of 13th, while during the 2002-03 season the league was 10th. Since the 1999-00 season, the WAC has not had an RPI lower than 10th.
The WAC has five schools with an RPI under 80, and according to the WBCA and has no school with an RPI higher than 200. Louisiana Tech has an RPI of 27 to lead the WAC, while SMU is currently ranked No. 53, according to the WBCA. Rice is ranked 60th, while Tulsa has an RPI of No. 64. Hawaii has an RPI of 75.
SAN JOSE STATE AND RICE TIED FOR SECOND With a split last week, San Jose State is now tied with Rice for second place with 8-4 records. The last three seasons, the Lady Owls have won at least 12 WAC games. Last season, Rice finished just behind Louisiana Tech with a stellar 16-2 record. San Jose State has passed last seasons WAC win total of seven. Overall, the Spartans are 15-7. The last time the Spartans finished above .500 in WAC play was during the 2001-02 season when San Jose State finished 12-6 in league play.
JACKSON SECOND IN THE NATION IN FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE San Jose State freshman sensation, Amber Jackson, slipped to second in the nation in field goal percentage in this weeks NCAA statistics. She is second in the nation shooting .683. She is just behind Libertys Katie Feenstra who stands in first, shooting .687. With the graduation of Tatiana and Teoma Taylor and all-WAC selection Cricket Williams, Jackson has emerged as a leader for the Spartans this season. San Diego States Michelle Suman has the WAC record in field goal percentage, shooting .667 during the 1991-92 season.
BREAKING THE TOP 10 There are several WAC teams that have broken the top 10 in this weeks NCAA statistics. San Jose State is eighth in field goal percentage defense (34.7); SMU is close at 14th (35.1). Hawaii is ninth this week in blocked shots per game (6.2 bpg). Tulsa is nearing the top 10, standing 15th (5.8 bpg).
BIG WINNERS This season, the WAC has six schools with at least 14 wins. SMU leads the pack with 17 wins. Four teams have won 15 games, including Louisiana Tech, San Jose State Rice and Fresno State. Tulsa has 14 wins this season. Last year at this point in the season, three teams had at least 14 wins. Louisiana Tech had 19, while Tulsa and Rice had 14.
FRESNO STATE SECURES WINNING SEASON Fresno States 71-50 rout of Boise State gave the Bulldogs 15 victories, guaranteeing the Bulldogs will finish the 2004-05 season with a winning record. Fresno State's most recent winning season came in 2002-03 when the team finished 21-13. Six regular season games (five in conference play) remain on the schedule before the WAC Tournament in March.
Part of the success is due to a strong road record. A 68-64 loss at UTEP on Jan. 15 was Fresno States first of the season, as the Bulldogs entered the game tied with the University of Richmond for the best road record in the nation at 7-0. The defeat also snapped Fresno States 10-game winning streak (dating back to last year), which at the time was the longest active road winning streak in Division 1 women's basketball.
TULSAS HEIDOTTEN EARNS HONOR Tulsa senior Becky Heidotten is one of 36 female student-athletes from around the nation to be named to the third Annual Collegiate Basketball Award of Exellence presented by Creamland Daries. The award honors college seniors for their athletic and academic achievement as well as their community involvment. The 10 semifinalists will be announced March 1, 2005, while the three finalists will be named during the NCAA Womens Basketball Tournament. The three finalists will attend a dinner on April 12, 2005, in Albuquerque, N.M. Heidotten is the second TU womens basketball player to be named to the Watch List. Two years ago, former Golden Hurricane All-American Allison Curtin was a finalist for the award. Last season, Tulsas Jason Parker was a finalist on the mens side.
FAST-BREAK FRESHMEN Several freshmen have taken the WAC by storm not unlike the sensation caused by Rices Lauren Neaves and Tulsas Jillian Robbins last season. San Jose States Amber Jackson is second in the league in scoring, averaging 16.0 points per game. Jackson is first in the nation in field goal percentage (.683). Fellow freshman Janielle Dodds is fourth in the league in scoring, averaging 14.6 ppg. Dodds is also fourth in rebounding, averaging 8.4 rpg. UTEPs freshman Shanlana Taylor is third in the league in assists (4.64 apg). Nevada freshman Meghan McGuire is sixth in the league in scoring, averaging 13.5.
HAPPY NEW YEAR After cracking double-digits in just one game during the preseason, Amy Sanders has scored in double digits in 10 of 12 WAC games, including the last nine straight. The turning point came on New Years Day 2005 when Sanders exploded for a then career best 25 points. Since then she has posted her first three career double-doubles, scored 27 points and the game-winning bucket in a upset of Louisiana Tech and jumped from being the teams fourth leading scorer to top gunner at 12.1 ppg. In conference play she is averaging 14.8 ppg and 6.8 rpg.
WAC AGAINST THE REST The WAC is 61-32 (.656) this season. The WAC has a solid record against several conferences, including an 8-2 record against the Sun Belt Conference. The WAC is undefeated against the ACC (2-0). The ACC has the highest RPI in the country. WAC teams are also 7-2 against the Southland Conference and 5-3 against the Mountain West Conference. The WAC has a 2-4 record against the SEC, the conference with the second-highest RPI, according to the WBCA rankings.
2005 WAC Basketball Tournament Tickets on Sale Tickets for the 2005 WAC Men and Womens Basketball Tournament to be played March 8-12 at the Lawlor Events Center on the campus of the University of Nevada currently are on sale at all WAC athletics ticket offices. The Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority is the tournaments co-sponsor.
Fans may purchase all-session tickets from any WAC institution through January 21 and may purchase them at any time through the University of Nevada athletics ticket office by calling 1-775-348-PACK (7225).
The tournament begins on Tuesday, March 8, with two women and two mens games. It continues with the womens and mens quarterfinals on March 9 and 10 respectively, and and both semifinals on March 11. The championship games will be played on Saturday, March 12.
Tickets are priced at $125 and $95 and include all men and womens games.
WAC VS. RANKED TEAMS WAC teams are 0-5 against ranked teams this season. Fresno State is 0-1 with a loss to No. 18 UCLA at Savemart Center on Dec. 11. Rice is 0-2 against ranked teams with losses to Baylor and Texas Tech, when both teams were both ranked No. 11. SMU also has a loss to No. 23 TCU. Hawaii lost to No. 17 Houston at home.
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 15-7, 10-3 in the Big West. The Vandals are off to their best conference start in the Big West and the best start in any conference play since the 1985-86 season when Idaho went 9-2 to begin Mountain West Conference play. The Vandals have now won five-straight games. New Mexico State is 8-15, 3-8 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Aggies defeated No. 22 Houston earlier this season. It was the Aggies first-ever win over a ranked team. Utah State is 12-10, passing the win total of all of last season, the Aggies first season. USU is 7-6 in the Big West.
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.
Boise State Broncos (8-14, 3-10 WAC)Boise State fell to both Nevada and Fresno State last week ... the Broncos look to get back on track this week at home against Hawaii and San Jose State ... freshman Tasha Harris is among the leaders in the WAC in scoring, averaging 11.8 ppg ... Harris also has three games with at least 20 points this season ... the Broncos are two wins away from matching last seasons WAC total of five wins and they are one win away from matching last seasons overall win total of nine ... head coach Jen Wardens career high for WAC wins in a season is six games won during the 2002-03 season ... she has won 10 total games during the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons.
Fresno State Bulldogs (15-7, 7-6 WAC)Heading into last weekends game against Boise State, junior center Amy Parrish had scored in double-figures 12 straight games and totaled exactly 22 points in three consecutive contests ... however against the Broncos, Parrish found herself in early foul trouble and finished with seven points ... with their leading scorer relegated to the bench, three Fresno State players scored in double-figures led by Chantella Pereras 19 and Tierre Wilson establishing a career-high with 13 ... interim head coach Adrian Wiggins started out strong winning both games ... the two wins at home were the Bulldogs first two home wins in league action.
Hawaii Rainbow Wahine (9-10, 5-7 WAC)Hawaii has had its share of close games with four of its last five coming down to the final possession ... the Rainbow Wahine are 1-3 in those contests with each game decided by two points or less ... UH fell at Rice (70-68), San Jose State (56-54) and SMU (52-50) and defeated Louisiana Tech in overtime (79-78) ... Hawaii has had three overtime games this season and is
2-1, defeating the Lady Techsters and Wake Forest, and falling at San Jose State ... the Rainbow Wahine have never played more than three overtime games in a single season ... sophomore Alofa Toiaivao leads the WAC in blocked shots, averaging 2.74 bpg ... the last Rainbow Wahine to lead the league in blocks was Christen Roper who led the WAC in blocks during the 2000-01 season, averaging 2.56 bpg.
Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (15-6, 11-2 WAC)Louisiana Tech had a dominating win over San Jose State and a tough overtime loss to Hawaii on the island ... the Rainbow Wahine joins Rice and Boise State as the only WAC teams to have defeated Louisiana Tech since entering the league during the 2001-02 season ... guard Tasha Crain remains in the top 50 in the nation in points per game, averaging 18.5 ppg ... she is also first in the league in scoring ... the Lady Techsters are 24th in the nation in scoring offense (72.0) ... Louisiana Tech is also 60th in the nation (first in the WAC) in three-point field goal percentage (34.4).
Nevada Wolf Pack (7-16, 3-10 WAC)Nevada snapped a seven-game losing streak last week at home ... for the first time since the 2001-02 season, Nevada won both games of a home WAC series ... Nevada captured wins over Boise State and UTEP last week ... in January 2001-02, the Wolf Pack also stopped the Broncos and the Miners at home ... with the wins, Nevada moves to 3-10 in the WAC and 7-16 overall ... Nevada looks to extend the winning streak with games on the road against Rice and Tulsa ... Nevada dropped games to both the Lady Owls and the Golden Hurricane earlier this season ... the Wolf Pack still lead the WAC in free throw percentage ... freshman Meghan McGuire is sixth in the WAC in scoring, averaging 13.1 ppg ... McGuire also has five games in which she has scored at least 20 points.
Rice Owls (15-8, 8-4 WAC)Rice moved into a tie for second place in the conference with a 61-56 come-from-behind win at home over Tulsa ...the Lady Owls have never lost to Tulsa at Autry Court in nine tries ... three Lady Owls scored double-digit points, led by Krystal Frazier and Valeriya Berezhynska ... Fraziers 16 marks the third-consecutive game the sophomore has reached the double-digit point mark, and the sixth in the last seven games ... Michelle Woods notched her second-consecutive double-double with 11 points (nine from long range) and 10 rebounds ... the senior captain now has four so far this season ... Woods also added three blocks in the win.
San Jose State Spartans (15-7, 8-4 WAC)Senior Lamisha Augustine hit the game-winning shot with 22 seconds remaining against SMU to give the Spartans the win ... she averaged a double-double for the week averaging 19.0 ppg and 11.0 rpg ... she led the team in scoring in both games ... she had two double-doubles last week and now has four double-doubles this season ... freshman sensation Amber Jackson is currently second in the nation in shooting percentage (.683) ... San Jose State is eighth in the nation in field goal percentage defense (34.7).
SMU Mustangs (17-6, 8-5 WAC)freshman Katy Cobb is currently fourth on SMU's freshmen season records with 73 assists ... she needs 14 more assists to move into third which is now held by Kendall Shead (86 assists for the 2002-03 season) ... SMU claimed its first-ever road victory at Hawaii, giving the Mustangs their 17th win of the season ... the last season SMU totaled at least 17 wins was the 2000-01 season when SMU posted a 17-12 record and finished third in the WAC at the conclusion of the season ... SMU's freshmen class has scored 48.5% of the Mustangs' points this season (738) ... freshman Janielle Dodds has recorded double-figure scoring marks in all but four games this season ... she totals 10 double-doubles to date.
UTEP Miners (9-14, 4-9 WAC)UTEP will host San Jose State and Hawaii this weekend as it celebrates National Girls & Women In Sports Day all week long at its womens athletic events ... UTEP is the only team in the WAC with five players averaging at least 8.0 ppg ... UTEP shot a season-best 52.2 percent at Nevada on Feb. 19 ... UTEPs six everyday freshmen and sophomores have accounted for 62 percent of its scoring and 46% of its rebounding this season... freshman Shalana Taylor became just the seventh player in school history to record 100 assists in a season ... freshman Izabela Piekarska averaged 11.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks last weekend ... she is also 11-for-26 (.423) from three-point range this year.
Tulsa Golden Hurricane (14-8, 6-6 WAC)Over the last three seasons, the first few weeks in February have not been kind to Tulsa ... the Hurricane lost four-straight games during the first two weeks of February during the 1999-2000 season and the first two games on the month in 2000-01 ... in 2002-03, Tulsa won on Feb. 1, but dropped its next three contests ... last season, Tulsa again opened the month with a win, but fell in its next three outings ... this season, the Hurricane entered the month in second place in the WAC standings, but has fallen to sixth place with three straight losses ... the only year Tulsa has ever won its first two games in February came during the 2001-02 campaign ... still, Tulsa has had success on its home court this season with an 8-1 overall record and a league record of 4-1.