PLAYER OF THE WEEK Tulsa's Jillian Robbins has been named the Western Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 21. This is the fourth WAC Player of the Week honor for the sophomore this season. Colorado State's Becky Hammon is the only player to earn at least four player of the week honors in a season.
Robbins, a sophomore from Spring, Texas, scored 65 points and averaged 32.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 3.0 blocks per game. She connected on 25-of-38 field goal attempts (.660) and was 15-of-18 (.833) from the free-throw line. Robbins turned in a record-breaking performance against Nevada. For the second-straight game, she finished the first half in double figures with 16 points. In the second half, Nevada built a 14-point lead and Robbins took over the game and brought the Hurricane back. She produced 22 points and 12 rebounds in the second half and scored the final eight points of the game to lead TU to a 62-57 come-from-behind victory.
Robbins broke the school's single-game scoring record with 38 points, which was also the fifth-best scoring total in the nation this season. Robbins finished 13-of-25 from the field (.520) and connected on 12 of 15 free throw attempts (.800). Robbins' 38 points was the 11th highest in WAC history. She led Tulsa to a pair of home wins over Fresno State (81-69) and Nevada (62-57). Tulsa's two wins catapulted it from sixth-place into a three-way tie for third-place in the WAC standings.
Other nominees included: Cassidy Blaine, Boise State; Krystal Frazier, Rice and Shalana Taylor, UTEP.
ON TAP THIS WEEK Louisiana Tech will play its final two home games this week against UTEP and Boise State. If the Lady Techsters win both those games, it will mark the 13th-straight year that Louisiana Tech has not lost a home conference game.
Second-place Rice will make the tough San Jose State/Hawaii road trip this week. The Lady Owls look to extend their current five-game winning streak. SMU, Tulsa and San Jose State are all tied for third with 8-6 conference records. Tulsa and San Jose State will meet on Feb. 26. SMU is at home against red-hot UTEP and Boise State.
TRIPLE THREAT UTEP freshman sensation Shalana Taylor recorded the first triple-double in UTEP history (men or women). It was the first triple-double in WAC womens basketball since Nevadas Laura Ingham in the 2002-03 season. She wrapped up that 40-minute stretch with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. It marked her fourth 10-plus assist game this season. Taylor has now scored in double figures in four of her last six games and is averaging 8.9 ppg in her last eight. There have only been a few triple-doubles in the nation this season. Oklahomas Dionnah Jackson recorded 15 points, 10 rebounds 10 assists against against Tulsa on Dec. 5, 2004. TCUs Sandora Irvin scored 20 points, 18 rebounds and 16 blocks versus UAB on Jan.16, 2005. Auburns Marita Payne scored 15 points, 12rebounds and 13 blocks against Arkansas on Feb. 3, 2005.
ITS ALL IN THE NAME There have been 14 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 four-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.
REGAL RPI The WAC 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 85, and according to the WBCA and has no school with an RPI higher than 200. Louisiana Tech has an RPI of 20 to lead the WAC, while Rice is currently ranked No. 52, according to the WBCA. SMU is ranked 57th, while Tulsa has an RPI of No. 59. Hawaii has an RPI of 84.
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP After turning in a stellar freshman campaign, sophomore Jillian Robbins has turned in a sensational sophomore season. Through 24 games this season, Robbins, is currently averaging 17.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 2.5 steals per game, while shooting 54.0 percent from the field and 73.0 percent from the foul line. Robbins set the school record for points in a single game with 38 vs. Nevada (2-19-05), and has scored 20 or more points in 12 games, and has 13 games with 10 or more rebounds, including a season-high 18 boards against Georgia Tech. Robbins has 11 double-doubles this season and 20 for her career. Robbins leads all WAC players in total points (408), rebounding (9.1), steals (2.6), total blocks (59) and defensive rebounds (6.0). She is third for field goal percentage (.544), ninth in free throw percentage (.730) and third for offensive rebounds (3.1). She has been named the WAC Player of the Week four times this season.
RICE STANDS ALONE A month ago Rice was tied for fourth. The Lady Owls have gotten hot and now stand alone in second place with a 10-4 league record. The Lady Owls have won as season-high five straight games.
DANDY DODDS SMU freshman Janielle Dodds needs to average 13.5 points per game to set a new freshman record for most points in a season, currently held by Carol Blauvelt (1978-79) with 406 points. Dodds totals 352 points and is fifth on SMU's list for freshman points in a single season. Dodds is also fifth for most rebounds in a freshman season with 201 boards. Dodds is now second on SMUs freshman season records list with 97 free throws. She needs three more free throws to set a freshman season record currently held by Kim Brungardt (1992-93) with 99. She now holds the SMU freshman season record in free throw attempts with 128, previously held by Missy Parker (1992-93) with 121.
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 .680. She is just behind Libertys Katie Feenstra who stands in first, shooting .694. 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.
HAPPY NEW YEAR After cracking double-digits in just one game during the preseason, Hawaiis Amy Sanders has scored in double digits in 11 of 14 WAC games, including 10 of the last 11. 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 team
fourth leading scorer to top gunner at 12.0 ppg.
In conference play she is averaging 14.2 ppg and 6.1 rpg.
FRESNO STATE SECURES WINNING SEASON Fresno States 71-50 rout of Boise State two weeks ago 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 womens 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 third in the league in scoring, averaging 15.5 points per game. Jackson is second in the nation in field goal percentage (.680). Fellow freshman Janielle Dodds is fourth in the league in scoring, averaging 14.7 ppg. Dodds is also third in rebounding, averaging 8.4 rpg. UTEPs freshman Shanlana Taylor is second in the league in assists (4.96 apg). Nevada freshman Meghan McGuire is seventh in the league in scoring, averaging 13.4.
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.
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 16-8, 11-4 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. New Mexico State is 8-16, 3-9 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 guaranteed itself a non-losing season for the first time since 1979, as that team finished at 14-10. USU's 14 wins also ties the 1979 and 1975 (14-6) teams for the second most wins in school history. The Aggies need just three more wins to tie, and four to break, the 1973 teams record for wins in a season (17-3).
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.