Fresno State is off to one of it best starts in school history. The 13-4 is the best since the Bulldogs started the season 13-3 during the 1989-90 season under head coach Bob Spencer. Coach Spencer also started the season 15-3 during the 1986-87 season. During the 1989-90 season, the Bulldogs advanced to the WNIT. The Bulldogs also started 13-4 in 1985-86. They also started 14-3 in 1986-87 and 14-3 in 1984-85.
Click Here for a PDF for the Week 11 Women's Basketball Notes
XBOX LIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK ?“ San Jose State?™s Amber Jackson has been named the Xbox Live Western Athletic Conference Women?™s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 23. This is the second Player of the Week honor of the season for the Spartans and the first for Jackson this season.
Jackson, a sophomore from Oxnard, Calif., shot an impressive 61 percent from the field in the Spartans back-to-back WAC victories over Boise State and Idaho. The guard also shot 83 percent from the free throw line and played in all 80 minutes over the course of the two games. Against Boise State, Jackson scored a season-high 27 points and was the game?™s leading scorer. Against Idaho, Jackson scored her sixth double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The Spartans have now won six-straight games and are tied for first in the WAC standings with a record of 4-0 in conference play.
Other nominees included: Jessica Thompson of Boise State had 25 points in a loss to San Jose State … Mirenda Swearengin of Fresno State averaged 8.5 points and nine rebounds as the Bulldogs defeated Idaho and Hawai'i … Brandi Fitzgerald of Nevada 17 points against Utah State as the Wolf Pack won their first WAC game of the season.
PLAY UP ?“ The WAC?™s marketing campaign, the Play Up Tour, will be hitting women?™s basketball games throughout the season. At least one game from each school will be singled out as the game of the week. This week?™s game will be Utah State at Nevada. At the end of the season, the fans will have a chance to vote for the Play Up Player of the Year for both men and women?™s basketball. The Play Up Player of the Game from each of the 18 games on the Tour will be listed on wacsports.com.
TUNE IN ?“ All eight games this week can be viewed on wac.tv. On the wacsports.com web site there is a LIVE VIDEO link to each game. The games this week can be viewed for free.
IN-STATE RIVALS ?“ Idaho and the Boise State Broncos are no strangers as the two teams have met on 53 previous occasions. The former Big Sky Conference foes will now renew their regional rivalry as members of the WAC. Thus far in the 2005-06 season, Boise State ranks fourth in the WAC with an 11-7 overall record and a 3-3 conference record. The Broncos are 7-1 in games played at home, including 3-0 in conference play. The Vandals are also tied for fourth with a 3-3 WAC record and an over record of 7-10.
NCAA TO MAKE RPI PUBLIC ?“ The NCAA Division I Women?™s Basketball Committees announced that they will make public for the first time the official Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) for their respective championships. The official RPI is used as one of many tools to select teams to participate in the championships. The first official RPI rankings are scheduled for release on Thursday, February 2 and will include all games played through Monday, January 30.
CHECKING IN ?“ Week four of WAC action will see a full slate of games. Fresno State and San Jose State put their undefeated records on the line against third place Louisiana Tech and New Mexico State on the road. Hawai'i and Utah State look to break long losing streaks when the Aggies meet the Rainbow Wahine in Honolulu. The Aggies have lost nine-straight games, while Rainbow Wahine have lost four-straight games.
DYNAMIC DUOS ?“ There are three duos that are leading the WAC in scoring this season. Idaho is led by the offense force also known as Emily Faurholt and Leilani Mitchell. Faurholt leads the WAC in scoring (19.1 ppg) and Mitchell is second (18.5 ppg). The San Jose State pair of Amber Jackson and Lamisha Augustine are third and fourth respectively in the WAC. Jackson averages 17.6 ppg, while Augustine averages 17.0 ppg. Boise State has its own dynamic duo that are among the top 10 in scoring. Freshman Jessica Thompson is sixth in scoring, averaging 14.6 ppg, while sophomore Jackie Lee is eighth in scoring, averaging 13.3 ppg.
LOUISIANA TECH?™S WILLIAMS AND IDAHO?™S FAURHOLT NAMED TO NAISMITH WATCH LIST ?“ Louisiana Tech senior Tasha Williams and Idaho senior Emily Faurholt are two of 50 players nationwide named to the 2005-06 Naismith Trophy Watch List presented by the Atlanta Tip-Off Club.
Williams, a Kingsland, Ark., native has hit 41 percent of her field goals, 33 percent of her three-pointers and 80 percent of her free throws on the season while leading Louisiana Tech in scoring six times and in rebounding four times. Williams, who recently became the 36th Lady Techster to ever score 1,000 points or more in their collegiate career.
Faurholt is first in the WAC in scoring, averaging 19.1 ppg. Faurholt is currently second on the Idaho records list for career free throws made with 414.
DID YOU KNOW??? ?“ San Jose State senior Lamisha Augustine?™s 35 points against Colorado State on Dec. 10 are the most scored in the WAC this season.
WAC TOURNAMENT TICKETS AVAILABLE ?“ Tickets for the 2006 WAC Men and Women?™s Basketball Tournament held in Reno are currently on sale at all WAC athletics ticket offices. Fans may purchase all-session tickets from any WAC institution through January 31 and may purchase them at any time through the University of Nevada athletics ticket office by calling 775-348-PACK (7225). All session tickets are $150 for the lower bowl, $125 for the upper bowl and $90 for the corners. The tournament begins on Tuesday, March 7, with two women?™s and men?™s quarterfinals on March 8 and 9, respectively, with both semifinals on March 10. The championship games will be played on Saturday, March 11. Individual game tickets will go on sale Feb. 28.
VANDALS AMONG NCAA LEADERS ?“ Idaho?™s Leilani Mitchell is fifth in the nation in steals, averaging 3.9 spg. Mitchell is also 12th in assists per game (6.2). Mitchell?™s teammate Emily Faurholt is up to 25th in the country in points per game (19.1 ppg), while Mitchell is 36th averaging 18.5 ppg.
WAC PLAYERS AMONG NATION?™S LEADERS ?“ San Jose State?™s Amber Jackson is ninth in the nation in field goal percentage (.620). Boise State?™s Nadia Begay is 19th in the nation in three-point field goals per game (2.8), while Louisiana Tech?™s Shan Moore is 11th in free throw percentage (.900). San Jose State?™s Lamisha Augustine is 20th (2.5 bpg), while Hawai'i?™s Brittany Grice is 21st in blocks (2.4 bpg).
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.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ?“ The 2005-06 season marks the 18th year of women?™s basketball at Utah State, and just the third since the program was restarted prior to the 2003-04 season. The women?™s hoops program at USU had been disbanded following the 1987 season due to budget cuts. USU is playing its inaugural season in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) after playing its first two seasons in the Big West Conference.
AGAINST THE BEST ?“ The WAC won its first game against a ranked team when Louisiana Tech defeated No. 25 Mississippi. Louisiana Tech is 1-1 against ranked teams with a loss to No. 1 Tennessee. New Mexico State is 0-2 with two losses to New Mexico. Fresno State is 0-2 against ranked teams with Pac-10 losses to then- No. 13 Stanford and No. 10 Arizona State. Hawai'i has one loss to a ranked team with a loss to then-No. 22 USC.
WAC JOINS NCAA CELEBRATION 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.
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 (11-7, 3-3 WAC)
The Broncos are coming off a loss (Jan. 19) at San Jose State 63-57 and a home 83-75 victory over Hawaii (Jan. 23) night ... the Hawai'i game was the first of three contests for Boise State this week with a trip to Nevada on Thursday before returning home to host arch-rival Idaho Saturday afternoon ... this week will mark the mid-way point of WAC action for Boise State who is currently tied for third place with Idaho at 3-3 ... freshman Jessica Thompson has averaged 23 points in the last two contests and now leads the Broncos in scoring on the year at 14.6 points per game, the highest ranked freshman in the league.
Fresno State Bulldogs (13-4, 5-0 WAC)
Fresno State is the most improved team week 11 of the basketball season last year ... in the 2004-05 season Fresno State was 3-3 at this point last year ... this season the Bulldogs are one of two undefeated teams along with San Jose State ... this week, the Bulldogs will have a re-match with Louisiana Tech ... earlier this season Fresno State defeated Louisiana Tech for the first time in school history ... the Lady Techsters were 11-0 before the Bulldogs won, 67-58 ... Fresno State is 18th in the nation in rebound margin (8.5) ... in the WAC, the Bulldogs are first in scoring margin (+8.4), assists (15.29 apg), field goal percentage (.438) and rebounding margin (+8.5).
Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine (10-6, 1-4 WAC)
Hawai'i played its Jan. 23 game against Boise State without three players, including sophomore guard Saundra Cariaga, junior forward Pam Tambini and junior center Alofa Toiaivao ... the trio were suspended indefinitely due to violations of team rules following Hawai'i?™s loss at Fresno State and were sent home prior to UH?™s game versus Boise State ... this week, the Rainbow Wahine look to get back on track against Utah State and Nevada at home.
Idaho Vandals (7-10, 3-3 WAC)
The Vandals loss to Fresno State on Jan. 19, 76-57, was Idaho?™s worst loss at home since UC Santa Barbara defeated the Vandals 84-60, Feb. 25, 2001 ... the Vandals hold a record of 35-4 when leading at halftime since the 2003-04 season, including a 7-1 record this season ... that record improves to 21-1 in games played at home with the only set back being a 68-66 loss in overtime to Long Beach State (Feb. 28, 2004) in a game Idaho led 33-29 at halftime ... on the flipside, the Vandals are 0-9 this season when tied or trailing at halftime ... the Vandals currently hold a streak of 102 consecutive games with two or more three-point field goals made.
Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (12-4, 4-1 WAC)
The top three teams in the current WAC standings will square off this week when Louisiana Tech hosts San Jose State Thursday night and Fresno State Saturday night ... the WAC Play Up Tour will also be in town for the game on Jan. 28 ... a Louisiana Tech student will get a chance to win a trip for two to the 2006 WAC Tournament March 7-11 in Reno, Nev. ... junior Ty Moore is third in rebounds (8.3 rpg) ... senior Tasha Williams is second in steals (2.50 spg) ... the Lady Techsters are first in scoring offense (72.8).
Nevada Wolf Pack (5-12, 1-4 WAC)
The Wolf Pack have won two-straight games with wins over Utah Valley State and Utah State ... this week, Nevada hosts Boise State and travels to Hawai'i ... Nevada is 6-25 in the rivalry with Boise State, including a Bronco win nearly two weeks ago in Boise, 58-50 ... Nevada won the last meeting in Reno, however, 58-53 ... Hawai'i leads the matchup, 21-5, including a win to open the league season in Reno earlier this month, 79-74 ... Nevada did defeat the Rainbow Wahine in the opening round of the WAC Tournament last March at Lawlor Events Center.
New Mexico State Aggies (5-11, 2-3 WAC)
New Mexico State continues its three-game homestand on Jan. 27 at the Pan American Center against first-place Fresno State ... the Aggies rallied from an 11-point second half deficit to within two points in the final two minutes on Jan. 21 against visiting Louisiana Tech, but could not finish off the four-time defending WAC champions ... junior guard Cecilia Russell-Nava continued her hot shooting by making five of eight three-pointers and four of four free throws to finish with a season-high 19 points ... the Aggies are first in the WAC in three-point field goals made (6.19) ... Irma Kmitaite and Nava-Russell are tied for third in three-point field goals made (2.19).
San Jose State Spartans (9-6, 4-0 WAC)
San Jose State has won six-straight games and is tied with Fresno for the longest current winning streak ... the Spartans have won their first four WAC games this season ... this week, San Jose State looks to extend its winning streak on the road against Louisiana Tech and New Mexico State ... sophomore Amber Jackson is ninth in the nation in field goal percentage, shooting .620 ... teammate Lamisha Augustine is 20th in the nation in blocked shots, averaging 2.5 bpg ... Jackson is also first in the WAC in rebounds, averaging 9.5 rpg.
Utah State Aggies (1-14, 0-5 WAC)
Utah State lost to Nevada on the road in its only game last week ... Utah State shot just 29.6 percent from the field, while Nevada made 37.7 percent of its attempts ... the Aggies out-rebounded the Wolf Pack 43-37, but committed four more turnovers (14-10) ... the Aggies had just six assists in the game ... this week, Utah State looks for its first league win on the road against Hawai'i ... junior Brittany Hagen is second in the WAC in three-point field goal percentage, shooting .406 ... as a team, the Aggies are second in three-point field goal percentage, shooting .325.