The WAC Tournament will begin March 7 in Reno, Nevada at the Lawlor Events Center. There is no defending WAC Champion with Rice capturing the WAC tournament title during the 2004-05 season. Louisiana Tech won three previous tournament. The Lady Techsters defeated Hawai'i (2001-02), Fresno State (2002-03) and Rice (2003-04).
XBOX LIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK ?“ Fresno State?™s Amy Parrish has been named the Xbox Live Western Athletic Conference Women?™s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 27. This is the first Player of the Week honor for the forward, but she is the second Bulldog to be honored this season.
Parrish, a senior from Hanford, Calif., led the Bulldogs with 22 points which was her ninth 20-point game of the season in a win against San Jose State. She notched her third double-double of the year and capitalized from the free throw line, making 12-of-13. In a 65-55 win against Boise State, Parrish was 10-of-14, shooting .714 for 24 points. She also added five rebounds. She led all scorers with 24 points, matching a career-high. She was the only Bulldog to score in double-figures. Last week, Parrish was 15-of-26 with 46 points and 16 rebounds.
Other nominees included: Jackie Lee of Boise State averaged 11.5 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game … Brittany Grice of Hawai'i led the Rainbow Wahine to two wins averaging 18.5 ppg and 4.0 bpg … Ty Moore of Louisiana Tech scored 15 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Lady Techsters to a win over New Mexico State … Dellena Criner of Nevada scored a career-high 18 points as the Wolf Pack won their fourth-straight … Jenean Ford of New Mexico State averaged 15.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg as the Aggies split games.
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LOUISIANA TECH CAPTURE SHARE OF WAC TITLE ?“ Nineteenth-ranked Louisiana Tech used a 14-0 run over the final 9:11 of the game to down Idaho 55-40 before 876 fans at the Cowan Spectrum Monday night. With the victory, Tech (22-4, 14-1) clinched at least a share of its fifth-straight Western Athletic Conference title, its 14th-straight regular season conference title counting its days in the Sun Belt Conference.
Leading only 41-40 after a pair of free throws by Idaho?™s Jessica Summers at the 9:11 mark of the second half, the Lady Techsters held the Vandals (8-18, 4-11 WAC) to 0-for-7 shooting and six turnovers down the stretch.
The defensive performance by Tech was highlighted by holding Idaho?™s Emily Faurholt, who led the country in scoring as a sophomore and who entered the game averaging 17.8 points per game, to a career low five points on 2-of-10 shooting.
FRESNO STATE MATCHES MOST LEAGUE WINS ?“ Fresno State, which stands at 12-2 in the WAC, has equaled the program record for conference victories in a single-season. The 1986-87 squad finished 12-6 overall in the PCAA, good for fourth place. In addition, Fresno State is guaranteed to finish no lower than second place- also a program best. The Bulldogs have never won a conference championship, regular-season or conference tournament. Four-time defending WAC champion Louisiana Tech holds down first place at 13-2 with one game left against Hawai?™i, while Fresno State hosts Utah State and Nevada to close out the year.
LOUISIANA TECH MOVES UP IN THE POLLS ?“ For the third-straight week, Louisiana tech has moved up in both the Associated Press and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. Louisiana Tech moved up to No. 19 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll. The Lady Techsters climbed up to No. 18 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. The Lady Techsters (22-4, 14-1 WAC), winners of 11-straight and 17 of their last 18, moved past Minnesota, New Mexico and Temple. Tech entered the AP Top 25 Poll three weeks ago at No. 25 and jumped up one spot to 20th last week.
APPROACHING RECORDS ?“ Idaho?™s Leilani Mitchell is nearing a WAC record. She currently has a steal average of 4.08 spg. The WAC record for a season is 3.79 spg by Tomika Young of BYU during the WAC?™s first season the 1990-91 season. She has 93 total steals through 23 games. In WAC games, her average is 3.92 which would place her third in the league. Fresno State?™s Chantella Perera has a free-throw percentage of .881, which would be fourth in WAC history were the season to end today.
HAWAI'I ASSURED A WINNING SEASON ?“ At 17-8 overall Hawai'i is assured its first winning season in three years and has its highest win total since the 23-win campaign in 2001-02. Coming off of back-to-back losing season, UH avoided three straight losing seasons, something that has happened only once in the history of the program (1979-1982). The Rainbow Wahine have won four-straight and six of its last seven contests and after losing four straight in January, turned it around with a 6-1 February.
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.
WINNING WITH WIGGINS ?“ Fresno State has posted a 27-10 overall record under the direction of interim head coach Adrian Wiggins, who has been at the helm of the Bulldogs since Feb. 9, 2005. Of the 27 victories under Wiggins, 22 have been of the double-digit variety. In addition, Fresno State has also posted a 17-1 record in games played at the Save Mart Center under Wiggins?™ guidance. The only loss came at the hands of then-No. 10 Arizona State in the form of a 68-52 setback.
NEVADA?™S FITZGERALD HAVING STELLAR ROOKIE CAMPAIGN ?“ Freshman guard Brandi Fitzgerald, who leads the team in scoring, had her first double-double for Nevada with 17 points and a career-best 11 rebounds versus. San Jose State. She topped that in scoring with 23 points against Boise State and now has 15 double-figure scoring performances and one double-digit rebounding effort.
CLOSE CALLS ?“ The 56-55 win at Idaho on Feb. 25 was New Mexico State?™s second one-point win and fifth by three points or less this season. The Aggies are 5-1 in one-possession games after being 0-3 in such contests in 2004-05. The school record for wins by three points or less is seven, set in 1988-89.
NCAA RELEASES RPI MARCH 1 ?“ 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 third official RPI rankings are scheduled for release on Wednesday, March and will include all games played through Monday, Feb. 27.
Mitchell announced as finalist for Lieberman Award ?“ Idaho?™s Leilani Mitchell has been named a finalist for the 7th Annual Nancy Lieberman Award. The award is a national project of the Rotary Club of Detroit honoring the nation?™s top collegiate point guard in women?™s Division I basketball.
The criterion for the award is the floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills that personified Hall of Famer, Nancy Lieberman during her career. Mitchell, a junior from Kennewick (Wash.) High School, is currently averaging 17.9 points per game and is ranked No. 3 in the nation for steals per game (4.0). She currently has grabbed 290 steals in her career and set the school record for career steals earlier this season. She also averages 5.7 assists per game to rank 16th in the nation and tied a school record for three-point field goals made in a single game with a 7-of-8 shooting performance against. Utah Valley State (Dec. 18, 2005).
Sportswriters from across the country have determined the final nominee list and will select three finalists and one winner from this list at the end of March 2006. The announcement of the three finalists and one winner will be made during the Final Four Weekend (April 2-4, 2006) with the winner being invited to attend the award luncheon in Detroit, Michigan.
This year?™s award will be presented at a noon luncheon at The Detroit Athletic Club on April 12, 2006 in Detroit, Michigan.
The final nominee list (in alphabetical order):
Nikki Blue - UCLA
Lindsay Bowen - Michigan State
Dee Davis - Vanderbilt
Megan Duffy - Notre Dame
Erin Grant - Texas Tech
Lindsey Harding - Duke
Alexis Hornbuckle - Tennessee
Carolyn Kieger - Marquette
Ivory Latta - North Carolina
Leilani Mitchell - Idaho
Cappie Pondexter - Rutgers
WAC IN THE RPI ?“ In both the Basketball News and CollegeRPI.com the WAC has an RPI of 15. Louisiana Tech, Fresno State and Hawai'i are the only teams in the WAC with an RPI under 100. In Basketball News, the Lady Techsters have an RPI of 38, while Louisiana Tech has an RPI of 42 in CollegeRPI.com. Fresno State has an RPI of 74 in Basketball News and 73 in CollegeRPI.com. Hawai'i has an RPI of 96 in Basketball and 96 in CollegeRPI.com.
WAC TOURNAMENT TICKETS AVAILABLE ?“ Individual session tickets for the 2006 WAC Basketball Tournament at the Lawlor Events Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, March 7-11, go on sale Friday at the Lawlor Ticket Office only. Ticket office hours are 10:00 a.m. (PST) to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. They may also be purchased online at www.tickets.com.
Men?™s individual session prices are $35 for the lower concourse (limited availability), $28 for the upper center concourse and $19 for all other seats (ends and upper concourse). All women?™s individual session tickets are $10 with all seats general admission. Each individual session is two games except Saturday?™s championship games, with the women?™s championship (first session) at noon costing $10 and the men?™s championship (second session) at 6:00 p.m. available for $28. Those purchasing a men?™s championship game ticket may also use that for the women?™s championship game.
All-session tickets for the conference tournament are still available. Seats in the lower bowl are priced at $150 (limited availability), for the upper bowl tickets are $125, and seats behind the baskets cost $90. Those may be purchased at the Nevada Athletics Ticket Office between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
VANDALS AMONG NCAA LEADERS ?“ Idaho?™s Leilani Mitchell remains third in the nation in steals, averaging 4.1 spg. Mitchell is also 22nd in assists per game (5.4).
WAC PLAYERS AMONG NATION?™S LEADERS ?“ San Jose State?™s Amber Jackson is 15th in the nation in field goal percentage (.581). Boise State?™s Nadia Begay is 15th in the nation in three-point field goals per game (2.8), while Louisiana Tech?™s Aarica Ray-Boyd is 19th (2.8).Fresno State?™s Chantella Perera is 27th (.863) in free throw percentage. Hawai'i?™s Brittany Grice is 13th in the nation in blocks (2.6 bpg), while San Jose State?™s Lamisha Augustine is 27th (2.3).
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.
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 (14-13, 6-9 WAC)
Boise State improved to 14-13 overall and 6-9 in league over the weekend with a victory at Utah State (72-55) before dropping a home game to Fresno State 65-55 ... the win at Utah State snapped a 22-game losing streak in WAC road games for the Broncos, it also gave them the most wins in a season since the 1999-2000 season when the team finished 14-14 ... the Broncos shoot for a guaranteed winning record, their first since the 1997-98 season, this Friday when they travel to arch-rival Idaho for the season finale.
Fresno State Bulldogs (18-6, 10-2 WAC)
There are four regular-season conference games remaining on the 2005-06 schedule ... Fresno State stands two victories shy of recording the seventh 20-win campaign in program history and four away from matching the all-time record ... the Bulldogs are also guaranteed at least one game in this year?™s WAC Tournament, which gets underway Mar. 8 in Reno, Nev. ... Fresno State has four games remaining in the regular season and three of those will be played at the Save Mart Center .... the Bulldogs have posted 10-1 record on their home court ... the Bulldogs have won four of their last five overall and are looking to bounce back from a 68-67 defeat at Nevada last week.
Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine (17-8, 8-6 WAC)
In the last three games UH has out-scored its opponents 119-69 (39.7-23.0), an average margin of 16.7 points per game ... their second-half efforts allowed the Rainbow Wahine to overcome deficits against Utah State (7) and Idaho (11) ... the key has been the Rainbow Wahine amoeba defense ... Hawai'i?™s opponents shot only a combined 24-86 (28%), including just 22% and 25% by San Jose State and Idaho, respectively, in UH?™s last two home games ... with consecutive road wins at Idaho, San Jose State and Utah State, UH improved to 6-2 on the road this year and won three-straight WAC road games for the first time in four years.
Idaho Vandals (8-18, 4-11 WAC)
In order for Idaho to avoid the play-in game at the WAC tournament, the Vandals have to win their final game against Boise State and New Mexico State has to lose to Hawai'i Thursday ... Idaho?™s game against Louisiana Tech was its fifth in stretch of five games in 12 days ... Idaho is in the midst of a five-game losing streak and has lost 10 of its last 11 games ... Mitchell is on pace to set the WAC record for single-season steals average ... her current average of 4.08 is third in the nation and higher than the previous record of 3.79 set by BYU?™s Tomika Young during the WAC?™s inagural season (1990-91).
Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (22-4, 14-1 WAC)
Nineteenth-ranked Louisiana Tech used a 14-0 run over the final 9:11 of the game to down Idaho 55-40 before 876 fans at the Cowan Spectrum Monday night ... with the victory, Louisiana Tech clinched at least a share of its fifth-straight WAC title, its 14th-straight regular season conference title counting its days in the Sun Belt Conference ... Louisiana Tech is 11th in the nation in field-goal percentage defense (35.2) ... the Lady Techsters are also 14th in the country in win-loss percentage (.846) after wining 11-straight games ... with a win at home against Hawai'i, the Lady Techsters clinch the top-seed in the WAC Tournament.
Nevada Wolf Pack (13-14, 9-6 WAC)
After starting the WAC season 0-4, the Wolf Pack have roared back winning nine of their last 11 games ... Nevada has currently won three in a row ... Nevada is 8-18 against San Jose State and 8-17 against Fresno State ... the Spartans won the meeting in Reno earlier this year, 64-56, while Nevada captured the contest at Lawlor Events Center, 68-67, against the Bulldogs ... head Coach Kim Gervasoni is 0-5 against San Jose State and head coach Janice Richard ... Gervasoni is 2-3 against her alma mater, Fresno State, and 1-1 against head coach Adrian Wiggins ... Sabrina Keys went down with a knee injury (torn ACL) against Utah State and is out indefinitely.
New Mexico State Aggies (8-18, 5-10 WAC)
The Aggies snapped their six-game losing streak in dramatic fashion Saturday at Idaho, beating the Vandals 56-55 as Jenean Ford made the game-winning basket with seven seconds left. Her 21 points led all scorers as the Aggies erased a five-point deficit with 3:23 remaining ... Cecilia Russell-Nava dished out a career-high eight assists ... the Aggies had 20 assists on 23 made field goals at Idaho on Feb. 25, a 2005-06 game high ... Russell-Nava and Irma Kmitaite set career highs with eight and five dimes, respectively, while Monique Bribiescas had four.
San Jose State Spartans (11-14, 6-8 WAC)
Lamisha Augustine leads the team in blocked shots this year with 57 ... at Hawai?™i on February 25, she set the all-time single-season record for blocked shots, surpassing Elinor Banks?™ 55 blocks in 1979-80 .. she has moved into the third all-time in career blocked shots with 138 ... the school record is 156, set by Banks in 1981... Augustine and sophomore forward Amber Jackson have scored in double figures a combined 41 times, while the rest of the team have scored in double figures a combined 16 times.
Utah State Aggies (3-21, 2-12 WAC)
Utah State will close its regular season at second-place Fresno State on Thursday and at San Jose State on Saturday ... the Aggies are 1-10 on the road this year and went 1-1 on its last road trip at New Mexico State (won 55-45) and lost at Louisiana Tech (81-54) ... USU is looking to snap a three-game losing streak since winning 63-53 vs. Idaho ... USU has had three games decided by three points or less this year, including a two-point loss against Fresno State earlier this year ... the 2005-06 season marks the 18th year of women?™s basketball at USU, and just the third since the program was restarted prior to the 2003-04 season.