Fresno State advanced to the Women?™s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) for the third time in four years. The Bulldogs defeated UC Santa Barbara on Thursday, March 16 at home, 78-59 in the preliminary round. In the first round, the Bulldogs topped UNLV 77-57 at home. Against the Runnin?™ Rebels, Chantella Perera and Tierre Wilson each poured in 19 points, Mirenda Swearengin dished out a career-best 11 assists to match 10 points and Fresno State shot 53.3-percent from the field.
The Bulldogs, enjoying their best season in school history at 24-7 overall, will now travel to Kansas State (20-10) for a second-round contest on Wednesday, Mar. 22. Tip-off time is scheduled for 5 p.m. PST and the game can be heard live on 1430 ESPN Radio.
Last season, Fresno state lost in its first game to Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
Fresno State, 15-1 at home this year, has compiled a 32-13 overall record in games played at the Save Mart Center since the arena opened in 2003. The Bulldogs have also posted a 26-4 record against California schools since the start of the 2002-03 campaign. Furthermore, the Bulldogs are 22-1 at the Save Mart Center in games played under the guidance of interim head coach Adrian Wiggins.
LOUISIANA TECH FALLS TO FLORIDA STATE IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE NCAA TOURNAMENT ?“ Florida State guard Holly Johnson scored a career-high 25 points, including a number of clutch three-pointers in the second half, to lead the Seminoles to an 80-71 win over Louisiana Tech in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Pepsi Center Saturday night. All-WAC first team member Tasha Williams was struggling with a bad foot. With Williams slowed, Louisiana Tech went inside to juniors Ty Moore and Kursh, who both had big nights. Moore led Tech with 17 points and eight rebounds while Kursh registered her first double double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Senior guard Aarica Ray-Boyd ended her career by scoring 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting but it wasn?™t enough as Tech lost for the first time since Jan. 14.
LOUISIANA TECH ADVANCES TO 25TH NCAA TOURNAMENT ?“ Louisiana Tech represented the Western Athletic Conference in the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Techsters earned their 25th bid to the tournament. Louisiana Tech and Tennessee are the only two schools to have advanced to all 25 NCAA Tournaments. The Lady Techsters, led by first-year head coach Chris Long, traveled to Denver, Colo. for their first-round game. Last season, Louisiana Tech lost to Temple in the first round in Storrs, Conn.
The Lady Techsters advanced to the NCAA Tournament with a 63-39 win over New Mexico State in the WAC Tournament. Louisiana Tech has won 15-straight games with its last loss coming against Fresno State on the road on Jan. 14. The Lady Techsters have advanced to 13 Final Fours and eight national championship games in their storied history.
THE WAC IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT ?“ The WAC owns an all-time record of 72-39 (.649) in NCAA Tournament games. The current nine teams from the 2005-06 season own a 27-16 record (.628) as WAC members. Louisiana Tech is 66-23 (.742) in NCAA play.
FRESNO STATE?™S SWEARENGIN NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR ?“ Senior Mirenda Swearengin captured the 2005-06 WAC Player of the Year honor. She is the first Bulldog to win the honor since the WAC starting sponsoring women?™s basketball for the 1990-91 season. Louisiana Tech had won the last for Players of the Year (Cheryl Ford 2001-02, 2002-03; Amisha Carter, 2003-04; Tasha Williams, 2004-05). Swearengin and Amy Parrish were both named to the first team. It was the first time in Bulldog history that two players were named to the all-WAC first team. Swearengin, who transferred from New Mexico Junior College prior to the start of last year, is averaging 12.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in 21 games played. She has scored in double-figures 15 times and ranks second on the club in assists (89) and steals (55).
LOUISIANA TECH CAPTURES WAC TITLE ?“ 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 on Feb. 28. With the victory, Tech 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. The Lady Techsters captured the title out-right with a win against Hawai'i on March 4.
THREE NAMED TO ALL-DISTRICT TEAMS ?“ Idaho junior Leilani Mitchell and Louisiana Tech senior guards Tasha Williams and Aarica Ray-Boyd were named finalists for the 2006 Kodak/WBCA All-America Basketball Team. The 48 finalists, who are voted upon by the WBCA member coaches in each of the eight WBCA geographical regions, are now in the running for selection to the 10-member Kodak/WBCA All-America Team. Williams and Ray-Boyd were named to the Kodak Region 7 Team along with Idaho?™s Mitchell, Utah?™s Kim Smith and BYU?™s Ambrosia Anderson.
Williams, a first team All-WAC selection and the MVP of the recent WAC Tournament, made the team for the second consecutive year after averaging 13.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.8 steals per game.
Ray-Boyd, who was a second team All-WAC selection, made the team for the first time after averaging 14.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while setting the Louisiana Tech single season three-point record with 84. The Tech duo will lead the 16th ranked Lady Techsters into their first round NCAA Tournament game against Florida State Saturday at 7 p.m. CST in Denver.
Mitchell is second in the nation in assists, averaging 4.0 spg. She was also named to the WAC all-Tournament team. Mitchell averaged 17.6 ppg this season, tied for first in the WAC.
WAC TOURNAMENT RECAP ?“ Louisiana Tech captured its fourth WAC Tournament title in five years with a dominating 63-39 win over red-hot New Mexico State. Senior Tasha Williams scored a team-high 19 points to lead the Lady Techsters. Louisiana Tech has won WAC titles over four different schools (Hawai'i, 2002; Fresno State, 2003; Rice, 2004; New Mexico State, 2006). New Mexico State advanced to its first ever conference tournament final. The Aggies captured wins over Boise State and second-seeded Fresno State. Tasha Williams earned MVP honors. She is the fourth Lady Techster to earn the honor, following Ayana Walker (2002), Cheryl Ford (2003) and Amisha Carter (2004).
2006 WAC All-Tournament Team
Leilani Mitchell, Idaho
Dellena Criner, Nevada
Shan Moore, Louisiana Tech
Jenean Ford, New Mexico State
Tasha Williams, Louisiana Tech, MVP
BANNER YEAR FOR WOLF PACK ?“ The third year under head coach Kim Gervasoni had a breakout year. The 13 wins this season were more than in her first two years combined. The 8-8 WAC record is the Wolf Pack?™s most since winning nine during the 2000-01 season. Nevada earned the No. 5 seed in the WAC Tournament. The Wolf Pack earned their first WAC Tournament win last season, defeating Hawai'i, 65-61. Nevada added its second WAC Tournament win with a win against San Jose State, 76-61.
WAC TOURNAMENT RECORDS BROKEN ?“ There were several records broken at the WAC Tournament. Louisiana Tech senior Tasha Williams set the record for shooting percentage going 17-of-25 for a shooting percentage of .680. New Mexico State set the record for three-point field goals attempted with 67 (making 21) in three 3 games. Host school, Nevada, tied the mark for free throws made, making 30 (attempted 33) in a win against San Jose State. Louisiana Tech set the record for field goal percentage defense (in a half), holding New Mexico State to a .125 shooting percentage (4-of-32) in the first half of the title game. The Aggies also set a record in their quarterfinal game, tying the record for biggest upset based on seeds. Seventh-seeded New Mexico State defeated second-seeded Fresno State.
FRESNO STATE MATCHES MOST LEAGUE WINS ?“ Fresno State?™s 14 WAC wins represents a school record for most 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?™s second-place finish is also a program-best. The Bulldogs have never won a conference championship, regular-season or conference tournament.
MITCHELL BREAKS WAC RECORDS ?“ Idaho?™s Leilani Mitchell broke a WAC record. She ended the season averaging of 3.97 steals per game. 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 had 115 total steals through 29 games. In WAC games, her average is 3.92 which would place her third in the league. Mitchell also tied the WAC record for steals in a season with 115. She is tied with Tamika Stukes of New Mexico who had 115 during the 1997-98 season.
NEVADA?™S FITZGERALD HAVING STELLAR ROOKIE CAMPAIGN ?“ Freshman guard Brandi Fitzgerald, who led 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 had 15 double-figure scoring performances and one double-digit rebounding effort.
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. 2 in the nation for steals per game (4.0).
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
VANDALS AMONG NCAA LEADERS ?“ Idaho?™s Leilani Mitchell is still second in the nation in steals, averaging 4.0 spg. Mitchell is also 19th in assists per game (5.6).
WAC PLAYERS AMONG NATION?™S LEADERS ?“ San Jose State?™s Amber Jackson is 15th in the nation in field goal percentage (.581). Louisiana Tech?™s Aarica Ray-Boyd is 14th (2.8) in three-point field goals made per game, while Boise State?™s Nadia Begay is 25th (2.6). Hawai'i?™s Brittany Grice is 15th in the nation in blocks (2.5 bpg). Louisiana Tech?™s Tasha Williams is 25th in steals per game (2.8 spg).
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.
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.
Boise State Broncos (15-15, 6-10 WAC)
Head coach Gordy Presnell had a very impressive first season with the Broncos ... Boise State won five more games than last year and two more WAC games, finishing 10-19 overall and 4-14 in the WAC last season ... the last time the Broncos ended the season at or above .500 was in the 1999-00 season when Boise State finished 14-14, 7-7 in the Big West ... guard Jessica Thompson was named to the all-Freshmen team ... Thompson is ninth in scoring (12.1 ppg) and sixth in steals (2.27 ppg) .
Fresno State Bulldogs (24-7, 14-2 WAC)
Fresno State continues is strong postseason run against Kansas State on Wednesday, March 21 ... the Bulldogs have alreaady defeated UC Santa Barbara and UNLV ... Fresno State has won both of its WNIT games by more than 10 points ... Fresno State, which is 6-8 all-time in postseason contests and 6-6 in the WNIT, enjoyed its most successful run two years ago in the WNIT posting a 2-1 record in three games with home victories over Santa Clara and Oregon State ... the Bulldogs also qualified for the WNIT in 1986 and 1990.
Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine (18-10, 9-7 WAC)
Hawai?™i was denied a postseason to the Women?™s National Invitation Tournament ... the Rainbow Wahine finished the season at 18-10 after losing in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament to Boise State, 72-63, in Reno, Nev. ... Hawai?™i was shutout of postseason play despite tallying its highest win total in four years, winning seven of its last 10 games and finishing 7-3 on the road ... UH?™s latest RPI is 104 according to CollegeRPI.com ... UH will miss the postseason for the third consecutive year ... prior to that, the Rainbow Wahine appeared in a school-record four straight postseason tournaments, all of them in the WNIT.
Idaho Vandals (10-19, 5-11 WAC)
Leilani Mitchell was selected as a finalist for the 2006 Kodak/WBCA All-America Basketball Team for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I ... Mitchell is one of 48 finalists who are voted upon by WBCA member coaches in each of the eight WBCA geographical regions ... once selected, all finalists are now in the running for selection to the 10-member Kodak/WBCA All-America Team ... the Vandals went 1-1 in the WAC Tournament defeating Utah State and falling to Louisiana Tech ... Mitchell was named to the all-tournament team ... Mitchell is tied with San Jose State?™s Amber Jackson for the scoring lead in the WAC (17.6 ppg).
Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (26-5, 15-1 WAC)
Both Aarica Ray-Boyd and Tasha Williams earned all-district honors ... the Lady Techsters 21 game home-court winning streak is the second-longest in the nation behind LSU ... Louisiana Tech had its 15 game winning streak stopped by Florida State in Denve, Colo. ... the Lady Techsters won their fourth WAC Tournament title in five years with a win over New Mexico State ... Louisiana Tech won its fifth-straight WAC title, its 14th-straight regular season conference title counting its days in the Sun Belt Conference ... Chris Long earned WAC Coach of the Year honors.
Nevada Wolf Pack (13-17, 8-8 WAC)
Nevada completed the season with a semifinal loss to defending and eventual 2006 WAC Champion Louisiana Tech, 69-60 ... the Pack advanced to the semifinal by downing San Jose State for their 10th win in the last 14 outings with a convincing 76-61 triumph over San Jose State Wednesday night ... it was the first time a Kim Gervasoni team was able to upend the Spartans in her three years here ... Criner on freshman guard Dellena Criner (Oakland, Calif.) was named to the WAC all-Tournament team with 33 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
New Mexico State Aggies (10-20, 5-11 WAC)
The Aggies had an improbable run in their first WAC Tournament, advancing to the WAC Championship game ... New Mexico State started its run, upsetting No. 2 seed Fresno State, 74-66 ... the Aggies then defeated No. 6 seeded Boise State in a close game, 60-59 ... New Mexico State?™s run ended with top-seeded Louisiana Tech, 63-39 ... the Aggies win over No. 2 Fresno State was only the second time that a seventh seed has defeated a second seed in the history of the WAC Tournament ... Jenean Ford was named to the WAC all-Tournament.
San Jose State Spartans (13-15, 8-8 WAC)
San Jose State ended its season with a loss to No. 5 Nevada, 76-61 ... Amber Jackson is tied for the lead in scoring in the WAC with Idaho?™s Leilani Mitchell (17.6 ppg) ... teammate Lamisha Augustine is tied for second with another Vandal, Emily Faurholt (17.4 ppg) ... Augustine and Jackson topped off a strong offensive season by being named to the all-WAC first team ... Augustine earned her second first team honor ... Jackson was named to the second team last season.
Utah State Aggies (3-24, 2-14 WAC)
Utah State?™s three seniors all scored in double figures in their final game in Aggie uniforms as Idaho defeated USU 70-59 in the first round of the WAC Tournament ... with the loss, Utah State finished the season 3-24 overall, including a 2-14 mark and a ninth-place finish in the WAC ... this was the Aggies first season in the WAC ... the Aggies have a lot of talent returning for next season ... junior Brittany Hagen is third in the WAC in three-point field goal percentage (.376) ... sophomore Taylor Richards is fourth in the WAC in assists, averaging 3.67 apg.