DENVER ? Boise State’s Jessica Thompson has been named the Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 15. This is the first WAC Player of the Week honor for the sophomore and the third WAC Player of the Week honor for the Broncos this season.
Thompson, a guard from Temecula, Calif. (Temecula Valley) started all three games for the Broncos at shooting guard leading them to a 2-0 record on the road over two previously unbeaten teams in league play and 3-0 record overall for the week. Boise State defeated New Mexico State on Jan., 11 66-52, then followed that up with a impressive 68-47 victory over Louisiana Tech in Ruston. She recorded team highs in points in both games with 20 at NMSU and 14 at Louisiana Tech Saturday night. She also added 22 points in a win against Nevada on Jan. 8. The sophomore guard shot a combined 47.2 percent (17-of-36) from the floor, 50.0 percent (6-of-12) from beyond the arc, and 16-of-17 from the free throw line on the week.
Along with a 18.7 point per game average over the three games she added 2.0 assists, and 3.3 steals. Thompson led the Broncos over Louisiana Tech and in the progress snapped the Lady Techsters 114-game and 15-year unbeaten streak in league home games as Boise State claimed sole possession of the first place in the WAC standings.
Other nominees included: Chantella Perera of Fresno State averaged 20 points as the Bulldogs went 2-0 last week ... Tanya Smith of Hawai?i averaged 22.0 points and 13.5 rebounds in the Rainbow Wahine’s two road losses ... Liz Witte of Idaho scored 43 points in the Vandals to games last week ... Dellena Criner of Nevada averaged 18.0 points as the Wolf Pack went 2-1 last week ... Anikia Jawara of New Mexico State scored 38 points in two games as the Aggies split two WAC contests ... Jenny Gross of Utah State scored a career high 20 points and tied a career high with 10 rebounds in a win over Idaho.