WAC NOTES
NEW MEXICO STATE’S NEAL NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
New Mexico State senior Sherell Neal has been named the Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for her play during the week of Jan. 7-13. Neal, from Phoenix, Ariz. (Alhambra HS), helped New Mexico State to a 3-0 conference start with victories over Boise State and Utah State last week. The senior forward tied a career high with 18 rebounds in addition to 14 points and two steals in a win over Boise State. Neal’s 18 boards against the Broncos ties the WAC’s single-game rebound mark this season. The double-double against Boise State is Neal’s eighth of the season and 33rd of her career. She followed up her performance against the Broncos with an 18-point, six-rebound effort against Utah State. Neal also dished out a season-high four assists in the win over the Aggies. On the week, Neal averaged 16.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. She also registered a 90 percent clip (9-10) from the free throw line and shot 50.0 percent (11-22) from the field.
Other nominees included: Boise State center Amanda Stewart helped Boise State to a 1-1 record last week, averaging 10.0 points and 10.5 rebounds over the two-game road trip ... Fresno State guard Tierre Wilson scored a game-high 22 points, 17 in the second half in a win over Idaho ... Hawai?i center Tanya Smith recorded a double-double in back-to-back road games ... Louisiana Tech forward JoKeirra Sneed helped the Lady Techsters to a 1-1 mark last week, averaging 15.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game ... Nevada guard Dellena Criner led the Wolf Pack to a 2-0 start in WAC play after averaging 18.0 points per game ... Utah State guard Taylor Richards became the fifth player in Aggie history to reach the 1,000 point milestone, helping USU to a 1-1 record last week in the process.
NEW MEXICO STATE, FRESNO STATE, AND NEVADA PERFECT IN WAC PLAY
New Mexico State and Fresno State sit atop the Western Athletic Conference standings with identical 3-0 marks, followed closely by Nevada at 2-0. With 13 wins this season, New Mexico State has already matched last season’s entire win total. Fresno State is riding a six game win streak, the longest since the Bulldogs opened WAC play with a 6-0 record during the 2005-06 season. Nevada is 2-0 for the first time since the team joined the WAC in 2000-01.
FIRST-EVER WAC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAY UP TOUR OFF TO GREAT START
The Western Athletic Conference has launched it’s first-ever Play Up Tour for Women’s Basketball, after much success at the tour stops at various football, volleyball and soccer games throughout the Fall season. The Play Up Tour heightens awareness of the WAC brand as well as reinforces the association between the schools and the WAC.
At each stop, fans can join the WAC before the game to pickup free WAC beanies and t-shirts. Fans can register to win a trip to the 2008 WAC Basketball Tournament in Las Cruces, N.M., and will also have the opportunity to participate in an on-court promotion during the game.
The WAC Women’s Basketball Play Up Tour will be in correlation with the NCAA’s Pack the House Challenge. The NCAA’s Pack the House challenge is an effort to grow the sport of women’s basketball and to further develop national grassroots programs aimed at increasing attendance and awareness. Between January 1 and February 17 NCAA member schools will compete against schools in their own conference as well as all Division I schools for a chance to be the 2008 NCAA Women’s Basketball Pack the House Challenge Champion. The WAC’s Play Up Tour dates coincide with the Pack the House challenge date at every school with the exception of Fresno State. The WAC will be visiting Fresno for the Bulldogs “Think Pink” night to raise breast cancer awareness on the court, across campus and in the community on Feb. 14.
NEVADA, NEW MEXICO STATE, OFF TO RECORD STARTS
With its 9-3 record to open the season, Nevada tied the best start in program history. The 1985-86 and 1999-00 teams also started the season with 9-3 marks. The best start in program history is 11-3 held by the 1999-00 team. Nevada finished its non-conference schedule 9-4 which marks the best non-conference finish under Kim Gervasoni and the most non-conference wins in program history since the 1999-00 team finished its non-conference schedule 11-4. Nevada also recorded the fewest non-conference losses (4) since the 1999-00 season. New Mexico State is also off to an impressive start. The Aggies are now 13-3, the best start to the season for the program since the 1993-94 season when NMSU held a 14-3 mark.
HOME SWEET HOME
Western Athletic Conference teams hold impressive home records this season. Boise State remains undefeated at home this season with a 5-0 mark. New Mexico State has played 11 games at home with just one loss. Nevada also has just one loss in nine tries at home.
ONE OF TOP-SCORING DUOS IN THE COUNTRY
Boise State’s Tasha Harris and Jessica Thompson are one of the highest-scoring duos in the country. Together, the pair averages 32.3 points per game--the most points among any two teammates in the Western Athletic Conference. Harris leads the WAC in scoring at 16.6 points per game. Thompson ranks fourth in the league at 15.7 points a contest.
DO I HEAR 30
Only two players in the WAC have reached the 30-point plateau this season. Boise State junior Tasha Harris reached the threshold on Nov. 30 against Portland on the road. Nevada guard Dellena Criner is the only other WAC player to reach the mark, scoring 32 in a win over Idaho State at home on Dec. 2. Criner also leads the league with five 20-point performances this season. Harris is also the only player in the WAC this season to have recorded 10 assists in a single game.
NEW MEXICO STATE PICKS UP WIN NUMBER 300 IN PAN AMERICAN CENTER
New Mexico State picked up its 300th all-time victory in the Pan American Center with a 79-66 win over Lamar on Dec. 18. The Aggies now join Louisiana Tech as the second team in the Western Athletic Conference with 300 victories in their home arena. The Aggies currently hold a 304-137 all-time mark at the Pan American Center.
IDAHO RECORDS BEST DEFENSIVE EFFORT IN WAC HISTORY
With their 42-31 victory over Colorado State on Dec. 18, the Vandal women put together one of the best defensive performances in Western Athletic Conference and school history. Idaho allowed just eight field goals to break the WAC record of nine that Colorado State and Rice previously shared. The 31 points are also tied for the fewest ever allowed by an Idaho team and the lowest since a 67-31 victory over Whitworth on Dec. 7, 1982.
WHITE SETS SAN JOSE STATE THREE-POINT ATTEMPTS MARK
With 15 three-point field goals attempted at Washington State, Natalie White broke the San Jose State single game three-pointers attempted record. She broke the record of 14 three-pointers set by two former Spartans. Kari Steele attempted 14 three-pointers in her final home game of her career against Air Force on February 15, 1997, while Gretchen Seeley had 14 attempts at Long Beach State on February 13, 1994. White’s 15 three-point attempts in the game also marks the highest number of threes taken in a single game in the WAC this season.
DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE
Hawai?i senior Tanya Smith and Louisiana Tech senior JoKeirra Sneed lead the WAC with 11 double-doubles this season. Smith’s 11 double-doubles already surpass her nine double-double mark from just a year ago. Smith has recorded a double-double in all but four games this year and now has 25 career double-double performances. Sneed’s 11 double-doubles more than triples her double-double mark from last season. Sneed now has 14 career double-doubles. The current career double-double leader in the WAC is New Mexico State senior Sherell Neal, who has 33 career double-double performances.
BOISE STATE WRAPS UP NON-CONFERENCE SLATE PERFECT AGAINST 2007 POSTSEASON TOURNAMENT TEAMS
Boise State wrapped up its non-conference slate this season with a perfect 4-0 record against teams that advanced to postseason national tournaments last season. The Broncos went 1-0 vs. 2007 WNIT teams (Montana) and 3-0 against teams that advanced to last year’s NCAA Tournament (Washington, Oral Roberts, Idaho State). BSU recorded its fourth consecutive winning season against non-conference opponents dating back to the 2004-05 season.
CLUTCH PERFORMANCE
In its 62-61 road victory over SEC foe Alabama on Dec. 5, Louisiana Tech trailed by five points with less than 50 seconds to play before scoring the final six points of the game to pull off the win. Nastassja Levingston registered a four-point play with 43 seconds left before Shanavia Dowdell hit a layup with 8.7 seconds to play to seal the victory.
SJSU CLOSE CALLS
Seven games this season for San Jose State have been determined by seven points or less. The only Spartan victory was a four-point margin over Cal State Northridge, 59-55. The Spartans lost by one point in overtime to Pacific, 75-74; three points at Sacramento State, 60-57; four points, 74-70 against Cal Poly and 64-60 to Long Beach State; six points in overtime at Washington State, 78-72; and seven points to Kansas, 59-52.
IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Teams from the WAC rank 50th or better in seven team statistical categories and in two individual statistical categories through Jan. 6. Nevada holds the highest team national mark, ranking sixth in the nation in steals per game (13.7). Fresno State ranks 13th nationally in three-point field goals per game (7.4). Individually, Hawai?i senior Tanya Smith holds the highest ranking in the WAC, coming in at seventh in the nation in rebounding (11.5).
FRESNO’S NON-CONFERENCE SUPER SLATE
Fresno State has not made things easy on itself this season. The team played seven of their 13 non-conference games against teams that made it to last season’s NCAA Tournament or WNIT.
NEVADA WINS NUGGET CLASSIC
Dellena Criner scored a career-high 32 points while freshman Johnna Ward added 19 as the University of Nevada women’s basketball team defeated Idaho State 74-66 in the championship game of the Nugget Classic on Dec. 2. The win marked the Pack’s second Nugget Classic title under Nevada head coach Kim Gervasoni as the Pack also won the tournament in 2005. Brandi Fitzgerald and Criner (MVP) were each named to the All-Tournament team.
STREAKIN’
Fresno State’s Tierre Wilson has scored double digit points in 27 straight games dating back to the 2006-07 season. Sherell Neal recently had a streak of 16 straight double digit scoring performances come to an end on Dec. 5 at BYU. Neal currently has registered five or more rebounds in 40 straight games. Fresno State’s Bailey Amundsen has connected on a shot from long range in eight consecutive games. Boise State’s Melissa Rima has connected on 12 straight free throws.
NEVADA’S SITTON SELECTED AS CANDIDATE FOR LOWE’S SENIOR CLASS AWARD
Nevada senior forward Andrea Sitton has been selected as one of the 30 initial candidates for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award for the 2007-08 basketball season. The award ? presented annually to the NCAA Division I Student- Athlete of the Year in eight sports ? focuses on the “Four C’s” of classroom, character, community and competition. Lowe’s, an official corporate partner of the NCAA, will award the winner with a trophy during NCAA Final Four. This season, Sitton has played in all nine of Nevada’s games, helping the Pack to a 6-3 overall mark. She is a three-time Academic All-WAC honoree and has a 3.68 GPA in elementary education, and was named to the Dean’s List in the fall of 2006 and spring of 2007, is scheduled to graduate in the spring of 2008. Sitton has participated in a number of community service activities including, the X-Treme Ability Challenge (2004), Race for the Cure (2004-07), the Heart Walk (2005-06), Renown Seniors’ Day (2007) and the Girl’s and Women in Sports Day (2004-06). She has also been a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) since 2004 and is a member of several clubs including Interadversity, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and Champions for Christ. From the list of 30 nominees, a national media committee will select 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in January 2008. Those ten names will be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote during the NCAA Tournament in March. Fan balloting will be coupled with votes from coaches and media to determine the recipient. Prior recipients of the women’s award include Sue Bird of Connecticut (2002), LaToya Thomas of Mississippi State (2003), Alana Beard of Duke (2004), Kendra Wecker of Kansas State (2005), Seimone Augustus of LSU (2006) and Alison Bales of Duke (2007).
NEW MEXICO STATE ENDS 11-YEAR LOSING STREAK TO RIVAL, DEFEATS NEW MEXICO, COACH SPENCE PICKS UP WIN #50
Down by two at the half, the New Mexico State women’s basketball team outscored New Mexico by 18 points in the second half to end a 22-game losing streak to the Lobos with a 58-42 victory Sunday at the Pan American Center. The 16-point victory ends the 11-year losing streak to the Lobos, who they face again this season on Dec. 21 in Albuquerque. The win in the Rio Grande Rivalry gives New Mexico State 1.5 points and the Aggies now only trail New Mexico 4.5-3.0 in the series. The Aggie men’s basketball team can tie it up with a victory over UNM on Tuesday, Dec. 4 in Las Cruces. Head coach Darin Spence picked up his 50th career victory Sunday and moved into fourth place on the Aggies all-time win list.
COACHING RECORD SCHOOL MARKS
The number 50 seems to be a common theme among coaches in the Western Athletic Conference. Numerous WAC coaches have either picked up win number 50 or are on the verge of 50 wins during their tenure at their respective schools. New Mexico State coach Darin Spence (58-75) picked up his 50th win as an Aggie by defeating in-state rival New Mexico State on Dec. 2. Fresno State’s Adrian Wiggins (57-33) picked up the milestone win at Long Beach State on Dec. 7. Hawai?i head coach Jim Bolla (50-48) got win 50 at home against UC Irvine on Dec. 29. Head Coach Kim Gervasoni (52-84) became just the second coach in Nevada team history to pick up win number 50, getting the win at home against San Francisco on Dec. 30. Louisiana Tech head coach Chris Long (50-27) got the win at home against Idaho on Jan. 9. Boise State head coach Gordy Presnell (48-30) is only two short of 50.
NUMEROUS WAC PLAYERS REACH STATISTICAL MILESTONES
Senior forward Sherell Neal became the 16th New Mexico State women’s basketball player to score over 1,000 career points in the Aggies season opener Nov. 9, when she led the team to a 65-61 victory at UC Irvine. Neal now has 1,205 points, ranking her first among active players in the Western Athletic Conference. The 1,205 points ranks her 12th on the all-time scoring list at NMSU. Fresno State’s Tierre Wilson reached the 1,000-point milestone on Dec. 15 in a win over Cal-State Bakersfield. Wilson now has 1,106 career points and will soon break into Fresno State’s all-time top 10 scoring list. Wilson has also reached the 200 career assists mark, reaching the milestone at Idaho on Jan. 12. Boise State junior Jessica Thompson became just the 13th player in BSU history to reach the 1,000 point threshold. Thompson scored her 1,000th point at New Mexico State on Jan. 10. Thompson now has 1,014 points, raking her 12th on the Boise State all-time scoring list. Utah State’s Taylor Richards became just the fifth player in USU history to reach the 1,000 point mark, notching her 1,000th point at New Mexico State on Jan. 12. Richards now has 1,001 points which ranks her fifth on USU’s all-time scoring list. Hawai?i’s Tanya Smith pulled down 41 rebounds in three games at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Classic Nov. 16-18, helping her reach the 500 career rebound mark. Smith now has 635 career rebounds, ranking her sixth all-time at UH. The 635 career rebounds ranks her second among current WAC players, behind only Neal, who has 877 career boards. Boise State’s Jackie Lee recorded her 500th career rebound at New Mexico State on Jan. 10.
TOUGH SCHEDULE
Through the non-conference schedule this season, WAC teams played 26 games featuring a 2007 NCAA Tournament or WNIT opponent. WAC teams also played seven teams that have either been ranked in the top-25 or who have received votes in the top-25 polls this season. No. 13 Cal snuck by Fresno State 83-79 on Nov. 9. WAC teams picked up 10 wins against 2007 postseason teams. Hawai?i defeated 2007 NCAA Tournament team Washington 80-75 on Nov. 16. Boise State downed 2007 WNIT participant Montana 67-61 on Nov. 11, and Nevada defeated 2007 WNIT team Stephen F. Austin 64-55 on Nov. 22, NCAA Tournament team Idaho State on Dec. 2, and postseason tournament team UC Riverside on Dec. 9. NMSU defeated BYU 54-52 in Provo on Dec. 5. BSU took care of Washington 88-66 at home on Dec. 7 and defeated Idaho State in Pocatello on Dec. 29. Fresno State defeated UC Riverside on Dec. 29.
LOUISIANA TECH HOME TO TOUGHEST PLACE TO PLAY IN THE NATION
Louisiana Tech’s home court, the Thomas Assembly Center, is a tough place to play. The Lady Techsters have won over 93 percent of their games played in Ruston since the program’s inception in 1974. La. Tech currently holds a 447-37 all-time record on its home floor.
WAC TEAMS FIND SUCCESS AT THANKSGIVING TOURNAMENTS
Teams from the WAC competed in six different tournaments over the Thanksgiving break. Louisiana Tech went 2-0 at the Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic in Memphis, Tenn. The Lady Techsters defeated host Memphis 82-77 to claim the title. Louisiana Tech’s Jo Sneed was named the Classic’s MVP, while teammate Tarkeisha Wysinger was named to the All-Tournament team. Boise State finished second at the Hilton Concord Thanksgiving Classic in Moraga, Calif. The Broncos dropped a 78-63 decision to host St. Mary’s in the championship game. BSU’s Tasha Harris was named to the All-Tournament team. New Mexico State claimed the title of its own tournament, the Thanksgiving Classic in Las Cruces. The Aggies went a perfect 3-0, defeating Kent State, Northern Colorado, and Texas State. Hawai?i placed third at the Jack in the Box Rainbow Classic in Honolulu. The team went 1-2 at the tournament. Nevada went 1-0 at the UTEP Thanksgiving Classic and was unable to play the championship game due to a city power outage. Idaho participated in the Husky Classic in Seattle, where the Vandals went 0-2. Despite the two losses at the Husky Classic, Idaho’s Hannah Wells was named to the All-Tournament team.
BOISE STATE FAVORED IN PRESEASON POLLS
Boise State, the 2006-07 Western Athletic Conference regular season co-champion and tournament title winner, was selected as the favorite by both the coaches and the media in the WAC preseason polls. The Broncos received seven of the nine first-place votes in the coaches poll and nine of the 15 top votes in the media poll.
PRESEASON ALL-WAC TEAMS ANNOUNCED
Along with the preseason polls, the coaches and media also voted on preseason all-WAC teams. Both the coaches and media selected Boise State junior guard Jessica Thompson, the 2007 WAC Tournament MVP, as the WAC’s preseason Player of the Year. Thompson was also selected to both the coaches and media’s first team all-WAC.
In the coaches poll, junior Nevada guard Dellena Criner and Hawai’i senior forward Tanya Smith, 2006-07 first team all-WAC honorees, also earned spots on the preseason team. New Mexico State forward Sherell Neal and Fresno State guard Tierre Wilson round out the first team. Second-team selections include Shanavia Dowdell (Louisiana Tech), Brandi Fitzgerald (Nevada), Tasha Harris (Boise State), Katie Madison (Idaho) and Taylor Richards (Utah State).
The media’s all-WAC team included Thompson, Criner, Neal, Madison, and Wilson.
NEW MEXICO STATE TO HOST 2008 WAC TOURNAMENT
Lac Cruces and New Mexico State University will host the 2008 WAC Tournament, March 11-15. It will be the second year in a row that the event will be held at the Pan American Center. The tournament features all nine men’s and women’s teams. Boise State defeated host New Mexico State in last year’s tournament championship game, 49-46.
TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES
Boise State Broncos (9-6, 1-2 WAC)
Boise State split a pair of road conference games last week, falling 79-65 to New Mexico State before defeating Louisiana Tech 85-68 ... In the loss to New Mexico State, Tasha Harris led the Broncos with a 17-point effort ... Amanda Stewart helped with 10 rebounds against the Aggies ... In the win at Louisiana Tech, five Broncos scored in double figures, including Jackie Lee (18), Stewart (14), Jamia Malone (14), Harris (10), and Jessica Thompson (10) ... Stewart recorded her second-straight double digit rebound effort with 11 against the Lady Techsters ... On the week, Harris led the Broncos, averaging 13.5 points over the two games ... Stewart averaged a double-double on the week at 10.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game ... This week, Boise State returns home, where it holds a perfect 5-0 record, to host Utah State and Nevada.
Fresno State Bulldogs (8-8, 3-0 WAC)
After the starting the season 0-6, the Bulldogs improved their record to .500 at 8-8 for the first time this season with a road win last week ... Tierre Wilson scored 17 second half points to spark the Bulldogs to their first road conference victory against Idaho ... Wilson has scored in double figures in 27 straight games ... The six game (3 of the wins coming in conference play) win streak is the bulldogs longest since 2005-06 ... That year Fresno State started conference play with a 6-0 record.
Hawai?i Rainbow Wahine (6-9, 0-2 WAC)
The University of Hawai’i women’s basketball
team returns to action Thursday, January 17 at Fresno
State ... The Rainbow Wahine are in the midst of four games off the island and will face San Jose State on Saturday, January 19 in San Jose, Calif. UH began their four road games with losses at Utah State and Nevada last week and are looking to bounce back at Fresno State and San Jose State this week ... The Rainbow Wahine flew home Sunday afternoon in preparation of the first day of classes on Monday and Tuesday, before leaving Tuesday afternoon to return to the mainland ... With 17 rebounds against Nevada on Saturday, January 12, senior Tanya Smith tied a season-high ... Smith was also one rebound shy of tying her career-high of 18 rebounds ... Smith had six offensive rebounds against the Wolf Pack and added 14 points, for her 11th double-double of the season.
Idaho Vandals (1-14, 0-3 WAC)
Idaho outshot Fresno State, forced the Bulldogs into more turnovers and even led for most of the half, but the Lady Bulldogs took advantage of a late 11-point run and the Vandals fell 68-59 on Saturday at the Cowan Spectrum ... The Vandals also dropped a 61-37 decision at Louisiana Tech earlier in the week ... Katie Madison led the Vandals through the two games, averaging 14.5 points per game ... Yinka Olorunnife led the team in the paint, pulling down 13 rebounds in the two games ... This week, Idaho remains home to host Nevada and Utah State at the Cowan Spectrum.
La Tech Lady Techsters (7-9, 1-2 WAC)
Senior forward Jo Sneed (Belle Glade, Fla.) averaged 15.5 points and 10.0 rebounds a game for Louisiana Tech leading the Lady Techsters to a 1-1 mark on the week ... The Lady Techsters defeated Idaho 61-39 before falling 85-68 to Boise State ... Sneed recorded her 10th and 11th double doubles of the year, scoring a career-high 20 points and pulling down 10 rebounds in a win over Idaho while scoring 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in a loss to Boise State. Sneed shot 65 percent (11-17) from the field for the week and 75 percent (9-12) from the free throw line ... Louisiana Tech will play one game this week, hosting New Mexico State on Jan. 19.
Nevada Wolf Pack (11-4, 2-0 WAC)
Nevada opened WAC play 2-0 for the first time since the team joined the conference in 2000-01 as the team defeated San Jose State and Hawai?i ... Brandi Fitzgerald recorded her second career double-double against Hawaii scoring a season-high 21 points and tying her career high with 11 boards...Cherlanda Franklin recorded 11 of Nevada’s 15 steals versus Hawaii ... with the two wins over the weekend, Nevada improved to 8-1 at home this season and has not lost at Lawlor Events Center since Nov. 11 ... The team will travel to Idaho and Boise State this week ...
New Mexico State Aggies (13-3, 3-0 WAC)
New Mexico State has already matched last season’s win tally of 13 ... The Aggies have scored 70 or more points in the last five games ... NMSU is 10-1 at home, giving the Aggies their 15th season with double-digit home victories (first since 2002-03) ... New Mexico State only needs to win two more of its remaining 13 games to secure its first winning season in the last four years ... The Aggies shot 72.0 percent in the second half against Utah State and a season-high 55.3 percent overall in the game ... NMSU has won its last five games ... The team will play just one game this week, traveling to take on Louisiana Tech on Jan. 19.
San Jose Spartans (1-14, 0-2 WAC)
San Jose State play one game last week, falling 72-51 at Nevada ... Natalie White led the Spartans with a team-high 22 points, along with five rebounds against the Wolf Pack ... Myosha Barnes also reached double digits against Nevada with 10 points ... Tamiko Davis helped with eight points ... San Jose State will host Hawai?i on Jan. 19.
Utah State Aggies (6-9, 2-1 WAC)
Utah State went 1-1 on the week, starting conference action 2-0 for the first time under head coach Raegan Pebley ... The Aggies defeated Hawaii, 55-48, for the first time since 1980, while New Mexico State snapped a three-game winning streak, 71-56 ... USU forced a season-high 33 turnovers against Hawaii and recorded 28 points off those turnovers ... Junior guard Danyelle Snelgro recorded a career-high eight steals against Hawaii, while the Aggies swiped a season-high 17 steals ... Senior guard Taylor Richards record 21 points between the two games to give her 1,001 for her career, becoming the fifth player in Utah State history to reach the 1,000 point milestone.