TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES
Boise State Broncos (13-6, 5-2 WAC)
Boise State enters the weekend at 13-6 overall and 5-2 in WAC action good for third place in the conference standings ... the Broncos have now won five in a row including a 77-73 victory at Hawai’i (Jan. 24) and a 82-62 win at home over league leading Fresno State this past Monday night (Jan. 28) ... the win moves the Broncos home win streak to 11 straight dating back to last February ... this week’s busy schedule which includes three games continues with road games at San Jose State Thursday night and at arch-rival Idaho on Saturday ... BSU continues to lead the WAC in scoring offense averaging 74.5 points per game to rank 26th nationally ... Tasha Harris joined teammate Jessica Thompson as members of the 1,000 career points club this past Monday when she recorded a team high 24 against the Bulldogs.
Fresno State Bulldogs (11-9, 6-1 WAC)
The Bulldogs had won nine straight before dropping an 82-62 decision at Boise State Monday night ... the nine-game win streak tied a school record set by the 1986-87, 1984-85 and the 1979-80 teams ... the 6-0 start in WAC tied the school record for the best start in conference history and the most consecutive conference wins ... Tierre Wilson had scored in double figures in 30 straight games before she scored eight points at Boise State on Monday ... Bailey Amundsen has hit a 3-pointer in 12 straight games ... Adrian Wiggins earned his 100th career victory in Saturday’s win at San Jose State ... The Bulldogs are out scoring teams 75-59 in conference play ... Wilson is shooting just under 48 percent from the field in conference play.
Hawai?i Rainbow Wahine (8-11, 2-4 WAC)
Hawai?i went 1-1 last week, dropping a 77-73 decision to Boise State in its WAC home opener before defeating Idaho 68-53 ... Tanya Smith led the Rainbow Wahine with a pair of impressive games ... Smith recorded a career-high 25 rebounds, coming one short of the school record and added 14 points in a win over Idaho ... a night earlier, Smith tied a career-high with 25 points and added 17 rebounds in a tough loss to Boise State ... over the two games, Smith averaged 19.5 points per game and 21 rebounds per game ... The 25 rebounds ties Cheryl Ford’s WAC single game rebound record ... The Rainbow Wahine had four players average double figures last week, including Smith (19.5), Iwona Zagrobelna (14.0), Megan Tinnin (12.0), and Saundra Cariaga (10.5).
Idaho Vandals (2-17, 1-6 WAC)
The Vandals dropped a pair of road games last week, falling 53-46 at San Jose State before dropping a 68-53 decision at Hawai?i ... Alana Curtis led the Vandals on the week, averaging 9.5 points per game ... Yinka Olorunnife averaged 9.0 points through the two games and led Idaho in rebounding at 6.5 per game ... Olurunnife also dished out a team-high four assists over the two games.
La Tech Lady Techsters (9-10, 3-3 WAC)
Freshman Adrienne Johnson scored a career-high 18 points in Tech’s loss to Nevada ... Johnson was 8-of-11 from the field, 1-of-1 from the three-point line and 1-of-1 from the free throw line ... freshman Tarkeisha Wysinger registered her fourth career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in win over Utah State ... Tech hit 29-of-32 free throws on the week for 91 percent ... Sophomore Shanavia Dowdell averaged 15.5 points and 8.0 rebounds on the week while shooting 68 percent (15-22) from the field.
Nevada Wolf Pack (14-5, 4-1 WAC)
Nevada won its ninth straight game at home on Jan. 26 defeating New Mexico State ... Nevada is 10-1 at home this season ... a season-high 1,953 fans attended the game, which is the 10th largest home crowd in program history ... Dellena Criner scored her 1,000th career point for Nevada against La Tech ... she is just the eighth player in program history to record at least 1,000 career points for Nevada ... Nevada’s win over New Mexico State was the 200th home win for the Pack in program history ... the Pack’s win over La Tech marked the first time Nevada had beaten La Tech in Reno in eight games ... Brandi Fitzgerald joined Dellena Criner as the only two current Pack players with at least 150 career assists ... five players scored in double figures for Nevada against New Mexico State marking the second time this season Nevada has had five players score in double figures in a game.
New Mexico State Aggies (14-5, 4-2 WAC)
New Mexico State is 4-0 this season when coming off a loss ... the Aggies shot 53.1 percent against Utah State, marking the third time this season that NMSU has shot above 50 percent from the floor ... NMSU leads the conference in scoring defense, field goal percent defense, 3-point field goal percent defense and blocked shots ... the Aggies out-rebounded Nevada by 13 on Jan. 26 ... New Mexico State needs just one more victory to secure its first winning season since the 2002-03 season.
San Jose Spartans (2-17, 1-5 WAC)
San Jose State picked up its first WAC win with a 53-46 victory over Idaho at home ... Natalie White led the team in scoring with 20 points, and Sayja Sumler added a season-best 15 points ... senior guard Brittany Imaku has dished out six assists each of the past four games ... she enters the week with 88 assists and ranks in the top-100 nationally in assists.
Utah State Aggies (6-13, 2-5 WAC)
Utah State fell to 6-13 and 2-4 in the WAC after falling to New Mexico State, 71-58, on Thursday and losing to Louisiana Tech, 71-56, on Saturday ... the Aggies have now dropped five straight games. Against NMSU, senior center Jenny Gross tallied a career-high 19 points and she shot 7-of-12 from field goal range as well as shooting 5-of-7 from the free throw line ... on Saturday, senior guard Taylor Gross set a new USU career three-pointers record, breaking the previous record of 83 held by former teammate Brittany Hagen (2003-07) ... Richards now has two USU career records as she is the Aggies career assists leader, adding to her total with a game-high tying five helpers Saturday to give her 347 and counting for her career.
WAC NOTES
HAWAI?I’S SMITH NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Hawai?i senior Tanya Smith has been named the Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for her play during the week of Jan. 21-27. Smith, from Sydney, Australia (Jannali), led Hawai?i to a 1-1 record on the road last week, helping the team cut a 16-point halftime deficit into a four point loss to Boise State before picking up a 68-53 win over Idaho. The senior center pulled down a career-high 25 rebounds in the win over Idaho, tying the WAC’s single-game rebound record set by Cheryl Ford (Louisiana Tech) during the 2003 conference tournament. Smith’s 25 rebounds sets a new WAC record for the most rebounds ever recorded in a single regular season conference game, surpassing Ford’s mark of 23 set against SMU during the 2002-03 season. Nationally, the 25 rebounds ties Smith with Syracuse’s Fantasia Goodwin for the most rebounds recorded in a single game this season. She also added 14 points in the win against the Vandals. Smith notched a career-high 25 points against Boise State, connecting on 12-of-17 (.706) shots from the floor. She also pulled down 17 rebounds with four blocks and a steal in the game. On the week, Smith averaged 19.5 points, 21.0 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 2.5 steals, and 2.0 assists per game. She registered a 51.4 percent clip (18-of-35) from the field. Smith currently leads the WAC in rebounding at 12.3 boards per game. She currently ranks second in the nation in rebounding.
Other nominees included: Boise State junior guard Tasha Harris scored 24 points in a win over Hawai?i on the road ... Fresno State senior guard Tierre Wilson averaged 18.0 points in a pair of wins last week ... Louisiana Tech senior forward JoKeirra Sneed averaged 17.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in leading the Lady Techsters to a 1-1 record ... Nevada senior guard Mikail Price averaged a team-leading 16.0 points per game as the Pack picked up two WAC wins ... New Mexico State senior forward Sherell Neal averaged 19.5 points and 8.5 rebounds for the Aggies, who went 1-1 on the road ... San Jose State junior guard Natalie White averaged 20.7 points in three games, including a win over Idaho.
FRESNO STATE SITS ATOP WAC STANDINGS
Despite its first WAC loss of the season at Boise State on Monday night, Fresno State remains on top of the WAC standings with a 6-1 record. Nevada follows closely behind at 5-1, while Boise State, which has won five straight, has climbed to third with a 5-2 mark. New Mexico State is fourth at 4-2, Louisiana Tech is currently fifth with an even 3-3 record, and Hawai?i is sixth at 2-4. Utah State, which opened WAC play with a 2-0 record, has dropped five straight and now holds down the seventh spot at 2-5. San Jose State and Idaho round out the standings in eighth and ninth, respectively.
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.
WAC FEATURES THREE OF THE TOP-20 REBOUNDERS IN THE NATION
The Western Athletic Conference currently features three of the top rebounders in the nation. Hawai?i senior center Tanya Smith ranks second nationally in the category, pulling down 12.3 boards per game. Louisiana Tech senior forward JoKeirra Sneed ranks 17th in the nation at 10.1 rebounds per game. New Mexico State senior forward Sherell Neal averages 9.7 rebounds per game, which ranks 25th nationally.
HAWAI?I’S SMITH TIES ALL-TIME WAC SINGLE-GAME REBOUND MARK
Hawai?i senior center Tanya Smith pulled down a career-high 25 rebounds in a Jan. 26 win over Idaho, tying the WAC’s single-game rebound record set by Cheryl Ford (Louisiana Tech) during the 2003 conference tournament. Smith’s 25 rebounds sets a new WAC record for the most rebounds ever recorded in a single regular season conference game, surpassing Ford’s mark of 23 set against SMU during the 2002-03 season. Nationally, the 25 rebounds ties Smith with Syracuse’s Fantasia Goodwin for the most rebounds recorded in a single game this season.
HOME IS WHERE THE WAC WINS ARE
So far this season, the home team has dominated WAC play. WAC teams are 21-8 at home in conference play. In conference play, the top four teams are a combined 14-0 at home. Overall, the WAC is 50-36 (.582) at home this season. Boise State has been the most impressive team, holding a perfect 8-0 record. The Broncos have won 11 straight at Taco Bell Arena dating back to last season. New Mexico State has also found success at home with a 10-1 mark at the Pan American Center. Nevada is also 10-1 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 32.0 points per game--the most points among any two teammates in the Western Athletic Conference. Harris ranks second in the WAC in scoring at 17.3 points per game. Thompson ranks sixth in the league at 14.7 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 WAC player to reach the mark twice, scoring 32 in a win over Idaho State at home on Dec. 2 and a career-high 33 against Boise State on Jan. 19. Criner also leads the league with seven 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.
RECORD WIN STREAKS AND IMPRESSIVE 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 Wolf Pack 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 also got off to an impressive start. The Aggies 13-3 start marks the best start to the season for the program since the 1993-94 season when NMSU held a 14-3 mark. Fresno State is also rewriting its record books. The Bulldogs recently won nine straight games, tying a school record set by the 1986-87, 1984-85, and the 1979-80 teams. Fresno State’s 6-0 start to conference play tied the team’s record for the best start in conference history and the most consecutive conference wins for the Bulldogs.
STREAKIN’
Fresno State’s Tierre Wilson had scored double digit points in 30 straight games dating back to the 2006-07 season before scoring eight points against Boise State on Jan. 28. Sherell Neal 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 43 straight games. Fresno State’s Bailey Amundsen has connected on a shot from long range in 12 consecutive games. Louisiana Tech’s JoKeirra Sneed has connected on 20 straight free throw attempts, followed by Nevada’s Dellena Criner, who has hit 15 straight free throws.
NEAL AND SMITH NAMED TO NAISMITH TROPHY WATCH LIST
The Western Athletic Conference has placed two women’s basketball players on the 2007-08 Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List, presented by AT&T, as was announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. New Mexico State senior Sherell Neal and Hawai?i senior Tanya Smith were two of 50 preseason candidates named to the list. The Naismith Trophy is the most prestigious national award presented annually to college basketball’s players of the year. The watch list was compiled by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors, which based its preseason criteria on player performances from last season and expectations for the 2007-08 campaign. There are 27 seniors, 18 juniors and five sophomores on the list, which does not include incoming freshmen, who will be considered in the first ballot in January, 2008. AT&T will continue to set the standard in allowing fans to participate in determining this year’s winner. Through the power and ease of text messaging, fan voting will account for an unprecedented 25-percent of the final results ? more than any other national college basketball award. In January, the Naismith Trophy voting academy, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country, will narrow its preseason list to the Top-30 players in the nation. Those players will be eligible for the final ballot in March. In April, the Naismith Trophy winner will be recognized at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa, Fla. For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.
NEVADA RECORDS HOME WIN #200
Nevada’s win over New Mexico State on Jan. 26 marked the 200th home victory for the Wolf Pack.
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.
IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Teams from the WAC rank 50th or better in eight team statistical categories and four individual categories. Nevada holds the highest team national ranking, coming in a fifth in the nation with 13.3 steals per game. Fresno State ranks 12th nationally in threes per game (7.4). Individually, Hawai?i center Tanya Smith ranks second in rebounding at 12.3 per game.
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 currently leads the WAC with 14 double-doubles this season. Smith’s 14 double-doubles already surpasses her nine double-double mark from just a year ago. Smith has recorded a double-double in all but five games this year and now has 28 career double-double performances. Louisiana Tech senior JoKeirra Sneed has 13 double-doubles, which more than triples her double-double mark from last season. Sneed now has 16 career double-doubles. The current career double-double leader in the WAC is New Mexico State senior Sherell Neal, who has 34 career double-double performances.
BOISE STATE PERFECT THIS SEASON 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
Eight 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; seven points to Idaho, 53-46; and seven points to Kansas, 59-52.
FRESNO’S NON-CONFERENCE SUPER SLATE
Fresno State did not make things easy on itself this season. The team played seven of its 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.
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 (59-78) picked up his 50th win as an Aggie by defeating in-state rival New Mexico State on Dec. 2. Overall, Spence recently picked up win number 375. Fresno State’s Adrian Wiggins (60-34) picked up the milestone win at Long Beach State on Dec. 7. Hawai?i head coach Jim Bolla (52-50) got win 50 at home against UC Irvine on Dec. 29. Head Coach Kim Gervasoni (55-85) 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 (52-28) got the win at home against Idaho on Jan. 9. Boise State head coach Gordy Presnell (52-30) recorded BSU career win number 50 at home against Nevada on Jan. 19.
SIX WAC PLAYERS REACH 1,000-POINT CLUB
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 1,266 points, ranking her first among active players in the Western Athletic Conference. The 1,266 points ranks her 10th 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 1,166 career points and ranks 10th in Fresno State scoring history. 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 1,058 points, ranking her 10th 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 1,046 points which ranks her fourth on USU’s all-time scoring list. Nevada’s Dellena Criner became just the eighth player in Wolf Pack history to reach the 1,000-point mark, reaching the milestone against Louisiana Tech on Jan. 24. Criner now has 1,015 points, ranking her seventh. BSU’s Tasha Harris connected on her 1,000th point in a win over Fresno State on Jan. 28. Harris now has 1,014 points, which ranks her 13th all-time in Boise State history.
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 448-37 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.
RETURNING STAT LEADERS
Six of the top 10 scorers return for the 2007-08 season, including the top two scorers, Katie Madison of Idaho (19.1) and Sherell Neal of New Mexico State (15.7). Also returning is Nevada’s Dellena Criner who was fourth in scoring (14.6) and Tierre Wilson who as fifth in scoring (14.4). Boise State’s Jessica Thompson, who was seventh in scoring, averaging 13.7 ppg also returns along with New Mexico State’s Anikia Jawara who was eighth (13.1). Seven of the top 10 rebound leaders return. Neal is the leading returning rebounder with a 10.8 rpg average last season (first in the WAC). Hawai?i’s Tanya Smith was second in rebounding last year, averaging 9.2 rpg. Other returning rebounds leaders are: Idaho’s Katie Madison (8.9), New Mexico State’s Anikia Jawara (7.5), San Jose State’s Brittany Powell (6.4), Fresno State’s Tierre Wilson (6.4) and Idaho’s Sara Dennehy (6.4).
2007 WAC TOURNAMENT RECAP
Boise State won its first conference tournament title in history with a 49-46 come-from-behind win over host New Mexico State at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The win in front of 5,905 fans earned the Broncos an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament as the WAC’s representative. The victory also completed a sweep of the WAC’s regular season and tournament titles for Boise State as they set a new school record for most wins in a season, improving to 24-8 overall.