IDAHO’S TALENI EARNS WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Idaho guard/forward Derisa Taleni has been named the Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for Jan. 5-11. This is the first WAC Player of the Week honor for Taleni.
The junior from Santa Clara, Calif., averaged 17.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while leading the Vandals to three straight WAC wins for the first time in school history. In a 71-63 win over Utah State, Taleni scored a WAC season-high 31 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field and 5-of-6 from three-point range. She also pulled down seven rebounds. Taleni then scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a win at San Jose State. She rounded out the week with eight points, four rebounds and three assists in a 55-52 win at Fresno State, ending the Bulldogs’ 15-game WAC home winning streak.
Other nominees included: Boise State’s Heather Pilcher scored a game-high 20 points in a loss at Fresno State ... Hayley Munro of Fresno State averaged 12.7 points and 9.3 rebounds as the Bulldogs went 2-1 ... Louisiana Tech’s Whitney Jones averaged 22.5 points and 6.5 boards as the Techsters went 1-1 on the week ... Cherlanda Franklin of Nevada averaged a double-double ? 12.5 points and 11.0 rebounds ? in a pair of wins ... New Mexico State’s Madison Spence averaged 15.5 points, 4.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds ... Natalie White of San Jose State shot 83 percent from three-point range on the week ... Utah State’s Danyelle Snelgro averaged 12.0 points and 8.3 assists in three games last week and became the Aggies’ all-time steals leader.
BULLDOGS LEAD NATION IN THREE-POINT FIELD GOAL AVERAGE
In statistics through Jan. 4 games, Fresno State leads the nation in three-point field goals per game, with an average of 9.9 per game. The Bulldogs have had 10 or more treys in 10 of 16 games this season, including a WAC record 16 vs. UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 20.
SNELGRO BECOMES UTAH STATE’S ALL-TIME STEALS LEADER
Danyelle Snelgro made Utah State history in the first half of the Aggies’ loss to Louisiana Tech on Jan. 10 with her 176th steal, passing Margaret Johns (1980-83) for the top spot in the Utah State career record books.
TALENI SCORES WAC SEASON-BEST 31 POINTS AGAINST UTAH STATE
Idaho junior guard Derisa Taleni scored a WAC season-high 31 points to pave the way for a 71-63 come-from-behind victory over Utah State Monday night. Entering the game, Taleni had hit only eight of her previous 57 three-point attempts on the season, but nailed 5-of-6 (.833) to give her the WAC’s second-best three-point performance of the year.
CRINER FOURTH IN WAC RECORD BOOK IN FREE THROWS MADE
Nevada’s Dellena Criner currently ranks fourth all-time in the WAC record books in career free throws made. The senior has 470 made free throws on her career, 127 away from first place (597).
WHITE SEVENTH IN WAC CAREER FREE THROW PERCENTAGE
San Jose State senior Natalie White currently has a career free throw percentage of .825 (174-of-211), which ranks seventh all-time in the WAC. Julie Krommenhoek, who played at Utah from 1994-98, holds the record with a .851 clip (313-of-368).
CRINER APPROACHES NEVADA’S ALL-TIME STEALS RECORD
Dellena Criner is approaching the Nevada all-time steals record. The senior currently has 236 steals, one shy of Traci Graham, who recorded 237 from 2003-07. Criner also currently ranks 10th in the WAC record books.
Boise State Broncos (9-8, 2-1 WAC)
The Broncos went 0-1 last week, falling 62-52 at Fresno State ... Heather Pilcher had a career-high 20 points vs. the Bulldogs ... The Broncos rallied from 11 down to defeat Hawai?i 70-61 on Monday ... Boise State opened the second half on a 30-10 run to claim a 13-point advantage ... The freshmen duo of Pilcher and Courtney VanBrocklin combined for 31 points, 22 in the second half ... It was the third consecutive game that Pilcher has led the Broncos in scoring ...The nine-point victory extended the Broncos’ conference home win streak to 12-consecutive games ... The Broncos play at Utah State on Saturday in their only other game this week.
Fresno State Bulldogs (11-5, 2-1 WAC)
The Bulldogs went 2-1 last week, defeating Boise State (62-52) and Hawai?i (78-50) before falling at home to Idaho (55-52) ... Hayley Munro averaged 12.7 points and 9.3 rebounds over the three games ... The Bulldog bench scored 38 points in the win over Hawai’i ... Munro had a streak of 25 consecutive free throws snapped against Idaho ... Jaleesa Ross is currently fifth on the Fresno State career three-pointers list with 133. She needs 15 to move into fourth place ... The Bulldogs are 11-1 this season when out -rebounding their opponents ... Fresno State leads the nation in three-pointers made per game at 9.9 a game ... The Bulldogs play at Louisiana Tech on Friday and at New Mexico State on Sunday.
Hawai?i Rainbow Wahine (3-13, 0-3 WAC)
The Rainbow Wahine went 0-2 last week, falling on the road at Fresno State (78-50) and San Jose State (54-50) ... Vs. the Bulldogs, Megan Tinnin scored 10 points, while Dita Liepkalne added nine points, seven rebounds and a career-high seven assists ... Against the Spartans, Liepkalne led the team with 12 points and five assists ... After leading by as many as 11, the Rainbow Wahine fell 70-61 at Boise State on Monday ... Hawai?i had four players in double-digit points, led by Keisha Kanekoa with 18 ... Liepkalne and Tinnin each added 11 points, while Tara Hittle finished with a double-double of 10 points and a team-high 11 rebounds ... The Rainbow Wahine host Nevada on Saturday in their only other game this week.
Idaho Vandals (6-9, 3-1 WAC)
The Vandals went 3-0 last week, defeating Utah State (71-63), San Jose State (66-47) and Fresno State (55-52) ... Derisa Taleni scored 31 points against Utah State ... Yinka Olorunnife had 14 points and 14 rebounds vs. the Bulldogs for her fourth double-double of the year ... Idaho is 3-1 in the WAC for just the second time in school history ... The Vandals’ three-game WAC winning streak is the first in school history ... Prior to last week, Idaho had never won more than one WAC road game in a season ... With three WAC wins, Idaho has already matched its conference win total from the last two seasons ... Shaena Kuehu has scored in double-digits in five straight games ... The Vandals are idle this week.
Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (8-8, 1-1 WAC)
The Techsters went 1-1 last week, falling at Nevada (64-57) before defeating Utah State in overtime (90-82) ... The Lady Techsters outscored the Aggies 19-11 in the extra period to record their first road victory of the season ... Whitney Jones scored a career-high (and tied a WAC season high) 31 points at Utah State, hitting 70 percent (14-of-20) of her field goals and adding a career-high nine rebounds and five assists ... Jones also led Tech with 14 points and four rebounds in a loss to Nevada ... The Techsters host Fresno State on Friday and San Jose State on Saturday.
Nevada Wolf Pack (8-7, 2-0 WAC)
The Pack went 2-0 last week, defeating Louisiana Tech (64-57) and New Mexico State (61-56) ... Cherlanda Franklin averaged a double-double (12.5 points, 11.0 rebounds) on the week ... Franklin tied her career high with 17 points vs. Louisiana Tech and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds vs. the Aggies ... Shavon Moore grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds vs. Louisiana Tech ... Franklin grabbed her 500th career rebound against NMSU, becoming the 11th player in program history to do so ... The Pack recorded season highs of 52 rebounds against NMSU and 17 steals vs. the Techsters ... Nevada plays at Utah State on Wednesday and at Hawai?i on Saturday.
New Mexico State Aggies (4-12, 0-2 WAC)
The Aggies went 0-2 last week, falling at Utah State (72-58) and at Nevada (61-56) ... Tabytha Wampler led the team with 15 points vs. the Aggies ... Madison Spence and Danisha Corbett had 17 points apiece vs. the Wolf Pack ... New Mexico State had a season-high 16 steals against Nevada, which was six more than it has had in any other game this season ... NMSU has had 10 or more assists in each of its last three games ... Spence has scored in double figures 12 times this season ... NMSU returns home for its first home game the last 27 days when the Aggies host San Jose State on Friday and Fresno State on Sunday ... NMSU is 4-2 at home this season.
San Jose Spartans (2-13, 1-1 WAC)
The Spartans went 1-1 last week, falling to Idaho (66-47) before defeating Hawai?i (54-50) ... Against the Vandals, Shaunna Ridge just missed a double-double, finishing with 12 points and nine rebounds. She also had five blocks ... Natalie White scored 21 points in the win over Hawai?i, making five consecutive three-pointers to end the first half and give San Jose State the lead for good ... With just 15 games played this season, Shaunna Ridge is already in the Top 10 in blocked shots for a season at San Jose State with 35. The school record is 58, set by Lamisha Augustine in the 2005-06 season ... The Spartans play at New Mexico State on Friday and at Louisiana Tech on Sunday.
Utah State Aggies (7-9, 1-2 WAC)
The Aggies went 1-2 last week, with losses at Idaho (71-63) and to Louisiana Tech (90-82, OT) and a win over New Mexico State (72-58) ... Against the Vandals, Ana Pares led the team with 15 points ... Vs. the Techsters, Danyelle Snelgro matched her career high in points with 19 and established a new career high in assists with 10 ... In the win over NMSU, Lydia Whitehead, Chelsea Burns and Pares scored 15 points each ... Snelgro became Utah State’s all-time steals leader in the first half of the Aggies’ loss to Louisiana Tech with her 176th steal, passing Margaret Johns (1980-83) ... The Aggies host Nevada on Wednesday and Boise State on Saturday.
PLAY UP TOUR BEGINS THIS SUNDAY IN LAS CRUCES
The WAC Play Up Tour for women’s basketball opens in Las Cruces,
N.M., when New Mexico State hosts Fresno State at 2 p.m. this Sunday,
Jan. 18. WAC staff members will be on site to distribute pom-poms. Fans
will also have the opportunity to sign up to win a WAC prize pack that
includes WAC apparel and other WAC related items. All fans that enter
the drawing will be eligible for the grand prize of a WAC Basketball
Tournament package. The package includes two tickets to the tournament,
airfare and hotel accommodations. The winner will be announced at the
end of February.
The following are the dates and times of each of the 2009 Play Up Tour stops. All times are local and subject to change.
Sunday, Jan. 18 ? Las Cruces, N.M.
Fresno State at New Mexico State, 2 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 25
Nevada at San Jose State, 2 p.m.
Louisiana Tech at Boise State, 2 p.m.
Utah State at Hawai?i, 5 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 ? Logan, Utah
Hawai?i at Utah State, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 1 ? Fresno, Calif.
Utah State at Fresno State, 2 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 8 ? Reno, Nev.
Utah State at Nevada, 2 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 13 ? Ruston, La.
Hawai?i at Louisiana Tech, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 15 ? Moscow, Idaho
San Jose State at Idaho, 2 p.m.
FRESNO STATE UPSETS NO. 22 TCU
Fresno State rallied for a 75-71 victory over No.22 TCU Dec. 4 in front of 2,288 fans. The Bulldogs trailed 69-53 with 6:20 remaining in the game before going on a 22-2 run to earn the victory. The win is Fresno State’s first over a nationally ranked opponent since December 1, 2006, when the Bulldogs defeated No. 23 Texas Tech. It is only the third win against a ranked team in the last 16 years. Hayley Munro had a career-high 23 points and eight rebounds while Joh-Teena Filipe came off the bench to score 14 points and grab six rebounds.
NEVADA GETS FIRST-EVER WIN OVER RANKED TEAM
Nevada recorded the biggest win in program history Nov. 29, beating No. 7 Louisville 85-82. It was the Wolf Pack’s first-ever win over a ranked team and the highest ranked team Nevada had ever faced. The previous highest ranked teams the Wolf Pack had played were No. 8 Louisiana Tech (2003-04), No. 9 Cal (2008-09) and No. 11 Louisiana Tech (2002-03).
SJSU’S WHITE REACHES 1,000-POINT PLATEAU
The Spartans’ Natalie White scored her 1,000th career point on a three-pointer at the 4:27 mark of the second half against Sacramento State on Nov. 28. Making the game even more memorable was the fact that she hit the game-winning basket as time expired to give San Jose State its first win of the season. White is just the 12th player in school history to reach the 1,000-point plateau.
NEVADA’S ALBRIGHT EARNS WIN 400
In her first year at Nevada and 25th overall, Wolf Pack head coach Jane Albright earned her 400th career win against Northern Iowa on Nov. 28, becoming just the 39th Division I coach to reach 400 victories. The following night, she earned win No. 401 against No. 7 Louisville. Eight of her wins have come at Nevada, 48 at Wichita State, 161 at Wisconsin and 188 at Northern Illinois.
NEVADA TO HOST 2009 WAC TOURNAMENT
Reno and the University of Nevada will host the 2009 WAC Tournament, March 10-14. It will be the third time that Nevada has hosted the event. Nevada also hosted the tournament in 2005 and 2006. The tournament features all nine men’s and women’s teams.