USU’S BROWN NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Utah State senior forward Ashlee Brown has been named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for Nov. 14-20. This is the second WAC Player of the Week honor of the season for Brown and the fourth of her career.
The Chandler, Ariz., native averaged 21.0 points on 53 percent shooting, grabbed 11.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game as the Aggies went 2-0 last week. Brown led Utah State to a 73-63 home win against Weber State and a 69-64 road win at UC Irvine, pacing the Aggies in scoring in both games. Against the Wildcats, the senior scored 21 points and brought down nine boards while also nabbing four steals. In the win against the Anteaters, Brown posted her third double-double of the season with 21 points and 14 rebounds, one shy of her career high. Brown was unstoppable in the first half, scoring 13 of USU’s first 15 points.
Other nominees included: Rosie Moult of Fresno State averaged 17.0 points on 55 percent shooting, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per game on the week ... Hawai’i’s Kamilah Jackson averaged 15.7 points and 8.3 rebounds over three games ... Angie Felton of Louisiana Tech scored a team-high 16 points on 60 percent shooting in a loss to Oral Roberts ... New Mexico State’s Hannah Womack averaged 14.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
WAC STAT LEADERS
Utah State’s Ashlee Brown currently leads the WAC in scoring with 22.8 points per game. Tabytha Wampler of New Mexico State is tops in rebounding with an average of 14.0 boards. Nevada’s Kate Kevorken leads the WAC in field goal percentage (.667) and three-point field goal percentage (.583), while teammate Danika Sharp is tops in free throw percentage (1.000) and steals (3.0). Nevada’s Amanda Johnson leads the WAC in assist-turnover ratio (2.0), while Breanna Arbuckle of Hawai’i is tops in blocked shots (1.75). Louisiana Tech’s Jasmine Bendolph leads the league in assists (5.50) and is tied for the lead in minutes played (36.5) with Taylor Thompson of Fresno State. Finally, Fresno State’s Rosie Moult leads the league with 4.0 three-pointers per game.
LOUISIANA TECH FAVORED IN PRESEASON POLLS
Louisiana Tech, which won the WAC regular-season title last year, was the preseason favorite to win the Western Athletic Conference in both the coaches and media polls.
In the coaches poll, the Lady Techsters received 47 points and five first-place votes to beat out Utah State for the top spot. The Aggies captured second place with 40 points and two first-place votes. Fresno State came in third with 36 points and received the other first-place vote.
In the media poll, Louisiana Tech 13 first-place votes, earning 144 points. Meanwhile, Fresno State was picked to finish second with 129 points and three first-place votes, just ahead of Utah State in third place with 126 points and the other three first-place votes.
PRESEASON ALL-WAC TEAMS
The coaches and media also voted on preseason all-WAC teams. Both the coaches and media selected Utah State senior Ashlee Brown as the WAC’s preseason Player of the Year.
Preseason Women’s Basketball Coaches All-WAC Teams
First Team
Jasmine Bendolph, Louisiana Tech
Ashlee Brown, Utah State
Whitney Jones, Louisiana Tech
Rosie Moult, Fresno State
Kayla Williams, Nevada
Second Team
Devyn Christensen, Utah State
Kamilah Jackson, Hawai‘i
Shawna-Lei Kuehu, Hawai‘i
Taylor Thompson, Fresno State
Tabytha Wampler, New Mexico State
Preseason Women’s Basketball Media All-WAC Teams
First Team
Jasmine Bendolph, Louisiana Tech
Ashlee Brown, Utah State
Kamilah Jackson, Hawai‘i
Rosie Moult, Fresno State
Tabytha Wampler, New Mexico State
Second Team
Shantale Bramble-Donaldson, Louisiana Tech
Amanda Johnson, Nevada
Whitney Jones, Louisiana Tech
Taylor Thompson, Fresno State
Kayla Williams, Nevada
KEY NON-CONFERENCE MATCHUPS
WAC teams have several key non-conference matchups this season, including games against at least 26 teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament or the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) last season.
TOP PLAYERS RETURNING
A total of three players from all-WAC first and second teams return this season. Utah State’s Ashlee Brown is the lone returner from the first team, while Louisiana Tech’s Jasmine Bendolph and Fresno State’s Rosie Moult return from the second team. None of the All-Defensive Team return, while four of the five All-Freshman Team honorees return.
ORLEANS ARENA IN LAS VEGAS TO HOST WAC TOURNAMENT
The 2012 WAC Basketball Tournament will be held March 7-10 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. It will be the second year in a row the tournament has been at the Orleans. The tournament features all eight men’s and women’s teams.