WAC NOTES
HAWAI‘I’S JOHNSON NAMED VERIZON WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Hawai‘i’s Zane Johnson has been named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 19-25. The honor marks the second career WAC Player of the Week award for Johnson.
Johnson, a senior guard from Phoenix, Ariz. (Arizona), led the Rainbow Warriors to a 2-1 record at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamondhead Classic last week.
Johnson opened the week with an 18-point, six-rebound performance in a 65-62 loss to Auburn. He then helped UH overcome a 15-point second-half deficit in an 84-82 win over No. 14 Xavier. Johnson scored 14 points, including a clutch three-pointer late in regulation and recorded the assist on the game-winning basket with 0.8 seconds in overtime. The win marked UH’s first win over a ranked opponent in six years. After going 2-for-2 at the free throw line against Xavier, Johnson broke a 36-year-old record with 29 straight free throws made.
Johnson scored a game-high 27 points in a 75-68 win over Clemson. The 27 points included a 6-of-12 performance from three-point range. He scored 19 of his 27 points in the second half to help UH overcome a three-point halftime deficit.
On the week, Johnson averaged 19.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He shot 43.2 percent (19-of-44) from the field, 38.7 percent (12-of-31) from three-point range and 90 percent (9-of-10) from the free throw line.
Other nominees included: Fresno State sophomore guard Kevin Olekaibe … Louisiana Tech freshman guard Raheem Appleby … Nevada senior forward Dario Hunt … New Mexico State senior forward Wendell McKines … Utah State sophomore guard Preston Medlin.
WEEK 7 WAC HIGHLIGHTS
Utah State went a perfect 3-0 last week to capture the Athletes in Action Classic Title in Logan. USU’s key victory was an 81-62 victory over Kent State. Preston Medlin and Kyisean Reed led the Aggies over the three games, both averaging 16.3 points per game. Hawai‘i went 2-1 at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamondhead Classic to place fifth at the eight-team tournament. Zane Johnson led the Rainbow Warriors averaging 19.7 points per game over the three-game home stand. UH’s key victory was an 84-82 overtime win over then No. 14 Xavier. New Mexico State went 2-0 at home last week with Wendell McKines averaging a double-double. Nevada defeated Portland 78-60 in its only game of the week. Fresno State went 1-1 with a win over Pac-12 opponent Arizona State. Kevin Olekaibe led Fresno State averaging 29.0 points over the two games.
WAC TEAMS IMPRESS AT HOLIDAY TOURNAMENTS
Utah State went a perfect 3-0 at the Athletes in Action Classic in Logan to win the championship. The Aggies defeated UT-Arlington 73-69, Saint Peter’s 72-47 and Kent State 81-62 to claim the title. Hawai‘i went 2-1 at the the Hawaiian Airlines Diamondhead Classic in Honolulu. The Rainbow Warriors dropped a close 65-62 decision to Auburn in its tournament opener before winning its next two games, an 84-82 overtime victory over then No. 14 Xavier and a 75-68 win against Clemson.
WAC TOURNAMENT RETURNS TO LAS VEGAS, TICKETS ON SALE NOW
The 2012 WAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament will be held March 7-10 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas and will include all eight WAC teams. All-session tickets for the 2012 Western Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament presented by Verizon are available for purchase now. All-session tickets include access to each men’s and women’s tournament game, totaling 14 games in eight sessions. All-session tickets are on sale Friday through the Orleans Arena Box Office. Tickets will also be available for purchase through each WAC school’s ticket office. Fans are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets from their institution’s ticket office or online to avoid service fees associated with ticket sales through the Orleans Arena. Single-session tickets, which allow access to the two games listed in the session will be sold only on the day of the respective game, and can only be purchased through the Orleans Arena. Fans who wish to attend only the women’s tournament games may purchase a women’s tournament all-session ticket through the Orleans Arena ticket office.
WAC TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES
Fresno State Bulldogs (5-8, 0-0 WAC)
Fresno State went 1-1 last week on the road ... the Bulldogs opened the week with a 70-63 setback at Boise State before taking down Pac-12 foe Arizona State 68-65 ... at Boise State, Kevin Olekaibe delivered a season-high 28 points and the team provided a strong defensive outing, but Boise State managed to hit just enough key shots and owned the glass en route to beating the Bulldogs ... Bulldog sophomore Tyler Johnson added a career-best 17 points ... in the win at ASU, Olekaibe scored 21 of his career-high 30 points in the second half to help bring the Bulldogs the victory ... Jonathan Wills added 14 points and a game-high seven rebounds for Fresno State and redshirt sophomore Jerry Brown pounded his way to 10 points. With the win, the Bulldogs picked up its second victory over a school from a BCS-AQ conference this season as Fresno State dominated Utah by 30 points earlier this month.
Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors (7-5, 0-0 WAC)
Hawai’i is coming off an exhilarating holiday weekend of basketball, having won two of three games in the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, including upsets over a nationally ranked Xavier squad and Clemson out of the powerful ACC ... Zane Johnson was named to the all-tournament team, as well as WAC Player of the Week, after averaging 19.7 ppg during the week ... the Rainbow Warriors, who have won five of their last six games, will face a MEAC team for the second time this year when it takes on South Carolina State. UH defeated North Carolina A&T in Wailuku, Maui on Dec. 18. UNLV, ranked No. 19 in the Associated press poll, poses another serious challenge as UH’s second Top 25 opponent in a week ... following its games versus South Carolina State and UNLV, Hawai’i will open its final season in the Western Athletic Conference with a home date versus San Jose State on Jan. 7.
Idaho Vandals (7-6, 0-0 WAC)
Idaho went 0-2 on the road last week, falling 80-78 in overtime at Wright State before taking a 63-61 setback at Wisconsin-Green Bay ... at Wright State, senior guard Landon Tatum looked like the hero for the Vandals after banking in a halfcourt buzzer-beater at the end of regulation to force extra time, then finding Daz Starke for a wide-open layup that gave Idaho a one-point lead with four seconds to go, but WSU’s Julius Mays hit a runner as time expired for the win ... Kyle Barone posted a season-high 21 points and a career-best 14 rebounds, blocked three shots and hit seven of his 11 attempts from the field ... at Green Bay,Djim Bandoumel led Idaho with a career-high 16 points, primarily by way of the dunk, while Barone posted a second-consecutive double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds ... this week, Idaho travels to Nampa, Idaho to play Boise State on Saturday.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (7-6, 0-0 WAC)
Louisiana Tech went 1-1 last week ... LA Tech defeated Northeastern 56-53 at home before dropping a 77-63 decision at Arkansas ... in the win over Northeastern, junior guard Brandon Gibson and freshman guard Raheem Appleby led the Bulldogs ... Appleby led all scorers with 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting while Gibson scored 14 on 5-of-9 shooting ... at Arkansas, freshman Raheem Appleby scored at least 20 points for the third straight game ... The defeat ends Tech’s three-game winning streak ... this week, Louisiana Tech hosts Spring Hill on Thursda before traveling to play SMU on Saturday.
Nevada Wolf Pack (9-3, 0-0 WAC)
Nevada won its lone game of the week, a 78-60 victory over Portland at home ... Dario Hunt had 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead Nevada ... Olek Czyz had 15 points, Jerry Evans Jr. 11 and Malik Story 10 for the Wolf Pack (9-3), who won their sixth consecutive game ... Nevada never trailed in the game. With a 12-8 lead, the Wolf Pack went on a 22-0 run to go up 34-8 with 8:27 left in the first half ... Nevada led 46-26 at halftime, but Portland opened the second half with a 9-0 run and later cut the lead to 53-44 on a three-point play by Bailey with 10:28 left ... but the Wolf Pack responded with their own 15-2 run ... the Wolf Pack hit 28 of 56 shots (50 percent) from the field. The Pilots were 21 of 51 (41 percent) ... this week, Nevada hosts Cedarville on Wednesday.
New Mexico State Aggies (8-4, 0-0 WAC)
New Mexico State went 2-0 last week ... the Aggies defeated Southern 91-66 before taking down McNeese State 82-62 ... in the win over Southern, senior forward Wendell McKines directed the Crimson and White with 20 points and a career-high 16 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season ... senior center Hamidu Rahman anchored the inside presence with a season-high 16 points and nine rebounds ... senior guard Hernst Laroche and freshman guard Daniel Mullings added 14 points each, which is a career-high mark for Mullings ... against McNeese State, McKines directed the Aggies with 23 points and a career-high 17 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season and 33rd of his career ... he moved into third all-time on NM State’s career rebounding list ... the Aggies host in-state rival New Mexico, Wednesday, Dec. 28 and Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Saturday, Dec. 31.
San Jose Spartans (4-8, 0-0 WAC)
San Jose State went 1-1 last week with a 79-59 win at home over UC Davis and a 66-64 setback at UC Riverside ... James Kinney led five San Jose State double-figure scorers with 24 points as the Spartans ended a three-game losing streak in a the victory over UC Davis ... Kinney snapped out of a 3-for-25 shooting slump over the previous two games nailing all six of his first half field goal tries for 19 of his 24 points ... the 6-foot-2 guard finished 8-of-13 from the field and 5-of-7 from 3-point range ... at UC Riverside, Keith Shamburger led all players with 24 points and made five straight free throws leaving San Jose State trailing, 65-64, with 9.3 seconds to go ... . James Kinney’s 3-point shot for the win hit the side of the rim leaving the Spartans winless in six road games this season ... this week, SJSU will play in the Elgin Baylor Classic in Seattle ... SJSU will face Coppin State and Seattle U.
Utah State Aggies (8-5, 0-0 WAC)
Utah State went 3-0 last week at the Athletes in Action Classic in Logan, Utah ... the Aggies downed UT-Arlington 73-69 in the first game of the tournament ... USU then defeated St. Peter’s 72-47 before taking down Kent State 81-62 in the finale to win the championship ... sophomore guard Preston Medlin scored a career-high 27 points in the win over UT-Arlington ... Medlin, who was 8-of-12 from the field, 6-of-9 from three-point range and 5-of-6 at the free throw line, also had a career-high eight assists in the game to go along with a career-high tying two steals versus UTA ... senior forward Morgan Grim had 17 points and 10 rebounds for his second career double-double in leading USU to the win over St. Peter’s ... Junior forward Kyisean Reed scored a career-high 27 points and Medlin added 20 as Utah State defeated Kent State ... USU now travels to play No. 14/15 Mississippi State on Saturday.