LA TECH’S BRAMBLE-DONALDSON WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Louisiana Tech senior forward Shantale Bramble-Donaldson has been named the Verizon Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for Feb. 6-12. This is her first-ever WAC Player of the Week honor.
The Bronx, N.Y., native led the Lady Techsters to a pair of road wins at second-place Utah State (82-76) and at Idaho (61-57). Against the Aggies, Bramble-Donaldson was just shy of a double-double, finishing with 12 points and nine rebounds. In the win over the Vandals, she scored a career-high 25 points and pulled down 14 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season. Bramble-Donaldson scored eight straight points down the stretch, including a shot with 46 seconds remaining to seal the victory. For the week, she averaged 18.5 points on 55 percent shooting and 11.5 rebounds, all well above her season averages.
Other nominees included: Taylor Thompson of Fresno State scored 17 points on 85 percent shooting, including a perfect 5-for-5 from three-point range, in a win at Nevada ... Nevada’s Kayla Williams scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds in a loss to Fresno State ... Dre Chenier of New Mexico State averaged 11.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game off the bench ... San Jose State’s Brittany Johnson scored 29 points in a win at Hawai‘i ... Devyn Christensen of Utah State averaged 16.0 points, 4.5 assists and 3.0 steals per game as the Aggies went 1-1 on the week.
SAN JOSE STATE’S JOHNSON CLIMBING PROGRAM SINGLE-SEASON CHARTS
San Jose State senior Brittany Johnson, the nation’s 16th leading scorer, currently ranks fourth in the Spartan single-season records in free throws made (125) and sixth in free throws attempted (177). In addition, with 456 points this season, she is just outside the top 10.
FRESNO STATE TIES WAC RECORD FOR THREE-POINTERS IN A GAME
Fresno State made 18 three-pointers in its win at Nevada on Feb. 11, tying the WAC single-game records both for all games and WAC games only. Taylor Thompson was a perfect 5-for-5 from downtown, while Rosie Moult made four treys and Madison Parrish was a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. The Bulldogs previously set the records last season against Idaho.
SAN JOSE STATE SNAPS 44-GAME WAC ROAD LOSING SKID
With its 86-79 win at Nevada on Jan. 28, San Jose State broke a 44-game conference road losing streak that dated back to the 2005-06 season. The last time the Spartans had won a WAC road game was Feb. 1, 2006, when they defeated Boise State 69-64 at Taco Bell Arena. With four conference wins, the Spartans have surpassed their single-season WAC win total from any of the last five seasons. What’s more, San Jose State’s nine wins are the most the team has had since it won 13 games in 2005-06 and the four conference wins are also its highest total since the team won eight WAC games in 2005-06. The Spartans’ win at Hawai‘i on Feb. 11 gave them their first two-game, regular season sweep of a conference opponent since 2005-06 and the first win in Honolulu since San Jose State swept the season-series from the Rainbow Wahine in 2004-05.
SJSU’S JOHNSON’S DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORING STREAK EXTENDS TO 24 GAMES
San Jose State senior forward Brittany Johnson has scored in double figures in 24 straight games (each of the team’s 23 games this season, plus one last year). The WAC’s leading scorer, she currently ranks 16th nationally in scoring with an average of 19.8 points per game. She has scored 20 or more points 11 times this season and scored a career-high 32 against Nevada on Jan. 28.
WAC STAT LEADERS
San Jose State’s Brittany Johnson currently leads the WAC in scoring with 19.8 points per game, while Kamilah Jackson of Hawai‘i is tops in rebounding with an average of 10.7 boards. Nevada’s Kayla Williams is tops in field goal percentage (52.2) and blocked shots (2.0). Louisiana Tech’s Jasmine Bendolph leads the league in assists (5.96), Utah State’s Brooke Jackson is tops in free throw percentage (86.8) and Fresno State’s Ki-Ki Moore leads the WAC in steals (2.58). Fresno State’s Rosie Moult is tops in three-pointers per game (2.73), while Utah State’s Maddy Plunkett leads the league in three-point field goal percentage (47.4). Taylor Thompson of Fresno State leads the WAC in assist-turnover ratio (2.30).
In WAC games only, Johnson leads the WAC in scoring (20.8), while Kamilah Jackson is tops in rebounding (11.9) and Brooke Jackson is the leader in field goal percentage (58.5). Utah State’s Devyn Christensen leads the league in free throw percentage (89.7) and three-pointers per game (2.44), while Bendolph leads the WAC in assists (7.44) and assist-turnover ratio (2.91). Thompson leads the WAC in steals (3.5) and three-point field goal percentage (66.7), while Idaho’s Ashley Walters leads the league in blocks (2.22).
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.
FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS (20-4, 8-0 WAC)
Fresno State defeated Nevada 85-67 last Saturday to remain the only unbeaten team in WAC play ... Taylor Thompson led the Bulldogs with 17 points on 85 percent shooting, followed by Rosie Moult and Madison Parrish with 14 and 13 points, respectively ... Fresno State tied their own WAC and school record with 18 three-pointers in the game, including five by Thompson and four by Moult ... The Bulldogs have won nine straight games ... Fresno State has now won 119 games by 10 or more points under head coach Adrian Wiggins ... The Bulldogs rank second nationally in three-pointers per game (9.8), seventh in turnover margin (6.79), 12th in three-point field goal percentage (36.6),13th in scoring (75.6) and assist-turnover ratio (1.1), 15th in assists per game (16.9) and steals per game (12.3), 18th in winning percentage (83.3), 31st in scoring margin (11.8) and 45th in field goal percentage (42.2) ... Thompson ranks 12th in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (2.3), while Moult is 20th in three-pointers per game (2.7) and 48th in three-point field goal percentage (36.6) ... The Bulldogs host Idaho on Thursday and Utah State on Saturday.
HAWAI‘I RAINBOW WAHINE (8-15, 3-5 WAC)
The Rainbow Wahine fell 58-67 to San Jose State on Saturday in their only game last week ... Breanna Arbuckle and Vicky Tagalicod led the team with 13 points each ... Kamilah Jackson has scored in double figures 17 times this season and has grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 15 games ... The Rainbow Wahine rank 20th nationally in personal fouls per game (13.7) ... Jackson leads the WAC and ranks 12th in the nation in double-doubles (12) and is tops in the WAC and 15th nationally in rebounding (10.7). She also ranks sixth in the conference in minutes played (32.3) and ninth in scoring (13.2) ... Breanna Arbuckle ranks third in the WAC in blocked shots (1.48), ninth in defensive rebounds (4.61) and 10th in rebounding (6.3) ... Alyssa Campanero ranks ninth in the WAC in assists (2.78) ... Hawai‘i ranks second in the WAC in rebounding margin (2.0) and defensive rebounds (27.26), and third in free throw percentage (68.2), field goal percentage defense (38.9), rebounding (39.5), rebounding defense (37.5) and blocked shots (3.83) ... Hawai‘i plays at New Mexico State on Thursday and at Louisiana Tech on Saturday.
IDAHO VANDALS (8-17, 3-6 WAC)
Idaho defeated New Mexico State 62-59 in overtime last Thursday before falling 57-61 to Louisiana Tech on Saturday, ending a three-game winning streak ... Against the Aggies, Alyssa Charlston led all scorers with 17 points, while Keri Arendse added 12 points and Jessica Graham had 10 ... In the loss to LA Tech, Arendse led the team with 14 points, while Charlston added a double-double of 10 points and 10 boards ... The Vandals are 4-2 this season in games decided by five points or less ... Charlston ranks fourth in the WAC in rebounding (8.4) and blocks (1.2), fifth in scoring (14.4) and eighth in field goal percentage (47.7) ... Ashley Walters is second in the WAC in blocks (1.8), while Adrie Shiels is ninth (0.83) ... Stacey Barr is fourth in the conference in three-pointers per game (1.83), while Krissy Karr is second in assists (4.0) and fifth in minutes played (32.4) ... As a team, Idaho leads the WAC defensive rebounds (27.3), ranks second in field goal percentage defense (37.3), blocked shots (4.36) and three-pointers per game (5.7), and fourth in rebounding (38.5) ... The Vandals play at Fresno State on Thursday and at Nevada on Saturday.
LOUISIANA TECH LADY TECHSTERS (13-11, 6-3 WAC)
Louisiana Tech defeated Utah State 82-76 last Thursday and beat Idaho 61-57 on Saturday ... Against the Aggies, Whitney Frazier scored a career-high 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting ... Shantale Bramble-Donaldson added 12 points and nine rebounds, while Jasmine Bendolph added 11 points and eight assists ... Against the Vandals, Bramble-Donaldson led all players with 25 points and 14 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season ... The Techsters rank 46th nationally in assists (15.0) and 50th in three-point field goal percentage (34.1) ... Bendolph leads the WAC and ranks 13th nationally in assists (6.0) and ranks second in the WAC and 27th in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (1.99) ... LA Tech ranks third in the WAC in scoring (67.2), scoring margin (1.1), field goal percentage (41.4), three-point field goal percentage (34.1), assists (14.96), turnover margin (1.33), assist-turnover ratio (0.92) and three-pointers per game (5.58), and fourth in scoring defense (66.2) and three-point field goal percentage defense (30.2) ... Bramble-Donaldson ranks second in the WAC in field goal percentage (52.1) ... The Techsters host San Jose State on Thursday and Hawai‘i on Saturday.
NEVADA WOLF PACK (5-18, 1-7 WAC)
Nevada fell 67-85 to Fresno State on Saturday in their only game last week ... Kayla Williams led all players with a career-high 24 points, while Chanelle Brennan just missed out on a double-double, finishing with 12 points and nine rebounds, and Arielle Wideman added 10 points ... Kate Kevorken ranks 42nd nationally in three-point field goal percentage (37.3), while Williams is 42nd in blocks (2.0) ... As a team, Nevada leads the WAC in blocked shots (4.52), ranks second in rebounding (40.1) and offensive rebounds (14.39), third in rebounding margin (0.8), and fourth in scoring (66.3), free throw percentage (67.1), field goal percentage (41.0), rebounding defense (39.3), assists (13.7), steals (7.43), assist-turnover ratio (0.67) and defensive rebounds (25.74) ... Kevorken ranks third in the WAC in scoring (15.8) and three-pointers per game (2.04), eighth in three-point field goal percentage (37.3) and ninth in free throw percentage (70.4) ... Williams leads the WAC in blocks (2.0) and field goal percentage (52.2), and ranks eighth in rebounding (7.5) ... The Wolf Pack host Utah State on Thursday and Idaho on Saturday.
NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES (5-19, 2-7 WAC)
New Mexico State fell 59-62 in overtime at Idaho last Thursday, then fell 67-85 at Utah State on Saturday ... Against Idaho, Dre Chenier and Simone Ruedin scored 13 points apiece, career highs for both ... Against Utah State, Tabytha Wampler scored a team-high 12 points, while Kelsie Rozendaal and Chenier added 10 points each ... The game against Utah State was head coach Mark Trakh’s 500th career game at the Division I level. He has a 294-206 (.588) record ... Wampler ranks 46th nationally and second in the WAC in rebounds (9.3) ... As a team, New Mexico State leads the WAC in scoring defense (62.8), rebounding defense (34.8) and rebounding margin (2.5), ranks second in free throw percentage (69.1) and three-point field goal percentage defense (29.4), and fourth in field goal percentage defense (40.8) and offensive rebounds (12.42) ... Wampler ranks second in the WAC in defensive rebounds (6.92), sixth in free throw percentage (73.0), seventh in offensive rebounds (2.38) and eighth in scoring (13.4) ... NM State is without Kaitlyn Soto for the remainder of the season ... The Aggies host Hawai‘i on Thursday and San Jose State on Saturday.
SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS (9-14, 4-4 WAC)
San Jose State defeated Hawai‘i 67-58 on Saturday in their only game last week ... Brittany Johnson led all players with 29 points, while Sara Plavljanin and Myesha Broaden added 10 apiece. Broaden also pulled down 12 boards for her fourth double-double of the season ... Johnson has scored in double digits in 24 straight games, dating back to last season ... Johnson leads the WAC and ranks 16th nationally in scoring (19.8), while Sara Plavljanin ranks 26th nationally in three-point field goal percentage (39.0) ... Johnson also ranks fourth in the WAC in minutes played (34.04), fifth in rebounding (8.4), seventh in free throw percentage (70.6) and eighth in steals (1.65) ... Plavljanin ranks second in the WAC in three-pointers per game (2.09) and minutes played (36.22), third in steals (2.17), fourth in three-point field goal percentage (39.0), sixth in assists (3.5) and assist-turnover ratio (0.88), and seventh in scoring (13.6) ... San Jose State leads the WAC in field goal percentage defense (37.0), three-point field goal percentage defense (29.0), rebounding (41.4) and offensive rebounds (14.5) ... The Spartans play at Louisiana Tech on Thursday and at New Mexico State on Saturday.
UTAH STATE AGGIES (16-7, 7-2 WAC)
Utah State fell 76-82 to Louisiana Tech last Thursday, then defeated New Mexico State 85-67 on Saturday ... Against LA Tech, Devyn Christensen led the Aggies with 22 points, while Brooke Jackson and Ashlee Brown added 14 points apiece and Maddy Plunkett scored 12 ... In the win over NM State, Jenna Johnson led USU with 11 points, followed by Plunkett and Christensen with 10 apiece ... Brown pulled down 10 rebounds ... The Aggies rank seventh nationally in three-point field goal percentage (38.1), 13th in free throw percentage (76.7), 21st in field goal percentage (44.0), 36th in scoring (71.4), 41st in both assists (15.1) and steals (10.8), and 45th in assist-turnover ratio (0.93) ... Jackson leads the WAC and ranks 22nd nationally in free throw percentage (86.8), while Christensen is 27th (86.5) ... Brown ranks third in the WAC in rebounding (8.5), fourth in scoring (14.5) and free throw percentage (75.2), fifth in steals (2.1) and blocks (1.13), and 10th in assists (2.57) ... Plunkett leads the WAC in three-point field goal percentage (47.4), while Jackson is third (40.7) and Christensen is seventh (37.5) ... The Aggies play at Nevada on Thursday and at Fresno State on Saturday.