FRESNO STATE TO REPRESENT WAC IN NCAA TOURNAMENT
Fresno State (28-5) will make its fifth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance when the 12th-seeded Bulldogs take on No. 5-seed Georgetown in the first round of the Des Moines Regional on Sunday at Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill, N.C. Fresno State is coming off its WAC Tournament title win, an 89-61 victory over Louisiana Tech Saturday in Las Vegas. The Bulldogs swept the WAC titles after posting a 15-1 conference mark in regular-season play.
The Bulldogs are led by WAC Tournament MVP Ki-Ki Moore, who averages 16.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.9 steals. Fresno State ranks in the top 50 nationally in 11 statistical categories, including third in three-pointers per game (9.8), fourth in turnover margin (7.5) and ninth in scoring (75.5).
Georgetown is led by Sugar Rodgers, who averages 18.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. The Hoyas fell in the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Tournament and earned an at-large berth with a 22-8 record.
UTAH STATE FACES UTAH IN FIRST ROUND OF WNIT
For the second-straight season, Utah State will play in the WNIT, traveling to Utah on Thursday, March 15. The Aggies earned the WAC’s automatic bid to the tournament as the second-place team in the standings. Utah is the second Pac-12 school that USU has faced in the WNIT, having defeated Arizona in the first round a year ago.
Utah State (21-9), which advanced to the semifinals of the WAC Tournament, has posted a school-record 21 wins. The Aggies are led by Ashlee Brown, who earned first-team all-WAC and was the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year. Brown has 12 double-doubles this season, averaging 15.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.
Utah is 15-15 this season and is led by Michelle Plouffe, who averages 14.0 points 8.0 rebounds per game. The Utes have made five appearances in the WNIT (1979, 1984, 1999, 2007 and 2010).
The WNIT is celebrating its 15th season and has selected one of its most competitive fields in tournament history featuring 36 teams with 20 or more wins this season.
FRESNO STATE CLAIMS 2012 WAC TOURNAMENT
Fresno State drained a WAC Tournament record 15 three-pointers en route to an 89-61 win over Louisiana Tech in the championship game of the WAC Tournament. The win marks the fourth WAC Tournament title for the Bulldogs and second in a row. Rosie Moult scored a game-high 23 points to lead Fresno State in the championship game.
Ki-Ki Moore was named tournament MVP after averaging 17.7 points on 53 percent shooting, 4.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.3 steals over the three games.
All-Tournament Team
Jasmine Bendolph - Louisiana Tech
Ashlee Brown - Utah State
Alyssa Charlston - Idaho
Rosie Moult - Fresno State
Ki-Ki Moore - Fresno State (MVP)
EIGHT WAC TOURNAMENT RECORDS FALL
Eight different WAC Tournament records (two individual and six team) were either tied or broken in Las Vegas last week. The records are listed below.
Individual
| Three-pointers
made – game |
6 |
Rosie Moult, Fresno State (vs.
Louisiana Tech) |
| Three-pointers attempted –
tournament |
30 |
Rosie Moult, Fresno State |
Team
| Three-pointers
made – game |
15 |
Fresno State vs. Louisiana Tech |
| Three-pointers made –
tournament |
33 |
Fresno State (three games) |
| Three-pointers attempted –
game |
40 |
Fresno State vs. Louisiana Tech |
| Three-pointers attempted –
tournament |
107 |
Fresno State (three games) |
| Best free throw percentage –
game |
94.1 |
Utah State vs. Louisiana Tech |
| Best free throw percentage –
tournament |
91.4 |
Utah State (two games) |
ALL-WAC HONORS ANNOUNCED
The 2011-12 all-WAC teams, as selected by the WAC’s eight head coaches, were announced before the WAC Tournament. Fresno State’s Ki-Ki Moore headlined the awards, earning both the WAC Player and Newcomer of the Year honors.
It was a breakout season for Moore, a sophomore transfer from Washington State. In WAC games, she led the league in steals (3.6), ranked third in scoring (15.9), sixth in assists (3.1), seventh in assist-turnover ratio (1.0), eighth in rebounding (8.0) and 10th in field goal percentage (44.4). Moore scored a career-high 28 points three times this season and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds against Idaho. She was named WAC Player of the Week four times. She becomes the third Fresno State player to earn WAC Player of the Year and the second Bulldog to be named WAC Newcomer of the Year.
Utah State’s Ashlee Brown earned the WAC Defensive Player of the Year honor, becoming the first Aggie to earn the award, which was added in 2008. The senior forward ranked second in conference games in blocks (1.6), fifth in rebounding (8.7), tied for seventh in defensive rebounding (5.2) and sixth in steals (1.9). She is the anchor of the Utah State defense that ranked second in the WAC with 10.7 steals per game in league games.
San Jose State head coach Tim La Kose, in his first season at the helm, became the second Spartan head coach to be named WAC Coach of the Year. He led San Jose State to nine more wins than last year and the most wins since the 2005-06 season. The nine-game improvement, from two to 11 wins, ranks in the top five in the nation this year. Under La Kose, the Spartans improved their scoring by 550 points from a year ago and increased their per-game average from 47.7 to 64.4 points. The team’s 1,933 total points this season ranks fourth-best in San Jose State history.
Four different schools are represented on the first team, including Moore and Brown. Idaho’s Alyssa Charlston, Utah State’s Devyn Christensen and San Jose State’s Brittany Johnson round out the first team. Brown receives first-team all-WAC honors for the second time, while Moore, Charlston, Christensen and Johnson all earn the honor for the first time.
The all-WAC second teamers are Jasmine Bendolph and Shantale Bramble-Donaldson of Louisiana Tech, Rosie Moult and Taylor Thompson of Fresno State, and Kamilah Jackson of Hawai‘i. Bendolph and Moult are repeat selections, while the other three are making their first appearance on the team.
Brown headlines the all-Defensive team and is joined by Moult, Thompson, Breanna Arbuckle of Hawai‘i and Louisiana Tech’s Whitney Frazier.
The all-Freshman team contains five players from five different teams, including Frazier, Alissa Campanero of Hawai‘i, San Jose State’s Ta’Rea Cunnigan, Krissy Karr of Idaho and Fresno State’s Madison Parrish.
WAC STAT LEADERS
San Jose State’s Brittany Johnson currently leads the WAC in scoring with 20.1 points per game, while Kamilah Jackson of Hawai‘i is tops in rebounding with an average of 10.6 boards. Louisiana Tech’s Shantale Bramble-Donaldson is tops in field goal percentage (50.5), while teammate Jasmine Bendolph leads the league in assists (5.7). Utah State’s Devyn Christensen is tops in free throw percentage (89.6) and Fresno State’s Ki-Ki Moore leads the WAC in steals (2.9). Utah State’s Maddy Plunkett leads the league in three-point field goal percentage (47.4), while Nevada’s Kayla Williams is tops in blocked shots (1.7). Fresno State’s Rosie Moult is tops in three-pointers per game (2.9), while teammate Taylor Thompson leads the WAC in assist-turnover ratio (2.2).
In WAC games only, Christensen led the league in scoring (20.6), free throw percentage (94.7) and three-pointers per game (2.9), while Kamilah Jackson was tops in rebounding (10.6) and Utah State’s Brooke Jackson was the leader in field goal percentage (56.5). Bendolph led the WAC in assists (6.8), while Moore was tops in steals (3.6). Thompson was tops in three-point field goal percentage (52.5), Idaho’s Ashley Walters led the league in blocks (1.8) and Brown was tops in assist-turnover ratio (2.9).
UTAH STATE BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD FOR WINS IN A SEASON
When it defeated Hawai‘i on March 1, Utah State earned its 19th victory, breaking the school record for wins in a season. The previous record of 18 was set last season. The Aggies have since won two more games, improving the record to 21 wins.
FRESNO STATE’S MOULT SCORES 1,000TH CAREER POINT
Fresno State junior Rosie Moult scored her 1,000th career point on March 3 in a win over New Mexico State. The guard/forward, a two-time all-WAC honoree, has 1,057 career points. A deadly three-point shooter, 747 of her points (71 percent) have come off long balls.
LA TECH’S BENDOLPH DISHES 500TH CAREER ASSIST
Louisiana Tech senior guard Jasmine Bendolph dished out her 500th career assist on March 1 at Fresno State, becoming just the fifth player in Lady Techster history to do so. She closed out her career with 516 dimes and ranks 17th nationally with a 5.7 average this season.
BROWN SETS AGGIE SINGLE-SEASON FREE THROW RECORD
Utah State senior Ashlee Brown became the Aggies’ single-season record holder for free throws made on March 3. She now has 162 free throws on the year, passing Sharon Epps’ record of 148 from the 1982 season.
SAN JOSE STATE’S JOHNSON SETS TWO SEASON RECORDS
San Jose State senior Brittany Johnson became the Spartans’ single-season scoring leader with 603 points and single-season leader in free throws made with 158. She also ranked second in free throws attempted (224).
SEVERAL PLAYERS IN WAC CAREER TOP 10 LISTS
Several players have broken into the top 10 in various WAC career statistical categories. Louisiana Tech’s Jasmine Bendolph closed out her career ranked sixth all-time in assists (516). Rosie Moult of Fresno State has 249 three-pointers on her career, good for sixth place in WAC history. Finally, New Mexico State’s Tabytha Wampler finished her career with 889 rebounds, good for seventh place all-time.
JOHNSON’S DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORING STREAK MOVES TO 31
San Jose State senior forward Brittany Johnson scored in double figures in 31 straight games (each of the team’s 30 games this season, plus one last year). The WAC’s leading scorer, she currently ranks 16th nationally in scoring with an average of 20.1 points per game. She scored 20 or more points 14 times this season and scored a career-high 32 against Nevada on Jan. 28.
IDAHO’S CHARLSTON NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN
Idaho sophomore Alyssa Charlston was named to the Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Women’s Basketball Team. The post player, who boasts a 4.00 grade-point average, was named to the third team. Of the 15 players to earn the honor, Charlston is one of just two sophomores, one of five to have a perfect GPA and the only student-athlete from the WAC. The Sammamish, Wash., native is majoring in broadcasting and digital media with plans to become an on-camera reporter. Charlston is the fifth player in program history to earn the prestigious honor, and the first since 2001-02.
SAN JOSE STATE HAS BEST SEASON IN MORE THAN FIVE YEARS
With its 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. With six conference wins, the Spartans surpassed their single-season WAC win total from any of the last five seasons. What’s more, SJSU’s 11 wins are the most the team has had since it won 13 games in 2005-06 and the six conference wins are also its highest total since the team won eight in 2005-06. The Spartans’ win at Hawai‘i 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. San Jose State’s win over Nevada was its first two-game, regular-season sweep of the Wolf Pack since 2005-06, while its win over Fresno State on Feb. 25 was its first victory over the Bulldogs since the 2002-03 season.
San Jose State ended the season with 1,933 points, the fourth-most points scored in a season in Spartan history, 550 more than last season and the most since the 2000-01 season. The team increased its scoring averaged by 16.7 points - 44.7 last year to 64.4 this season.
FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS (28-5, 13-1 WAC)
Top-seeded Fresno State defeated No. 8 New Mexico State (66-58), No. 4 Idaho (80-55) and No. 3 Louisiana Tech (89-61) to claim its fourth WAC Tournament title last week ... Ki-Ki Moore was named tournament MVP after averaging 17.7 points on 53 percent shooting, 4.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.3 steals over the three games ... Rosie Moult was also named to the all-tournament team after scoring 23 points in the championship game ... The Bulldogs rank third nationally in three-pointers per game (9.8), fourth in turnover margin (7.5), ninth in scoring (75.5), 10th in steals (12.5) and assist-turnover ratio (1.13), 13th in winning percentage (84.8), 14th in assists (16.5), 21st in scoring margin (13.3), 33rd in three-point field goal percentage (34.5), 35th in turnovers (14.6) and 47th in field goal percentage (42.1) ... Moult ranks ninth nationally in three-pointers per game (2.9), while Taylor Thompson is 11th in assist-turnover ratio (2.18) and Moore is 25th in steals (2.9) ... The No. 12-seed Bulldogs face are making their fifth-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and face fifth-seeded Georgetown in the first round in Chapel Hill, N.C., on Sunday.
HAWAI‘I RAINBOW WAHINE (11-19, 6-8 WAC)
The sixth-seeded Rainbow Wahine fell 54-63 to Louisiana Tech in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament last Wednesday to close out the season ... Kamilah Jackson posted her 16th double-double of the season, finishing with 17 points and 16 rebounds ... Jackson was named second team all-WAC, while Breanna Arbuckle was named to the defensive team and Alissa Campanero was named to the freshman team ... Jackson’s 317 rebounds this season ranks 10th all-time in the WAC single-season record books ... Hawai‘i ranks 21st nationally in personal fouls per game (13.8) ... Jackson ranks 12th in the nation in double-doubles (16) and 14th in rebounding (10.6) ... Jackson scored in double figures 22 times this season and has grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 19 games ... Hawai‘i leads the WAC in rebounding margin (2.2) and defensive rebounds (27.7), ranks second in rebounding (39.6), third in free throw percentage (69.7), field goal percentage defense (39.1) and rebounding defense (37.4), and fourth in blocked shots (3.7) ... Arbuckle ranks third in the WAC in blocked shots (1.5), while Campanero is seventh in three-pointers per game (1.6) and ninth in assists (2.9).
IDAHO VANDALS (12-20, 6-8 WAC)
Fourth-seeded Idaho defeated No. 5 San Jose State 67-63 in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament before falling 55-80 to top-seeded Fresno State in the semifinals to close out the season ...
Against the Bulldogs, Idaho shot just 3-of-22 from the field in the first half ... Alyssa Charlston was named to the all-tournament team after posting double-doubles in both games and averaging 15.0 points and 12.5 rebounds per game ... Charlston, a third team Academic All-American and first team all-WAC pick, ranks fourth in the WAC in rebounding (8.8) and field goal percentage (48.6), and sixth in scoring (14.5) and blocks (1.0) ... Ashley Walters is second in the WAC in blocks (1.6), while Adrie Shiels is eighth (0.8) ... Stacey Barr is fifth in the conference in three-pointers per game (2.0), while Keri Arendse is seventh in minutes played (32.2) ... Krissy Karr is third in assists (4.0), fifth in minutes played (33.1) and sixth in assist-turnover ratio (1.2) ... As a team, Idaho ranks second in the WAC in field goal percentage defense (37.9), blocked shots (3.9), defensive rebounds (27.3) and three-pointers per game (6.3), and fourth in rebounding (38.2).
LOUISIANA TECH LADY TECHSTERS (17-15, 8-6 WAC)
Third-seeded Louisiana Tech defeated No. 6 Hawai‘i 63-54 in the quarterfinals and beat second-seeded Utah State 73-69 in the semifinals before falling to No. 1 Fresno State 61-89 in the championship game of the WAC Tournament last week to close out the season ... Jasmine Bendolph was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 15.7 points on 57 percent shooting, 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.0 steal per game over the three games ... As a team, the Lady Techsters rank 43rd nationally in assists (14.8) ... Bendolph leads the WAC and ranks 17th nationally in assists (5.7) and ranks second in the WAC and 33rd in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (1.83) ... Shantale Bramble-Donaldson leads the WAC in field goal percentage (50.5) and ranks seventh in rebounding (8.1) ... LA Tech leads the WAC in three-point field goal percentage defense (29.2), and ranks third in assists (14.75), scoring defense (66.2), scoring margin (0.3), three-point field goal percentage (32.3), turnover margin (1.0) and assist-turnover ratio (0.89), and fourth in scoring (66.6), field goal percentage (41.2) and field goal percentage defense (40.8.
NEVADA WOLF PACK (7-23, 3-11 WAC)
Seventh-seeded Nevada fell 66-75 to No. 2 Utah State in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament last Wednesday to close out the season ... Kate Kevorken posted her fourth double-double of the season, finishing with game highs of 21 points and 12 rebounds ... Kayla Williams ranks 47th nationally in field goal percentage (49.3), while Amanda Johnson is 48th in assist-turnover ratio (1.7) ... As a team, Nevada leads the WAC in blocked shots (4.27) and offensive rebounds (13.87), ranks third in scoring (67.5), field goal percentage (41.3) and rebounding (39.1), and fourth in free throw percentage (67.2), assists (14.07), steals (8.03) and assist-turnover ratio (0.71) ... Kevorken ranks second in the WAC in three-pointers per game (2.1), third in scoring (16.0), sixth in minutes played (32.7), eighth in free throw percentage (69.9) and three-point field goal percentage (35.8), ninth in field goal percentage (44.5) and 10th in rebounding (6.6) ... Williams leads the WAC in blocks (1.73), ranks third in field goal percentage (49.3), ninth in rebounding (7.0) and 10th in free throw percentage (69.0) ... Chanelle Brennan is sixth in field goal percentage (46.7) and 10th in steals (1.53).
NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES (6-24, 3-11 WAC)
Eighth-seeded New Mexico State fell 58-66 to No. 1 Fresno State in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament last Wednesday to close out the season ... Tabytha Wampler led the Aggies with 14 points, while Kelsie Rozendaal added 11 ... As a team, New Mexico State leads the WAC in rebounding defense (35.0), ranks second in scoring defense (63.3), free throw percentage (69.7), three-point field goal percentage defense (29.4) and rebounding margin (2.0), and fourth in offensive rebounds (12.4) ... Wampler ranks third in the WAC in rebounding (9.0) and defensive rebounds (6.57), sixth in free throw percentage (75.0) and offensive rebounds (2.4), and eighth in scoring (13.3) ... In the New Mexico State career record books, Wampler is the all-time leader in games started (121), ranks tied for first in games played (125), sixth in rebounds (889) and free throws made (303), tied for sixth in free throw percentage (76.1), seventh in free throws attempted (3980, ninth in rebounding average (7.1) and 13th in scoring (1,254) ... Wampler’s 889 career rebounds ranks seventh all-time in WAC history.
SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS (11-19, 6-8 WAC)
Fifth-seeded San Jose State fell 63-67 to No. 4 Idaho in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament last Wednesday ... Brittany Johnson scored a game-high 31 points, while Sara Plavljanin added 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists ... Johnson was a first team all-WAC pick, while Cunnigan was named to the all-freshman team and Tim La Kose was WAC Coach of the Year ... Johnson leads the WAC and ranks 16th nationally in scoring (20.1), while Plavljanin ranks 29th nationally in three-point field goal percentage (37.9) ... Johnson also ranks fourth in the WAC in minutes played (34.4), sixth in rebounding (8.1), eighth in steals (1.6) and 10th in blocks (0.8) ... Plavljanin leads the WAC in minutes played (36.5), ranks fourth in three-pointers per game (2.03) and steals (2.1), sixth in assists (3.63) and three-point field goal percentage (37.9), seventh in scoring (13.9) and eighth in assist-turnover ratio (0.93) ... Myesha Broaden ranks fifth in the WAC in rebounding (8.3) and blocked shots (1.2), ninth in minutes played (31.63) and 10th in field goal percentage (43.5) ... SJSU leads the WAC in field goal percentage defense (37.3) and rebounding (40.3), and ranks third in steals (10.0).
UTAH STATE AGGIES (21-9, 11-3 WAC)
No. 2 Utah State defeated seventh-seeded Nevada 75-66 in the quarterfinals of the WAC Tournament before falling 69-73 to No. 3 Louisiana Tech in the semifinals ... Ashlee Brown was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 20.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 3.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game ... The Aggies rank third in the nation in free throw percentage (79.3) and three-point field goal percentage (38.7), 17th in field goal percentage (44.1), 21st in scoring (72.8), 22nd in assists (15.6), 27th in assist-turnover ratio (0.97), 40th in steals (10.7) and 50th in personal fouls (14.7) ... Devyn Christensen leads the WAC and ranks sixth nationally in free throw percentage (89.6), while Brooke Jackson is eighth (89.1) ... Christensen also ranks 22nd nationally in three-point field goal percentage (38.9), while Brown is 34th in assist-turnover ratio (1.82) ... Brown ranks second in the WAC in rebounding (9.0), fourth in blocks (1.4), fifth in scoring (15.1), free throw percentage (77.1) and steals (2.1), and seventh in assists (3.5) ... The Aggies play at Utah in the first round of the WNIT on Thursday.