Andrew Riggs / Collegian File Photo
The defending WAC champion, Fresno State’s women’s basketball team, has had an impressive season so far, winning 13 of its 19 games and currently sitting in a three-way tie for second place in the conference. They are fighting hard to defend last season’s championship and make a return appearance in the NCAA tournament.
Highlights include some impressive wins, including victories over UNLV, Boise State and TCU. The team also handed Louisiana Tech its second-worst home loss in program history, beating the Lady Techsters 78-53 on Jan. 16.
Disappointments include a loss to New Mexico State, (6-14), and a 38-point rout at the hands of Stanford.
The team̢۪s 13-6 record is the third best in school history through 19 games, which is even more impressive when considering that there are only two seniors on the team.
While it is hard to compare athletics to academics, the team certainly deserves an “Aâ€Â when it comes to 3-point shots. They have already hit 191 from behind the arc and are averaging slightly more than 34 percent.
Team finding its ‘rhythm’
The team leaders in scoring thus far are sophomore guard Jaleesa Ross, senior guard Bailey Amundsen and sophomore forward Hayley Munro. All three players are averaging more than 10 points a game.
Joseph Edgecomb / Collegian File Photo
Munro leads the team in rebounds with seven per game and nearly had a triple double in the latest tilt against Hawaii. LaShay Fears is the leader in assists averaging 3.5 per contest.
Ross is the ̢۪Dogs̢۪ leading scorer thus far, averaging 12.3 points per game, and she is excited about what the rest of the season holds.
“We’ve hit some high points and some down points, but this is a new team, and we’re getting into a rhythm now,â€Â Ross said.
Ross said the trip to Hawaii was one of the high points of the season, with the 26-point win over the Rainbow Wahine making it that much sweeter.
Upcoming games crucial for WAC spot
Head coach Adrian Wiggins was also happy with the way the team has played in the first half of the season. While refusing to provide a letter grade, he said he would rate the team’s performance as “goodâ€Â, with some great moments and some that were “less desirable.â€Â
“We’re in second right now and we’re tied with lots of other teams,â€Â Wiggins said. “But we still have 10 games to go, and of course the tournament is important.â€Â
When asked about the intense pressure that comes with the automatic berth that is up for grabs in the WAC tournament, Wiggins seemed confident and at ease, saying, “It gives the players hope; no matter what happens, they still have hope at the end of the season.â€Â
Neither Wiggins nor Ross was ready to hand out clichés about taking it one game at a time. When asked about their goals for the rest of the season they both said simply, “Our goal is to win the WAC.â€Â
Of the 10 games remaining, several are key matchups that will set the pace for the WAC tournament in March. At the forefront of these is a home game against archrival San Jose State this Friday and both a home and an away game against Nevada. The Wolfpack is in first place in the WAC with a 5-0 record in conference play this season.
With the team building chemistry, they hope to defend their conference championship during the rest of the season, and return to the NCAA tournament. Once that goal has been achieved, the sky is the limit for the Bulldogs.