Fresno State’s winningest group in school history looks to right the ship in WAC Tournament
Mike Howells/Collegian File Photo
When the senior class for the Fresno State women’s basketball team first stepped on to campus in the fall of 2007, head coach Adrian Wiggins didn’t expect that this team of five would become the winningest class in school history.
But for Emma Andrews, Marnique Arnold, Taja Edwards, Hayley Munro, and Jalessa Ross, the 95 games won won’t be as meaningful if the Bulldogs do not win the Western Athletic Conference Tournament this weekend in Las Vegas to earn the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
“We just want to go in there and win every game no matter who we play,” Ross said, a first-team All-WAC selection for the third straight year.
The Bulldogs, a team that has prided themselves in WAC supremacy in recent years, had their dominance come to an end this season as Louisiana Tech not only crushed the high-flying spirits of the Bulldogs and their 20-game regular-season conference winning streak dating back to the 2008-09 season, but also that of WAC foes as the Lady Techsters cruised a 15-1 record in conference play.
But despite the blemishes this season and the two overtime losses to Louisiana Tech, the Bulldogs firmly believe that with a senior class that has paid its dues the past four years, not even an almighty Louisiana Tech team stands in their way for an NCAA bid.
“You couldn’t have asked for a better group as far as experience and confidence,” Wiggins said. “We’ve been there before so hopefully we find a way to get there.”
“Experience definitely helps you in the postseason,” Ross said.
This group of seniors has experienced the ups-and-downs of an entire college basketball career, but the last three losses to Louisiana Tech sticks out most.
The Lady Techsters dropped 94 and 90 points against the Bulldogs in two meetings this season. Louisiana Tech was the only WAC team to score 90 or more points on the Bulldogs.
But the most disappointing loss of all came against the Lady Techsters in last year’s WAC Tournament final. Down by two in the final seconds, LaShay Fears drove the ball coast-to-coast to only miss the game-tying layup as time expired, ending Fresno State’s chances of a three-peat as WAC Tournament champions.
Matt Weir/Collegian File Photo
That heartbreaking experience has driven this team all season, and the two overtime losses against Louisiana Tech has added extra motivation for a Bulldogs team that hopes to recapture its WAC supremacy in the conference tournament.
“This group has prided themselves in putting up banners and that’s a banner we don’t get to hang,” Wiggins said. “So if we can find a way to hang up another banner that would mean a lot.”
However, Louisiana Tech does pose a threat in the conference tournament for Fresno State and its quest for another conference championship. The Lady Techsters’ average margin of victory this season against WAC opponents is 13 points.
But Wiggins is hopeful that if the Bulldogs do fall in the WAC Tournament, that they may have done just enough in the regular season to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
“It’s tough, I think we’re lacking a couple key big wins,” Wiggins said. “But I think our numbers are really similar to last year and we got one last year.”