Bulldogs drop WNIT opener

By NATHAN HATHAWAY

One of the most tumultuous seasons in Fresno State women’s basketball history ended March 18 when the Bulldogs lost in the opening round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.

Fresno State, which finished the season 20-11 (10-8 Western Athletic Conference), fell to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 56-53 in Corpus Christi, ending a season that saw coach Stacy Johnson-Klein suspended, then fired.

It was the second time in three seasons the Bulldogs posted a 20-win season and played in the WNIT.

After taking a two-point lead against the Islanders late in the WNIT game, the Bulldogs were outscored 7-2 over the final two and a half minutes.

After Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Monica Pena missed a pair of free throws with 12 seconds remaining and the Islanders up by three points, Tierre Wilson misfired on a last-second 3-point attempt and fans stormed the court as the Islanders won their first-ever postseason game.

The Islanders closed the first half on a 13-4 run to take a 28-21 halftime lead, then built a 12-point advantage about halfway through the second half. But the Bulldogs began chipping away at the lead.

Fresno State was limited to 36.7-percent shooting in the game but outscored Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 32-16 in the paint and had 14 fast-break points to the Islanders’ four.

Senior Aritta Lane closed out her career with a team-leading 15 points. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Terra Andrews led all scorers in posting her eighth double-double of the season with 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Interim coach Adrian Wiggins, who will return to coach the Bulldogs through at least next season, will lose only three of his 15 players to graduation going into next season.