NEVADA WOLF PACK (11-4, 2-0 WAC)
vs. IDAHO VANDALS (1-14, 0-3 WAC)
~ GAME 16 ~
Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008 * 7 p.m. (PT) * Cowan Spectrum * Moscow, Idaho
TV/RADIO: None/ESPN Deportes AM 1450; Ben Deach; Pregame 6:45 p.m.
INTERNET: Live streaming video (nevadawolfpack.com)
SERIES HISTORY: Idaho leads the all-time series 14-9
LAST MEETING: Nevada won both meetings with Idaho last season posting a 78-68 win over the Vandals in Idaho on Jan. 6, 2007 and downing Idaho 75-63 in Reno on Feb. 22, 2007.
About This Game
Nevada beat Hawai`i Saturday night to improve to 2-0 in WAC play this season. Nevada has won six of its last seven games and will look to open WAC play 3-0 for the first time in program history. Although Idaho leads the all-time series 14-9, Nevada won both meetings last season (a 78-68 win over the Vandals on Idaho on Jan. 6, 2007 and a 75-63 win in Reno on Feb. 22, 2007) and has won three of the last four meetings dating back to the 2005-06 season.
About the Nevada Wolf Pack
Nevada pushed its conference record to 2-0 Jan. 12 with a 75-65 win over Hawai`i. Brandi Fitzgerald recorded a double-double (21 points, 11 rebounds) for the Pack, while Dellena Criner added 19 points in the win. The Pack opened WAC play with a 72-51 win over San Jose State on Jan. 10. Criner led four Nevada players in double figures with 17 points. Shavon Moore (13 points), Johnna Ward (11 points) and Mikail Price (10 points) each scored in double figures in the win. The Pack closed out its non-conference schedule with a 65-56 loss at Utah Valley University on Jan. 2. Cherlanda Franklin (14 points, 12 rebounds) recorded a double-double as Nevada finished its non-conference schedule 9-4. On Dec. 30, the Pack beat San Francisco 66-44 behind 18 points from Criner, 12 from Moore and 11 from Price. Nevada posted an 84-63 win over intra-state rival UNLV on Dec. 28 to give Nevada its first win over the Rebels since 1999. Criner (22 points) led four Nevada players in double figures in the win. As a team this season, Nevada is averaging just under 70 points per game (69.2) while holding its opponents to just over 60 points per contest (61.7). Criner (16.4 ppg) and Price (10.9 ppg) are the Pack’s leading scorers while Franklin leads the team in rebounding, averaging 4.9 rpg. The Pack is coached by Kim Gervasoni who is in her fifth season with Nevada and has a 52-84 overall record.
About the Idaho Vandals
Idaho is 1-14 overall this season and is 0-3 in conference play. Last week, Idaho fell at Louisiana Tech, 61-39, on Jan. 9 before falling to Fresno State 68-59 at home on Jan. 12. The Vandals opened WAC play on Jan. 3 falling at New Mexico State, 73-69. Katie Madison is Idaho’s leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 11.8 points per game and 6.6 rebound per game. Yinka Olorunnife is second on the team in both points per game (9.6) and rebounds (6.1). As a team the Vandals are averaging 52.8 points per game while their opponents are averaging 68.7 points per game. Idaho is coached by Mike Divilbiss who is in his seventh season at Idaho. He has a 79-108 record at Idaho.
Follow the Pack
On the Air (AM 1450 ESPN Deportes): All of Nevada’s home games, will be broadcast on AM 1450 (ESPN Deportes). In addition, nine road games and the WAC Tournament will be broadcast. On-air duties will be handled by Dan Gustin, Don Marchand and Ben Deach. A complete broadcast schedule can be found on page five of this release.
Live Stats: All of Nevada’s home games this season and selected road games will have live stats and will be available online at the following link. No live stats are available Thursday for the Nevada/Idaho game.
http://www.nevadawolfpack.com/liveStats/liveStats.dbml
Live Streaming Video: All of Nevada’s home games this season and select road games, including Thursday’s game at Idaho, will have live streaming video and can be found online at the link below.
http://www.govandals.com/liveEvents/liveEvents.dbml?SPSID=87268&SPID=10366&db_oem_id=17100
News and Notes
- Brandi Fitzgerald recorded her second career double-double Jan. 12 vs. Hawai`i, scoring 21 points and tying her career high with 11 rebounds. Fitzgerald recorded her first career double-double on Jan. 7, 2006, scoring 17 points and adding 11 rebounds against SJSU.
-Cherlanda Franklin recorded a career-high 11 steals in Nevada’s win over Hawai`i on Jan. 12. As a team, the Pack recorded 15 steals in the game.
- With its win over Hawai`i on Jan. 12, Nevada has won six of its last seven games and is 5-0 at home during that span.
- Nevada opened the conference season with a 2-0 record marking the first time since Nevada joined the WAC in 2000-01that the team opened the WAC season 2-0.
- Nevada is first in the conference in scoring defense (61.7 ppg) and steals (206).
- Brandi Fitzgerald, who recorded one steal versus Hawai`i on Jan. 12, has 148 career steals and looks to join Dellena Criner (159 career steals) as the only two current Pack players with at least 150 career steals.
- This season the Pack has had nine games in which Nevada has had at least three players score in double figures (Stephen F. Austin, Southern, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, CS Fullerton UNLV, San Francisco, San Jose State and Hawai`i). Nevada is 8-1 in games in which at least three players scored in double figures.
- Nevada finished its non-conference schedule 9-4 which marks the best non-conference finish under Kim Gervasoni and the most non-conference wins in program history since the 1999-00 team finished its non-conference schedule 11-4. Nevada also recorded the fewest non-conference losses (4) since the 1999-00 season.
- Nevada has not dropped below .500 all season. The Pack has been at .500 twice this season (1-1 and 2-2) but Nevada has been above .500 since Nov. 22. Nevada had a season-high .750 winning percentage on Dec. 30 when the team was 9-3.
- Nevada’s 84 points over UNLV on Dec. 28 marked the most points the team has scored under head coach Kim Gervasoni and the most points by a Nevada team since the Pack scored 84 over Eastern Michigan on December 1, 2002.
- Against CS Fullerton on Dec. 16, Nevada had five players (Dellena Criner, Mikail Price, Shavon Moore, Johnna Ward and Cherlanda Franklin) score in double figures marking the first time since February 13, 2003 that the Pack had five players score in double figures.
- With its win over San Francisco, Nevada improved to 9-3 this season and tied the program record for best start through 12 games. The 1999-00 and 1985-86 teams also started the season 9-3. The 1999-00 team recorded the best start in program history (11-3).
- Nevada has scored at least 60 points in 13 of its 15 games this season including scoring a season-high 84 points in a win versus UNLV on Dec. 28.
- Dellena Criner, who has scored in double-figures in 12 of the last 13 games, is averaging a team-leading 16.4 points per game. For her career, the junior guard has recorded 43 double-digit scoring games including 10 20-point games and one 30-point game.
- Nevada has held 13 of its 14 opponents to under 70 points this season, including holding six opponents (Santa Clara, 51; Stephen F. Austin, 55; Southern, 52; UC Riverside, 52; CS Fullerton, 57 and San Jose State, 52) to under 60 points per game. In addition, Nevada has held one opponent, San Francisco, to under 50 points (44).
- Dellena Criner is one of just two players in the WAC to have recorded at least 30 points in a game this season and has scored the most points in a game (32) of any player in the conference this season. Her 32 points are the most by a Pack player since Kate Smith (2000-03) scored 36 points in a win over Air Force on January 8, 2000.
- The Pack has had four different players as Nevada’s top scorer. Dellena Criner has been Nevada’s leading scorer in 10 games, while Cherlanda Franklin has led the Pack in scoring three times. Mikail Price, Shavon Moore and Brandi Fitzgerald have each been Nevada’s leading scorer in one game this season.
- The Pack has had four players record a double-double this season, Marianne Lombardi Shavon Moore, Cherlanda Franklin and Brandi Fitzgerald. Lombardi recorded her first career double-double against Stephen F. Austin while Moore recorded her first career double-double at UC Riverside. Franklin recorded her third career double-double against Utah Valley University while Fitzgerald recorded her second career double-double against Hawai`i.
Criner Named to the WBCA National Player of the Month Honorable Mention Team
Dellena Criner was named to the WBCA National Player of the Month Honorable Mention Team for the month of December. Only one player from each conference can be nominated for the WBCA National Player of the Month. Criner earned the honor after being named WAC Player of the Week twice in December. During the month of December she recorded 10 consecutive double-digit scoring games, helped lead the team to a Nugget Classic Championship and was named Nugget Classic MVP. She scored a career-high 32 points against Idaho State on Dec. 2 and recorded a career-high eight steals versus Southern on Dec. 1. For the month, Criner averaged 18.5 points per game, shot 50.7 percent from the floor, 57.9 percent from three-point range and 74.7 percent from the line.
Gervasoni Wins 50th Career Game at Nevada
Fifth-year head coach Kim Gervasoni, who picked up her 50th career victory in Nevada’s 66-44 victory over San Francisco on Dec. 30, became just the second coach in Nevada history to win 50 games with the Pack. Gervasoni is the second winningest coach in Nevada history (52-84) and became just the second coach in history to record at least 50 career wins with the Pack. Ada Gee (1993-2003) is Nevada’s winningest coach, with a 117-161 record.
Double-Digit Scoring
Through the first 15 games of the season, seven Nevada players have recorded a total of 31 double-digit scoring games. Mikail Price has scored in double figures nine times this season, while Shavon Moore has scored in double digits six times. Cherlanda Franklin and Johnna Ward have each scored in double figures three times. Brandi Fitzgerald has recorded five double-digit scoring games. Marianne Lombardi has recorded one double-digit scoring game and is one of four Nevada players, along with Moore, Franklin and Fitzgerald, to record a double-double this season. Dellena Criner has recorded 13 double-digit scoring games this season, including four 20-point games.
Nevada’s Record By Starting Lineup
Nevada has used four different starting lineups this season. Dellena Criner, Brandi Fitzgerald and Cherlanda Franklin have started all 15 games for Nevada.
Tough D
Through 15 games this season, Nevada has held 13 of its 15 opponents to under 70 points per game. The Pack has held opponents to under 60 points seven times this season versus Santa Clara (51), versus Stephen F. Austin (55), versus Southern (52), at UC Riverside (52), versus CS Fullerton (57), versus USF (44) and versus San Jose State (52). Through its first 15 games, Nevada is first in the WAC in scoring defense, holding opponents to 61.7 points per game.
Sitton Named a Candidate for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award
Senior forward Andrea Sitton has been selected as one of the 30 initial candidates for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award for the 2007-08 basketball season. The award presented annually to the NCAA Division I Student- Athlete of the Year in eight sports focuses on the “Four C’s” of classroom, character, community and competition. Lowe’s will award the winner with a trophy during the NCAA Final Four. This season, Sitton has played in all 10 of Nevada’s games and is averaging 7.9 minutes per game. Sitton is a three-time Academic All-WAC honoree and has a 3.68 GPA in elementary education. Sitton, who was named to the Dean’s List in the fall of 2006 and spring of 2007, is scheduled to graduate in the spring of 2008. Sitton has participated in a number of community service activities including: the X-Treme Ability Challenge (2004); Race for the Cure (2004-07); the Heart Walk (2005-06); Renown Seniors’ Day (2007) and the Girls and Women in Sports Day (2004-06). She has also been a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) since 2004 and is a member of several clubs including Intervarsity, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and Champions for Christ.
Nevada to Have Two Home Games Televised
After playing in its first nationally-televised game last season, the Pack will play in two home televised contests this season. KAME broadcasted the final game of the Nugget Classic on Dec. 2 and will also televise the Nevada/New Mexico State game on January 26. Both games will be shown on a tape-delay basis with the New Mexico State game being aired at 7 p.m. PT.
Nevada Radio Broadcast Schedule
Starting with Nevada’s game against Southern on Dec. 1, the University of Nevada women’s basketball team will have 13 home games and a total of 22 regular-season games broadcast on ESPN Deportes, AM 1450. On-air duties will be handled by Dan Gustin, Don Marchand and Ben Deach.
Nevada's 6th in the Nation in Steals
In the latest NCAA stats released Jan. 13, Nevada is sixth in the nation in steals. In 15 games Nevada has recorded 206 steals and is averaging 13.7 steals per contest. North Carolina leads the nation in steals (257 steals, 15.1 spg), followed by Morgan State (Baltimore, Md.) (185 steals, 14.2 spg), San Diego State (194 steals, 13.9 spg), Georgia Tech (235 steals, 13.8 spg) and Radford (Radford, Va.) (248 steals, 13.8 spg). Mikail Price is first in the conference and leads the team in steals with 38 (2.53 per contest). Cherlanda Franklin is second on the team (4th in the WAC) with 33 steals (2.20 spg) and Dellena Criner is third on the team (7th in the WAC) with 31 steals (2.07 spg). Nevada’s 206 steals leads the conference and is 52 steals above La Tech who is second in the WAC in total steals with 154.
Nevada in the WAC Stats (all games; as of 1/12/08)
Individual:
Points: Dellena Criner, 3rd (16.4); Mikail Price 12th (10.9)
Field Goal Pct: Shavon Moore, 1st (.563); Brandi Fitzgerald 14th (.414)
Free Throw Pct: Dellena Criner, 5th (.737); Mikail Price, 9th (.698)
Rebounding: Cherlanda Franklin, 19th (4.9)
Assists: Dellena Criner, 4th (3.20)
Steals: Mikail Price, t1st (2.53); Cherlanda Franklin, 4th (2.20); Dellena Criner, 7th (2.07)
3-Point FG Pct: Dellena Criner, 5th (.404); Johnna Ward, t14th (.295)
Blocked Shots: Cherlanda Franklin, t6th (15); Brandi Fitzgerald, 15th (12)
Minutes Played: Dellena Criner, t2nd (32.00)
3-Point FG Made: Dellena Criner, 8th (21); Johnna Ward, t12th (18)
Offensive Rebounds: Shavon Moore, 12th (2.33)
Team:
1st: scoring margin (+7.5); steals (206); scoring defense (61.7ppg)
3rd: scoring offense (69.2); 3-pt FG Pct. (.341)
Last Time Out
Saturday vs. Hawai`i
Brandi Fitzgerald scored a game-high 21 points and added 11 rebounds and Dellena Criner added 19 points as the University of Nevada women’s basketball team beat Hawai`i 75-65 Saturday night. Hawai`i led just once in the game, taking a 1-0 lead with 19:49 left. The Pack went up by nine, 25-18, in the first half on a jumper from Cherlanda Franklin. Hawai`i held Nevada without a field goal for the last 2:10 in the first half but the Pack still took a 35-29 lead at the half. In the first half, Nevada shot 37.1 percent (13-of-35) from the floor while Hawai`i shot 35.5 percent (11-of-31). Fitzgerald scored nine of her game-high 21 points in the first half. Hawai`i cut Nevada’s lead to two, 35-33, to open the second half before a jumper from Fitzgerald sparked an 11-0 Nevada run that pushed Nevada’s lead to 49-35 with 13:39 remaining. With 10:16 remaining in the game, the Pack extended its lead to 17 points, going up 58-41. The Rainbow Wahine pulled to within five, 60-55 in a layup by Leilani Galdones with 5:55 remaining but used a 7-0 run to push its lead to 67-55. Criner scored 19 points for the Pack.
A Look Back
The University of Nevada women's basketball team enjoyed a very successful 2006-07 season in which the team posted a 17-15 overall record and advanced to post-season play for the first-time in school history. Nevada also finished with its highest ever win total in WAC play (10-6), including its first-ever win over La Tech. Nevada started the season 3-0, its best start in 25 years and had three players earn All-WAC honors at the end of the season. Dellena Criner was named to the All-WAC First Team, the All-WAC Defensive Team and to the WAC All-Tournament team while Traci Graham was named to the All-WAC Second Team. Marianne Lombardi was named to the All-Freshman Team marking the third consecutive season Nevada had a freshman named to the All-Freshman Team.
Nevada Picked Second, Third in WAC Preseason Polls
The University of Nevada women’s basketball team has been picked to finish second in the WAC Preseason Coaches Poll and third in the Media Poll. Nevada, who received one first-place vote in each poll, also had two players named to the Preseason All-WAC Teams. Junior guard Dellena Criner was named to the First Team while junior guard Brandi Fitzgerald was named to the Second Team. Criner was also named to the Preseason All-WAC Media team.
2008-09 Signees
Nevada received signed National Letters of Intent from Amanda Johnson, a 5-6 guard from El Camino High School in Oceanside, Calif., Brittany Woodard, a four-year varsity team member from Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, Calif., and Kayla Williams, a four-year varsity starter from Reed High School in Sparks, Nev. Amanda Johnson is a four-year varsity player and has been the starting point guard at El Camino High School in Oceanside, Calif., since her freshman season. She led her high school team in scoring her sophomore and junior seasons and was named All-Avocado League MVP in 2005. As a junior in 2006-07, Johnson averaged 15.1 points per game, 5.2 assists per game, 4.0 rebounds per game and 2.8 steals per game. Brittany Woodard is a four-year varsity player from Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, Calif. She is a three-time Sierra Valley Conference All-League selection and is a two-time Sierra Valley Conference MVP. Kayla Williams is the third member of the Pack’s incoming class for next fall. She is a four-year varsity starter at Reed High School in Sparks, Nev. and plays club for Jam On It Basketball Academy. She is a three-time All-League Honoree, a second-team selection as a freshman and a first-team selection as a sophomore and junior.
Upcoming Schedule
Nevada will play Boise State on Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. MT. The Pack will return home on Jan. 24 and 26, hosting La Tech on Thursday at 6 p.m. and New Mexico State on Saturday at 6 p.m. The Nevada/New Mexico State game will be televised on a tape-delay basis on KAME at 8 p.m.
