Nevada Notes 
Jan. 12, 2012
RENO, Nev. -
The University of Nevada women's basketball team (4-11,0-0 WAC) opens WAC play on the road against Fresno State (12-4, 0-0 WAC) Saturday at 2 p.m.
The Bulldogs are 12-4 on the year and are coming off a 71-61 win over Seattle University. Fresno State leads the overall series 28-9. The Bulldogs won the last meeting 73-50 in Fresno Calif. during the 2010-11 season. Fresno State is led by their sophomore guard Ki-Ki Moore who is averaging 17.1 ppg. The Bulldogs head coach Adrian Wiggins is 6-0 in conference openers. Nevada coach Jane Albright is 2-1 in conference openers.
LAST?TIME?OUT
The University of Nevada women's basketball team ended non-conference play with an 85-76 win against CSU Bakersfield last Tuesday evening.
Nevada and CSU Bakersfield began the game close as the score was tied six different times in the first half. Freshman Aja Johnson provided a spark off the bench for Nevada, eclipsing her career high with eight points in the opening period. Johnson was inserted into the lineup at the 12 minute mark and reeled off eight straight points for the Pack. Nevada shot 57.7 percent from the field to lead at halftime 38-33.
Senior Amanda Johnson came out of the break looking to keep Nevada ahead by knocking down consecutive jump shots. The Roadrunners kept the game close by hitting three point shots as they went 5-11 from downtown in the second half. Nevada dominated the post, finishing the game with 66 points in the paint. Aja Johnson continued to add to her career night, ending the game with 17 points, six rebounds and three blocks. Kayla Williams was also a force down low. The senior collected her 18th career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Her six blocks in the game brought her career total to 102. CSU Bakersfield got within five points at the 4:37 mark, led by 24 points by Lauren Carter before the Pack ran away with the win.
Chanelle Brennan finished with a career high 17 points. Kate Kevorken just missed a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds. Amanda Johnson rounded out the double digit scorers with a season high 12 points. Arielle Wideman was effective distributing the ball, finishing with a career high 12 assists.
JOHNSON?PERFECT?FROM?THE?FIELD IN CSU?BAKERSFIELD?WIN
Aja Johnson has provided a spark for Nevada in her young career wearing silver and blue. The freshman had a major impact on the win against the Roadrunners, finishing a perfect 8-8 from the field for a career high 17 points. Johnson also added six rebounds, three blocks, and two steals to her stat line.
CLOSE?GAMES?FOR?THE?PACK?
Although Nevada is 4-11 on the year, nine of the games have been decided by 10 points or less. The Pack is 3-6 in those games, defeating CSU Bakersfield 85-76 (9), Oregon 76-74 (2) and Butler 71-69 (2) in the Nugget Classic. Nevada is 2-4 in games decided by 5 points or less, losing to Mississippi State in the Peppermill Holiday Classic consolation game 67-63 (4).
SPEAKING?OF?CLOSE?GAMES
Nevada has battled teams late in games this season. Twice this year the game has gone into overtime. Nevada is 0-2 in its overtime games this year, falling to Pacific 75-70 and Long Beach State 61-58. As a program Nevada has played in 25 overtime games, going 8-17 (.32). Nevada's last overtime win occurred in the WAC tournament on March 12, 2009 against LA Tech 91-88. The most overtime games the Pack has had in a season is two (1997-1998).
FRESHMEN MAKING?THEIR?MARK
As a young team, Nevada is leaning on production from its newcomers. Aja Johnson received her first career start in the Peppermill Holiday Classic consolation game against Mississippi St., logging 28 minutes and finishing with five points, five rebounds and four blocks. Johnson had a breakout game in the win over CSU Bakersfield, eclipsing her career high off the bench with 17 points, six rebounds and three blocks. Emily Burns had her breakout game against the Lady Bulldogs, recording a career high 11 points with six rebounds in 24 minutes of action. The two newcomers both started the game against in-state rival UNLV.
BRENNAN?STEPS?UP
Guard Chanelle Brennan had a career night in the win over CSU Bakersfield. The junior surpassed her previous career high of 14 points by finishing with 17 against the Roadrunners. In the overtime loss against Long Beach State. Brennan collected her first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. The junior transfer has appeared in all 15 games for the Pack, starting in six.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE'S FOR?#34
Senior forward Kayla Williams collected her 18th career double-double in the win over CSU Bakersfield with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Williams recorded a total of eight double-doubles in the 2010-11 season. She has collected five this season.
ARIELLE?WITH?THE?ASSIST
Sophomore guard Arielle Wideman was an effective distributor in the win over CSU Bakersfield. Wideman had a career high 12 assists in the game with no turnovers. Her 12 assists is good for sixth best for single-game leaders in the program's history.
PACK ON TOP?OF?THE?WAC STATS
Forward Kayla Williams leads the WAC individual statistical category for blocks with 32.
BLOCK?PARTY?FOR?THE?PACK
Nevada's 71 rejections on the year puts them in first place in that team WAC category. The Pack is averaging 4.73 blocks per game as a team. In the CSU Bakersfield win Kayla Williams recorded six blocks in the game which is third best in the program's history.
REBOUNDING EXPERTISE
Dating back to the beginning of the 2008-09 season, Nevada has out-rebounded or tied its opponents in rebounding in 60 games. This year, the Pack has out-rebounded 9 of its 15 opponents by a total margin of 1.3 boards per game. The Pack sits in first in the WAC in defensive rebounds, offensive rebounding percentage and second in offensive rebounds, rebounding offense, and rebounding margin.
SHARP FROM?THE?LINE
Sophomore guard Danika Sharp has been impressive at the free throw line, converting on 36-43 of her attempts this season. Her sharp shooting from the stripe puts her in third place in the WAC free throw percentage category at .837. Sharp made 24 straight free throws dating back to Nevada's WNIT second round loss to USC on March 20, 2011. As a team, Nevada is shooting a conference fourth best .683 percent.
