Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State Hosts UNLV IN WNIT Action On Sunday
3/17/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 17, 2006
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
2006 Postseason WNIT
Fresno State Bulldogs (23-7, 14-2 WAC) vs.
UNLV Lady Rebels (18-11, 9-7 Mountain West)
Date: Sunday, Mar. 19
Time: 2 p.m.
Site: Fresno, Calif.
Facility (capacity): Save Mart Center (16,116)
Series History: UNLV leads 14-4
Last Meeting: FS 71, UNLV 53 (Feb. 15, 1997 at Fresno, Calif.)
Radio: 1430 ESPN Radio (Guy Haberman, George Takata)
Tip-Off
Having already established the program record for most wins in a season, Fresno State (23-7, 14-2) continues to focus on a strong postseason run in the WNIT. The Bulldogs picked up their school-best 23rd win on Thursday night with a 78-59 rout of UC Santa Barbara in the preliminary round. With the win, Fresno State improved to 14-1 at the Save Mart Center this season. The `Dogs can add to that total once again when UNLV (18-11, 9-7 Moutain West) arrives in town for a 2 p.m. contest on Sunday.
Looking Ahead
The winner of the Fresno State-UNLV contest advances to face the winner of Friday's Idaho State-Kansas State game. Date, location and time of that game has yet to be announced.
Ticket Tale
Tickets for Sunday's game can be purchased at the Save Mart Center Box Office or via Ticketmaster outlets. The Save Mart Center Box Office is open until 8 p.m. on Friday, 1-8 p.m. on Saturday and starting at noon on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com or by phone at 485-TIXS.
Media Memo
Sunday's game can be heard live on 1430 ESPN Radio. In addition, live stats and video are offered on www.gobulldogs.com.
`Dogs Are Best In School History
Head coach Adrian Wiggins has guided Fresno State to its winningest season in school history. The Bulldogs picked up their 23rd win on Thursday night, defeating UC Santa Barbara 78-59 in the preliminary round of the Postseason WNIT. There have been seven 20-win seasons in school history to date.
Winning Big With Wiggins
Fresno State has posted a 30-11 overall record under the direction of head coach Adrian Wiggins, who has been at the helm of the `Dogs since Feb. 9, 2005. Of the 30 victories under Wiggins, 24 have been of the double-digit variety. In addition, Fresno State has also posted a 20-1 record in games played at the Save Mart Center under Wiggins' guidance. Meanwhile, Wiggins has guided Fresno State to back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 1985-86 and 1986-87.
2006 Postseason WNIT Format
The WNIT includes 40 teams from around the nation in a single-elimination format. All games will be hosted by participating schools at their home facility.
Fresno State in the Postseason
Fresno State's most recent appearance in the postseason occurred last year, as the Bulldogs were edged 56-53 at Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Fresno State, which is 5-8 all-time in postseason contests and 5-6 in the WNIT, enjoyed its most successful run two years ago in the WNIT posting a 2-1 record in three games with home victories over Santa Clara and Oregon State. The Bulldogs have also competed in the 1986 and 1990 WNIT. Those appearances, along with a winless two-game stint at the AIAW Championships in 1974 represent the Bulldog's only postseason competition in school history.
Scouting UNLV
UNLV checks in at 18-11 overall and 9-7 in the Mountain West, good for sixth place in the conference standings. The Lady Rebels were eliminated in the semifinals of the conference tournament by eventual champion Utah, 61-45. UNLV is playing in the WNIT for the fifth time in the last six years, and eighth in school history. The Lady Rebels turned in their best WNIT finish in 2004, winning four games to reach the championship game before falling at Creighton in the finals. UNLV owns a 4-7 road record this year. The Lady Rebels are outscoring their opponents by an average of 63.9 to 58.9 ppg and shoot 43-percent from the field. Players to watch include: Sheena Moore (13.0 ppg, team-best 39 three-pointers, 92 assists) and Sherry McCracklin (12.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 48.9-percent). Head coach Regina Miller is in her eighth season at the helm.
Fresno State All-Time vs. UNLV
UNLV leads the all-time series 14-4. Former conference rivals, Fresno State and UNLV have not met since Feb. 15, 1997, when the Lady Rebels collected an 71-53 win. The Bulldogs, who are 3-5 in home games against UNLV, have won two straight in the series. The Lady Rebels last defeated Fresno State on Feb. 15, 1992 by a 76-62 count.
Making A State-Ment
Since the start of the 2002-03 season, the Bulldogs have performed very well against California schools, notching a 26-4 mark. Quite a turnaround, considering the Bulldogs were just 9-14 against teams from the Golden State over the combined three previous seasons (1999-2002). Fresno State is 9-1 so far in such games this year, with the only blemish coming at No. 13 Stanford.
Swearengin Named WAC Player Of The Year
Mirenda Swearengin, who has guided Fresno State to an impressive 18-4 record since her return to the lineup on Dec. 17, was named the 2005-06 WAC Player of the Year. She becomes the first Bulldog to earn the honor since Wendy Martell was named PCAA Player of the Year in 1986-87. Swearengin, who transferred from New Mexico Junior College prior to 2004-05, is averaging 12.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game in 22 starts. She has scored in double-figures 17 times and leads the team in assists (95) while ranking second in steals (61). Swearengin is averaging a team-best 32.5 minutes played and has been critical to the Bulldog's record-setting season.
Parrish and Plummer Also Named All-WAC
Joining Swearengin on the All-WAC first team is Amy Parrish, representing just the second time in school history Fresno State has produced two first team honorees (1986-87, Wendy Martell and Yvette Roberts). Parrish leads the Bulldogs in scoring (15.2 ppg) and rebounding (6.8 rpg) while notching four double-doubles and scoring in double-figures a team-high 22 times. In her two years with the `Dogs, she has been named to the All-WAC first team twice. Jasmine Plummer was tabbed to the All-WAC Defensive Team. Plummer, one of three Bulldogs to play in all 30 games, ranks third on the squad in rebounding (5.4 per game) while leading the club in steals (71) and blocks (53).
Welcome Back
Guards Mirenda Swearengin and Tierre Wilson, who sat out the fall semester after being ruled academically ineligible, have led the Bulldogs to a 18-4 record since returning Dec. 17. In 22 games, Swearengin is averaging 12.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Wilson, who has scored in double figures 14 times, is averaging 11.0 ppg and 4.4 rpg in 22 games off the bench.
Fresno State All-Time At The Save Mart Center
Fresno State, 14-1 in home games this year, has compiled a 31-13 overall record in games played at the Save Mart Center since the arena opened in 2003. The Bulldog's inaugural season produced several school attendance records, including a No. 19 national ranking in average home attendance and the third-largest yearly increase among all other Division 1 programs. Last year, Fresno State ranked 22nd in both total and average attendance and a record crowd of 7,042 watched the `Dogs 58-38 win over Pepperdine in the opener.
