Fresno State Athletics
Future Bright After Second Straight WAC Title
4/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
April 22, 2009
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2008-09 Year in Review Photo Gallery
FRESNO, Calif.- Heading into the start of the 2008-09 season, coach Adrian Wiggins knew he had a team that could shoot the basketball. The big question was how well his team would defend and rebound the basketball.
By the end of the year, Wiggins was coaching a team who performed exceptionally well in all three areas.
"This team really got better on defense," Wiggin said. "I felt like we became a really good defensive team as much as we got recognized for our offensive abilities. The other thing that stands out is our ability to rebound. Not just in the game but also outside the game. They did a great job rebounding from life situations."
The end result was another historic season as the Bulldogs finished the year 24-9, winning the WAC regular season and conference tournament for the second straight year. Fresno State earned a No. 13 seed in this year's NCAA tournament and played Cal at USC. The 24 wins tied a school record with the 2005-06 team for the most wins in school history.
"This was a very humble team," Wiggins said. "We were getting better and better as the season went on which is a great quality. At the end of the day I think they had as much fun off the floor as they did on the floor. We had a full experience this year. They came here to do great things in college and experience a broad based collegiate experience. They really accomplished that. "
One area Fresno State earned many accolades in was its ability to make the 3-pointer. The Bulldogs 309 3-pointers made was the second most in NCAA history and they were 17 away from tying the NCAA record of 326. The 309 3's was also a new school and WAC record. The 893 attempts from beyond the arc was the most in NCAA history and was also a school and WAC record.
The Bulldogs set a single-game record for 3-pointers made with 16 against UCSB on November 20.
Fresno State started the season showing its offensive fire power as it scored 97 points in the season opener against Cal State Bakersfield. The 97 points scored was the most by a Bulldog team since Jan. 22, 2004 when the `Dogs defeated Rice 97-55. The 97 points scored by the two Bulldog teams was the most since Jan. 28, 1993 when they beat Wyoming, 99-70.
"It's quite ironic," Wiggins said. "I am not a shooter. I am very unskilled basketball person coaching a team that shoots the ball better than anyone in the country. I love it. I am a big rebounding and defensive coach. We can shoot it 700 more times for all I care. I want them to go get the rebound. They have bought into that theory. We'll take whatever we get. They took the best shots available and they did that 90 percent of the time. That is why we had success. If teams give us that we'll take it."
One person who never shied away from shooting the 3-pointer was sophomore Jaleesa Ross. Ross, who earned First-Team All-WAC honors and became the first player in the history of the WAC to earn WAC Tournament MVP honors in consecutive seasons, set a new single season Fresno State record for 3-pointers made with 95. The 95 3-pointers is the fifth most in WAC history.
Over the course of the season Ross evolved into an excellent defender as she regularly was forced to guard the teams' top offensive threat. The Bulldog sophomore evolved into an excellent leader on and off the floor.
"What she did was grow mentally," Wiggins said on Ross." She is helping teach and learning how to lead. She is learning how to take the information and not only apply it but she is helping others apply it. What she is doing on the floor is rounding out her game. She is become a lot bigger threat off the dribble."
Other accolades that were garnered by Bulldog players was Hayley Munro earned Second-Team All-WAC honors while Joh-Teena Filipe was named to the WAC All-Tournament team. Munro and LaShay Fears earned Academic All WAC honors.
As a team, there were many more honors that came the `Dogs way during the 33 games. Fresno State finished the year as the top defensive team in the WAC as it allowed a league-best 56.8 points a game. Including the WAC tournament, Fresno State allowed opponents to 50 points or less in eight games. The Bulldogs held Cal State Northridge to 19.7 percent shooting from field and 29 points. The 29 points was the fewest points the Bulldogs have allowed in a game since the 1974-75 season.
The Bulldogs led the WAC in rebounding margin as they have averaged 41.7 boards a game to 36.9 for opponents. Munro led the team in rebounds for the season at 6.7 a contest while Filipe averaged 6.3 boards and Marnique Arnold 6.2.
The 2008-09 Bulldogs were the first team since Louisiana Tech in 2003-04 to repeat as WAC tournament champions. Since then, Fresno State has become the winningest program in the WAC as they have 108 wins in the last five years compared to Louisiana Tech's 100 and Boise State's 89.
After Fresno State defeated No. 22 TCU, 75-71, back on Dec. 4, the Bulldogs received five votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. It was the first time since 1987 that they have received votes in the poll. In that win over TCU, LaShay Fears had nine assists to zero turnovers. Since 2003-04 Mirenda Swearengin is the only player to have nine assists in a game.
The future is bright for the Bulldogs as they only lose three seniors in Bailey Amundsen, LaToya Brown and LaShaunte Stephens. With the return of Emma Andrews to the floor, the Bulldogs are expected to return nine other players that had playing experience this past season. The future and the opportunity to continue to build on the success of the last two years excites coach Wiggins and his staff.
"In review it is a quiet rewarding feeling," Wiggins said. "At the same time it allows me to look forward and set goals for the future. I am very excited about our future goals. Our accomplishment of our past goals allows you to do that. We are not looking back anymore. A great sign of this program is that they are just looking forward."
