Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
15-6 (5-1WAC)
Nevada
13-6 (2-4WAC)
Dogs Continue Winning Ways at Nevada
1/29/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 29, 2011
Reno, NEV. - Members of the Fresno State women's basketball team were gathered at center court, receiving some final bits of pre-game instruction, when coach Adrian Wiggins came forward with one last offering.
"We need someone to really be ready."
Enter senior forward Hayley Munro.
Munro came off the bench and did a bit of everything for the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon. She hit timely jumpers. She controlled the glass. And she repeatedly worked her way to the free-throw line.
Munro's varied contributions were imperative as Fresno State fended off a late charge by Nevada and secured a 72-51 win at the Lawlor Events Center. Munro led all scorers with 19 points and eight rebounds in 21 minutes.
The Bulldogs (15-6, 6-1 WAC) have now won four consecutive games and seven of their past eight. The victory marks a positive start to a three-game road swing, which continues Feb. 3 at New Mexico State.
The Bulldogs led by as many as 15 points in the first half, but Nevada cut the lead to nine (52-43) following a 3-pointer from Kate Kevorken with 11:02 to play. Munro stayed aggressive and was rewarded for her effort with back-to-back trips to the free-throw line. Munro hit all four attempts to push Fresno State's lead to 56-45. She was 9-for-10 from the charity stripe.
"She's very efficient," Wiggins said of Munro. "She's just a skilled player. Hayley is so smart. She finds a way to get points. Today, it was on inbounds plays, from the 3-point line and from the foul line. She's just very versatile."
The Bulldogs maintained a double-digit advantage the rest of the way. Freshman guard Bree Farley ballooned Fresno State's lead to 68-45 following a three-point play with under five minutes to play.
Senior guard Jaleesa Ross, who on Thursday became the leading scorer in Fresno State women's basketball history, finished with 14 points, three assists and two steals. Ross now has 222 career steals, good enough for second on the Bulldogs' all-time steals list. She needs just three more to pass former Fresno State star Wendy Martell as the program's steals leader.
Fresno State buckled down defensively from the outset, and that made all the difference. The Wolf Pack committed five consecutive turnovers out of the gate, and the Bulldogs cashed in. Junior center Veronica Wilson scored two quick buckets to give Fresno State an early 10-5 lead. Nevada had nine turnovers and only two assists in the first 20 minutes.
The Wolf Pack (13-6, 2-4) went nearly six minutes without a field goal but stayed within striking distance thanks to its performance from the free-throw line. Nevada scored five consecutive points from the charity stripe to cut Fresno State's lead to 14-12 midway through the first half. But the Bulldogs got out of danger with a 13-3 run and led 41-27 at the half.
The Wolf Pack was just 7-for-28 from the floor in the first half. It was 13-for-17 from the free-throw line.
Freshman point guard Taylor Thompson returned to the starting lineup after missing the past two games with a knee injury. She finished with seven points, three rebounds and two steals in 24 minutes of playing time.
"This is a big week for us, and we've two more big games coming up," Wiggins said. "We understand what it's like to play these types of games on the road."
"We Are Your Team!" -- Fresno State is back in action with a road game at New Mexico State on Feb. 3.
