Jan. 16, 2009
LOGAN, Utah -
GAME #18Boise State (9-8, 2-1 WAC) at Utah State (7-10, 1-3 WAC)Saturday, Jan. 17, 3:00 p.m. • Logan, UtahDee Glen Smith Spectrum (10,270)Broadcast: KLGN 1390 AMwww.UtahStateAggies.com
TIP OFF - Utah State looks to right the ship as the Aggies have lost two-straight and five of their last six games. USU is in search of their first win against Boise State when the Broncos come to town on Saturday, Jan. 17 as part of a doubleheader with the men's basketball team. The women tip off at 3 p.m., while the men take the court also against Boise State at 7 p.m. The Aggies are led by seniors Danyelle Snelgro and Ana Pares. Snelgro averages 13.4 points per game, while Pares is closing in on Snelgro averaging 13.3 point per game. Pares has been on a scoring frenzy of late scoring in double digits in the last eight games.
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SCOUTING BOISE STATE - The freshmen duo of Heather Pilcher and Courtney VanBrocklin combined for 31 points, 22 in the second half, as Boise State rallied from 11 down to defeat Hawaii 70-61 in Taco Bell Arena at Boise, Idaho Monday night. The Broncos exploded out of the gates to open the second period on a 30-10 run as they seized control of the game taking a 13-point lead with eight minutes to play. That was following a first period where they could not hit the side of a barn and trailed by as many as 11 points before cutting the deficit to seven, 34-27, at the half. Boise State's high scorers were Heather Pilcher with 16 points to go with three boards, two assists, and four steals, while Courtney VanBrocklin added 15 points along with six rebounds, three assists, one block, and three steals. It is the third consecutive game that Pilcher has led the team in scoring. Janie Bos added nine points, a team-high seven rebounds, and one block. Jamia Malone finished with eight points, four rebounds, a team-high four assists, and two steals. The Aggies will look for their first win against Boise State when the Broncos come to town on Saturday, Jan. 17. Boise State has suffered several injuries, including all-WAC selections from last season, Tasha Harris and Jessica Thompson. Despite the setbacks the Gordy Presnell-led Broncos are still 9-8 and 2-1 in WAC play this season. The Broncos are led by Heather Pilcher who averages 10.4 points per game and Marisa Stotler who brings down 9.3 points per game.
AGGIES VS BOISE STATE IN THE WAC
2005-06
Boise State 70, USU 38 (in Boise)
Boise State 72, USU 55 (in Logan)
2006-07
Boise State 80, USU 70 (in Boise)
Boise State 80, USU 38 (in Logan)
2007-08
Boise State 85, USU 77 (in Boise)
Boise State 65, USU 57 (in Logan)
Overall Record: 0-6
CLOSING OUT THE HOMESTAND - USU is currently 1-2 on its current homestand. With a win against New Mexico State and close losses to Louisiana Tech and WAC frontrunner, Nevada. This is the Aggies longest homestand of the season since starting the season with four at home.
NEWCOMER KNOCKOUTS - The Aggies have relied on newcomers to provide support for the four seniors, Danyelle Snelgro, Shawnta Pope, Ana Pares and Ndoumbe Diop. Junior transfer Lydia Whitehead is third on the team in scoring, averaging 9.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Freshman Chelsea Burns has come on strong as of late. She averages 2.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. Sophomore Stacey Howard had also provided some punch off the bench.
LAST TIME OUT - After leading by seven at halftime, Utah State was out-scored, 37-23, in the second half and lost to Nevada, 56-49, Wednesday in Western Athletic Conference women's basketball action at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. With the loss, USU is now 7-10 overall and 1-3 in WAC play, while Nevada maintains its spot atop the conference standings with a 3-0 league mark, improving to 9-7 overall. The Aggies are now 2-5 vs. the Wolf Pack in the last seven regular-season meetings while WAC foes, dropping five of the last seven match-ups overall, and Nevada now leads the overall series, 6-4. Utah State was led by 11 points apiece from the senior guard tandem of Danyelle Snelgro and Ana Pares, as Pares kept her double-digit scoring streak alive and well at eight in a row with a bucket in the waning seconds. Senior forward Shawnta Pope added nine points and five rebounds off the bench in only 13 minutes of action. WAC Preseason Player of the Year, Dellena Criner of Nevada, led all scorers with 22 points, while Shavon Moore tossed in 12 points. Cherlanda Franklin and Brandi Jones snared a game-leading nine rebounds each, as the Wolf Pack pounded the boards, with a 39-28 rebounding advantage, including 11 on the offensive glass which led to an 8-0 second-chance points advantage for Nevada. Utah State was led by junior forward Lydia Whitehead's seven rebounds.
AUTOGRAPHIC SEEKERS - The Utah State women's basketball team will be available for autographs following the Boise State game. The team will gather on the Northwest concourse shortly after the conclusion of the game to sign posters.
TOP THIEF - With a season-high five steals, senior guard Danyelle Snelgro tied all-time steal leader Margaret Johns (1980-83) with 175 steals. In the win against New Mexico State, Snelgro passed former teammate Taylor Richards (2005-08) who ended her storied Aggie career with 172 steals. She took sole possession of first place with her first steal against Louisiana Tech on Jan. 10. Snelgro now has 182 career steals and 39 this season.
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS - The Aggies had a season-high 20 assists in the win against New Mexico State on Jan. 8. Danyelle Snelgro had a season-high nine assists, while sophomore Alice Coddington had six assists. Snelgro is now second all-time in assists with 276. Taylor Richards is the all-time assists leader with 371. Snelgro is second in the league in assists, averaging 4.00 apg. In WAC games, Snelgro is first in assists with 29 helps for an average of 7.25 apg.
HERE COME THE SCORERS - When Nevada's Dellena Criner came to town the Aggies have now faced the top five scorers in the WAC in the last three games. Louisiana Tech's Shanavia Dowdell leads the WAC in scoring, averaging 16.1 ppg, while teammates Whitney Jones (14.4 ppg) and Adrienne Johnson (13.8 ppg) are fourth and fifth, respectively. New Mexico State's Madison Spence is third in scoring (14.5), while Criner is second (14.9 ppg).
ON THE HORIZON: SAN JOSE STATE -USU has an even 3-3 record against San Jose State since joining the WAC, including winning both games last season. The Spartans are 3-13 and 0-3 in WAC play in their second season under head coach Pam DeCosta. San Jose State will travel to New Mexico State on Friday, Jan. 16 and Louisiana Tech on Sunday, Jan. 18 before hosting Utah State on Friday, Jan. 23.
AGGIES VS SAN JOSE STATE IN THE WAC
2005-06
San Jose State 61, USU 53 (in Logan)
San Jose State 70, USU 49 (in San Jose)
2006-07
USU 58, San Jose State 50, (in Logan)
San Jose State 65, USU 57 (in San Jose)
2007-08
USU 68, San Jose State 58 (in Logan)
USU 61, San Jose State 60, (in San Jose)
Overall Record: 3-3
AGGIES IN OPENERS - Utah State began its fourth season in the WAC on Jan. 5 with a loss at Idaho. This was the first year that USU will start WAC play on the road. It is also the first time that the Aggies begin with the Vandals of Idaho. In its first season, USU fell to San Jose State in Logan, 63-51, while losing to Boise State in 2006-07, 80-70. Last season, the Aggies earned their first WAC opener win with a 68-58 win over San Jose State. While this is the first WAC opener against Idaho, USU has opened conference play against the Vandals when both teams were in the Big West. Idaho defeated the Aggies to open the 2003-04 season with a loss to Idaho, 62-51. Since the reinstatement of the program in the 2003-04 season, the Aggies are 1-5 in conference openers.
Utah State in WAC Openers2005-06 L, vs. San Jose State, 51-632006-07 L, vs Boise State, 70-802007-08 W, vs. San Jose State, 68-582008-09 L, at Idaho, 63-71
EIGHT IS NOT ENOUGH - Senior guard Ana Pares has had an explosive senior season. With a late layup in the loss to Nevada, Pares scored 11 points. She now has had eight-straight double-digit scoring games. The guard has had two 20-point games this season. Pares topped her career high in points when she scored 25 in a loss to Utah Valley on Jan. 3. Starting the season, her high was 10 points against Portland in 2006. To start this season, Pares scored 11 points once again against Portland for a new career high. This high would not stand long as the senior scored 18 points against Northern Arizona on Nov. 19.
CLOSING IN - Utah State is only two wins away from tying last season's win total, as the Aggies went 9-20 last season. Last year, USU had to wait until the calendar changed to 2008 to get its fourth win, earning its fourth win on Jan. 2, 2008.
FAMILIAR FIVE - Utah State has been nothing if not consistent. In 17 games this season, the Aggies have started the same five for every game. Danyelle Snelgro, Ana Pares, Alice Coddington, Lydia Whitehead and Nicole Johnson have started all 17 games for USU this season.
SNELGRO REACHES CAREER HIGH AGAIN - Senior guard Danyelle Snelgro tied her career high with 19 points in the loss to Louisiana Tech on Jan. 10. She also scored 19 points as the Aggies defeated Weber State for the first time since 1984 on Dec. 22. Snelgro scored 19 points, 13 in the first half, en route to a 44-41 win over the Wildcats. Her previous high was 18 points at Utah Valley in 2006. Snelgro's point explosion helped the Aggies capture their second road win of the season.
ON THE BOARDS - Utah State is 5-1 when out-rebounding its opponents. In the win against Southern Utah, the Aggies out-rebounded the Thunderbirds, 48-34, including a season-high 27 offensive rebounds. USU had 20 offensive rebounds in the win against Northern Arizona and 50 total.
NIFTY NIKKI - Junior Nicole Johnson is having a solid season. The forward is third in the WAC in blocks, averaging 2.06 blocks per game, just behind Louisiana Tech's Shanvia Dowdell and San Jose State's Shaunna Ridge. She now has 33 total blocks this season. She has already passed her block total from last season as Johnson ended the 2007-08 season with 22 blocks. The junior is also scoring almost 5.2 points per game well above her career average of 2.1 entering this season. Johnson is now fourth all-time in career blocks with 64.
ENDURANCE AGGIES - Four of the Aggies' five starters are among the leaders in the WAC in minutes played. Danyelle Snelgro is still second behind Idaho's Charlotte Otero, averaging 38.31 minutes per game. Ana Pares is third in the WAC in minutes played, averaging 37.69. Nicole Johnson averages 31.94 mpg which places her 12th, while Alice Coddington rounds out the quartet of fit Aggies. Coddington averages 30.25 mpg, which places her 17th in the WAC.
USU VS. BOISE STATE REWIND - In their last meeting, a 13-2 run midway through the second half was too much for Utah State to overcome as the Aggies were bucked by the Broncos of Boise State, 65-57. USU lost its second in a row after a three-game win streak and now has a 9-18 overall and 5-10 WAC record. The win clinches at least a share of the WAC title for Boise State and is the Broncos' 14th-consecutive win in improving to 22-6 overall and 14-2 in league play. The Broncos also sweep the season-series with the Aggies, as Boise State has now won 10 in a row against Utah State, improving its series lead to 13-2. The Aggies' third senior, guard Taylor Richards netted a team-high 14 points, including nine in the second half. Richards also swiped a career-high six steals, giving her 169 for her career and moving her within six of the school record held by Margaret Johns (1980-83) with 175. Richards already is the Aggies' career record holder for assists (363 after Thursday) and three-pointers, as she hit her 91st career trey Thursday.
TURNING 21 - The 2008-09 season marks the 21st year of women's basketball at USU, and just the sixth since the program was restarted prior to the 2003-04 season. The women's hoops program at USU had been disbanded following the 1987 season due to budget cuts. USU is playing in its fourth season in the Western Athletic Conference after playing its first two seasons in the Big West Conference.
GAMETRACKER - Fans can follow Aggie home games through the USU web site at www.UtahStateAggies.com via GameTracker, a free service, which updates play-by-play and statistics throughout the game.
AGGIES IN THE WAC STATS - Utah State remains first in the WAC in scoring defense, holding teams to 59.2 points per game. The Aggies are also second in field goal defense (.370) just behind of Louisiana Tech (.352). USU is still second in blocks, averaging 4.53 blocks per game. Individually, junior Nicole Johnson is third in the WAC in blocks per game, averaging 2.06 bpg. Danyelle Snelgro is second in assists (4.00 apg) and tied for third in steals (2.06 spg). In WAC games, Snelgro is first in assists (7.25 apg) and tied for fourth steals (3.00 spg). Whitehead is second in blocks (1.75 bpg) in WAC games behind San Jose State's Shaunna Ridge.
AGGIES ON THE RADIO/WEB - All Utah State home games can be heard on KLGN (1390 AM) in Logan with Evan Nyman calling the play-by-play and Ashley Rutledge providing color commentary for home games. They can also be heard on the web by going to the Utah State Athletics home page at www.UtahStateAggies.com.
ADMISSION - Admission to Utah State's women's basketball games is $5 for adults, $1 for youth. Season tickets are also available $65 for adults and $10 for youth. Contact the USU Athletics Ticket Office at (435)797-0305 or at 1-888-U-STATE-1 (1-888-878-2831) for more information or visit the Utah State athletic web site at www.UtahStateAggies.com.
UTEP THANKSGIVING CLASSIC - Both Danyelle Snelgro and fellow guard Ana Pares were named to the UTEP Thanksgiving Classic all-tournament team as voted on by the tournament's four coaches. Hawk Jennifer Bender was named both Defensive and tournament Most Valuable Player.
COACH PEBLEY - Head coach Raegan Pebley is entering her sixth season as head coach at Utah State, which is the longest tenure in the program's history. Five games into last season, Pebley overtook the lead for the most games coached in Utah State history (116). She has now coached 157 games for the blue and white. Pebley now has 49 wins as Aggie head coach which places her in third in wins just behind of Fern Gardner (55) and just behind Cindy Perkins (51) on the all-time win list.
AGGIES AGAINST EVERYONE - The Aggies rounded out non-conference play against Utah Valley on Jan. 3. Portland State was the fourth team from the Big Sky Conference that the Aggies have faced this season. USU is 2-2 against the Big Sky with a win against Northern Arizona and Eastern Washington and a loss to Idaho State. USU is 0-1 against the Northeast Conference after a loss to Monmouth, while the Aggies hold a 1-0 record against the Southland Conference with a win against Texas State. Finally, the Aggies are 0-1 against the West Coast Conference after a season-opening loss to Portland. USU is now 0-2 against the Mountain West Conference with a loss to BYU on Dec. 13 and a loss to UNLV on Dec. 30. USU played its fifth and final Big Sky Conference team when it defeated Weber State.
Aggies vs. ConferencesBig Sky Conference 3-2Mountain West Conference 0-2Northeast Conference 0-1Southland Conference 1-0Summit League 1-0Non-Division I Opponents 1-0Provisional Division I 0-1West Coast Conference 0-1Total 6-7
INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR - The Aggies are a very international team with players from five different countries, including Australia (Stacey Howard and Alice Coddington), Japan (Erika Guatavai), Canada (Zana Williams), Senegal (Banna Diop and Ndoumbe Diop) and the United States (10 players).
AGGIE ALGEBRA
1-Total number of different starting lineups that the Aggies have started this season Danyelle Snelgro, Alice Coddington, Ana Pares, Nicole Johnson and Lydia Whitehead have started all 13 games this season.
2A-The number of players on the 2008-09 roster hailing from the Beehive state of Utah (Lydia Whitehead and Ana Pares). It is also the number of players from Senegal (Banna Diop and Ndoumbe Diop).
3A-Where junior Nicole Johnson stands in the WAC in blocks per game (2.06) bpg.
4A-The number of seniors leading this year's Aggie squad, including Danyelle Snelgro, Ndoumbe Diop, Shawnta Pope and Ana Pares.
4B-The number of overtime games that Utah State has played this season in eight total games. USU is 2-2 in games last longer than 40 minutes wins over Northern Arizona and Eastern Washington and a losses to BYU and Louisiana Tech. USU is 2-1 in overtime games at home.
5-Total number of players on this year's roster standing 6-0 or taller.
8-Ana Pares had a career-high eight rebounds in a loss to Idaho State on Nov. 22.
10-The number of wins that it would take to pass the nine-win total from 2007-08.
11-Alice Coddington tied a career high with 11 points in the loss to BYU on Dec. 13. She also scored 11 points against Northern Arizona on Dec. 22, 2007.
13-The number of conference games that the Aggies have remaining this season.
14-Career high in points by senior Shawna Pope in the loss to Idaho on Jan. 5.
15-Freshman Chelsea Burns had a career-high 15 points in the Aggies win over New Mexico State on Jan. 8.
19-The career-high in points scored by Aggie senior Snelgro in the 44-41 win over Weber State on Dec. 22.
17-Both Ana Pares and Danyelle Snelgro came within one point of their career highs in points scored in the Aggies win against Texas State on Nov. 28. Snelgro duplicated this feat in the loss to Portland State on Dec. 16. 21-The career high number of points Lydia Whitehead scored in an overtime win against Eastern Washington on Dec. 6.
25-Pares scored a career-high 25 points in a loss to Utah Valley. The 25 points were the most scored by the Aggies this season.
49-Head coach Raegan Pebley's win total at the helm of the USU team.
57.1-The amount of points per game Utah State has allowed per game in eight contests this season which is first in the Western Athletic Conference.
182-Snelgro now stands alone as the all-time steals leader, passing Margaret Johns (1980-83) with 176th steal in the overtime loss to Louisiana Tech on Jan. 10.
276-Number of career assists that Aggie Snelgro has.
970-Total number of points that the Aggies have scored this season.
