Fresno State Bulldogs
WAC (28-5, 13-1)
The 2011-2012 campaign was forgettable for the Western Athletic Conference. In rebuilding mode, the conference fell far down the conference pecking order. However, Fresno State was the exception. After a solid non-conference slate that included a victory over Oklahoma, the Bulldogs had little trouble winning the conference.
Big Wins: 12/1 Oregon (81-71), 12/8 Oklahoma (69-66), 1/19 at Utah State (90-67)
Bad Losses: 11/18 at Pepperdine (78-81), 1/6 at UNLV (71-73), 2/25 at San Jose State (61-62)
Coach: Adrian Wiggins (7 seasons at Fresno State)
Why They Can Surprise:
Most teams in the WAC simply could not stop the Bulldogs offense. This is a team that will outscore just about anybody. They share the ball well, they make a lot of shots and they get a lot of easy buckets off of turnovers. The biggest scorers on the team are Ki-Ki Moore and wing Rosie Moult. Moore will take most of the big shots for the Bulldogs, but she is more than just a pure scorer; Moore also leads the team in rebounding and steals. Moult is a 6-1 wing who plays the four spot just because she is 6-1. However, on the offensive side of the court she is a shooter and spends just about all of her time beyond the arc. She is a prolific outside shooter and is a tough matchup for most opposing defenders. Moult does not attack the basket very often, but Fresno State can often force opponents to play smaller just so somebody who feels comfortable defending the perimeter can matchup with Moult. Moult will then proceed to shoot over that defender. Taylor Thompson is another dynamic scoring threat who can hit the long ball and get to the basket. Madison Parrish usually comes in off the bench, but there is no drop off in production when she is on the floor. Parrish is one of the most consistent long range shooters around. Point guard Taylor Thompson makes this team tick. The 5-5 sophomore has quickly matured into a fine floor leader on both ends of the court. She can score, but she will look for the pass first.
Why They Can Disappoint:
Besides getting some steals, this team does not play great defense. The biggest problem stems from their lack of size and shot blocking ability. Alex Sheedy will start, while 6-3 senior center Veronica Wilson will spell her off of the bench. Those two are rarely on the floor at the same time so this is a Fresno State squad that plays small. That often works to their advantage since Moult can force the opposition to play small to match up to her skill set. However, the lack of a shot blocker makes it pretty easy for opponents to score in the paint and the overall diminutive stature of the team is a big problem on the glass. Fresno State will stretch out the defense since everybody on the team is a threat to shoot the long ball, but they will have trouble matching up with a team that has athletic post players who are not afraid to defend on the perimeter.
Probable Starters:
Taylor Thompson, Sophomore, Guard, 8.2 ppg, 3.7 apg, 4.2 rpg
Ki-Ki Moore, Sophomore, Guard, 16.6 ppg, 3.0 apg, 7.2 rpg, 2.9 spg
Blakely Goldberg, Senior, Guard, 7.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg
Rosie Moult, Junior, Guard, 13.1 ppg, 2.4 apg, 5.5 rpg
Alex Sheedy, Freshman, Forward, 6.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg
Key Roleplayers:
Bree Farley, Sophomore, Guard, 5.8 ppg
Madison Parrish, Freshman, Guard, 9.1 ppg, 2.6 apg
Veronica Wilson, Senior, Center, 7.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 75.1 (12th in nation, 1st in conference)
Scoring Defense: 63.3 (205, 2)
Field-Goal Percentage: 41.8 (57, 2)
Field-Goal Defense: 42.6 (310, 7)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 9.7 (3, 1)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 35.0 (29, 2)
Free-Throw Percentage: 65.4 (258, 6)
Rebound Margin: -1.9 (234, 6)
Assists Per Game: 16.5 (14, 1)
Turnovers Per Game: 15.1 (48, 1)
Recent Postseason Appearances:
Fresno State 2011 NCAA Round of 64 loss to North Carolina
Fresno State 2010 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Baylor
Fresno State 2009 NCAA Round of 64 loss to California
Fresno State 2008 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Baylor
Fresno State 2006 NIT Opening Round win over UC Santa Barbara
Fresno State 2006 NIT First Round win over UNLV
Fresno State 2006 NIT Second Round loss to Kansas State
*all team stats through 3/1
