Broncos Rally To Knock Off Nevada In Reno

The Boise State women's basketball team enters the stretch run of the WAC season as the hottest team in the league. The Broncos surged down the stretch to capture an 80-69 victory tonight in Reno over Nevada.

Sophomore center Ja’Lara Walker had the game of her life to lead the Boise State women’s basketball team to a thrilling come-from-behind 80-69 victory over Nevada tonight in Reno.  Walker scored 18 points and had 11 rebounds to pace Coach Gordy Presnell’s team to their 10^th consecutive victory.  The win was Boise State’s first over the Pack in Reno in four years.

With Nevada holding a 61-54 lead with 8:48 remaining, the Lady Broncos made their move.  Boise State went on a 9-2 run to the game at 63 and then Harris scored eight of her points down the stretch as the Broncos won going away.

The comeback helped Boise State remain in second place in the Western Athletic Conference with an impressive 10-2 record, 18-6 overall.  The Wolf Pack slides into third at 8-3 and 17-7 overall.

Senior guard Tasha Harris paced the Broncos in scoring with 20 and added four rebounds, four assists and two steals.  Jenna Galassi had 14 points despite foul trouble, Jessica Thompson had 11 points, five assists and four steals and Jackie Lee contributed nine points and six rebounds.

Nevada’s Dellena Criner, who came into the game as the WAC’s leading scorer, was held to just three points after burning the Broncos for 33 in the two team’s initial encounter in Boise.  Johnna Ward picked up the slack with 22, while Brandi Fitzgerald had 13 points and six rebounds, Mikail Price had 11 points and Cherlanda Franklin 10 with six boards. 

The Broncos have a week to prepare for Idaho when the Moscow school visits Taco Bell Arena next Thursday.

BOISE STATE 80, NEVADA 69

BOISE STATE (18-6, 10-2 WAC)
Harris, Tasha 7-10 4-4 20; Walker, Ja'Lara 9-12 0-0 18; Galassi, Jenna 6-10
0-0 14; Thompson, Jessica 5-13 0-1 11; Lee, Jackie 3-7 2-2 9; Malone, Jamia
1-1 0-2 3; Moore, Brittany 0-4 3-4 3; Moeller, Sierra 1-1 0-0 2; Rima,
Melissa 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 32-59 9-13 80.

NEVADA (17-7, 8-3 WAC)
Ward, Johnna 6-11 6-7 22; Fitzgerald, Brandi 6-12 1-2 13; Price, Mikail 4-6
2-2 11; Franklin, Cherlanda 5-10 0-0 10; Lombardi, Marianne 2-3 0-1 4; Keys,
Sabrina 2-5 0-2 4; Criner, Dellena 1-4 0-0 3; Henry, Bre`Anna 1-2 0-0 2;
Gross, Jennifer 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-53 9-14 69.

Boise State...................   36   44  -   80
Nevada........................   35   34  -   69

3-point goals--Boise State 7-11 (Galassi, Jenna 2-2; Harris, Tasha 2-2;
Thompson, Jessica 1-2; Malone, Jamia 1-1; Lee, Jackie 1-3; Moore, Brittany
0-1), Nevada 6-15 (Ward, Johnna 4-8; Criner, Dellena 1-2; Price, Mikail 1-2;
Franklin, Cherlanda 0-1; Fitzgerald, Brandi 0-2). Fouled out--Boise
State-None, Nevada-None. Rebounds--Boise State 30 (Walker, Ja'Lara 11),
Nevada 28 (Fitzgerald, Brandi 6; Franklin, Cherlanda 6). Assists--Boise
State 18 (Thompson, Jessica 5), Nevada 16 (Criner, Dellena 5). Total
fouls--Boise State 15, Nevada 14. Technical fouls--Boise State-None,
Nevada-None. A-762