• In the last two games, TCU freshman guard Natalie Ventress not only became the first player under head coach Jeff Mittie to post two-straight halves of 20 or more points, but also joined Wright State's Kim Demmings as the only freshmen nationally to accomplish scoring 20-plus points in a single-half in two games. Overall, Ventress, who has scored 20 or more points in six out of the last 10 games, ranks No. 15 among all freshmen nationally in points per game. She is the only freshman in the Mountain West to score at least 20 points in six contests.
• Kayla Woodward isn't the only freshman coming of age at Wyoming. Guard Kaitlyn Mileto, one of three freshmen starters for the Cowgirls, did not allow Colorado State standout and MW Preseason Player of the Year Kim Mestdagh to score a field goal in Saturday's 66-62 overtime win against the Rams. Mestdagh, who finished with four points (all free throws) had scored in double figures in every MW game this season.
• Air Force junior Dymond James registered her fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds against Wyoming on Feb. 15, while junior Katie Hilbig tallied the second double-double of her career with 10 points and 10 rebounds versus San Diego State on Feb. 18. The Falcons finished with a season-low 12 turnovers against Wyoming.
• New Mexico senior Porche Torrance, who has 143 blocks going into this week's action, is two removed from taking over second place on the school's career list. Torrance is also averaging double figures with an average of 11.7 points and leads the MW with an average of 8.4 rebounds per game. She also holds the top spot in the league in blocks per game (2.6) and defensive rebounds (5.6).
• For the fourth time this season, UNLV's Lenita Sanford was named the Mountain West Women's Basketball Player of the Week. The only other player in Lady Rebel history to duplicate that feat was former UNLV standout Constance Jinks, who won the award four times during the 2001-02 season.
• Colorado State senior forward Kelly Hartig, who currently ranks second in the league in field-goal percentage (.545), has shot 64.3 percent from the field (18-of-28) in her last three games. Hartig finished a rebound short of a double-double against Boise State last week, posting a career-high 20 points while grabbing nine rebounds.
Mick McGrane has covered the Mountain West since the league's inception in 1999. He spent 12 years at the San Diego Union-Tribune, where he served as the beat writer for San Diego State football and men's basketball. He currently represents the MW as a member of the Football Writers Association of America All-America Committee and is a member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. McGrane serves as senior writer to the Mountain West, providing readers with exclusive, in-depth information about the Conference by highlighting its eight member institutions and contributing feature stories on student-athletes that participate in the league's 18 sponsored sports.
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