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Women's basketball news and notes from around the Mountain West ...
Fans can follow Mountain West women's basketball on Twitter at @MW_Whoops.
Women's Basketball Weekly is a new show on The Mtn. - MountainWest Sports Network (DirecTV 616) this season dedicated to coverage of women's basketball in the Mountain West. The program airs on Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. MT and recaps women's basketball action from around the Conference. The show also has player features, game breakdowns and a look at upcoming games.
No. 1 vs. No. 2 on Saturday, possible set-up for 1 vs. 1 next Wednesday ... The league-leading San Diego State Aztecs (5-0) will be hosting Colorado State on Saturday at 12 p.m. PT. The Rams are currently tied for second place in the league with UNLV at 4-1. If the Rams pull out a win at Viejas Arena and the Lady Rebels beat Air Force on Saturday, it sets up a match-up on Wednesday night in Fort Collins of two first-place teams (UNLV at CSU, 7 p.m. MT).
TV Time on Saturday ... The No. 1 vs. 2 match-up of San Diego State and Colorado State will be televised on CBS Sports Network (DirecTV 613) at 12 p.m. PT. Leading into the game, fans can watch fourth-place TCU host New Mexico on The Mtn. (DirecTV 616) at 12 p.m. CT. Last year the Horned Frogs and Lobos took turns winning on the other's home court.
The Air Force cadets were out in force on Wednesday night to cheer on the Falcons against TCU. Air Force boasted its largest crowd of the season (2,507) for Pack the House Night. The Falcons were the 2010-11 Mountain West winners in the NCAA Pack the House Challenge.
Boise State's Lauren Lenhardt kept the Broncos in the game with UNLV on Wednesday night. Lenhardt scored 17 of her team-high 19 points in the second half, missing only one shot.
Colorado State is currently in territory that it has not seen by the Rams in recent seasons. CSU is in a tie for second-place with UNLV. It has been a while since the Rams have been that high in the MW standings. In 2001-02, CSU went wire-to-wire in first place in Conference play.
New Mexico shot 9-of-18 (50.0 percent) from beyond the three-point line on Wednesday night in Fort Collins to stay in the game with second-place Colorado State. Senior Lauren Taylor accounted for half of the long-distance scoring, making 4 of 9. Jourdan Erskine returned to the court on Wednesday after being sidelined for several games with an injury.
The streak continues for San Diego State. The Aztecs are 5-0 in Conference play and have won their last 11 consecutive games. In Tuesday night's win against Wyoming, Courtney Clements notched her seventh 20-point outing of the season with 21.
TCU used a 27-4 run early in the second half on Wednesday night to erase a one-point halftime deficit. Freshmen were the key contributors in the game as Natalie Ventress scored 21 points and Ashley Colbert pitched in with 11.
Four Lady Rebels scored in double figures on Wednesday night against Boise State. Junior Kelli Thompson led all scorers with 24 points, while Sandrine Nzeukou, Jamie Smith and Mia Bell had 10 points each. Prior to the UNLV game this Saturday against Air Force, Lady Rebels fans will get to tour the new Mendenhall Center during an open house from 1-3 p.m. PT.
This will be the eighth meeting between Wyoming and Boise State on Saturday with the Broncos leading the series 4-3. However, the Cowgirls have won all three meetings in Laramie.
