Tuesday, March 12
Las Vegas, Nev.
7:00 PM MT
Boise State
27-4
89
vs
77
Fresno State
19-12
1
2
3
4
F
#4 Fresno State
18
18
18
23
77
#1 Boise State
24
12
24
29
89
Photo by: Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos
Hermida's Hot Hand Leads Broncos Into Title Game
3/12/2019 9:49:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LAS VEGAS - Marta Hermida went for a career-high 30 points and came up just two assists shy of her second-career triple-double Tuesday night, leading Boise State to an 89-77 victory over Fresno State and a third-straight appearance in the Mountain West Championship Game.
"It was just outstanding. She kind of controlled the boards down the stretch of the game in the fourth quarter," said Boise State head coach Gordy Presnell. "And I don't know why she messed up on two assists of having a triple-double but I thought her play overall -- it hurt us when she got in foul trouble and had to come out. But she just picked up where she left off and just had an outstanding game."
Hermida went 6-for-9 from 3-point range, 8-for-13 overall and 8-for-10 from the free-throw line, while pulling down 10 rebounds and passing out eight assists. It was the Madrid, Spain, native's first double-double of the season and third of her career.
"Yeah, it's pretty cool, but the coolest part is tomorrow I play a final here. That's the best part," Hermida said postgame.
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The Broncos (27-4) will go for the tournament three-peat in the Mountain West Championship Game Wednesday night at 8 p.m. MT against No. 3 Wyoming. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.
"For sure it's a big game. Like every single time it can be your last game but instead of thinking it's my last game, I'm thinking I have one more chance to enjoy, with these players, with these coaches. And that's all. I just want to enjoy playing with them," Hermida said ahead of Wednesday's title game.
Tuesday, Boise State shot 53.3 percent in the second half, and 58.3 percent in the fourth quarter, breaking open a 36-36 halftime tie while holding the Bulldogs to just 35.0 percent from the field in the final period. The Broncos also hit seven of their 12 3-pointers in the game over the final 20 minutes, including a 6-for-9 showing in the third quarter.
It was Hermida's 3-pointer 1:33 into the second half which gave the Broncos a 41-38 lead that they would never give up the rest of the way. Braydey Hodgins, who followed up her 37-point game Monday with 17 Tuesday night, hit a triple of her own on the next Broncos possession to cap a quick 8-2 half-opening run. The pair would go back-to-back again near the halfway point of the frame, with Hodgins' triple forcing a Fresno State timeout with 4:21 on the clock and the Broncos up 12 at 55-43.
The Bulldogs made one last push, however. Maddi Utti's three-point play helped Fresno State finish the third with a 7-2 spurt to get within six, and Candice White, who led the Bulldogs with 28 points, scored six within the first 1:33 of the fourth to make it a one-point game at 63-62.
Riley Lupfer, who finished with 12 points for the Broncos, traded baskets with Bree Delaney, then the Broncos slowly made their move. A'Shanti Coleman started the breakaway with a layup with 6:44 to go, with Lupfer and Joyce Harrell adding buckets to make it 71-65. The Bronco defense also locked it down over the final 7:52, holding the Bulldogs to just three field goals in 14 attempts after Fresno State opened the period 4-for-6.
After Aly Gamez' free throws with 3:58 to play cut the Bronco lead to four at 71-67, Boise State reeled off six-straight points to swell its lead to 10 with 2:39 to go. Hermida would cap her night by going 8-for-10 from the line over the final 1:21, while the Bronco defense forced four-straight Bulldog misses over the final 35 seconds.
Harrell was key down the stretch for Boise State, hitting both of her attempts and scoring four points with four rebounds in the final quarter.
"It was a really big shot. I would call it, like, my H-O-R-S-E shot. It's one of those shots you use when you play H-O-R-S-E. It was good. It was a game-changer, helped the team close it out," Harrell said about her basket which put the Broncos up six. "We really needed it and I just wanted to be that person that I could be there for my team when they trust me."
"It was just outstanding. She kind of controlled the boards down the stretch of the game in the fourth quarter," said Boise State head coach Gordy Presnell. "And I don't know why she messed up on two assists of having a triple-double but I thought her play overall -- it hurt us when she got in foul trouble and had to come out. But she just picked up where she left off and just had an outstanding game."
Hermida went 6-for-9 from 3-point range, 8-for-13 overall and 8-for-10 from the free-throw line, while pulling down 10 rebounds and passing out eight assists. It was the Madrid, Spain, native's first double-double of the season and third of her career.
"Yeah, it's pretty cool, but the coolest part is tomorrow I play a final here. That's the best part," Hermida said postgame.
Â
GOING TO THE 'SHIP!!!
— Boise State WBB (@BroncoSportsWBB) March 13, 2019
A career-high 30 points from @martahh97 sends the Broncos into the @MountainWest Championship Game for the third-straight year!
Broncos beat Fresno State, 89-77!#BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/s4D11FBtvb
The Broncos (27-4) will go for the tournament three-peat in the Mountain West Championship Game Wednesday night at 8 p.m. MT against No. 3 Wyoming. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.
"For sure it's a big game. Like every single time it can be your last game but instead of thinking it's my last game, I'm thinking I have one more chance to enjoy, with these players, with these coaches. And that's all. I just want to enjoy playing with them," Hermida said ahead of Wednesday's title game.
Tuesday, Boise State shot 53.3 percent in the second half, and 58.3 percent in the fourth quarter, breaking open a 36-36 halftime tie while holding the Bulldogs to just 35.0 percent from the field in the final period. The Broncos also hit seven of their 12 3-pointers in the game over the final 20 minutes, including a 6-for-9 showing in the third quarter.
It was Hermida's 3-pointer 1:33 into the second half which gave the Broncos a 41-38 lead that they would never give up the rest of the way. Braydey Hodgins, who followed up her 37-point game Monday with 17 Tuesday night, hit a triple of her own on the next Broncos possession to cap a quick 8-2 half-opening run. The pair would go back-to-back again near the halfway point of the frame, with Hodgins' triple forcing a Fresno State timeout with 4:21 on the clock and the Broncos up 12 at 55-43.
The Bulldogs made one last push, however. Maddi Utti's three-point play helped Fresno State finish the third with a 7-2 spurt to get within six, and Candice White, who led the Bulldogs with 28 points, scored six within the first 1:33 of the fourth to make it a one-point game at 63-62.
Riley Lupfer, who finished with 12 points for the Broncos, traded baskets with Bree Delaney, then the Broncos slowly made their move. A'Shanti Coleman started the breakaway with a layup with 6:44 to go, with Lupfer and Joyce Harrell adding buckets to make it 71-65. The Bronco defense also locked it down over the final 7:52, holding the Bulldogs to just three field goals in 14 attempts after Fresno State opened the period 4-for-6.
After Aly Gamez' free throws with 3:58 to play cut the Bronco lead to four at 71-67, Boise State reeled off six-straight points to swell its lead to 10 with 2:39 to go. Hermida would cap her night by going 8-for-10 from the line over the final 1:21, while the Bronco defense forced four-straight Bulldog misses over the final 35 seconds.
Harrell was key down the stretch for Boise State, hitting both of her attempts and scoring four points with four rebounds in the final quarter.
"It was a really big shot. I would call it, like, my H-O-R-S-E shot. It's one of those shots you use when you play H-O-R-S-E. It was good. It was a game-changer, helped the team close it out," Harrell said about her basket which put the Broncos up six. "We really needed it and I just wanted to be that person that I could be there for my team when they trust me."
Team Stats
FS
BSU
FG%
.458
.449
3FG%
.261
.444
FT%
.944
.833
RB
31
38
TO
11
9
STL
4
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
30
FGM
8
3FGM
6
FTM
8
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
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