Boise State Athletics
#MVPMonday: Pahukoa Shines In 2015
3/30/2020 2:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Boise State's run of four-straight Mountain West Tournament titles, and five over the last six seasons (2015, 2017-20), has been nearly unprecedented in conference history.
With five titles, the Broncos share the lead with New Mexico for most in conference history. But, the Broncos' achievement begs extra praise. Boise State has been in the Mountain West for just nine seasons (2011-12 was the Broncos' first Mountain West campaign), and has won its five titles over that short span, while New Mexico is a charter member of the conference, beginning in 1999-2000.
The Broncos' rise to the top of the Mountain West has followed the team's "Family" ethos, as contributions to every title have come from a variety of individuals and been the true "team effort." But only one player can be named the Mountain West Tournament Most Valuable Player, and the Broncos, in yet another example of the program's depth and team-first culture, have had four different players combine for those five MVPs. Brooke Pahukoa took home the MVP award in both 2015 and 2017, while Riley Lupfer (2018), Braydey Hodgins (2019), and A'Shanti Coleman (2020) earned the hardware in each of the following three seasons.
On BroncoSports.com, we're going to spend the next five Mondays featuring each of those tournament MVP performances. The series begins with Pahukoa's MVP effort at the 2015 Mountain West Tournament.
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2015 Mountain West Championship MVP – Brooke Pahukoa
Brooke Pahukoa won the first of her two Mountain West Tournament Most Valuable Player awards with Boise State's run to the title in 2015.
Pahukoa averaged a team-best 14.0 points per game to go with 5.0 rebounds and 2.00 assists per game, while hitting six 3-pointers.
The sophomore stepped up beginning in the semifinal contest against San Jose State, following up a seven-point quarterfinal performance against UNLV with 19 in the 76-67 win over the Spartans. Pahukoa pulled down six rebounds and was 2-for-4 from behind the arc, helping the Broncos seal their first spot in the conference championship game.
Boise State trailed by six, 48-42, with 11:57 to play in the second half before closing the game on a 28-15 run. Pahukoa got the final comeback started with a pair of free throws 40 seconds later, and would hit a pair of free throws with 41 seconds left in the contest to put the Broncos up six.
After a day off, the Broncos, behind 16 points and a team-high three 3-pointers from Pahukoa, would capture their first Mountain West Tournament title and punch their first ticket to the NCAA Tournament since 2007 with a 66-60 victory over New Mexico. The Broncos never trailed in the contest, pulling away early in the second half thanks to a pair of triples from Pahukoa.
The first of those two 3-pointers from Pahukoa got the Bronco lead to 11 at 37-26 three minutes into the half. She followed with her second triple with 14:05 to play, upping the Bronco advantage to 14 at 45-31.
Pahukoa would end up scoring 11 of her 16 points in the second half, and provided the clutch free throws in the final minute that helped ice the title. With 57 seconds to play, and the Broncos clinging to the five-point lead, Pahukoa was fouled on an attempt behind the arc, and calmly sank all three freebies to push the lead to eight, at 63-55, and keep the Lobos at bay.
The Broncos would go on to their first NCAA Tournament in eight years, getting a 15-seed and traveling to Knoxville to face the second-seeded Tennessee Lady Volunteers.
On one of the most hallowed floors in college basketball history, Pahukoa would go 7-for-7, including a trio of 3-pointers, for 18 points in the first half, and finished the game with 22. Boise State would give the Lady Vols all they could handle, trailing only by five with 2:51 to play, before falling, 72-61.
With five titles, the Broncos share the lead with New Mexico for most in conference history. But, the Broncos' achievement begs extra praise. Boise State has been in the Mountain West for just nine seasons (2011-12 was the Broncos' first Mountain West campaign), and has won its five titles over that short span, while New Mexico is a charter member of the conference, beginning in 1999-2000.
The Broncos' rise to the top of the Mountain West has followed the team's "Family" ethos, as contributions to every title have come from a variety of individuals and been the true "team effort." But only one player can be named the Mountain West Tournament Most Valuable Player, and the Broncos, in yet another example of the program's depth and team-first culture, have had four different players combine for those five MVPs. Brooke Pahukoa took home the MVP award in both 2015 and 2017, while Riley Lupfer (2018), Braydey Hodgins (2019), and A'Shanti Coleman (2020) earned the hardware in each of the following three seasons.
On BroncoSports.com, we're going to spend the next five Mondays featuring each of those tournament MVP performances. The series begins with Pahukoa's MVP effort at the 2015 Mountain West Tournament.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 Mountain West Championship MVP – Brooke Pahukoa
Brooke Pahukoa won the first of her two Mountain West Tournament Most Valuable Player awards with Boise State's run to the title in 2015.
Pahukoa averaged a team-best 14.0 points per game to go with 5.0 rebounds and 2.00 assists per game, while hitting six 3-pointers.
Your #MWMadness Tournament MVP: @BroncoSportsWBB's Brooke Pahukoa! Congratulations! #mwbb http://t.co/mCh3pmbB8G
— MW Womens Basketball (@MW_WBB) March 13, 2015
The sophomore stepped up beginning in the semifinal contest against San Jose State, following up a seven-point quarterfinal performance against UNLV with 19 in the 76-67 win over the Spartans. Pahukoa pulled down six rebounds and was 2-for-4 from behind the arc, helping the Broncos seal their first spot in the conference championship game.
Boise State trailed by six, 48-42, with 11:57 to play in the second half before closing the game on a 28-15 run. Pahukoa got the final comeback started with a pair of free throws 40 seconds later, and would hit a pair of free throws with 41 seconds left in the contest to put the Broncos up six.
After a day off, the Broncos, behind 16 points and a team-high three 3-pointers from Pahukoa, would capture their first Mountain West Tournament title and punch their first ticket to the NCAA Tournament since 2007 with a 66-60 victory over New Mexico. The Broncos never trailed in the contest, pulling away early in the second half thanks to a pair of triples from Pahukoa.
The first of those two 3-pointers from Pahukoa got the Bronco lead to 11 at 37-26 three minutes into the half. She followed with her second triple with 14:05 to play, upping the Bronco advantage to 14 at 45-31.
Pahukoa would end up scoring 11 of her 16 points in the second half, and provided the clutch free throws in the final minute that helped ice the title. With 57 seconds to play, and the Broncos clinging to the five-point lead, Pahukoa was fouled on an attempt behind the arc, and calmly sank all three freebies to push the lead to eight, at 63-55, and keep the Lobos at bay.
Congratulations @BroncoSportsWBB! Mountain West Tournament Champions and onto the NCAA Tournament! pic.twitter.com/Po11jpYVC6
— Boise State MBB (@BroncoSportsMBB) March 13, 2015
The Broncos would go on to their first NCAA Tournament in eight years, getting a 15-seed and traveling to Knoxville to face the second-seeded Tennessee Lady Volunteers.
On one of the most hallowed floors in college basketball history, Pahukoa would go 7-for-7, including a trio of 3-pointers, for 18 points in the first half, and finished the game with 22. Boise State would give the Lady Vols all they could handle, trailing only by five with 2:51 to play, before falling, 72-61.
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