Boise State Athletics
#MVPMonday: Make It Two For Pahukoa
4/6/2020 12:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
#MVPMonday hits its second week as BroncoSports.com continues to look back at Boise State's unprecedented run of four-straight Mountain West Tournament titles, and five over the last six seasons (2015, 2017-20).
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.
Our #MVPMonday series continues today, spotlighting Brooke Pahukoa's 2017 effort in which she became just the second player in Mountain West history to be named tournament MVP for the second time.
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2017 Mountain West Championship MVP – Brooke Pahukoa
The 2017 Mountain West Tournament was the Brooke Pahukoa Show from the start.
Pahukoa, an All-Mountain West selection, etched her name among the greats in Boise State program history by averaging 17.7 points per game in an MVP performance that was all but assured with her game-winning bucket in the 64-62 quarterfinal win over New Mexico.
The MVP award made Pahukoa just the second player in Mountain West history to claim it twice, joining New Mexico's Dionne Marsh (2005, 2007-08).
"Boise State, the atmosphere when you step on to that campus is we succeed. As athletes, as student-athletes, in the classroom, off the court, you succeed," Pahukoa said in the post-championship game press conference. "We're champions everywhere you go. And that wasn't something that started when we came here. That started a long time ago and we got rolling right into it. It's a fun place to be, it's a fun place to be a part of. And definitely that culture has been here before we set foot on campus."
In that quarterfinal win, the Broncos came back from a fourth-quarter deficit for the fourth time the last eight games, fighting back from a 57-52 hole to take a 62-59 lead with seven seconds remaining. But New Mexico would add drama to the proceedings, tying it up on a Cherise Beynon 3-pointer with 3.2 seconds left.
That set the stage for Pahukoa's heroics. The Broncos called timeout to advance the ball, and, on the ensuing inbounds play, head coach Gordy Presnell's play call could not have been executed any more perfect.
Marijke Vanderschaaf headed for the corner, taking her defender with her. That opened up the paint for Pahukoa, being guarded one-on-one. Shalen Shaw had a clear passing lane and inbounded straight to Pahukoa, who capped a 25-point effort with the game-deciding turnaround to advance the Broncos to the semifinals.
That set up a matchup with the top-seeded Colorado State Rams, who had won their fourth-straight conference regular-season title.
Once again, it would be a fourth-quarter comeback that surged the Broncos to the upset. While it was freshman Riley Lupfer who starred in the comeback, scoring 15 of her 17 points in the final period, Pahukoa came up with clutch buckets over the final two minutes to help seal the win.
After Lupfer scored five-straight to tie it up at 57-57, Colorado State got a triple from Stine Augustulen to retake the lead, 60-57, with 2:09 to play.
Pahukoa, who was keyed in on all game by the Rams defense, scoring 11 points, shook off her defenders in the final minutes, beginning with a game-tying 3-pointer with 1:35 to go. In the game's dying moments, with the Broncos clinging to a 63-61 and in possession, Pahukoa followed her own miss and was true on the second attempt, giving Boise State a critical two-possession advantage at 65-61 with 18 seconds left.
Austgulen would miss a last-ditch 3-point attempt on the other end, and the Broncos would look ahead to their second championship game in three years.
The championship game would have less drama, and serve as a coronation of sorts for the Mountain West's new dynasty. Facing a sixth-seeded Fresno State team that was playing its fourth game in five days, the Broncos opened up an 18-13 lead after a quarter, and pulled away from a tired Bulldog squad in the second half, en route to a 66-53 victory.
Pahukoa capped off her MVP performance with a game-high 17 points and six rebounds, going a perfect 7-for-7 from the line to complete a tournament in which she was 10-for-11 from the stripe.
The senior began the game-deciding 16-8 Bronco run in the third quarter, converting a three-point play then adding another bucket as Boise State separated for a 12-point lead at 48-36 with 2:23 left in the frame.
The Broncos would go on to their second NCAA Tournament in three years, earning a 13 seed, and traveling to fourth-seeded UCLA, where Boise State's season came to an end with an 83-56 loss in Westwood.
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.
Our #MVPMonday series continues today, spotlighting Brooke Pahukoa's 2017 effort in which she became just the second player in Mountain West history to be named tournament MVP for the second time.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2017 Mountain West Championship MVP – Brooke Pahukoa
The 2017 Mountain West Tournament was the Brooke Pahukoa Show from the start.
Pahukoa, an All-Mountain West selection, etched her name among the greats in Boise State program history by averaging 17.7 points per game in an MVP performance that was all but assured with her game-winning bucket in the 64-62 quarterfinal win over New Mexico.
The MVP award made Pahukoa just the second player in Mountain West history to claim it twice, joining New Mexico's Dionne Marsh (2005, 2007-08).
"Boise State, the atmosphere when you step on to that campus is we succeed. As athletes, as student-athletes, in the classroom, off the court, you succeed," Pahukoa said in the post-championship game press conference. "We're champions everywhere you go. And that wasn't something that started when we came here. That started a long time ago and we got rolling right into it. It's a fun place to be, it's a fun place to be a part of. And definitely that culture has been here before we set foot on campus."
POST-GAME: The #MWN chats with @BroncoSportsWBB's @BrookePahukoa, after Boise State defeated @FresnoStateWBB, 66-53 #MWMadness pic.twitter.com/9sDntNQEVk
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) March 10, 2017
In that quarterfinal win, the Broncos came back from a fourth-quarter deficit for the fourth time the last eight games, fighting back from a 57-52 hole to take a 62-59 lead with seven seconds remaining. But New Mexico would add drama to the proceedings, tying it up on a Cherise Beynon 3-pointer with 3.2 seconds left.
That set the stage for Pahukoa's heroics. The Broncos called timeout to advance the ball, and, on the ensuing inbounds play, head coach Gordy Presnell's play call could not have been executed any more perfect.
Marijke Vanderschaaf headed for the corner, taking her defender with her. That opened up the paint for Pahukoa, being guarded one-on-one. Shalen Shaw had a clear passing lane and inbounded straight to Pahukoa, who capped a 25-point effort with the game-deciding turnaround to advance the Broncos to the semifinals.
Checkout Brooke Pahukoa's game winning shot vs New Mexico. pic.twitter.com/hzyAia1Sof
— Boise State WBB (@BroncoSportsWBB) March 8, 2017
That set up a matchup with the top-seeded Colorado State Rams, who had won their fourth-straight conference regular-season title.
Once again, it would be a fourth-quarter comeback that surged the Broncos to the upset. While it was freshman Riley Lupfer who starred in the comeback, scoring 15 of her 17 points in the final period, Pahukoa came up with clutch buckets over the final two minutes to help seal the win.
After Lupfer scored five-straight to tie it up at 57-57, Colorado State got a triple from Stine Augustulen to retake the lead, 60-57, with 2:09 to play.
Pahukoa, who was keyed in on all game by the Rams defense, scoring 11 points, shook off her defenders in the final minutes, beginning with a game-tying 3-pointer with 1:35 to go. In the game's dying moments, with the Broncos clinging to a 63-61 and in possession, Pahukoa followed her own miss and was true on the second attempt, giving Boise State a critical two-possession advantage at 65-61 with 18 seconds left.
Austgulen would miss a last-ditch 3-point attempt on the other end, and the Broncos would look ahead to their second championship game in three years.
The Bronco senior duo of Brooke Pahukoa and Yaiza Rodriguez are making big time plays! pic.twitter.com/5G3rYL3Q9G
— Boise State WBB (@BroncoSportsWBB) March 9, 2017
The championship game would have less drama, and serve as a coronation of sorts for the Mountain West's new dynasty. Facing a sixth-seeded Fresno State team that was playing its fourth game in five days, the Broncos opened up an 18-13 lead after a quarter, and pulled away from a tired Bulldog squad in the second half, en route to a 66-53 victory.
Pahukoa capped off her MVP performance with a game-high 17 points and six rebounds, going a perfect 7-for-7 from the line to complete a tournament in which she was 10-for-11 from the stripe.
The senior began the game-deciding 16-8 Bronco run in the third quarter, converting a three-point play then adding another bucket as Boise State separated for a 12-point lead at 48-36 with 2:23 left in the frame.
The Broncos would go on to their second NCAA Tournament in three years, earning a 13 seed, and traveling to fourth-seeded UCLA, where Boise State's season came to an end with an 83-56 loss in Westwood.
Players Mentioned
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