Kunze Paces Cougs To Dial Championship

Dial Classic

Weber State matched Washington State in hustle and defensive scrappiness but Yvonne Kunze posed a big problem for the Wildcats. The 6-foot-4 Kunze scored 24 points to lead Washington State to an 85-68 win and its ninth Dial Classic championship, the fifth in six years.

Kunze was named the tournament’s MVP.

The Wildcats stayed close through the opening 10 minutes. Leading just 15-14, the Cougs went to Kunze for back-to-back field goals and a lead they stretched to 19 points by halftime. Kunze was stellar from the floor, hitting 12 of 15 shots.

“She’s the go-to player,” said WSU coach Harold Rhodes. “When she’s open, we need to get her the ball there. Tonight I thought this was the best game we’ve had as far as establishing Yvonne inside.”

Because teammates Kristin Erickson (11 points), Laura Wilder (14), and Joanna Smith (9), were able to hit perimeter jumpers and draw out the Wildcats defense, Kunze often found herself with only one defender and with none trying to deny her the ball.

Weber State made a bit of a run at the Cougars in the second half and closed to within nine points with about 4:30 to play before WSU took off on another spurt for a 75-60 edge.

Kunze, Erickson and Jade Hyett were named to the all-tournament team for WSU. Jodi Wimmer of Weber State, Janee Young of Fresno State, and Gonzaga’s Chelsea Herman were also selected.

Fresno St. 73, Gonzaga 53

For the second night, Gonzaga fell in the Dial Classic, leaving coach Kelly Barney fuming. The Bulldogs were run off the floor by Fresno State in the Consolation Round. They are now 1-5.

“I didn’t think we were in it mentally. We did not execute the offense, we did not set screens, we just ran exchanges,” said Barney.

Fresno State’s Janee Young was a force early, as FSU ran out to 17-point first-half lead that reached 25 in the final period before Gonzaga trimmed the margin.

Young made five steals, scored off two of them and her defensive pressure on the perimeter kept Gonzaga from getting the ball inside. With FSU enjoying big leads, Young sat most of the second half but still scored 10 points. Lori Brown and Tiffany Lewis shouldered the load inside with 14 and nine points, respectively. Jessie Farias contributed 13.

Turned away inside, Gonzaga was confined to the perimeter most of the game. The first half was abysmal, Gonzaga shot only 8 of 31 from the floor, 1 of 8 on 3-pointers. It improved to 15 of 33 in the second half and 4 for 10 on 3’s. Staci Andrews led GU with 15 points.

“I though Jessica Waltz came in and did a great job in the point guard spot,” said Bradley. “She is basically our future. She finally got our offense rolling, she hit Staci who had the hot hand tonight. One positive thing to come out of this is we might have found the magic combination.”

Dial Classic boxscores, C8