Wilt earns top honor for a fourth time

SAN BERNARDINO -- Recognized for one of the most dominating performances in the history of the Cal State San Bernardino women's basketball program, senior center Vanessa Wilt today was named the Wilson/California Collegiate Athletic Assn. women's basketball player of the week. It was the fourth such honor for Wilt already this season and her seventh selection in the past two seasons. The former Sultana High School (Hesperia) star averaged 29.5 points and 12 rebounds a game in the Coyotes' back-to-back home wins over Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills as the Coyotes improved to 10-1 overall and a conference-leading 4-0 in the CCAA. In an awesome display of her dominance in the post, Wilt tied the all-time single-game scoring record of 39 points in the team's 81-52 win over Cal State L.A. She made 14 of 17 shots from the field and sank 11 of 16 free throw attempts to equal the mark set in 1993-94 by Kim Young. Wilt also had three assists, three blocked shots and three steals in the game while playing 36 minutes. Against the pre-season CCAA favorites from Dominguez Hills, Wilt ran into foul trouble and sat out 16 minutes of the 40-minute contest. Yet, in the 24 minutes she played she produced 20 points and 14 rebounds with two blocked shots as the Coyotes won in overtime 64-60. She was eight-for-11 from the field against the Toros, four-for-nine at the foul line. Amazingly, she has produced a double-double in points and rebounds in all 11 games this season and leads the CCAA in scoring (23.3 ppg), rebounding (13.8 rpg) and blocked shots with 29 (2.6 per game). Wilt is averaging 30.75 points a game over her last four games. The Coyotes will be on the road this week facing Cal State Stanislaus on Friday and the nation's No. 22 team -- Chico State -- on Saturday night. The team's only loss this season was to No. 8 Seattle Pacific last month.