Written by: Jason Groves/Sun-News Reporter
LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Scoring the basketball has never been a problem for Hannah Spanich.
Spanich scored 23.9 points and 12.3 rebounds per game as a senior at Victory Christian High School in Tulsa, Okla., her senior year, before signing with New Mexico State University.
The 6-foot Spanich came off the bench as a freshman last year and after a successful summer, found her way into the starting lineup for the first five games this season. Aggies head coach Darin Spence moved Spanich into a reserve role after a 72-66 loss to Texas-El Paso on Nov. 28. She seems to have settled in for the 14-5 Aggies.
"I showed improvement this summer and we (herself and Spence) talked and I told him I didn't want to start unless I earned it and can really produce," Spanich said.
Spanich has been redefining career highs as a sophomore in just about the same amount of playing time per game as last year.
The latest career mark was on Thursday in the Aggies' 71-58 victory at Utah State. Spanich scored 15 points, shooting 4-for-6 from the field, in 26 minutes.
"It was exciting because is shows a lot of improvement after not doing so well last year and I'm playing a bigger role on the team," Spanich said.
Against Utah Valley State on Jan. 5, Spanich recorded her first double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
"She is just getting better and playing with a lot of energy and doing well," said Spence, who leads the Aggies into home games against Hawaii (Thursday) and San Jose State (Saturday).
In high school, Spanich depended on driving to the basket and getting to the foul line. Those traits have carried over. Spanich has knocked down 43 of her last 47 fould shots and she is second in the Western Athletic Conference in free throw percentage at 83 percent.
While Spanich' offense comes naturally, she says she focuses on the other end of the court when she enters a game.
"I have really been trying to get more rebounds," she said. "I feel like if I am more aggressive on the defensive end, it gets me in a flow on offense."
Just a sophomore, Spanich said she has learned a lot from her role as a key reserve.
"I get to watch the game and see if a girl is struggling or if she is doing something well, I can learn from it," she said. "I like to see it."
Jason Groves can be reached at jgroves@lcsun-news.com
