Standing in the tunnel under the Orleans Arena, a distraught Maddy Plunkett cut a lonely figure after her Utah State Aggies suffered a shock 73-69 Western Athletic Conference semi-final loss to Louisiana Tech yesterday.

The former Albury-Wodonga Lady Bandit was a study in contrasts, just 48 hours earlier she was exuberant after the Aggies' 75-66 quarter-final win over Nevada, despite not playing thanks to a broken foot suffered at training a month ago.

Speaking straight after yesterday's gut-wrenching loss, the Albury native was still clearly coming to terms with the end of a collegiate career that began at the College of Southern Idaho in 2007.

"No, it's not how it should have been," Plunkett said, her voice barely above a whisper as she wiped away some tears. "Everyone back there (in the locker room) is pretty devastated right now.

"We should've won, we deserved to win and it's a pretty crappy feeling I guess.

"We ... just weren't as active as we usually are getting steals, we just weren't on defensively, although I think everyone was giving it their all, it just wasn't there.

"I don't know what to think right now, it kind of hasn't really hit yet ... I don't know, obviously upset, it's just a bad way to end the season.

"We've all worked so hard all year, just to end it this way, there's an empty feeling."

Tellingly, Plunkett could find nothing positive from Utah State's defeat, notable because the sixth-year senior has made a habit of taking the glass-half-full approach in her tenure with the Aggies, something coach Raegan Pebley is most impressed with.

"She's had such a big impact for us," Pebley said. "And it was hard for us when she went down, we had to change the structure and the personnel of what we do.

"We went from a two-post lineup to a four-guard because she played like a guard.

"I think Maddy is one of the most - and this sounds cheesy - but she's one of the most joyful people I've ever met. She finds a way to bring a positive attitude to everything and anything.

"What I respect about her is that even when she got injured, she was telling the team, 'You guys will be OK, you're going to be fine, you'll be a better rebounding team without me', she just found a way to make the girls see a positive side to her injury."

It's not the first time Plunkett has been derailed by injury, having torn an anterior cruciate ligament two years ago.

But this injury has been infinitely more frustrating for Plunkett, who said she was hopeful of beginning rehab on her foot soon.

"I'm used to it now but it's still really hard to see them out there without being able to play with them," Plunkett said. "Injuries happen, it's the fifth metatarsal that's broken, it just snapped.

"I've been out for four weeks, hopefully only another two or three weeks in the walking boot and then just start getting back into it.

"But it's not like when I tore my ACL and you can start rehabbing straight away, it's a broken bone and you just have to wait, that's the most frustrating part, the waiting game.

"I'm going out of my mind waiting, just not being able to do anything, I'm not even supposed to be walking on it."

The big question now for Plunkett - who was leading the WAC in three-point shooting before the injury, nailing an outstanding 47.4 per cent from beyond the arc - is what comes next, given the Lady Bandits had been in negotiations with her for a return to her home town.

"I started off slow, but once I got going I thought I had a great year," Plunkett said. "Just a pretty disappointing way to finish it.

"I'm not sure what I'm going to do now, to be continued I guess.

"It was just so unexpected when the injury happened, I wasn't thinking the last games against Hawaii and San Jose would be my last games.

"I won't rule out Albury-Wodonga, that still might happen, I don't know, I'm still figuring everything out and nothing is set in stone.

"Yes, they have contacted me but I really have to wait and see how long this injury takes to heal. Right now, I have all my options open."

Her coach, for one, thinks Plunkett's range means she should be easily able to find a home somewhere in her native land.

"Maddy is one of the best shooters I've ever, ever seen, just the sweetest touch," Pebley said. "Whoever taught her how to shoot needs to spread the wealth because it's so efficient.

"In the US, I don't think so right now, especially because of the injury, she doesn't get the exposure but in Australia I would hope that she has a chance back home when she's healthy.

"I think she's the type of player that you look at her and think that she can't run the floor that well and you question her mobility, but Maddy moves really well.

"I think she's got a pro skill-set and definitely would have to earn her way to get that opportunity to grow into a solidified pro player."

Meanwhile, in the WAC's second semi-final, the Aussie-laced Fresno State Bulldogs - with Alex Sheedy, Bree Farley and Rosie Moult - put the hurt on the Idaho Vandals, 80-55.

In almost sadly comical scenes to open the game, Idaho - featuring yet more Australian players in Stacey Barr and Adrie Shiels - missed its first 12, count 'em, 12, shots.

If that wasn't bad enough, their cheerleaders traditionally chant, 'Let's go Vandals!' until the first Idaho basket.

Unfortunately for the poor girls - both players and cheerleaders - it took nine minutes for this to happen.

Luckily, it only took the Vandals 40 seconds to score in the second half.

If nothing else, full credit for persistence I guess.