BAKERSFIELD’S OUTLAND NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Bakersfield junior guard Tyonna Outfield has been named Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 25-Dec. 1. This is her first-ever WAC Player of the Week honor.
The Compton, Calif., native led Bakersfield to a 69-65 win over Omaha, breaking the 12th tie of the game with a three-pointer with 2:40 remaining in the second half to give Bakersfield the lead for good. Outland led all scorers with a WAC-best 25 points to go along with eight rebounds, four assists and two steals, playing all 40 minutes. She was 8-of-14 (57.1 percent) from the field, 3-of-4 (75.0 percent) from three-point range, and 6-of-8 (75 percent) from the free throw line.
Other nominees included: Chicago State’s Paris Williams averaged 14.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals over two games last week ... Judy Jones of Grand Canyon averaged 18.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game as the Antelopes went 2-2 on the week ... Idaho’s Stacey Barr averaged 17.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists as the Vandals went 1-2 on the week ... Eilise O’Connor of Kansas City averaged 23.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.3 steals and was named to the Plaza Lights Classic all-tournament team as the Kangaroos went 1-2 on the week ... New Mexico State’s Sasha Weber averaged 17.0 points and 5.5 rebounds as the Aggies went 1-1 on the week ... Taelor Ross of Seattle U was named MVP of the Delta Dental Thanksgiving Classic after leading the Redhawks to the tournament title, averaging 15.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game ... Texas-Pan American’s Brittany Bush was named to the all-tournament team of the UTSA Thanksgiving Classic after averaging 12.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 5.0 blocks as the Broncs went 2-0 on the week.
WAC STAT LEADERS
Texas-Pan American leads the WAC in scoring defense (50.5), scoring margin (14.8), field goal percentage defense (27.9), three-point field goal percentage defense (20.0), rebounding (46.8), blocks (4.5), turnover margin (7.2), offensive rebounds (17.83) and defensive rebounds (29.0). Utah Valley is tops in field goal percentage (43.0), three-point field goal percentage (40.2) and assist-turnover ratio (0.97), while Grand Canyon leads the league in rebounding defense (35.1) and rebounding margin (5.9). New Mexico State leads the WAC in scoring (77.3) and three-pointers per game (9.29), while Chicago State is tops in steals (12.1). Kansas City leads the conference in free throw percentage (79.5), while Seattle U leads the league in assists (17.0).
Individually, Bakersfield’s Tyonna Outland leads the WAC in scoring (21.4), while teammate Batabe Zempare is tops in rebounding (12.8), offensive rebounds (4.6) and defensive rebounds (8.2). Utah Valley’s Katie Kuklok leads the WAC in free throw shooting percentage (96.0), three-point field goal percentage (51.9) and three-pointers per game (4.0), while Idaho’s Connie Ballestero is tops in assists (4.7) and assist/turnover ratio (2.06). Seattle U’s Taelor Ross leads the league in field goal percentage (55.0), while Chicago State’s Paris Williams is tops in steals (3.6). Brittany Bush of Texas-Pan American leads the WAC in blocks (2.8), while Kansas City’s Eilise O’Connor leads the league minutes per game (37.6).
REDHAWKS’ WARD SCORES 1,000TH POINT
With her layup at the 9:55 mark in the first half of the Redhawks’ win over Cornell, senior Ashley Ward tallied her 1,000th career point. The guard now has 1,010 points on her career and joins fellow senior Kacie Sowell in the 1,000-point club.
KANSAS CITY’S O’CONNOR JOINS SPECIAL CLUB
Kansas City senior guard Eilise O’Connor is the first player in school history to score more than 1,200 points, grab more than 400 rebounds, dish out more than 350 assists and collect more than 150 steals. The WAC’s active leading scorer, O’Connor has 1,280 points, 427 rebounds, 374 assists and 159 steals.
TWO WAC PLAYERS NAMED ALLSTATE GOOD WORKS TEAM CANDIDATES
Eilise O’Connor of Kansas City and Kacie Sowell of Seattle U are among the 52 Division I nominees for the 2014 Allstate WBCA Good Works Teams®. The award recognizes basketball student-athletes who have made significant contributions to the greater good of their communities through volunteerism and civic service. In its second year, the team honors players at all levels of college basketball who represent the sport’s finest in the areas of leadership and charitable achievements amongst their peers. A voting panel will select the 10-member team comprised of five student-athletes from the NCAA Division I level and five student-athletes from NCAA Divisions II, III and the NAIA from the nominees. The final roster of award recipients will be unveiled in February.
SEATTLE U’S SHEPHARD NABS 200TH CAREER STEAL
Seattle U senior guard Sylvia Shephard nabbed her 200th career steal on Nov. 24 vs. Portland. The WAC’s active leader in steals with 205, she ranks tied for 20th nationally in active career leaders and this season ranks tied for 53rd nationally with an average of 2.71 per game.
UVU SETS FIELD GOAL RECORD AGAINST WALLA WALLA
Utah Valley shot a program-best 66.7 percent (46-of-69) from the field in its rout of Walla Walla on Nov. 9. The 114-point output was the third-highest total in program history and the 86-point margin of victory is the second-highest.
UTAH VALLEY’S DOUGHTY SETS FREE THROW RECORD AGAINST NEVADA
Utah Valley’s Tina Doughty went 16-of-18 from the free throw line against Nevada on Nov. 8, setting the program single-game record for free throws made. She also tied the mark for free throws attempted.
THREE WAC PLAYERS NAMED SENIOR CLASS CANDIDATES
Three WAC student-athletes – Alyssa Charlston of Idaho, Eilise O’Connor of Kansas City and Kacie Sowell of Seattle U – are among the 30 candidates for the 2013-14 Senior CLASS Award® in women’s basketball. All three student-athletes were named to the Preseason All-WAC first team by both the coaches and the media, while Sowell was selected as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans. The winner will be announced during the 2014 NCAA Women’s Final Four®.
ORLEANS ARENA IN LAS VEGAS TO HOST 2014 WAC TOURNAMENT
The 2014 WAC Basketball Tournament returns to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas for the fourth year in a row. This year’s tournament includes all eight eligible teams and will be held Wednesday-Saturday, March 12-15.
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Two of the first team All-WAC players from last year return for the 2013-14 season in Idaho’s Alyssa Charlston and reigning WAC Player of the Year Kacie Sowell of Seattle U. Other WAC honorees that return are Seattle U’s Sylvia Shephard, the reigning WAC Defensive Player of the Year, who was named second team All-WAC and to the All-Defensive Team. Idaho’s Stacey Barr, a third team All-WAC selection, and Christina Salvatore, an All-Freshman honoree, round out the group.
Tierra Williams of Chicago State earned the Great West Sixth Woman Award and was named second team All-Great West, while teammates Paris Williams (honorable mention) and Layne Murphy (all-newcomer) were also honored.
Grand Canyon’s Judy Jones was named PacWest Player and Newcomer of the Year and was a first team all-conference pick.
Eilise O’Connor of Kansas City was named first team All-Summit, while KaeLynn Boyd of Texas-Pan American was named to the Great West All-Newcomer Team. Tina Doughty of Utah Valley was named second team All-Great West and to the all-newcomer team.
KEY NON-CONFERENCE MATCHUPS
This season, WAC teams have as many as 28 games against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament or the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) last season. The complete list is below.
Games vs. NCAA Teams
Nov. 8 – Idaho at Gonzaga (Preseason WNIT)
Nov. 10 – Texas-Pan American at Texas Tech
Nov. 18 – New Mexico State at Cal Poly
Nov. 30 – Idaho vs. California (Nugget Classic)
Nov. 30 – Grand Canyon vs. UCLA (Gulf Coast Showcase)
Dec. 6 – Idaho at Montana (Lady Griz Classic)
Dec. 7 – Bakersfield at Cal Poly
Dec. 15 – Bakersfield at California
Dec. 22 – Texas-Pan American at Wichita State (Wichita State Winter Classic)
Dec. 29 – Texas-Pan American at Oklahoma State
Games vs. WNIT Teams
Nov. 16 – Chicago State at Miami (Ohio)
Nov. 19 – Seattle U at Washington
Nov. 20 – Toledo at Kansas City
Nov. 23 – IUPUI at Chicago State
Nov. 26 – Idaho at San Diego
Nov. 26 – Kansas City at Missouri
Nov. 29 – Sam Houston State at Kansas City (Plaza Lights Classic)
Nov. 30 – Texas-Pan American vs. Northern Iowa (UTSA Classic)
Nov. 30 – Eastern Illinois at Kansas City (Plaza Lights Classic)
Dec. 7 – *Idaho vs. Appalachian State (Lady Griz Classic)
Dec. 8 – Seattle U at San Diego
Dec. 11 – Utah Valley at Utah
Dec. 14 – *Grand Canyon vs. East Carolina (Warhawk Classic)
Dec. 15 – Texas Southern at Kansas City
Dec. 20 – Idaho State at Utah Valley
Dec. 21 – Wyoming at Idaho
Dec. 23 – Hawai‘i at Grand Canyon
Dec. 28 – Seattle U at UC Santa Barbara
*possible match-up in tournament