IDAHO’S BARR NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Idaho junior guard Stacey Barr has been named Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 30-Jan. 5. This is the third WAC Player of the Week honor of the season and her career for Barr.
The Melbourne, Australia, native led Idaho to a pair of WAC road victories to open the conference season last week. Barr opened the week with 13 points, six rebounds, five assists and a steal in a win at Kansas City. She then recorded her fifth double-double of the season in the Vandals’ win at Chicago State, finishing with a game-high 21 points, 12 rebounds and a season-high six assists. For the week, Barr averaged 17.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists, all above her season averages, as Idaho opened conference play 2-0 for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
Other nominees included: Bakersfield’s Tyonna Outland averaged 18.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals as the Roadrunners went 3-0 on the week ... Layne Murphy of Chicago State averaged 13.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.3 blocks last week ... Grand Canyon’s Deanna Daniels averaged 12.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals on the week ... Kim Nezianya of Kansas City averaged 13.5 points, 13.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals as the Kangaroos went 1-1 on the week ... New Mexico State’s Brianna Freeman finished with career highs of 16 points and 10 rebounds as the Aggies went 1-0 on the week ... Sylvia Shephard of Seattle U averaged 14.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists as the Redhawks went 1-1 on the week ... Texas-Pan American’s Shawnte’ Goff finished with 14 points, four rebounds and three assists in a win over Grand Canyon last week..
WAC STAT LEADERS
Idaho leads the WAC in field goal percentage defense (36.7), rebounding (43.2), rebounding margin (1.5), blocks (3.6), assist-turnover ratio (1.23) and defensive rebounds (29.6). Grand Canyon is tops in scoring defense (59.1), scoring margin (10.1), rebounding defense (37.3) and turnover margin (4.4). Kansas City leads the league in scoring (73.7), free throw percentage (78.6) and three-point field goal percentage defense (24.9), while Seattle U is tops in field goal percentage (44.0) and assists (17.8). Bakersfield leads the conference in offensive rebounds (16.85), while Chicago State is tops in steals (10.4). Meanwhile, New Mexico State leads the WAC in three-pointers per game (8.1) and Utah Valley leads the league in three-point field goal percentage (39.3).
Individually, Kansas City’s Eilise O’Connor leads the WAC in scoring (19.7) and minutes per game (37.93), while Bakersfield’s Batabe Zempare is tops in rebounding (12.0), offensive rebounds (4.5) and defensive rebounds (7.5). Utah Valley’s Katie Kuklok is tops in free throw percentage (94.0), three-point field goal percentage (50.0) and three-pointers per game (3.54), while Idaho’s Connie Ballestero is tops in assists (4.79) and assist/turnover ratio (2.39). Idaho’s Ali Forde leads the league in field goal percentage (58.9), while Chicago State’s Paris Williams leads the WAC in steals (2.79) and Brittany Bush of Texas-Pan American is tops in blocks (1.92).
In WAC games only, Idaho leads the conference in scoring (86.5), scoring defense (53.0), scoring margin (33.5), field goal percentage defense (30.3), rebounding (46.5), blocks (7.5), assist-turnover ratio (2.5) and defensive rebounds (34.0), and is tied with Seattle U for the lead in assists (20.0). The Redhawks are also tops in field goal percentage (50.9), three-point field goal percentage defense (23.1), rebounding defense (31.0) and steals (10.5). Texas-Pan American leads the WAC in free throw percentage (81.3), rebounding margin (8.0) and offensive rebounds (18.0), while Bakersfield is tops in three-pointers per game (10.0). Grand Canyon and Idaho share the lead in turnover margin (2.5), while Utah Valley is tops in three-point field goal percentage (40.0).
Individually in WAC games, Bakersfield’s Tyonna Outland leads the WAC in scoring (25.0) and three-pointers per game (5.0), while teammate Zempare is tops in rebounding (14.0). Forde leads the conference in field goal percentage (84.6), while Utah Valley’s Georgia Agnew is tops in assists (8.0). Ashley Ward of Seattle U and Jasmine Sanders of Chicago State lead the league in steals (3.5), while Grand Canyon’s Asha McDonnell is tied with Forde for the lead in blocks (3.5). Seattle U’s Alexis Montgomery leads the WAC in assist/turnover ratio (999.00), Kansas City’s Kim Nezianya is tops in offensive rebounds (5.5) and Rhaiah Spooner-Knight of Utah Valley leads the league in defensive rebounds (10.0).
SEATTLE U’S SHEPHARD SCORES 1,000TH CAREER POINT
Seattle U senior guard Sylvia Shephard scored her 1,000th career point on a free throw with 1:29 left in the first half at Kansas City on Jan. 4. With 1,011 career points, she joins fellow seniors Kacie Sowell and Ashley Ward in the 1000-point club.
KANSAS CITY’S NEZIANYA MOVES INTO SECOND PLACE IN CAREER REBOUNDING
Kansas City’s Kim Nezianya currently has 764 career rebounds, good for second place all-time in the Kangaroo record books. The fifth-year senior is 100 boards shy of the all-time record of 864 held by Laurie Smith (1981-85).
TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES
BAKERSFIELD ROADRUNNERS (7-6, 1-0 WAC)
The Roadrunners defeated Cal State Northridge 74-73 in overtime last Thursday, then opened WAC play with a 61-59 win at Utah Valley on Saturday ... Tyonna Outland had 22 points and a game-high nine rebounds against the Matadors and had 25 points at UVU ... The Roadrunners have won nine in a row at home ... Outland moved to sixth place on the Bakersfield career scoring list with 1,073 points ... Outland has scored in double figures in 11 of the 13 Bakersfield games this season ... Batabe Zempare had double-digit rebound performances in two of three games this past week and has posted at least 10 rebounds in all but three games this season ... Zempare leads the WAC and ranks eighth nationally in rebounding (12.0) ... As a team, Bakersfield leads the WAC in offensive rebounds (16.85), ranks second in rebounding (42.3), and third in free throw percentage (73.3) ... The Roadrunners play at Grand Canyon on Thursday in their only game this week.
CHICAGO STATE COUGARS (2-12, 0-2 WAC)
The Cougars fell 85-58 to Seattle U last Thursday and 92-42 to Idaho on Saturday to open WAC play ... Against the Redhawks, Cailin Nix and Tierra Williams finished with 15 points each, while Layne Murphy added 10 points ... Against the Vandals, Tierra Williams had 14 points and eight rebounds, Murphy added 11 points and Paris Williams pulled down a team-high nine rebounds ... Murphy has scored at least 10 points in three straight games and has recorded at least one steal in 22 of her last 29 games, including five of her last six ... As a team, the Cougars lead the WAC and rank 39th nationally in steals (10.43) and have posted at least eight steals in 20 of their last 24 games ... Paris Williams has at least one steal in 30 of her last 36 games and at least two steals in 16 of her last 19 games ... The Cougars host Indiana University Northwest on Wednesday to wrap up non-conference play, then play at Kansas City on Saturday.
GRAND CANYON ANTELOPES (11-4, 0-2 WAC)
The Antelopes opened WAC play with losses at Texas-Pan American (60-58) last Thursday and at New Mexico State (66-63) on Saturday ... Asha McDonnell had 17 points, eight rebounds and a school-record-tying five blocked shots against UTPA ... Against the Aggies, Kaitlyn Petersen had 19 points, while Deanna Daniels posted a double-double of 17 points and a career-high 15 rebounds ... Judy Jones is out for the season after tearing her ACL ... The Antelopes lead the WAC in scoring defense (59.1), scoring margin (10.1), rebounding defense (37.3) and turnover margin (4.4), rank second in steals (10.2), third in field goal percentage (40.8) and rebounding margin (0.3), and fourth in field goal percentage defense (39.4) and three-point field goal percentage defense (28.7) ... Three GCU players – Daniels (2nd, 2.3), Johnna Brown (5th, 2.0) and Petersen (7th, 1.7) – rank in the top 10 in the WAC in steals ... The Antelopes host Bakersfield on Thursday and Utah Valley on Saturday.
IDAHO VANDALS (9-7, 2-0 WAC)
The Vandals opened WAC play with wins at Kansas City (81-64) last Thursday and at Chicago State (92-42) on Saturday ... Against the Kangaroos, Alyssa Charlston and Christina Salvatore paced the Vandals with 17 points each, while Stacey Barr added 13, Ali Forde finished with 12 and Connie Ballestero had 10 ... Against the Cougars, Barr led all scorers with 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for her fifth double-double of the season ... Charlston added 15 points, while Forde matched her season high with 14 points ... Idaho opened conference play a perfect 2-0 for the first time since the 2003-04 season ... The 40-point win over Chicago State was the largest margin of victory for Idaho since beating Cal State Northridge, 97-46, on Dec. 7, 1991 ... It was the first time the Vandals scored 90 or more points since defeating Louisiana-Lafayette, 90-66, Nov. 29, 2009 ... The Vandals host Texas-Pan American on Thursday and New Mexico State on Saturday.
KANSAS CITY KANGAROOS (5-10, 1-1 WAC)
The Kangaroos opened WAC play with an 81-64 loss to Idaho last Thursday and a 77-65 win over defending regular-season champion Seattle U on Saturday ... Against the Vandals, Eilise O’Connor led all players with 16 points and eight assists, while Kim Nezianya posted a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds ... Against the Redhawks, O’Connor had 23 points and seven rebounds, while Nezianya grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds to go along with 12 points and three steals for her WAC-leading sixth double-double of the season and second in a row ... Nezianya is now 100 boards from the all-time program record of 864 and would need to average 6.7 rebounds per game to break it ... O’Connor is currently fourth all-time in school history with 1,430 points and trails her cousin, Katie Houlehan, by just 15 points for third place ... As a team, Kansas City ranks sixth nationally in free throw percentage (78.6) and three-point field goal percentage defense (24.9) ... The ‘Roos host Chicago State on Saturday in their only game this week.
NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES (4-10, 1-0 WAC)
The Aggies defeated Grand Canyon 66-63 last Saturday to open WAC play ... Danesia Williamson led all players with 23 points, while Brianna Freeman posted a double-double with career highs in points (16) and boards (10) ... Sasha Weber also doubled up with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Tyler Ellis pulled down a team-high 11 boards ... NM State ranks 22nd nationally in three-pointers per game (8.07) ... The Aggies also rank third in the WAC in three-point field goal percentage (33.0) and blocked shots (3.14), and fourth in rebounding defense (41.5) ... Vanessa Garner ranks second in the WAC in free throw percentage (87.0), seventh in three-point field goal percentage (35.1) and eighth in three-pointers per game (1.54) ... Weber ranks seventh in three-pointers per game (1.79) and ninth in three-point percentage (33.8) ... The Aggies play at Seattle U on Thursday and at Idaho on Saturday.
SEATTLE U REDHAWKS (6-9, 1-1 WAC)
The Redhawks opened WAC play with an 85-58 road win at Chicago State last Thursday, followed by a 77-65 loss at Kansas City on Saturday ... Against the Cougars, Kacie Sowell led all players with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Sylvia Shephard scored 12 points and dished out a game-high eight assists ... Against the ‘Roos, Sowell had 23 points and eight rebounds, while Shephard posted a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, her fourth of the season ... Shephard became the 14th player in program history to surpass 1,000 career points at UMKC ... The Redhawks rank 22nd nationally in assists per game (17.8) and 50th in field goal percentage (44.0) ... Seattle U also ranks second in the WAC in rebounding defense (38.6) and rebounding margin (0.5), and third in scoring (70.9), steals (9.6) and assist-turnover ratio (0.89) ... The Redhawks host New Mexico State on Thursday and Texas-Pan American on Saturday.
TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN BRONCS (7-7, 1-0 WAC)
The Broncs opened WAC play with a 60-58 win over Grand Canyon last Thursday ... It was the Broncs’ first win in a conference with an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament since Feb. 24, 1997 ... Shawnte’ Goff led UTPA with 14 points, while Alexandria Hill had a career-high 12 points, Jasmine Thompson finished with 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds, and Cherrell Price tied her career high with 10 points ... The Broncs rank second in the WAC in blocks per game (3.29), scoring defense (62.2), field goal percentage defense (38.0), turnover margin (4.36) and offensive rebounding (15.21), and third in three-pointers made per game (7.43) ... Brittany Bush leads the WAC in total blocks (25) and blocks per game (1.92), and ranks fifth in offensive rebounds (3.08) and ninth in rebounds (7.4) ... Goff is second in the WAC in three-point shooting percentage (43.5) and fourth in three-pointers per game (2.08) ... The Broncs play at Idaho on Thursday and at Seattle U on Saturday.
UTAH VALLEY WOLVERINES (3-11, 0-1 WAC)
The Wolverines opened WAC play with a 61-59 loss to Bakersfield last Saturday ... Rhaiah Spooner-Knight recorded her first career double-double, finishing with 14 points and 11 rebounds ... Tina Doughty added 11 points ... The loss was the first in-league defeat for Utah Valley since Jan. 26 of last year when it fell 49-46 to NJIT in Great West Conference play ... As a team, the Wolverines lead the WAC in three-point field goal percentage (39.3), rank second in free throw percentage (73.9), field goal percentage (42.6) and assist-turnover ratio (0.92), third in scoring margin (2.6), field goal percentage defense (38.3), assists (14.36) and defensive rebounds (27.86), and fourth in blocked shots (2.57) ... Katie Kuklok leads the WAC in free throw percentage (94.0), three-point field goal percentage (50.0) and three-pointers per game (3.54), and ranks second in scoring (19.6) ... The Wolverines play at Grand Canyon in their only game this week.