BAKERSFIELD’S OUTLAND NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Bakersfield’s Tyonna Outland has been named Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for Nov. 17 through Nov. 23.
Outland, a senior from Compton, Calif. (Lynwood HS), led the Roadrunners to a 76-72 win at Pac-12 Arizona, scoring 25 points and hitting four free throws in the final 12 seconds to clinch the win. She followed that up with nine points and seven rebounds at Arizona State. Outland now has 1,520 career points and is 18 points away from second-place on the Bakersfield career scoring chart. She is 277 points away from being the all-time scoring leader at Bakersfield.
Other nominees included: Texas-Pan American forward Shawnte’ Goff averaged 19.7 ppg as the Broncs opened up the home portion schedule with a trio of wins by an average of 32.3 points…New Mexico State guard Shanice Davis averaged 16.0 ppg in a pair of road losses, including 23 points at Sacramento State…Missouri-Kansas City forward Kiana Law earned her first career double-double in a loss to Rockhurst…Seattle U guard Kaylee Best set a new career-high with eight rebounds as the Redhawks fell twice on the road…Grand Canyon guard Courtney Hayes averaged 15.0 ppg and 5.0 rpg as the Lopes split a pair of games on the week…Utah Valley guard Patrice Toston scored a career-high 19 points in a 61-40 win over Weber State.
BY THE NUMBERS
Entering the second full week of the regular season, Texas-Pan American and Bakersfield sit atop the standings and they also sit atop a number of statistical categories. Bakersfield leads the WAC in scoring offense (75.3 ppg), free throw percentage (.750). three point field goal percentage (.389), steals (12.33) and assist/turnover ration (0.98). Texas-Pan American is tops in scoring defense (59.5 ppg), scoring margin (+12.3), three point defense (.291) and turnover margin (+9.17). Utah Valley leads the conference in field goal percentage (.475), field goal defense (.366), blocked shots (3.40), assists (16.40) and defensive rebounds (31.60). Grand Canyon leads the conference in rebounding offense (46.0), rebounding margin (+8.0), offensive rebounds (20.00) and three point field goals made (8.33).
Individually, Bakersfield’s Tyonna Outland is the leading scorer in the WAC this season, averaging 20.7 ppg. Grand Canyon’s Cheyenne Hedrington leads the conference in rebounds with 12.0 rpg. Bakersfield’s Alyssa Shannon has a WAC-best 5.67 assists per game while Grand Canyon’s Courtney Hayes is averaging 3.67 steals per game to lead the conference. Missouri-Kansas City freshman Paige Husa has the lead in blocked shots, averaging 1.67, while teammate Calli White leads the WAC with 36.00 minutes per game.
THE 100 THREE-POINTER CLUB
The opening weekend saw a pair of players record their 100th career three-pointer and Bakersfield senior guard Brooklyn Hinkens hit the milestone against Air Force and New Mexico State sophomore Abby Scott made her 100th career long-ball at UTEP.
BUSY BRONCS
Having already played twice as many games as many of the teams in the conference, Texas-Pan American came busting out of the gate, running its record to 4-2 heading into the second full week of play.
JOEY JUMPERS
There is a youth movement going on in Kansas City as underclassmen have combined to average 52 of Missouri-Kansas City’s 55 points per game and 31.7 of the Kangaroo’s 35 rebounds per contest.
BACK TO THE HOMESTEAD
New Mexico State is the final WAC squad to play in front of its home fans as the Aggies play host to Weber State on Friday. The game may not come soon enough as NMSU is currently 0-3 away from Las Cruces this season.
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Only one of the first team All-WAC players from last season return for the 2014-15 season in Bakersfield’s Tyonna Outland. Other WAC honorees returning are Texas-Pan American’s Shawnte’ Goff, the reigning Freshman of the Year, who was also on the All-Newcomer Team. Teammate Brittany Bush returns after earned a spot on the All-Defensive Team, while Utah Valley’s Rhaiah Spooner-Knight returns after being named to the All-Newcomer Team.
PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL
Bakersfield is the preseason favorite to win the Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball title, while Roadrunners’ senior Tyonna Outland was selected as the WAC Preseason Player of the year in a vote of the league’s eight head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players.
The Roadruners received 48 points and six first-place votes to earn the top spot in the preseason poll. Texas-Pan American was predicted second with 35 points, including one first-place vote.
Outland, the lone First Team All-WAC returner, leads the list of Preseason All-WAC Honorees. Joining her on the first team are teammate Batabe Zempare, New Mexico State’s Sasha Weber, Texas-Pan American’s Shawnte’ Goff, and Utah Valley’s Rhaiah Spooner-Knight.
PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
The Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball media have selected Bakersfield as the preseason favorite to win the conference crown during the 2014-15 season, and Roadrunner senior guard Tyonna Outland has been selected as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year.
The Roadrunners earned 10 first-place votes, earning 94 points. Seattle U was picked second with 67 points and one first-place vote. Texas-Pan American and New Mexico State tied for third with 60 points, with the Broncs also earning a first-place vote.
Outland, the lone First Team All-WAC returner, leads the list of Preseason All-WAC Honorees. Joining her on the first team are teammate Batabe Zempare, New Mexico State’s Sasha Weber, Texas-Pan American’s Shawnte’ Goff, and Utah Valley’s Rhaiah Spooner-Knight.
KEY NON-CONFERENCE MATCHUPS
This season, WAC teams have 26 games scheduled 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. 15 - Texas-Pan American at DePaul (Maggie Dixon Classic)
Nov. 16 - Texas-Pan American vs. Texas A&M (Maggie Dixon Classic)
Nov. 19 - Bakersfield at Arizona State
Nov. 26 - Texas-Pan American at Texas
Nov. 29 - Idaho at Seattle U
Nov. 30 - Fresno State at Bakersfield
Dec. 3 - Texas-Pan American at Baylor
Dec. 7 - DePaul at Chicago State
Dec. 13 - Bakersfield at Nebraska
Dec. 18 - Louisville at Grand Canyon
Games vs. WNIT Teams
Nov. 14 - Northwestern at Chicago State
Nov. 14 - New Mexico State at UTEP
Nov. 21 - Seattle U at Washington State
Nov. 29 - Grand Canyon at Navy (Navy Classic)
Dec. 2 - Southern Utah at Utah Valley
Dec. 4 - Washington at Seattle U
Dec. 16 - Cal Poly at New Mexico State
Dec. 17 - Montana at Seattle U
Dec. 19 - Utah Valley at Montana (Lady Griz Classic)
Dec. 19 - New Mexico State vs. Pacific (Beach Classic)
Dec. 21 - Texas-Pan American at VCU
Dec. 23 - Hawai’i at Bakersfield
Dec. 29 - New Mexico State at Southern Utah
Dec. 29 - Seattle U at Oregon
Jan. 3 - Bakersfield at Cal Poly
Jan. 6 - Utah Valley at Southern Utah
ORLEANS ARENA IN LAS VEGAS TO HOST 2015 WAC TOURNAMENT
The 2015 WAC Basketball Tournament returns to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas for the fifth year in a row. This year’s tournament includes all even eligible teams and will be held Wednesday-Saturday, March 11-14.
ESPNU TO TELEVISE WAC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
ESPN will once again broadcast the WAC men’s and women’s tournament championship games from the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on March 14. The women’s game will be broadcast on ESPNU at 1 p.m. (PT). The men’s championship game will also be broadcast by ESPNU at 8 p.m. (PT).