SEATTLE U’S ALLEN NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Seattle U guard Crystal Allen has been named Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for Jan. 5 through Jan. 11.
Allen, a freshman from Fort Worth, Texas (Trimble Tech), led all players with a career-high 21 points and eight rebounds as the Redhawks opened up conference play with a 73-58 win over visiting Utah Valley. Allen was four-of-five from behind the arc and also dished out a pair of assists in the win.
Other nominees included: New Mexico State forward Brianna Freeman led the Aggies to a WAC-opening win with 22 points and seven rebounds in a 50-48 win over Missouri-Kansas City…Bakersfield guard Tyonna Outland posted a career-high eight assists in a win over UC Santa Barbara and then recorded her 25th career 20-plus point game in a win over Grand Canyon…Texas-Pan American center Brittany Bush averaged 14 ppg in a pair of road games as the Broncs lost a tight one at NJIT before opening up WAC play with a win at Chicago State…Grand Canyon guard Jessica Gajewski scored 14 points in a loss at preseason favorite Bakersfield.
BY THE NUMBERS
One game into conference play, Bakersfield continues to lead the WAC in a number of categories, including scoring offense (73.8 ppg), scoring margin (+7.6), free throw percentage (.780), three-point field goal percentage (.369), assists (16.19 apg), turnover margin (+7.63) and assist/turnover ratio (1.21). Grand Canyon leads the conference in scoring defense (61.4 ppg) and rebounding margin (+2.0) while New Mexico State leads the league in field goal percentage (.412), steals (11.43 spg), three-point field goals per game (8.00). Utah Valley holds a WAC-best .384 field goal defense and Seattle U is bringing down a league-leading 40.7 rpg. Chicago State continues to lead in blocks at 3.86 per game.
Individually, Bakersfield’s Tyonna Outland leads the WAC with 18.6 points per game. Teammate Batabe Zempare is averaging a league-best 9.7 rebounds per game and fellow Roadrunner Alyssa Shannon leads the WAC in assists (5.69 apg), three-point field goal percentage (.432), assist/turnover ratio (2.84).
Seattle U’s Crystal Allen leads the conference in free throw shooting (.860). New Mexico State’s Brianna Freeman is the most accurate shooter in the WAC, making 55.6-percent of her attempts, and her teammate Shanice Davis has a league-best 2.29 steals per game. Chicago State’s Jakeisha Wells continues to lead the WAC in blocks, averaging 2.09 per game.
UPCOMING MILESTONE
WAC preseason player of the year Tyonna Outland will add one more accomplishment to her resume in the upcoming weeks as she sits just two steals away from 200 for her career.
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. Missouri-Kansas City sophomore Calli White joined the club in a non-conference game at North Florida.
HOME SWEET HOME
Led by a perfect 10-0 record by league-leading Bakersfield, the WAC is defending their home court this season, posting a combined 37-31 record in home games. Texas-Pan American is 6-1 at home while Utah Valley is 6-2 in Orem.
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.
WAC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT TICKETS ON SALE NOW
All-session tickets for the 2015 Western Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament set for Mar. 11-14 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas are now available for purchase through the ticket offices at individual WAC schools.
All-session tickets include access to each men’s and women’s tournament game, totaling 12 games in six sessions. All-session tickets are also available through the Orleans Arena box office. Prices begin at $100. Single-session tickets will not be available until Mar. 11 and will only be available for purchase through the Orleans Arena box office.
Student Single-session end zone seating can be purchased on a session basis during the week of the tournament (on-site at the Orleans Arena). Tickets are $10 per session. Individual institutions may elect to conduct an on-campus pre-sale of student tickets for its first guaranteed game.
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).