UTAH VALLEY’S SPOONER-KNIGHT NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Utah Valley guard Rhaiah Spooner-Knight has been named Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for Feb. 2 through Feb. 8.
Spooner-Knight, a sophomore from Hamilton, New Zealand (Sacred Heart HS), put together a pair of 18-point games as the Wolverines won two straight WAC games for the first time this season. After putting together 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists in a 70-58 win over preseason favorite Bakersfield on Thursday, Spooner-Knight came back for 18 points and 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the season in a lopsided win over Seattle U on Saturday.
Other nominees included: New Mexico State forward Brianna Freeman once again led the Aggies with 16.5 ppg and 8.0 rpg as NM State’s win streak hit double-digits…Texas-Pan American center Brittany Bush led the Broncs to a pair of home wins, averaging 12.0 ppg and 10.5 rpg..Seattle U center Taelor Ross averaged a double-double on the weekend with 11.5 ppg and 10.5 rpg in a road split…Bakersfield forward Batabe Zempare posted her ninth and 10th double-doubles of the season in a Roadrunner road split...Missouri-Kansas City guard Calli White led the Kangaroos on the road with 14.0 ppg in losses at UTPA and NM State…Grand Canyon forward Cheyenne Hedrington averaged 12.0 rebounds per game in a pair of close home losses to Seattle U and Bakersfield.
BY THE NUMBERS
WAC-leader New Mexico State has taken over the top spot on the scoring list, averaging 72.8 ppg. The Aggies also lead the WAC in scoring margin (+8.5), field goal percentage (.418), three-point field goal percentage (.341), blocked shots (3.48), steals (11.24) and three-pointers made (8.19). Grand Canyon is the top defense, allowing jsut 60.7 ppg. Bakersfield leads the league in free throw percentage (.754), assists (15.39) and assist/turnover ratio (1.08). Missouri-Kansas City is tops in three-point field goal percentage (.341), rebounding defense (34.3) and rebounding margin (+1.2). Seattle U is the top rebounding team at 40.7 per game.
Individually, Bakersfield’s Tyonna Outland continues to lead the league in scoring with 18.8 ppg and teammate Batabe Zempare is the top rebounder at 10.6 rpg. New Mexico State’s Brianna Freeman is shooting a WAC-best .544 this season while CSUB’s Alyssa Shannon is dishing out 5.04 assists per game. Missouri-Kansas City’s Calli White and Seattle U’s Crystal Allen are tied at the top of the free throw percentage list at .847. NM State’s Shanice Davis is picking off 2.48 steals per game while teammate Sasha Weber leads the league in three-pointers made at 2.29 per game. Seattle U’s Taelor Ross is the top shot blocker at 1.48 per game and Texas-Pan American guard T’Ondria Nolen has posted a 2.61 assist/turnover ratio.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
New Mexico State junior Sasha Weber is coming up on 1000 career points. Through Feb. 7, the Lacey, Wash. product has 990 points in her career. Also closing in on 1K is Chicago State’s Paris Williams, who has 962 points midway through her senior season. Bakersfield senior Tyonna Outland is close to hitting another milestone in her career as she sits just six three-pointers away from 100.
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.
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).