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NMSU'S SALAS NAMED WAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
NM State's Brooke Salas has been named Western Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for Jan. 1 through Jan. 7.
Salas, a junior guard from Placentia, Calif. (El Dorado HS), had a memorable game in the Aggie's WAC-opener against Chicago State. She used 33 points, including her 1,000th career point, to lead NM State to the 74-59 win over the Cougars. Salas also added 13 rebounds to earn her fourth double-double of the season and 10th of her career. The junior also had five steals, three blocks and a pair of assists in 39 minutes played. She leads the WAC in blocks this season, ranks second in scoring and is fourth in rebounding
Other nominees included: CSU Bakersfield's Jazmine Johnson had 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the ‘Runners WAC-opening win over Utah Valley … Chicago State's Tyeshia Bowers scored 27 points as the Cougars fell on the road at NM State … Grand Canyon's Brie Mobley averaged 24.0 ppg, including 30 points against Seattle U, as the Lopes won a pair at home … Kansas City's Aries Washington averaged 17.5 ppg on the week as the Roos won twice at home … UT Rio Grande Valley's Krisynthia Sampson scored 10 points with nine rebounds in the Vaqueros' loss at Kansas City … Utah Valley's Taylor Christensen scored a game-high 19 points in the Wolverines' loss at CSU Bakersfield.
UP NEXT
In the second week of conference play, defending champion NM State will be tested, playing host to Grand Canyon and CSU Bakersfield, both winners last week as well. UTRGV will also take on GCU and CSUB while Seattle U and Utah Valley head east for games at Kansas City and Chicago State.
BY THE NUMBERS
On week into conference play, Seattle U leads the WAC in scoring offense (70.2), rebounding offense (39.4), assists (13.9), assist/turnover ratio (1.0) and defensive rebounds (26.7). CSU Bakersfield is the top defensive team, both in terms of least points allowed (56.2), field goal defense (.361) and three-point defense (.286). The ‘Runners also lead the league in offensive rebounds (15.4). Kansas City is the leader in scoring margin (+3.8) while Utah Valley holds the lead in free throw percentage (.757), steals (9.7) and turnover margin (+3.75). NM State holds the top field goal percentage (.419) and the Aggies are also best in blocked shots (4.9). Grand Canyon is most accurate from three-point range (.348) and are converting the most with 7.5 three-pointers per game. UT Rio Grande Valley is the leader in rebounding defense 937.1) and rebounding margin (+1.7).
Individually, SU's Alexis Montgomery leads the league in scoring (21.3) and rebounding (10.2). UTRGV's Laura Van Tilburg holds the top field goal percentage (.548) while NMSU teammates Brooke Salas and Monique Mills lead the WAC respectively in free throw percentage (.841) and three-point field goal percentage (.426). NMSU's Zaire Williams is the WAC's leader in assists (5.3) while UVU's Taylor Christensen holds the lead in steals (3.3). UMKC's Samantha Waldron holds the top spot in three-pointers made (2.4) while Salas is also the WAC's top shot-blocker at 1.9 per game. UMKC's Daijane Dillard is the leader in assist/turnover ratio (2.9).
THE 1,000-POINT CLUB
Three WAC women's basketball players recently joined Utah Valley's Mariah Seals as active members of the WAC's 1,000-point club. Seattle U's Alexis Montgomery scored her 1,000th point on Nov. 30 at California and Grand Canyon's Jessica Gajewski scored her 1,000th point on Dec. 3 at Bethune-Cookman. Kansas City's Samantha Waldron went over the millenium mark against Denver while teammate Aries Washington hit 1,000 against Stetson. NM State's Brooke Salas is the latest player to break the 1,000-point plateua, reaching the milestone as part of a 33-point game against Chicago State on Jan. 6.
SHATTERING RECORDS
Kansas City's lobsided 90-10 win over Central Christian College of the Bible met or broke a number of WAC records. The 80-point differential matched the largest margin of victory, last done in Rice's 115-34 win over Texas Southern during the 1997-98 season. The 10-point allowed shattered the previous WAC record of 23, which was set twice in the 1998-99 season by Fresno State and Utah, both games against San Jose State. The four field goals allowed also broke the previous record of eight, which was held by Idaho against Colorado State in the 2007-08 season. The 32 field goals attempted bested the previous mark of 36, set by Utah against New Mexico in 1992-93.
200 FOR TIDWELL
UT Rio Grande Valley head coach Larry Tidwell earned his 200th career win on opening night against Concordia (Texas).
FIRST-TIME LEADERS
The WAC has three new head coaches in 2017-18 and all three of them are first-year head coaches. NM State's Brooke Atkinson, who was an assistant with the Aggies early in her career, headed to Las Cruces after serving as an assistant at Colorado State. Grand Canyon's Nicole Powell returns to her hometown of Phoenix after working as an assistant at Oregon. Kansas City's Jacie Hoyt comes to the Roos from Kansas State. All three coaches won their WAC debuts on Jan. 6.
PRESEASON COACHES POLL
NM State is the favorite to win the 2017-18 Western Athletic Conference women's basketball title and Seattle U's Alexis Montgomery was selected 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 Aggies, who won their third straight WAC title last season, received 47 points and six first place votes in the preseason poll. CSU Bakersfield picked up the remaining two first place votes for a total of 39 points to edge out Seattle U by one point for second place. Utah Valley was selected fourth while Grand Canyon, UT Rio Grande Valley and Kansas City were all separated by just two points for the fifth, sixth and seventh spots. Chicago State rounded out the poll.
Montgomery leads the list of Preseason All-WAC honorees. Joining her on the first team are NM State's Brooke Salas, Grand Canyon's Brie Mobley and Utah Valley's Taylor Christensen and Mariah Seals.
Second team selections include Utah Valley's Sam Lubcke, CSU Bakersfield's Jazmyne Bartee and Aja Williams, Kansas City's Samantha Waldron and NM State's Zaire Williams.
PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
The Western Athletic Conference women's basketball media have selected NM State as the preseason favorite to repeat as conference champions in 2017-18 and Seattle U's Alexis Montgomery as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year.
The Aggies earned seven first place votes in the media poll to collect 82 points to top the poll. Seattle U was second with four first place votes and 76 points while CSU Bakersfield came in third with 60 points. Grand Canyon was selected fourth with 55 points and Utah Valley earned fifth with 46 points. UT Rio Grande Valley, Kansas City and Chicago State rounded out the poll.
Montgomery leads the list of Preseason All-WAC honorees. Joining her on the first team are NM State's Brooke Salas, Utah Valley's Sam Lubcke, Grand Canyon's Brie Mobley and CSU Bakersfield's Jazmyne Bartee.
Second team selections include CSU Bakersfield's Aja Williams, Utah Valley's Mariah Seals and Taylor Christensen, and Kansas City's Kristen Moore and Samantha Waldron.
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Just two of five First Team All-WAC players from last season return for the 2016-17 season as WAC Preseason Player of the Year Alexis Montgomery and NM State's Brooke Salas return for this season. Second Team honoreers Brie Mobley (Grand Canyon), Taylor Christensen (Utah Valley) and Jazmyne Bartee (CSU Bakersfield) are back as well.
KEY NON-CONFERENCE MATCHUPS
This season, WAC teams will face some tough competition in the non-conference portion of the schedule, with 14 games against NCAA Tournament participants and 11 against Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) participants. The complete list is below.
Games vs. NCAA Teams
Nov. 10 - Kansas City at Western Illinois
Nov. 12 - Duke at Grand Canyon
Nov. 15 - Utah Valley at Oregon State
Nov. 19 - CSU Bakersfield at Stanford
Nov. 20 - Kansas City at Iowa State
Nov. 22 - Western Illinois at Chicago State
Nov. 24 - NM State vs. Texas Southern (at UTEP)
Nov. 29 - Chicago State at Western Illinois
Nov. 30 - Seattle U at California
Dec. 7 - Long Beach State at Grand Canyon
Dec. 10 - Grand Canyon at Washington
Dec. 18 - Chicago State at Kansas State
Dec. 20 - CSU Bakersfield at Boise State
Dec. 20 - Seattle U at Washington
Games vs. WNIT Teams
Nov. 17 - UT Rio Grande Valley at Oklahoma State
Nov. 19 - Grand Canyon at UNLV
Nov. 20 - Northern Illinois at Chicago State
Nov. 21 - Utah Valley at Brigham Young
Nov. 26 - Morehead State at Chicago State
Nov. 26 - UC Davis at Seattle U
Dec. 3 - Grand Canyon at Bethune-Cookman
Dec. 3 - Chicago State at Wright State
Dec. 3 - CSU Bakersfield at SMU
Dec. 9 - CSU Bakersfield at South Dakota
Dec. 29 - Kansas City vs. Stetson (at FAU)
READY TO GO
After playing through a four-year transition period to NCAA Division I, Grand Canyon is eligible for the postseason this year. The Lopes are predicted to finish fourth by the media and fifth by the coaches
COMING SOON
California Baptist is scheduled to join the WAC for 2018-2019 competition. They will begin their four year transition process to Division 1. This will make them ineligible to compete in post season tournaments (WAC and NCAA) until 2022-2023 season. They will be coming from the Pacific West Conference where they won five championships (M&W Cross Country, W. Basketball, W. Golf, and Softball) during 2016-2017 season.
ORLEANS ARENA IN LAS VEGAS TO HOST 2018 WAC TOURNAMENT
The 2018 WAC Basketball Tournament returns to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas for the eighth year in a row. This year's tournament includes all eight teams and will be held Wednesday-Saturday, March 7-10.
COMING TO YOU LIVE
The WAC Digital Network will broadcast 104 regular season women's basketball games. In addition, the WDN will produce 15 regular-season games as well as all games at the 2017 WAC Basketball Tournament at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas for broadcast on ESPN3