United Athletic Conference

NM State's Gia Pack has been named Western Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for Dec. 2 through Dec. 8.

 

Pack, a senior guard from Phoenix, led the WAC in scoring as the Aggies picked up a pair of double-digit wins at home over Western New Mexico and Weber State. Against WNMU, Pack scored 26 points to go with eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks in a 75-56 win over the in-state Mustangs. She followed that up with 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting, adding a pair of rebounds and an assist in just 21 minutes played in a 77-47 win over the visiting Wildcats. On the season, Pack is second in the league in scoring at 18.5 points per game and third in rebounding at 7.6 rebounds per game.

 

Other nominees included: CSU Bakersfield's Vanessa Austin averaged 14.5 points per game as the 'Runners improved to 6-0 at home with wins over North Carolina Central and Pacific … Kansas City's Ericka Mattingly put up 18 points as the Roos knocked off Missouri, 59-56, for KC's first win over a Power Five opponent since 2015 … Seattle U's Kamira Sanders led the Redhawks to a pair of home wins over Sacramento State and Long Beach State, averaging 16.0 points per game with 7.5 assists per game and 7.0 rebounds per game … UT Rio Grande Valley's Desirea Buerge scored a career-high 17 points in the Vaqueros' 72-56 win over Texas A&M International.

 

It's time for finals on many campuses around the WAC and while the players take on their classroom opponents, the schedule is understandably light. CSU Bakersfield has two home games as the 'Runners will host Westcliff on Wednesday and UC Santa Barbara on Saturday. UT Rio Grande Valley hosts rival Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Thursday in the Vaqueros' lone game of the week and California Baptist makes the trip to Cal State Fullerton on Friday. Saturday has the busiest schedule with Chicago State heading to Western Michigan, Utah Valley taking on Brigham Young, Seattle U hosting Warner Pacific and Kansas City hosting Kansas State as historic Municipal Auditorium.

 

California Baptist leads the WAC in scoring offense (78.1), field goal defense (.388), three-point defense (.281), rebounding offense (42.5), assists (19.1), assist/turnover ratio (1.2), defensive rebounds (32.2) and three-pointers made (10.7). UT Rio Grande Valley is the top squad in scoring defense (60.5), scoring margin (+8.1), rebounding defense (36.2) and turnover margin (+4.12). Kansas City has the top free percentage (.794) and is the leader in blocked shots (4.8) while Grand Canyon holds the top field goal percentage (.431) and three-point percentage (.381). CSU Bakersfield holds the best rebounding margin (+1.6) and is the leader in offensive rebounds (16.0) and NM State is the leader in steals (9.9).

 

Individually, SU's Kamira Sanders is the leading scorer at 18.6 points per game and GCU's Da'jah Daniel is the top rebounder (9.7 per game). CSUB's Vanessa Austin holds the top field goal percentage (.627), NMSU's Gia Pack has the top free throw percentage (.857) and UTRGV's Halie Jones has the top three-point percentage (.515). GCU's Jada Holland has the top assist average at 6.9 per game and UTRGV's Trelynn Tyler is the leader in steals (2.8). SU's Courtney Murphy is the leader in three-pointers made (3.1), also leading the league in minutes played (33.9). UTRGV duo Jordan Agustus and Valeria Tapia are tops in blocked shots (2.6) and assist/turnover ratio (2.4) respectively.

 

Kansas City's win over Missouri was the WAC's first win over a Power Five opponent since the Roos earned a 47-44 win over Kansas on Dec. 10, 2015. It was also the league's first win over an SEC opponent since Louisina Tech earned a win over Ole Miss on Dec. 1, 2012. 

 

Kansas City's Ericka Mattingly returns for her senior season after leading the WAC in scoring (19.8), assists (6.0), free throw percentage (.817), steals (3.2) and minutes played (35.5). California Baptist's Britney Thomas is also back after leading the league in field goal percentage (.577). Kansas City sharpshooter Emily Ivory will look for a strong sophomore campaign after averaging a WAC-best 2.7 three-pointers per game and Chicago State senior Ines Mata Boix will look to lead the league in blocked shots again after averaging 1.9 per game last season.

 

NM State is the favorite to win the 2018-19 Western Athletic Conference women's basketball title and the Aggies' Gia Pack was selected WAC Preseason Player of the Year in a vote of the league's nine head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players.

 

The Aggies, who won their fifth-straight WAC regular season title last season, received 62 points and six first-place votes in the preseason poll. California Baptist picked up two first-place votes for a total of 57 points and Kansas City earned the remaining first-place vote and 44 points. UT Rio Grande Valley was picked fourth with 40 points while CSU Bakersfield earned fifth with 35 points. Utah Valley was selected sixth with 29 points, followed by Grand Canyon, Seattle U and Chicago State.

 

Pack leads the list of Preseason All-WAC honorees. Joining her on the first team are Utah Valley's Jordan Holland, Kansas City's Ericka Mattingly and California Baptist duo Ane Olaeta and Britney Thomas.

 

Second team selections include CSU Bakersfield's Vanessa Austin, Grand Canyon's Da'jah Daniel, UT Rio Grande Valley pair Amara Graham and Megan Johnson and Seattle U's Kamira Sanders.

 

The Western Athletic Conference women's basketball media have selected NM State as the preseason favorite to repeat as conference champions in 2019-20 and Kansas City's Ericka Mattingly as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year.

 

The Aggies earned eight first place votes from the media to collect 110 points to top the poll. California Baptist is second with three first place votes and 96 points overall. Kansas City was right behind the 'Runners with the Roos earning two first place votes and 92 points. UT Rio Grande Valley came in fourth with 66 points, followed by Utah Valley in fifth with 64 points. CSU Bakersfield is sixth with 57 points, followed by Seattle U in seventh, Grand Canyon in eighth and Chicago State in ninth.

 

Mattingly leads the list of Preseason All-WAC honorees. Joining her on the first team are Utah Valley's Jordan Holland, NM State's Gia Pack, Seattle U's Kamira Sanders and California Baptist's Britney Thomas.

 

Second team selections include Seattle U's Joana Alves, CSU Bakersfield's Jayden Eggleston, UT Rio Grande Valley's Megan Johnson, Chicago State's Ines Mata Boix and California Baptist's Ane Olaeta.

 

Three of the five First Team All-WAC players from last season return for the 2017-18 season as WAC Preseason Players of the Year Ericka Mattingly of Kansas City and Gia Pack of NM State return, along with California Baptist's Britney Thomas. Four of the five second team honorees also returns as Seattle U's Joana Alves, Grand Canyon's Da'jah Daniel, Utah Valley's Jordan Holland and California Baptist's Ane Olaeta hit the hardwood.

 

After three new coaches in each of the last two seasons, Utah Valley's Dan Nielson is the lone rookie head coach in the WAC this season. A former UVU assistant, he most recently was on the bench at nearby Brigham Young, helping lead the Cougars to the WCC Tournament title last season.

 

There will be a bit of new blood in the WAC this season but the game won't be without some familiar faces. Five of nine schools return a majority of starters, including Utah Valley returning all five starters from last season. California Baptist and Seattle U each bring back four starters and Grand Canyon boasts three starters returning.

 

 

This season, WAC teams will face some tough competition in the non-conference portion of the schedule, with 15 games against NCAA Tournament participants and 14 against Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) participants. The complete list is below.

 

Games vs. NCAA Teams

Nov. 10 - CSU Bakersfield at Gonzaga

Nov. 19 - CSU Bakersfield at Wright State

Nov. 20 - UT Rio Grande Valley at Texas

Nov. 26 - Utah Valley at Boise State

Nov. 28 - California Baptist vs. Stanford (Victoria Invitational)

Dec. 1 - Kansas City at Missouri State

Dec. 6 - Grand Canyon at Portland State

Dec. 8 - Missouri at Kansas City

Dec. 14 - Utah Valley at Brigham Young

Dec. 14 - Kansas State at Kansas City

Dec. 18 - Arizona State at NM State

Dec. 28 - NM State at Abilene Christian

Dec. 28 - UT Rio Grande Valley at Kansas State

Dec. 29 - Grand Canyon at California

Dec. 29 - CSU Bakersfield at Oregon State

 

Games vs. WNIT Teams

Nov. 5 - Denver at Kansas City

Nov. 8 - Kansas City at Pacific

Nov. 9 - Chicago State at UTA

Nov. 9 - NM State at Denver

Nov. 11 - Seattle U at Idaho State

Nov. 12 - Arizona at Chicago State

Nov. 17 - New Mexico at NM State

Nov. 20 - Pepperdine at NM State

Nov. 20 - Idaho at Seattle U

Nov. 23 - Chicago State at Green Bay

Dec. 3 - Idaho State at Utah Valley

Dec. 7 - Pacific at CSU Bakersfield

Dec. 16 - California Baptist at Idaho State

Dec. 16 - NM State at New Mexico

 

The 2020 WAC Basketball Tournament returns to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas for the 10th year in a row. This year's tournament includes all eight eligible teams and will be held Wednesday-Saturday, March 11-14.