This Week in Women's Basketball - Dec. 21
This Week in Women's Basketball - Dec. 21
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The final week of non-conference games is on tap as seven games are slated to be played before Christmas on Saturday. Tuesday has four games on the docket with Abilene Christian, California Baptist, Dixie State and Utah Valley all set to take to the floor. Wednesday will see Lamar and Tarleton take on Southland foes SE Louisiana and Incarnate Word respectively. The final game before Christmas has Grand Canyon and UC Irvine tipping off in Phoenix at Noon on Thursday. That is the final contest before a five-day holiday break for all WAC teams.
TICKETSMARTER WAC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK ANNOUNCED
Tarleton’s Seynabou Thiam has been named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week with Lamar’s Akasha Davis earning Ticketsmarter Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Week.
Seynabou played a significant role in the Texans 2-0 record last week by averaging 12 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks in those games. The sophomore started the week with a six-point, 11-rebound, five-block effort on Monday in Tarleton’s 59-55 victory against Oral Roberts. Five Days later in a road win at Northwestern State she tallied the team’s first double-double of the season with a career high 18 points with 15 rebounds, five blocks and three steals during the 51-47 triumph.
Davis is earning the honor for the second straight week. In the Cardinal’s 66-46 win against Prairie View A&M she scored 18 points while corralling seven rebounds in 27 minutes. Davis has earned Freshman of the Week accolades three times this season. The native of Dallas has started all nine games and scored in double figures on seven occasions.
Other nominees included: Anne Olaeta was a vital cog in CBU’s 2-0 week by averaging 17 points, 5.5 rebounds and five assists in road wins against UC San Diego and Santa Clara … GCU’s Tiara Brown posted a double-double in the Lopes win against UTSA while averaging 14 points and 9.5 rebounds in two games at the South Padre Island Classic … Stephanie Visscher registered a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double while playing all 40 minutes in SFA’s narrow setback at Portland … As UTRGV played three games, Sara Bershers started the week with a double-double against Texas A&M Corpus Christi en route to averaging 10.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and three blocks … Courtney Cleveland filled the stat sheet with 47 points in Sam Houston’s games against Alabama and Rice … Josie Williams tallied her seventh double-double of the season in Utah Valley’s near upset at Utah … Taylor Donaldson of NMSU tallied 20.5 points per game during the Aggies two games last week against Weber State and UTEP ... Davis was also under consideration for Ticketsmarter Player of the Week honors
Other freshman nominees included: During UTRGV’s three games, KaCee Kylee started all three games and averaged 8.3 points and 2.7 assists with a season high 14 points in the Vaqueros win over Texas A&M Corpus Christi … Ja’Mya Powell-Smith helped GCU go 1-1 at the South Padre Island Classic by averaging 7.5 points and two rebounds a game
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Stephen F. Austin is pouring in 80.5 points per game to top the conference with Abilene Christian’s 77.2 scoring average ranking them second among league competitors. Those two teams have been the most effective shooting teams in the WAC with Abilene Christians 44.7 percent field goal efficiency just nudging out the Ladyjacks from the top spot (44.3). From behind the arc, Abilene Christian is shooting a conference best 38.3 percent from deep. On the other side of the court, Tarleton is allowing 54.6 points per game as they allow the opposition to shoot just 33.1 percent from the floor.
From an individual standpoint, Caitlyn Harper is scoring a conference best 18.7 points per game for California Baptist. Josie Williams is averaging a double-double as she is fourth in the WAC in scoring (16.2 ppg) while grabbing 12.3 rebounds each time she steps on the court. CBU’s Ane Olaeta continues to a great distrobutor of the ball as her 8.3 assists per game average leads the league by nearly three assists per game. Lamar freshman Akasha Davis is nailing a WAC high 60.3 percent of her field goal attempts
1,000 POINT PLATEAU
Sam Houston’s Faith Cook is just four points shy of scoring her 1,000th career point. When she scores that fourth point, she will be the seventh active member of the 1,000-point club among WAC players. Less than two weeks ago, Georgia Dale hit the milestone for CBU.
TURNING THE OPPONENT OVER
Both Stephen F. Austin and Grand Canyon have been among the top defensive teams in the nation. Each team is ranked in the national top 10 in total steals, steals per game, turnovers margin and turnovers forced per game (see page 6 of notes pack).
STAT LEADERS BACK
Following a shortened season, the WAC will return almost all of its stat leaders from the spring. After averaging 16.5 points per game to lead the WAC in scoring in the spring as a part of UT Rio Grande Valley, Amara Graham will return to the court this fall as a Grand Canyon Lope. The WAC’s leader in rebounds per game (8.4) and field goal percentage (66.5) will also be back as California Baptist’s Britney Thomas suits up for her final season as a Lancer. The Lancer roster will also include the top three-point shooter and top assister from the spring 2021 season. CBU’s Sydney Palma shot 44.7 percent from deep to lead the league while Ane Olaeta averaged 7.8 assists per game to finish as the nation’s leader in assists.
Josie Williams of Utah Valley will be back on the court for the Wolverines after leading the WAC in blocks per game last season. Seattle U’s Bree Calhoun will also be disrupting WAC offenses once again as she returns after pacing the conference in steals per game at 3.3.
PRESEASON COACHES POLL
California Baptist has been named the favorite to win the 2021-22 women’s basketball title and the Lancers’ Ane Olaeta was selected as the WAC Preseason Player of the Year in a vote of the league’s 13 head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players.
After putting together one of the best seasons in WAC history a season ago, the Lancers earned the top spot with 137 points and six first-place votes in the preseason poll. WAC newcomer Stephen F. Austin was close behind with six first-place votes and a total of 133 points. The Ladyjacks were followed by Grand Canyon who received the remaining first-place vote and 112 points. Utah Valley was slotted in the fourth spot with 106 points while Abilene Christian was selected to finish fifth, garnering 91 points. Sam Houston claimed a total of 86 points as they landed in sixth. NM State came in just behind the Bearkats with 90 points while Lamar was eighth with 63 points. Seattle U captured ninth with 61 points, followed by UT Rio Grande Valley with 54 points. The Tarleton Texans earned 43 points to see themselves picked to finish 11th. Dixie State and Chicago State rounded out the poll, collecting 25 points and 14 points, respectively.
Olaeta is atop the list of Preseason All-WAC honorees. The senior guard is joined on the first team by fellow Lancer Britney Thomas, Stephen F. Austin’s Stephanie Visscher and Zya Nugent, Utah Valley’s Maria Carvalho and Josie Williams, Grand Canyon’s Amara Graham and Lamar’s Micaela Wilson.
Second team honors went to UT Rio Grande Valley’s Sara Bershers, Grand Canyon’s Tiarra Brown, Seattle U’s Bree Calhoun and McKenzi Williams, Sam Houston’s Faith Cook, California Baptist’s Caitlyn Harper, Stephen F. Austin’s Aiyana Johnson and Abilene Christian’s Madi Miller.
PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
The Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball media have selected California Baptist as the preseason favorite to be named the 2021-22 conference champions while the Lancers’ Ane Olaeta was named WAC Preseason Player of the Year.
The Lancers earned the sweep in the polls as they picked up the top spot in the media poll after being selected first overall in the coaches’ poll. CBU was followed by Stephen F. Austin while Utah Valley was picked to finish third in the conference. Grand Canyon was chosen to finish fourth, Sam Houston was fifth and NM State took sixth. The Aggies were followed by Lamar, Abilene Christian, Seattle U, UT Rio Grande Valley, Tarleton, Dixie State and Chicago State.
Olaeta leads the group of Preseason All-WAC award getters and is joined by teammate Britney Thomas. Utah Valley’s Maria Carvalho and Josie Williams joined the pair of Lancers while Stephen F. Austin also boasted two first-team members in Aiyana Johnson and Stephanie Visscher. Grand Canyon’s Amara Graham and Lamar’s Micaela Wilson also picked up first-team honors.
Second-team selections include Grand Canyon’s Tiarra Brown, Seattle U’s Bree Calhoun, Sam Houston’s Faith Cook, Tarleton’s Marissa Escamilla, California Baptist’s Caitlyn Harper, NM State’s Soufia Inoussa, Abilene Christian’s Madi Miller and Stephen F. Austin’s Zya Nugent.
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
Coming off a year in which the WAC only returned three all-conference players, the WAC will look very familiar this season, returning eight of 10 All-WAC players. From the list of first-team honorees, Utah Valley’s Maria Carvalho and Josie Williams and California Baptist’s Ane Olaeta and Britney Thomas will all be back in action. Also, Grand Canyon’s Tiarra Brown and Amara Graham, California Baptist’s Caitlyn Harper and Seattle U’s McKenzi Williams are returning after earning Second Team All-WAC recognition in the spring.
WAC fans will also see four of the five members of the WAC All-Defensive Team back this year as Grand Canyon’s Taylor Caldwell, Seattle U’s Bree Calhoun, Utah Valley’s Carvalho and California Baptist’s Thomas make their way back. Lastly, four WAC All-Newcomer representatives are coming back for the 2021-22 season as California Baptist’s Nicole Avila-Ambrosi, Grand Canyon’s Brown, Seattle U’s Calhoun and Utah Valley’s Shay Fano look to build on their impressive debut seasons.
With the addition of four schools coming over from the Southland Conference, the WAC also adds four Southland All-Conference selections from last season. Both Lamar’s Micaela Wilson and Stephen F. Austin’s Stephanie Visscher were first-team honorees, while the Ladyjacks Aiyana Johnson and Zya Nugent garnered second team distinction.
A TEXAS-SIZED ADDITION
After adding Dixie State and Tarleton a season ago, the WAC has expanded once again by adding four Texas schools. Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin all come over to the WAC after spending time in the Southland Conference. Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston and Lamar each finished inside the top four of the Southland’s standings last season. The Ladyjacks also claimed the Southland Conference title as they finished the year with a 24-2 overall record and a near-upset of Georgia Tech in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
WAC ON THE WORLDWIDE LEADER
This offseason, the WAC reached a new multi-year, multi-platform media reight agreement that will see over 500 annual events on ESPN+. Fans will be able to catch most women’s basketball games this season on ESPN+, with the WAC Tournament Championship Game airing on an ESPN linear network. Fans will also be able to catch select #WAChoops games at wacdigitalnetwork.com.
KEY NON-CONFERENCE MATCH-UPS
The WAC will have its fair share of opportunities to shine against top competition this season. The league currently has 10 games against teams that advanced to the 2021 NCAA Tournament and 10 games against teams that participated in the 2021 NIT. The complete list is below.
Games vs. 2021 NCAA Tournament Teams
Nov. 9 UT Rio Grande Valley at USF, 8 p.m. ET
Nov. 10 Tarleton at Arkansas, 7 p.m. ET
Nov. 14 Dixie State at Oregon, 5 p.m. PT
Nov. 17 California Baptist at Oregon State, 7 p.m. PT
Nov. 18 Stephen F. Austin at Texas A&M, 7 p.m. CT
Nov. 27 Sam Houston at Arkansas, 2 p.m. CT
Dec. 12 Abilene Christian vs. Wright St., 1 p.m. CT
Dec. 12 Stephen F. Austin at Gonzaga, noon PT
Dec. 13 Sam Houston at Alabama, 11:30 a.m. CT
Dec. 21 Utah Valley at Idaho State, 7 p.m. MT
Games vs. 2021 NIT Teams
Nov. 9 Lamar at New Mexico, 6 p.m. MT
Nov. 11 Utah Valley vs. Fresno State, 7 p.m. MT
Nov. 12 Stephen F. Austin vs. Houston, 6:30 p.m. CT
Nov. 16 Lamar at Ole Miss, 6 p.m. CT
Nov. 26 Stephen F. Austin vs. New Mexico, 6:30 p.m. CT (Katy, Texas)
Nov. 27 Chicago State vs. Delaware, TBA (Miami)
Dec. 3 Dixie State at Colorado, 7 p.m. MT
Dec. 3 NM State at New Mexico, 7 p.m. MT
Dec. 5 NM State vs. New Mexico, 2 p.m. MT
Dec. 16 Sam Houston vs. Rice, 6:30 p.m. CT
WAC TOURNAMENT MAKES 11TH TRIP TO VEGAS
The conference will head back to #WACVegas for the 2022 tournament in Las Vegas. The tournament will begin March 8 with a pair of games to be held at Michelob Ultra Arena before the remainder of the tournament heads to Orleans Arena on March 9-12. The tournament will include the top 10 eligible teams.