This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Jan. 18
This Week in WAC Women's Basketball - Jan. 18
Complete Release (PDF)
WAC ANNOUNCES CHANGE TO BASKETBALL GAME CANCELATION POLICIES
Following a vote of athletic directors the last week of December, the Western Athletic Conference has adjusted its game cancelation policy to balance the health and safety of coaches, student-athletes, staff and officials as well as protect the integrity of the conference schedule.
The minimum number of participants for conference play has been set at seven Covid-eligible student-athletes and one Covid-eligible coach. If a team meets the requirement, they will be expected to compete in the contest.
In addition, the WAC has determined that if a game is canceled for Covid-related reasons, administrators from the impacted institutions will work collaboratively to find a mutually agreeable date to reschedule. If they are unable to find a date, the game will be considered a no-contest.
“Ultimately, we wanted to maintain some flexibility as the Covid landscape continues to change,” said WAC commissioner Brian Thornton. “Our biggest goals are to protect the health and safety of our student-athletes and coaches as well as put our programs in the best position to compete in our conference tournament.”
The conference will continue to work with institutional leadership regarding any changes to seeding procedures for the 2022 Hercules Tires WAC Basketball Tournament.
RESCHEDULED GAMES
The WAC has been far from immune from the far reaches of the newest coronavirus strain. Heading into the scheduled third full week of conference games, the league has rescheduled 13 games.
TICKETSMARTER WAC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK ANNOUNCED
California Baptist’s Caitlyn Harper has been named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week with Chicago State’s Aaliyah Collins earning TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Week.
Harper set a season’s best conference mark in addition to posting a double-double in helping the Lancers to a pair of road wins in the Beehive State. The junior started her week with a 17-point, 10-rebound performance as CBU cruised past Dixie State 88-60 on Thursday. Two days later she scored 30 points in 28 minutes in her team’s 15-point win over Utah Valley. Her scoring outburst is the most in a WAC conference game this season.
Collins was a scoring machine in the Cougars three games. On Monday she recorded her first collegiate double-double (26 point, 10 rebounds) as Chicago State notched a seven-point road win at Seattle U. The guard then followed that with 10 points against UT Rio Grande Valley then a 21-point effort against Lamar. During her 57-point week, she recorded a 56.1 percent shooting effort. This is her fourth Freshman of the Week award this season.
Other nominees included: Aiyana Johnson averaged 18.5 points and 6.5 rebounds a game with a 76.2 shooting percentage, including a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double to open the week, as Stephen F. Austin went 2-0 … Amara Graham averaged 15.5 points in Grand Canyon’s wins at Abilene Christian and Tarleton; her go-ahead three-pointer late in the game helped seal the win against ACU … Anyssia Gibbs helped Lamar to a pair of wins in three games, including a career high 20-point effort in a victory at Chicago State … Bella Earle shot 63.6 percent from the floor in Abilene Christian’s three games while averaging 13.7 points per game; including a career high 16 points in a comeback win vs. New Mexico State … Shanaijah Davis scored 20 points in each game as Dixie State split games against California Baptist and Seattle U … Seynabou Thiam averaged 7.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 6.0 blocks for Tarleton; her eight blocks in a win against New Mexico State is a WAC season high … Taylor Muff scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds as UT Rio Grande Valley beat Chicago State … Bigue Sarr averaged 10.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in three contests from New Mexico State … Collins was also considered after her three-game run
Other freshman nominees included: Ja’Mya Powell-Smith averaged 6.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists as Grand Canyon won road games at Abilene Christian and Tarleton … Trinity San Antonio started both games and averaged 9.5 points and 2.0 steals for California Baptist … Bella Earle total 41 points in three games for Abilene Christian (13.7 ppg) … Macie Warren tallied 7.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in Dixie State two game split against California Baptist and Seattle U … KaCee Kyle scored 11 points and had three assists in UT Rio Grande Valley’s lone game; beating Chicago State 58-47
USBWA FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Aaliyah Collins took her success one step further. The guard was named the United State Basketball Writers Association Freshman of the Week. It is her first such honor this season.
THE WEEK AHEAD AND ROAD VICTORS
A some what normal looking schedule awaits as there are 14 games on the docket this week. There are only two rescheduled games set to be played over the next seven days. If this past week is any indication, expect the road team to have success. In the 14 games played last week, the road team won 11.
NATIONAL RANKED WINNING STREAKS
Both Stephen F. Austin and California Baptist have had their fair share of winning success. The Lumberjacks currently hold the nation’s longest home winning streak at 34. BYU is the next closest at 24. Meanwhile the Lancers have won 23 consecutive WAC regular season games. Only UConn (122), and Princeton (29) have a longer such streak.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Stephen F. Austin’s offense has been a solid constant since the start of the season. They continue to lead the league in scoring (77.6 ppg), field goal percentage (.453) as well as scoring margin (+22.6 ppg). The duo of Abilene Christian and California Baptist is just behind them in scoring as they are registering 75.6 and 75.5 points per game respectively. From behind the arc, Abilene Christian has made a conference best 168 shots.
Defensively, both Tarleton and Stephen F. Austin are allowing a WAC best 55.1 points per game to their opponents with Lamar’s 59.6 defensive points per game average rounding out the conference teams allowing less than 60 points per game. Tarleton is limiting the opposition to a .349 shooting percentage.
Two-time WAC TicketSmarter Player of the Week Caitlyn Harper leads the individuals, as she is scoring 19.3 points per game for California Baptist. Utah Valley’s Josie Williams is averaging a double-double by scoring 16.6 points per game while grabbing 11.9 rebounds each time she steps onto the court. Akasha Davis is hitting 61.6 percent of her field goal attempts for Lamar; which leads the conference. Ane Olaeta is dishing out a league high 7.9 assists for California Baptist.
TURNING THE OPPONENT OVER
The WAC team duo of Stephen F. Austin and Grand Canyon are among the best teams in the country in turning their opponents over. Stephen F. Austin leads the nation in 25.76 turnovers forced per game with Grand Canyon (24.38) ranking fifth in that same category. Stephen F. Austin also leads the country in turnover margin (+10.53). Not surprisingly, Stephen F. Austin and Grand Canyon ranked first and second respectively in total steals and steals per game (see page 7 of note pack).
1,000 POINT PLATEAU
Sam Houston’s Faith Cook recently broke into the 1,000 career point club in a big way. Needing only four points in the Bearkats game against Arlington Baptist back in December, she scored 24 to become the seventh active member of the 1,000-point club among WAC players. She is the second person this season to achieve the milestone as CBU’s Georgia Dale entered the rarified scoring category in December as well. Aiyana Johnson became the most recent member as she reached the milestone on Saturday and now has 1,034 career points in four seasons at Stephen F. Austin.
400 HEAD COACHING WINS
Heading into the season, Abilene Christian’s Julie Goodenough already reached the 400-win plateau. In her 26th year as a head coach, she leads the league in most seasons as a head as well as career wins (468). During the first weekend of WAC games, Stephen F. Austin’s Mark Kellogg joined her with 400 career wins. Suzy Barcomb is just three wins shy of her 400th career head coaching win.
STAT LEADERS BACK FOR 2021-22
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 return
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 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.