This Week In WAC Women's Basketball - Mar. 16
This Week In WAC Women's Basketball - Mar. 16
2022-23 WAC Women's Basketball Release - Mar. 16
SOUTHERN UTAH CAPTURES THE 2023 HERCULES WAC BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
In its first season as a member of the Western Athletic Conference, Southern Utah claimed the regular season conference title along with the 2023 Hercules Tires WAC Tournament Championship and its first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. SUU defeated NM State (62-61) in the quarterfinals, Grand Canyon (64-51) in the semifinals and California Baptist (82-73 in the championship game.
Southern Utah earned the No.14 seed in the Greenville 1 Region and will face No. 3 Notre Dame on Friday, Mar. 17. Game will be live on ESPN2 from South Bend, Indiana.
DAUGHTERY OF SUU NAMED 2023 HERCULES TIRES WAC TOURNAMENT MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER
Southern Utah’s Cherita Daugherty was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after leading all players in scoring for the week (56 points), pouring in a game-high 26 to go along with eight rebounds and three assists in the championship game. Joining Daugherty on the WAC All-Tournament Team were Megan Jensen and Tomekia Whitman from Southern Utah and CBU’s Sila Finau and Chloe Webb.
SFA TO FACE TEXAS STATE IN WNIT
Stephen F. Austin was selected to play in the Women’s National Invitational tournament after being one of the top teams in the WAC, but suffered a heartbreaking loss to California Baptist during the conference tournament. SFA will host Texas State in Nacagdoches on Thursday, Mar. 16 at 6:30 p.m. Game will be streamed live on ESPN3. SFA is ranked top 20 in the nation in field goal percentage (13th), free throw attempts per game (15th), free throws made per game (18th), and scoring margin (14th). Jordan Harrison is riding on a hot streak and has scored double-digits in the last three games including a career-high 22 points against CBU and double-double against Sam Houston.
NM STATE AND CBU SET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WBI TOURNAMENT
NM State and California Baptist have both accepted invitations to participate in the 13th Annual Women’s Basketball Invitational that will be played in Lexington, Kentucky. The tournament will host eight teams from across the country in a three-day tournament to crown the 2023 WBI champions. Play begins on March 17, and every team is guaranteed three games to be played consecutively on the 18th and 19th. NM State will open the tournament against Illinois-Chicago on March 17. This will be the Aggies first time appearing in the WBI but making its tenth postseason appearance, and sixth appearance in the last nine seasons. The Lancers will face a first-time foe in the University of North Dakota on March 17.
UT ARLINGTON'S JACOBS NAMED WAC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
UT Arlington’s Starr Jacobs captured the top yearly honor in the WAC as part of the 2022-23 conference awards in women’s basketball that were voted on by member head coaches. Jacobs led five major award winners as the WAC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year. Other top award winners included Southern Utah’s Lizzy Williamson (Defensive Player of the Year) and head coach Tracy Sanders (Coach of the Year), Southern Utah’s Tomekia Whitman (Sixth Woman of the Year and Newcomer of the Year) and Stephen F. Austin’s Jordan Harrison (Freshman of the Year). WAC regular-season champion Utah Valley led the way with three players on the all-conference first team. Four other teams had two individuals recognized among the 16 players to claim All-WAC accolades.
THE WAC IN THE NATIONAL STATS RANKINGS
In the latest NCAA DI national statistics rankings that were released on Mar. 12, Grand Canyon is 4th in steals per game at 12.6 and is now 29th in turnover margin (4.42) along with being 8th in turnovers forced per game (21.29). Sam Houston is now 4th in offensive rebounds per game at 17.1. California Baptist remains 4th in three-point field goals per game with 28.8 followed by Abilene Christian in the 19th spot with 25.4 and UTRGV ranked 19th at 25.4. Southern Utah is now ranked 17th in total rebounds per game with 42.12 and Sam Houston is ranked 34th at 40.93 followed by California Baptist at 35th with 40.91.