Women's Basketball | 11/29/2010 8:52:10 PM
THIS WEEK IN WOLVES BASKETBALL
Wednesday, Dec. 1 - 7:00 pm PST
New P.E. Gymnasium - Monmouth, Ore.
Western Oregon (1-4, 0-0)
vs. Northwest Nazarene (3-0, 0-0)
Saturday, Dec. 4 - 2:00 pm PST
New P.E. Gymnasium - Monmouth, Ore.
Western Oregon
vs. Central Washington (3-0, 0-0)*
(*One game pending - at Saint Martin's, 12/2)
MEDIA INFORMATION
Live video and live stats will be available for both games free of charge at http://www.wouwolves.com.
RECAPPING THE WOLVES
Western dropped both of its contests as part of the Clarion Inn Thanksgiving Classic last weekend in Grand Junction, Colo. The Wolves fell to both host Mesa State (55-47) and UT-Permian Basin (73-65), putting them at 1-4 on the young season.
LAST WEEK
In the first game, WOU lost to Mesa State 55-47 Friday, Nov. 26, in a back-and-forth affair.
The Wolves were led by sophomore guard Jamie Richardson's (Grants Pass, Ore./Hidden Valley) game-high 16 points. She added five rebounds, three assists, and two steals to her tally. Senior forward Danielle Bellando (Eugene, Ore./Willamette) had eight points and junior forward Rylee Peterson (Newport, Ore./Newport) added seven points and a game-high nine rebounds.
Western struck early and led 9-8 with 11:56 left in the first half but found themselves trailing 29-26 at the half after Mesa State made a lay-up with one second on the clock. WOU came out firing in the second stanza and took a 40-35 lead with 11:41 remaining, but would go on to score just five points over the final 10:58 as Mesa State pulled away.
WOU shot 35.2-percent from the field (19-54), 21.7-percent from three-point range (5-23), and 80.0-percent from the free throw line (4-5). The five free throw attempts were the lowest since Dec. 15, 2006 (4 attempts). The Wolves also assisted on 14 of their 19 field goals. They forced Mesa State into 18 turnovers of which they converted 11 points. Western also added nine steals and four blocks.
In the second game, Western was defeated by UT-Permian Basin 73-65 Saturday, Nov. 27.
The Wolves were led by their two seniors: guard Sara Zahler (Newberg, Ore./Newberg) scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds while forward Danielle Bellando (Eugene, Ore./Willamette) tallied 11 points and seven rebounds. Junior forward Rylee Peterson (Newport, Ore./Newport) added nine points, nine rebounds, and six blocked shots.
Western came out strong, preventing UT-PB from scoring for the first 2:32 of the contest. The Falcons responded with a 17-7 run stretching 5:04, but Zahler scored five straight points for WOU to tie the game at 22. Permian Basin then went on a 22-9 run over the last 2:24 of the first half and first 6:11 of second half to take a 51-40 lead. Western answered with a 14-5 run to cut the lead to three, but scored just six points over the final 6:21 as the Falcons pulled away.
WOU shot 38.2-percent from the field (26-68), 25.0-percent from beyond the arc (4-16), and 69.2-percent from the charity stripe (9-13). The Wolves were outscored 21-9 from the free throw line as UT-PB attempted 34 free throws, connecting on 22. They also held UT-PB to 29.5-percent shooting from the field, the best since Jan. 21, 2010 (28.6-percent). Western won the battle on the boards 55-51 and blocked eight shots.
MOST RECENT WESTERN OREGON STARTERS
Nov. 27 vs. UT-Permian Basin, L 73-65
Total vs. UT-Permian Basin/Season average
Player Pts. Reb. Ast. FG 3-FG
G L. Clifford 8/7.6 3/2.8 3/3.0 4-7/.432 0-0/.143
G J. Richardson 6/13.0 4/3.6 2/3.4 3-10/.420 0-2/.412
G S. Zahler 15/12.2 9/6.0 1/1.0 4-10/.327 3-6/.348
F R. Peterson 9/14.0 9/9.0 2/1.0 4-13/.421 0-1/.235
F M. Fowler 0/2.4 6/3.8 2/1.2 0-2/.286 0-0/.000
SCOUTING THE NORTHWEST NAZARENE CRUSADERS
Member: NCAA Division II
Conference: Great Northwest Athletic Conference
2010-2011 Record: 3-0 (0-0)
Series Record: WOU leads 36-28 (20-10 in Monmouth)
Last Meeting: L, 40-76 (2/25/10 in Nampa)
The Crusaders enter their meeting with WOU at 3-0 with victories over Dominican, Chaminade, and Warner Pacific (NAIA). Their three opponents have a combined record of 4-10 (Warner Pacific is 3-2). NNU is averaging 87.0 points per game, outrebounding their opponents by 15.0 rebounds per game, and are forcing 32.3 turnovers per game. They are led by junior forward Briaunna King (20.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg), senior forward Beth Johnson (13.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg), and sophomore guard Heather Adams (11.7 ppg, 4.3 apg). King dropped a career-high 33 points against Chaminade.
MOST RECENT NORTHWEST NAZARENE STARTERS
Nov. 27 vs. Warner Pacific, W 80-56
Total vs. Warner Pacific/Season average
Player Pts. Reb. Ast. FG 3-FG
G H. Adams 10/11.7 4/3.0 5/4.3 3-10/.400 2-6/.444
G F. Smith 14/7.0 2/2.7 2/4.7 6-8/.474 1-2/.400
F B. Johnson 16/13.0 3/5.0 5/2.3 5-7/.800 1-2/.500
F M. Hingston 8/6.3 5/4.3 3/2.0 3-9/.320 1-3/.250
F B. King 14/20.3 3/5.7 1/1.0 6-12/.595 1-2/.500
SCOUTING THE CENTRAL WASHINGTON WILDCATS
Member: NCAA Division II
Conference: Great Northwest Athletic Conference
2010-2011 Record: 3-0 (0-0)
Series Record: CWU leads 17-10 (8-6 in Monmouth)
Last Meeting: W, 69-58 (2/6/10 in Monmouth)
Central Washington has defeated Dominican, Chaminade, and Hawaii Hilo for its three victories. Their opponents have a combined record of 2-11. They are averaging 73.0 points per game and are making an average of 6.7 treys per contest. They are getting outrebounded by 4.0 rebounds per game, but are forcing 25.0 turnovers and blocking 7.3 shots per game. They are led by sophomore forward Stacy Albrecht (12.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.3 bpg) and senior guard Luv Rattler (11.3 ppg, 6.0 apg, 3.3 rpg). Against Chaminade, Albrecht recorded 17 points, nine rebounds, five blocks, and four steals.
MOST RECENT CENTRAL WASHINGTON STARTERS
Nov. 20 vs. Dominican (CA), W 78-61
Total vs. Dominican (CA)/Season average
Player Pts. Reb. Ast. FG 3-FG
G N. Payne 5/10.0 3/3.3 2/1.3 2-3/.524 1-2/.444
G K. Jacobson 12/6.7 2/2.3 1/1.3 4-6/.412 4-5/.400
G L. Rattler 15/11.3 5/3.3 8/6.0 5-9/.500 1-4/.417
F S. Albrecht 10/12.7 7/7.0 0/1.3 3-8/.516 0-0/.000
G S. Russell 8/9.3 7/7.0 3/2.0 3-7/.385 2-5/.286
ON THE RECORD
WOU head coach Greg Bruce on what his team needs to do to be successful against NNU and CWU:
“Northwest Nazarene and Central Washington are very similar teams statistically; they are both scoring a lot of points and forcing their opponents into turnovers. If we can take care of the ball and be at least even on the boards, then we will have a pretty good chance. I know NNU is a pressing team, so turnovers will be key in that game. We also cannot let King go off.
We also need to bear in mind that they have to stop us, as well. We are capable offensively; we just have to attack their defense and force them to guard us both inside and out.”
Bellando on her strong performance in Colorado:
“I feel like my game has a lot to do with rhythm. Once I've been in the game for a while and get a feel for it, I get more confidence. I try to let the game come to me and not force too much. In terms of Colorado, it's hard to say I had a strong performance because we lost both games. I would rather us win than me have a good game statistically.”
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
The Wolves are averaging 70.0 points per game, the highest per-game average since becoming a DII institution prior to the 2000-01 season. WOU is shooting 37.9-percent from the field, 28.2-percent from beyond the arc, and 79.5-percent from the charity stripe. The free throw percentage is also the highest since becoming a DII institution. The Wolves have forced 106 turnovers through five games, 57 of which have been steals. They have also blocked 22 shots.
GNAC PREVIEW
After a fifth-place GNAC finish last season, Western was picked to finish eighth in this season's preseason conference poll. The Wolves received 34 points, nine behind seventh-placed Saint Martin's. The conference is expected to be very good again with two nationally-ranked teams, Seattle Pacific (ninth) and Alaska Anchorage (15th). Western Washington also received national consideration, and Canadian power Simon Fraser joins the league after finishing 32-1 and winning the Canadian national championship last season.
CLASH OF THE TITANS
As has become the norm under Bruce, WOU will play a difficult non-conference schedule to help prepare for conference play. After opening with the Ducks, Dixie State and Humboldt State come to Monmouth as part of the WOU/Phoenix Inn D2 Shootout. Dixie State was picked third in the Pacific West Conference, and Humboldt state was picked fourth in the CCAA after winning the conference tournament last season. Western travels to Colorado for a Thanksgiving tournament against Mesa State and UT-Permian Basin. UTPB was picked second in the Heartland Conference. After hosting Simpson, the Wolves will face Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Los Angeles in the annual GNAC/CCAA Challenge. CPP and CSULA were picked third and sixth in the CCAA, respectively. Currently, WOU's out-of-conference opponents have a collective record of 24-12 (Simpson is 1-5).
SUPER SENIORS
Senior guard Sara Zahler (Newberg, Ore./Newberg) and senior forward Danielle Bellando (Eugene, Ore./Willamette) are the lone seniors on Western's roster this season. At the conclusion of this season, they will become only the second and third student-athletes to play all four seasons in a Wolves uniform since WOU became a Division II member prior to the 2000-2001 season. Zahler has played in 89 career games with 79 career starts. She has 696 points, 376 rebounds, 142 assists, and 102 steals in her career. She is a career 42.1-percent shooter from three-point range and a career 78.0-percent shooter from the free throw line. Bellando has seen time in 62 career games and has started 11 times. She has 227 points, 145 rebounds, 39 assists, and 34 steals in her career. She is a career 41.9-percent shooter from the field and a career 78.6-percent shooter from the charity stripe.
THE GREG BRUCE FILE
Head coach Greg Bruce enters his fifth season at the helm of the Western Oregon women's basketball program. After taking over a program that was winless in the season prior to his arrival, Bruce has won 30 games in the last four years, including an 11-19 record last year, the most wins since 2002-2003 and the second-highest conference finish in GNAC history.
During Bruce's coaching career he has also served as the head women's basketball coach at Portland State, Northern Colorado, Cal State Bakersfield and Fort Lewis. In 19 years as a head coach, he has a record of 323-218 (.597). That includes a 10-year run at Portland State from 1987 through 1996 when the Vikings went 199-89, reaching the NCAA title game in 1995 and finishing a school-best 31-3 in 1992.
NOTES
Zahler has made 23 straight free throws dating back to last season. Sophomore guard Hannah Whitsett (Hermiston, Ore./Hermiston) has made 13 straight free throws dating back to last season . . . Peterson has recorded 17 blocks through five games. The previous season high under Bruce was 23 blocks (2006-07 season).
