STORYLINES
•   The GNAC's two members from the Beaver State meet up for the first time this season when Concordia hosts Western Oregon on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. Pacific at LCEF Court. The Wolves continue their road trip heading to play Montana State Billings on Saturday at 5:15 p.m. Mountain (4:15 p.m. Pacific) at Alterowitz Gymnasium. 
•   Western Oregon seeks to continue one winning streak this week while snapping another. The Wolves swept the season series from the Cavaliers during the 2015-16 season with 10-point victories both at home (53-43 on Jan. 12, 2016) and on the road (62-52 on Feb. 9). On the flip side, the Yellowjackets won by double-figures to sweep WOU for the second time in the last three seasons.
•   Both games will have coverage on WOUWolves.com/Live with video and stats.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Snow in the Willamette Valley played a role in last week's contests against the two schools from Alaska. After Western Oregon allowed 105 points to the league-leading and nationally-ranked Seawolves of Alaska Anchorage on Thursday, the threat of snow and freezing rain on Saturday forced the game against Alaska to be moved up a day. On Friday night, the Nanooks got out to a hot start, but WOU responded over the next three quarters to post a 72-67 win over UAF. Shelby Snook (23) and Sydney Azorr (20) led the Wolves in scoring as Jasmine Miller had eight points and eight rebounds. 

BALANCED ACT
Through 11 games, the Wolves have five players who average more than 7.8 points per game (Snook, Miller, Azorr, Kaylie Boschma, Savannah Heugly). Snook (15.6) ranks fifth in scoring while Miller is the GNAC's eighth-leading rebounder at 6.3 boards a contest.

APPROACHING A COACHING MARK
The WOU women's basketball team is one win away from giving head coach Holli Howard-Carpenter her 25th career coaching win as the leader of the Wolves. With two more wins, WOU will match the highest win total in any season under Howard-Carpenter (eight wins in 2014-15).

PROBABLE STARTING FIVE, PLUS ONE
- Shelby Snook has been a steady figure on the court for WOU this season ranking second in the GNAC averaging 35.5 minutes per game. She is also among the league leaders in 3-point field goals made (2.2, 4th) and long-distance percentage (.394, 9th). With 23 points against Alaska, Snook broke the 20-point barrier for the fourth time this season.
- Sydney Azorr made her season debut on Nov. 26 and currently sports a five-game streak of scoring at least 10 points. Azorr would rank in the GNAC's top 40 in scoring, but she has not played enough minutes to qualify for league-wide recognition. She is coming off a season-high 20 points (6-11 FG, 4-6 3FG) against Alaska.
- Kaylie Boschma missed her first game of the year against UAA but returned to the lineup one day later against Alaska. She has pulled down eight rebounds in each of her last two games. Currently averaging 8.8 points and 4.0 rebounds a game, Boschma has shot over 40 percent in half of her appearances (6-of-12).
- Ali Nelke returned to the starting lineup after an illness kept her out of two games prior to the holidays. Nelke posted a season-highs in minutes against UAA (31) and Alaska (32).
- Jasmine Miller has the only two double-doubles on the season for the Wolves (12/3 vs. SMU, 12/10 vs. SOU). Miller's 14 points against UAA led the Wolves and snapped a string of three games scoring under 10 points. 
- Savannah Heugly, who has emerged as a strong presence in the paint, has pulled down 3.5 rebounds in her last two games despite playing just over 21 minutes per contest. 

ABOUT CONCORDIA
Concordia enters this week's action having lost four consecutive games, all in GNAC play (at WWU, SFU and home last week to Alaska, UAA). The Cavaliers offered the Seawolves their toughest Division II matchup last Saturday; even holding the lead at the end of the first quarter in an eventual 67-58 loss. Leading scorer Daniella Hartzog (12.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg), a junior guard from Beaverton, has started the last eight games and posted double figures in ever game except one (5 pts. at SFU). Hartzog is the only Cavalier currently averaging double figures, but six CU players are better than 6.3 ppg for the season. Concordia tends t score more points as the game goes one with 180 points over 14 games in the first quarter compared to a team-high 244 points in the fourth quarter. Sean Kelly is in his second year as head coach at Concordia. 

ABOUT MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
In his 13th season as Montana State Billings' head coach, Kevin Woodin has posted a 210-136 overall record entering this year. Last weekend, MSUB lost twice on the road at Seattle Pacific (67-50) and at Saint Martin's (64-57). GNAC Preseason Player of the Year Alisha Breen is expected to miss the season after sustaining a knee injury during an exhibition contest. MSUB senior forward Tiana Hanson (15.9 ppg) and junior guard Rylee Kane (10.4) rank fourth and 21st, respectively, in the GNAC in scoring. Hanson is third in the league in blocked shots (1.1 bpg) and tied for fifth in rebounding (6.6). The Yellowjackets are searching to break a four-game skid and will play Concordia on Thursday night.