MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon women's basketball team ventures up I-5 this week to take on the Saint Martin's Saints and Seattle Pacific Falcons as they continue Great Northwest Athletic Conference action, embarking on their second full conference road trip of the season.

Western Oregon (5-8, 2-4 GNAC) split their previous week, losing 54-43 on the road at Concordia University before a 64-56 win at home against the Montana State Billings Yellowjackets. The win over the 'Jackets was the first at home for the Wolves since 2013 and the first overall in nearly two years in the series.

Senior Shariah Green totaled 31 points over the week, including 21 on Saturday, to push her scoring average into double figures at 10.8 points per game. Green has now scored 10 or more points in four of her last five appearances.

Freshmen Alexis Wright and Meadow Aragon each got their first collegiate start on Saturday against MSUB, combining for 11 points and nine rebounds in 35 minutes of work.

The Wolves moved into a tie for seventh in the GNAC with their latest conference victory, sitting in a tie with the Concordia Cavaliers for the slot and only one game out of a conference tournament seeding. WOU averages 57.8 points per game while allowing 61.4 to opponents, the third-lowest opponent scoring average in the conference.

Just two points separate Green and Keyonna Jones in total scoring for the season as they are both averaging just under 11 points a night to lead the team. Amber Winkler has moved into the GNAC lead with 1.9 blocks per game. She has totaled 25 for the season over 13 contests, picking up another four this last week in conference action.

Saint Martin's (6-7, 1-5 GNAC), while having a tough start to conference play, is already just one win away from matching their overall win total from the 2018-19 season. The Saints went 5-2 in non-conference play and have even given then-No. 10 Alaska Anchorage a run during GNAC action. Their lone conference win was a 96-62 walloping of the Alaska Nanooks on Jan. 2 at home in Lacey. This past week they lost on the road at Western Washington (47-93) and a close four-point game against Simon Fraser (67-71).

SMU has a scoring margin close to zero, averaging 67.2 points per game while allowing 67.4 through their first 13 contests. The Saints have taken good care of the basketball this year, holding the third-best assist/turnover ratio in the GNAC just behind Western Washington and Alaska Anchorage.

Three players average in double-figures in scoring led by the 12.9 points per game from Claire Dingus. Bria Thames is right behind at 12.3 points, along with Tierney DeDonatis rounds out the three in double-digits at 10.8. Mallory Vivola is close to averaging 10 points sitting right at 9.3 points and Janealle Sutterlict adds 8.5 points. Thames is close to averaging a double-double at 9.9 rebounds per game.

WOU is 10-29 against Saint Martin's all-time. The Wolves have won four of the last six meetings with SMU winning their most recent contest, March 2, 2019, in Monmouth. Both teams were able to win on the road during their two regular season battles last year. WOU is 4-15 in Lacey.

Seattle Pacific (3-11, 1-5 GNAC) finds themselves tied for the lowest overall winning percentage in the GNAC approaching the halfway point of the season. Currently 0-8 on the road, the Falcons return home in search of their second win of 2020 to end a two-game slide. This past weekend on the road, the Falcons fell at Simon Fraser (54-71) and against Western Washington (60-73). Seattle Pacific also picked up their first GNAC win of the season at home versus Alaska taking the 83-70 victory. The Falcons also picked up a win over Academy of Art (76-50) back on Dec. 19 at home which is a common opponent that WOU faced earlier this season.

SPU has struggled to control the ball this season, holding the lowest turnover margin in the conference with 257 total giveaways on the year, averaging 18.4 a game. Ashlynn Burgess leads the team with 12.3 points per game and also adds 6.2 rebounds per contest. Hailee Bennett gives the team two in double-digits at 10.6 points per game. Both have started all 14 games this season.

WOU is 3-36 against Seattle Pacific all-time. The Wolves' win last February was their first over the Falcons since Jan. 22, 2015, ending an eight-game winning streak in the series for SPU. Western, however, has never won in Seattle, holding a 0-20 mark on the road in the series.

Western's matchup with Saint Martin's Thursday, Jan. 16, is set for 5:15 p.m. at Marcus Pavilion while their game Saturday, Jan. 18, at Seattle Pacific will tip at 4:15 p.m. PST. Both games will have live stats and video available here.