MONMOUTH, Ore./BILLINGS, Mont. – Following a two-game road swing, the Western Oregon University women's basketball team will return home for a game against Concordia this Tuesday at 7 p.m. before finishing the week in Montana on Thursday against MSU Billings starting at 6 p.m. (Pacific).
The Wolves (5-14, 2-10 GNAC) are coming off of a near big win on the road last week in Bellingham as Western Oregon nearly erased a 17-point deficit, falling by four to the Vikings. WOU got as close as a point with three minutes to play before Western Washington was able to hang on. Keyonna Jones led the way with 13 points, while Tresai McCarver added 10 points. WOU came close in the first game of the week against Simon Fraser as the Clan had to make a late push in the fourth quarter to hold off the Wolves and win by nine. Meadow Aragon led the way with 12 points and six rebounds, while fellow freshman Cali McClave added 11 points.
WOU, currently tied with Alaska and Concordia in the conference standings, sit just three games back of a possible GNAC Tournament spot currently occupied by MSU Billings and Seattle Pacific at 5-7. Saint Martin's is a game back at 4-8.
In the earlier meetings between the teams, Concordia was able to defeat WOU in Portland, 54-43, back on Jan. 7. Jones led the way with 11 points, while Shariah Green added 10. A big first quarter by the Cavs led the way as they outscored the Wolves 24-12 over the first 10 minutes, then WOU held the 31-30 edge over the final three quarters.
In the win over MSU Billings in Monmouth back on Jan. 11, Green led the way with 21 points and seven rebounds, while Jones added 15 points in the 64-56 victory.
On the season, WOU is averaging 57.1 points per game and allowing 63.4 points. WOU has made 37 percent (391-1,059) from the field, 85-337 (25) from three and 218-309 (71) at the foul line. Opponents are connecting on 408-1,106 (37) from the field, 129-419 (31) from three and 259-373 (69) at the foul line.
Jones and Green led the team in scoring with each averaging over 10 points a game. Jones leads at 10.4 points, while Green adds 10.3. Green is approaching 100 rebounds on the season currently sitting at 97. Jones leads the team in assists with 51, McClave leads in steals with 28 and Amber Winkler continues to be one of the top shot blockers in the nation having sent back 40 shots this season.
WOU currently ranks third in the GNAC in both blocked shots (72) and blocked shots per game (3.8). The defense continues to be ranked high in the GNAC sitting second in field goal percentage defense (36.9), fourth in scoring defense per game (63.4) and fifth in three-point field goal defense (30.8).
Winkler ranks first in the GNAC in both blocked shots and blocked shots per game (2.11), which ranks her 27th and 25th respectively in both categories. Jones is ninth in the GNAC in free throw percentage (75).
Concordia enters with an overall record of 3-17 and 2-10 in GNAC playing having lost their last seven games since defeating WOU back on Jan. 7. During that time, they've come close against MSU Billings (58-66), Saint Martin's (47-53), Northwest Nazarene (70-79) and last time out against Simon Fraser (58-69). The Cavaliers have just one true road win away from Portland this year winning at Alaska back on Dec. 7. Three players average at least 8.6 points per game led by Olivia Vazaldenos' 10.8 points per game, followed by Riley Friauf at 9.6 and Dorcus Wu at 8.6. The series between the teams has been split with each winning seven since first playing in 2000. The Cavs have won the last three meetings with the last WOU winning coming on Feb. 13, 2018 in Portland, 65-62. That same year, WOU swept the series taking the meeting in Monmouth as well, 68-51.
MSU Billings is 10-11 overall and currently tied for the final tournament spot at 5-7. They've gone 7-2 at home picking up solid home wins over Simon Fraser and Central Washington. Recently the Yellowjackets fell at Northwest Nazarene (72-80) and at Central Washington (62-71) this past week.
Taryn Shelley leads the offense averaging 12.7 points per game, while Hannah Collins adds 11.6 and Jeanann Lemelin at 10.5 per game. Collins recently returned back to the lineup and missed the earlier meeting this season in Monmouth. MSU Billings holds a 25-7 record against WOU in the series since 2001 with the teams splitting the previous four meetings. WOU has split their past two visits to Billings falling in 2019 (53-65), after picking up a 77-65 win in 2018.
Live video and stats will be available for both games and can be found here.
