Women's Basketball Looks To Carry Momentum Into Road Trip To NNU, CWU

NAMPA, Idaho/ELLENSBURG, Wash. -- It certainly has been a strong start to the home slate for the Western Oregon University women's basketball team. Following three wins during the last homestand, the Wolves are now 6-0 at home on the season. WOU will look to carry that strong play on the road this week when they play at Northwest Nazarene on Thursday starting at 4:15 p.m. (Pacific) and then on Saturday at Central Washington starting at 4 p.m. in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action.

WOU (7-5, 3-2 GNAC) put together an impressive homestand that included wins over Saint Martin's, Alaska Fairbanks and Montana State Billings. The seven wins this year already surpasses the six wins from the 2019-20 season and the three conference wins equals the total from that year as well.

Tresai McCarver put together three big games over the past week coming away with 54 points, 15 assists, 23 rebounds and six steals while playing 103 minutes.

It was a strong team effort as the Wolves played all three games without top-scorer Meadow Aragon. Entering this week, Aragon leads the team in points per game (12.7), rebounds (7.7), blocks (22), field goals (46), shooting percentage (59.7), and also has eight assists and eight steals. McCarver leads the team in assists (52) and free throws (47). She is tied for the team lead in steals at 21. McCarver is second on the team in points per game (11.8) and in rebounds per game (5.1). Cali McClave leads the team in three-pointers (14) and is tied for the team lead in steals with McCarver at 21. Cali McClave is tied for second on the team in assists with 21 and is averaging 9.6 points and has made 37 field goals, both third on the team. Madisyn Clark is averaging 6.9 points per game and is tied with Cali McClave for second on the team in assists with 21. She is also second on the team in three-pointers made (12). Alexis Wright is coming off of a career-high 16 points and is averaging 5.8 points per game,along with 3.7 rebounds per contest. Wright is shooting over 50 percent from the field (30-58) and has added eight blocks. Amber Winkler tallied a six-block performance in the win against the Nanooks and now has 16 on the season.

WOU is averaging 67.6 points per game, making 298-712 (41.9) from the field, 62-217 (28.6) from three and 153-219 (69.9) at the foul line. The Wolves also average 40.4 rebounds, 14.6 assists, 8.8 steals and 5.4 blocks per game. Opponents average 64.3 points, making 259-705 (36.7) from the field, 75-238 (31.5) from three and 178-260 (68.5) at the foul line. Opponents also average 34.7 rebounds, 12.3 assists, 8.7 steals and 2.7 blocks per game.

WOU ranks high nationally and in the top-three in the GNAC in several categories including 86th nationally in assists per game (14.6), 23rd nationally and leading the GNAC in blocked shots (65), 11th nationally and leading the GNAC in blocked shots per game (5.4), 91st nationally in defensive rebounds per game (27.8), field goal percentage (41.9), field goal percentage defense (36.7), third in the GNAC in free throw percentage (69.9), 50th nationally and third in the GNAC in rebound margin (5.8), 85th nationally and third in the GNAC in rebounds per game (40.4).

Individually, McCarver is 59th nationally and third in the GNAC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.68), 89th nationally and third in the GNAC in assists (52), 46th nationally and second in the GNAC in assists per game (4.3), second in the GNAC in free throws made (47), and seventh in the GNAC in free throw percentage (74.6). Aragon is 45th nationally and second in the GNAC in blocked shots (22), 15th nationally and second in the GNAC in blocked shots per game (2.4), sixth in the GNAC in defensive rebounds per game (5.3), 15th nationally and first in the GNAC in field goal percentage (59.7), eighth in the GNAC in offensive rebounds per game (2.3) and fourth in the GNAC in rebounds per game (7.7). Winkler is fourth in the GNAC in blocked shots (16) and 57th nationally and third in the GNAC in blocked shots per game (1.6). Cali McClave is sixth in the GNAC in steals per game (1.91).

First up, WOU will travel to Idaho to play Northwest Nazarene. The Nighthawks are 9-4 overall and 3-2 in GNAC play so far this season, including a 5-1 mark at home. Both of their games this past week against Simon Fraser and Western Washington were postponed. Last time out on Jan. 8, they went right to the wire with nationally-ranked Alaska Anchorage in Nampa before the Seawolves claimed a 76-72 victory.

On the season, NNU averages 71.1 points, making 346-813 (42.6) from the field, 57-215 (26.5) from three and 175-255 (68.6) from the foul line. The Nighthawks also average 42.6 rebounds, 14.4 assists, 10.1 steals and 1.8 blocks per game. Opponents average 64 points, making 294-788 (37.3) from the field, 97-293 (33.1) from three and 147-223 (65.9) from the foul line. Opponents also average 37.2 rebounds, 13.6 assists, 9.8 steals and 1.8 blocks per game.

Teagan Thurman leads NNU averaging 13.2 points per game and 9.5 rebounds. Nyalam Thabach adds 12.3 points and 7.5 rebounds, along with 10 blocks. Erin Jenkins is just short of double-figures in scoring at 9.5 points and adds 5.1 rebounds.

Since 2001, the Nighthawks hold a 27-11 series record and have won the past seven meetings. NNU is 14-5 against the Wolves in Nampa. During the 2019-20 season, NNU won by 10 in Monmouth and then took a 20-point win in Idaho. The last win for the Wolves was during the 2016-17 season taking the 78-75 road victory.

It will be another tough road test for the Wolves later in the week playing at Central Washington. The Wildcats are 9-4 overall and 2-2 in GNAC play, coming off of a big 76-68 win in Bellingham over Western Washington to hand the Vikings their first loss of the season. CWU is currently on a four-game winning streak and are 2-1 at home this season.

Kizzah Maltezo leads the Wildcats averaging 19.5 points, 44 assists and 18 steals this season. Samantha Bowman adds 17.2 points, 15.1 rebounds and 32 blocks. Kassidy Malcolm gives the team three averaging in double-figures in scoring at 17.1 per game, along with 6.8 rebounds.

CWU averages 71.9 points, making 333-772 (43.1) from the field, 115-344 (33.4) from three and 154-207 (74.4) at the foul line. The Wildcats also average 39.2 rebounds, 15.5 assists, 5.8 steals and 3.4 blocks per game. Opponents average 66.4 points, making 340-831 (40.9) from the field, 74-243 (30.5) from three and 109-155 (70.3) from the foul line. Opponents also average 35.1 rebounds, 13.5 assists, 7.5 steals and 2.1 blocks per game.

CWU holds a 28-12 series record since 2001 and have won the past two meetings. During the 2019-20 season, CWU won both meetings, while the year before that in 2018-19, the Wolves split the season series picking up the 74-70 win in Ellensburg. CWU is 16-4 at home during this stretch.

For live video and stats for the game at Northwest Nazarene: Click here for video and click here for stats.

For live video and stats for the game at Central Washington: Click here for video and click here for stats.

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Players Mentioned

#5 Meadow Aragon: F; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#20 Madisyn Clark: G; 5' 8"; Freshman

#12 Tresai McCarver: G; 5' 5"; Junior

#2 Cali McClave: G; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#24 Amber Winkler: F; 6' 1"; Junior

#33 Alexis Wright: C; 6' 2"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#5 Meadow Aragon
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: F

#20 Madisyn Clark
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: G

#12 Tresai McCarver
: 5' 5"; Junior
: G

#2 Cali McClave
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: G

#24 Amber Winkler
: 6' 1"; Junior
: F

#33 Alexis Wright
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: C