MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Western Oregon University women's basketball team returns home to play two of the next three games in Monmouth starting this week with a Thursday night matchup with Simon Fraser starting at 7 p.m. inside New PE Gym. The originally scheduled Saturday afternoon game against Western Washington has been postponed.

WOU (7-7, 3-4 GNAC) is coming off of a road trip that took them to Northwest Nazarene and Central Washington. The Wolves fought back and nearly defeated the Nighthawks before falling just short, 73-66. WOU then closed the week against Central Washington with the Wildcats taking the 74-55 victory.

The GNAC race is starting to heat up as more teams have been able to play in the past few weeks. Western Washington leads the standings with a 4-1 conference mark, followed by Northwest Nazarene and Montana State Billings, both 5-2. Central Washington is fourth at 4-2, while Alaska Anchorage and Seattle Pacific are tied for fifth at 3-2. Western Oregon is in seventh at 3-4, followed by Simon Fraser in eighth at 1-3, Saint Martin's in ninth at 1-5 and Alaska in 10^th at 0-6.

On the season, WOU averages 66.6 points, making 344-838 (41.1) from the field, 76-266 (28.6) from three and 168-242 (69.4) at the foul line. The Wolves also average 40.4 rebounds, 14.2 assists, 8.4 steals and 5.3 blocks per game. Opponents average 65.6 points per game, making 313-832 (37.6) from the field, 94-286 (32.9) from three and 198-291 (68) at the foul line. Opponents also average 35.5 rebounds, 12.9 assists, 8.4 steals and 2.7 blocks per game.

Meadow Aragon returned to the lineup at Central Washington and continues to lead the team in points per game (12.2), rebounds (7.5), blocks (23), field goal percentage (58.8) and is tied for the team lead in field goals made (50). Tresai McCarver is tied with Aragon for the team lead in field goals made at 50, along with leading the team in assists (61), free throws (50) and steals (24). She also averages a second-best 5.2 rebounds per game. Cali McClave is third on the team in scoring at 9.2 points per game, while leading the team in three-pointers (17) and is second on the team in both assists (28) and steals (22). Madisyn Clark adds 7.0 points per game and is second on the team in three-pointers (14) and third in assists (25). Kaelin Williams-Kennedy adds 5.8 points per game, Alexis Wright at 5.6 points, Makenna Gambee at 5.1 points, Amber Winkler at 5.0 points give the Wolves eight averaging at least five points per game. Winkler is second on the team in blocks with 20.

WOU is ranked high nationally and in the top-three in the GNAC in several categories including: 97^th nationally in assists per game (14.2), 23^rd nationally and leading the GNAC in blocked shots (74), 12^th nationally and leading the GNAC in blocked shots per game (5.3), 90^th nationally in defensive rebounds per game (27.6), 87^th nationally in field goal percentage (37.6), third in the GNAC in free throws made (168), 98^th nationally in offensive rebounds per game (12.8), 60^th nationally and third in the GNAC in rebound margin (4.9), 83^rd nationally and third in the GNAC in rebounds per game (40.4).

Individually, McCarver is 70^th nationally and third in the GNAC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.61), 82^nd nationally and second in the GNAC in assists (61), 50^th nationally and second in the GNAC in assists per game (4.4), third in the GNAC in free throws made (50) and seventh in the GNAC in free throw percentage (75.8). Aragon is 59^th nationally and second in the GNAC in blocked shots (23). Fifth in the GNAC in rebounds per game (7.5), second in the GNAC in field goal percentage (58.8), third in the GNAC in free throw percentage (83.3), tied for sixth in the GNAC in offensive rebounds per game (2.5) and sixth in the GNAC in defensive rebounds per game (5.0). Winkler is 82^nd nationally and fourth in the GNAC in blocked shots (20) and is also 49^th nationally and second in the GNAC in blocked shots per game (1.67).

WOU will face Simon Fraser on Thursday and it will already be the second meeting between the teams. To open the New Year, WOU and SFU played in Canada with Simon Fraser taking the 84-71 victory. Four players scored in double-figures to lead the Wolves with Aragon tallying 17 points and seven rebounds. McCarver added 15 points and eight assists, while both Clark and Williams-Kennedy each tallied 11 points.

Simon Fraser has won the past four meetings in the series with the last win for WOU coming on Jan. 10, 2019 in Canada taking the 69-65 victory.

SFU is 5-8 overall and 1-3 in GNAC play this season as they haven't played since Jan. 8 at Montana State Billings with the Yellowjackets coming back for the 78-66 victory. Simon Fraser is scheduled to play Central Washington in Canada on Tuesday before traveling to Monmouth. SFU is 3-8 away from home this season and 1-4 in true road contests.

Simon Fraser is averaging 72 points per game, making 354-872 (40.6) from the field, 103-322 (32) from three and 125-184 (67.9) at the foul line. SFU also averages 37.3 rebounds, 15.6 assists, 9.4 steals and 2.5 blocks per game. Opponents average 69.5 points per game, making 342-784 (43.6) from the field, 70-224 (31.3) from three and 149-217 (68.7) from the foul line. Opponents also average 36.2 rebounds, 14.4 assists, 8.7 steals and 3.1 blocks per game.

Jessica Jones leads SFU averaging 20 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game. Jessica Wisotzki adds 17.5 points and 4.2 rebounds. Claudia Hart also averages in double-figures at 10 points and adds a team-high 33 assists.

Tickets can be purchased here.

Also, please see the press release found here on updated fan policy for WOU indoor athletic events that went into effect Nov. 15.