Western Oregon (4-0)
at
Central Washington (5-1)
6:15 p.m. Thursday | Ellensburg High School | Ellensburg, Washington
Watch | Live Stats
Western Oregon (4-0)
at
Northwest Nazarene (4-2)
5:15 p.m. Saturday | Johnson Sports Center | Nampa, Idaho
Watch | Live Stats
MONMOUTH, Oregon --- The Western Oregon women's basketball team looks to keep its undefeated start to the season in tact as the Wolves begin GNAC play on the road, traveling to take on Central Washington on Thursday and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.
WESTERN OREGON HEADING INTO THE WEEK | 2022-23Â STATISTICS
The Wolves haven't played since picking up a pair of wins at the GNAC/CCAA conference Challenge in Chico, California, beating host Chico State 66-64 on Nov. 18 behind 21 points from Cali McClave and a double-double from Ana McClave (12 points ,10 rebounds) before defeating Sonoma State 56-47 on Nov. 19 with Kylee Arzner coming off the bench to lead the way with 17 points while Kiylynn Dawkins added 13 points.
Cali McClave leads four Wolves averaging double figures in scoring at 14.8 points per game to go along with 5.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Arzner is averaging 11.5 points and 4.5 rebounds, Princy Paaluhi-Caulk is averaging 11 points and 6.8 rebounds while leading the team in assists (4.3 - tops in the GNAC) and steals (2.0 - tied for fourth) and Dawkins is averaging 10.8 points and 3.5 rebounds.
WOU as a team is second in the GNAC heading into conference play in rebounding margin at plus-11.0 (and lead the GNAC in defensive rebound percentage - the number of defensive rebounds compared to offensive rebounds allowed - at 80.9 percent), third in steals at 9.5 per game and fourth in turnover margin at plus-1.5.
OPPONENTS THIS WEEKÂ ... CENTRAL WASHINGTON STATS |Â NORTHWEST NAZARENEÂ STATS
Central Washington is coming off a weekend where it suffered its first loss of the year, a 72-53 defeat to No. 21 Colorado School of Mines on Friday, before bouncing back to beta Regis 90-66. The loss to CSM is the first time the Wildcats were held to under 84 points per game and they lead the conference in scoring at 82.5 points per game. They also lead the GNAC in 3-pointers per game at 11.5.
Valerie Huerta leads the team in scoring at 21 points per game - second in the conference - as she has connected on 51.7 percent (15-for-29) of her 3-pointers this season and is 15-for-16 (93.8 percent) from the line. Samantha Bowman has filled up the stat lines this season as she's averaging 16.8 points (fifth in the GNAC), 12.8 rebounds (first), 3.7 assists (tied for fourth), 1.7 blocks (third) and 1.5 steals per game.
Northwest Nazarene is coming off a 1-1 performance at their own Thanksgiving Classic, defeating Concordia University 70-48 on Friday and losing to Point Loma 71-69 on Saturday in overtime - struggling from beyond the arc in the loss (1-for-21 from 3-point range).
Jordan Pinson leads the team in scoring (15.5) and assists (3.0) while she's second in steals (2.7). McKenna Castledine is also averaging double figures at 11.8 points per game - shooting 42.1 percent from 3-point range (8-for-19).
RECENT HISTORY VERSUS CWU, NNU
The Wolves have dropped four straight against Central Washington, last defeating the Wildcats Feb. 2, 2019, 74-70 in Ellensburg. Since the 2000-01 season, WOU is 12-30 against CWU.
Against Northwest Nazarene, the Wolves have dropped nine in a row - last winning Jan. 21, 2017, 78-75 in Nampa, Idaho. Since the 2000-01 season, WOU is 11-29 against the Nighthawks.
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WESTERN OREGON NOTES
WOLVES PICKED NINTH IN GNAC PRESEASON POLL
The Western Oregon women's basketball team was selected to finish ninth in the GNAC Preseason Poll when it was released Oct. 21. The Wolves finished with 22 points, finishing ahead of Alaska (15) and behind Saint Martin's (27). Western Washington was picked first with 98 points and eight first points followed by Alaska Anchorage (84 points, one first-place vote) and Montana State Billings (81 points, one first-place vote). WOU went 9-17 overall and 5-13 in the GNAC last season - finishing eighth in the conference.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL
1. Western Washington (8), 98 pts.
2. Alaska Anchorage (1), 84 pts.
3. Montana St. Billings (1), 81 pts.
4. Central Washington, 67 pts.
5. Simon Fraser, 59 pts.
6. Northwest Nazarene, 55 pts.
7. Seattle Pacific, 42 pts.
8. Saint Martin's, 27 pts.
9. Western Oregon, 22 pts.
10. Alaska, 15 pts.
