Western Oregon (4-2)
at
Corban (5-4)
5:30 p.m. Friday | C.E. Jeffers Sports Center | Salem, Oregon
Watch | Live Stats
Western Oregon (4-2)
vs.
Willamette (4-4)
4 p.m. Saturday | New PE Building | Monmouth, Oregon
Watch | Live Stats | Tickets
MONMOUTH, Oregon --- The Western Oregon women's basketball team plays a pair of non-conference games this week as the Wolves travel to take on NAIA-foe Corban on Friday before playing its home opener Saturday against NCAA Division-III Willamette at the New PE Building.
WESTERN OREGON HEADING INTO THE WEEK | 2022-23Â STATISTICS
The Wolves are coming off their first two losses of the season as they dropped their GNAC opener at Central Washington 69-56 on Dec. 1 before falling at Northwest Nazarene two days later, 67-58. Cali McClave paced WOU in both games - averaging 23.5 points per game over the two contests.
Defense and rebounding continue to lead the Wolves as they rank third in the GNAC and 39th in the nation in field goal percentage defense (35.4 percent), third in the conference in points allowed per game (61.2), second in the GNAC and seventh in the nation in rebounds per game (45.7), first in the GNAC in offensive rebounds per game (14.7) and third in the GNAC and 37th in the nation in rebounding margin at plus-7.2.
Individually, McClave leads the team in scoring at 17.5 points per game while adding 6.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Kylee Arzner is second on the team at 9.3 points per game followed by Kiylynn Dawkins (9.2) and Princy Paaluhi-Caulk - who also leads the GNAC in assists at 3.8 per game and is ninth in rebounding at 7.5 boards per game. Ana McClave leads the team and is fourth in the GNAC in rebounding at 8.7 per game to go along with 6.7 points per game.Â
OPPONENTS THIS WEEKÂ ... CORBAN STATS | WILLAMETTE STATS
Corban has won three games in a row (this game will be considered an exhibition for the Warriors), including a win over Pacific University 74-70 on Wednesday at home (all three wins have come at home). Four players reached double figures with Jenna Albrecht leading the way with 13 points coming off of the bench. The Warriors shot 7-for-13 from 3-point range in the contest.
Holly Golenor leads the team in points (11.2), rebounds (7.1) and blocks (1.1) while adding 1.2 assists per game. Maddie Godwin is second on the team in scoring at 9.3 points per game while Kirsten Koehnke leads the team in assists (3.4) while adding 6.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.
Willamette has dropped four of its previous five games after starting the season 3-0, including splitting its first two conference games last weekend at home - beating Lewis & Clark 69-57 on Friday (Emma Floyd led the team with 23 points) before losing Saturday to George Fox 64-51 (Sami Riggs led th team with 18 points while Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil had an impressive stat line of 12 points, 19 rebounds, four blocks and three assists).
Riggs leads the team in scoring at 9.3 points per game followed by Carolyn Ho (8.4), Megan River (8.4) and Kaitlin Imai (8.0). Ascuena-Mercil leads the team in rebounding (8.0), River lads the team in assists (4.0) and Ho leads the team in steals (1.8).
RECENT HISTORY VERSUS CORBAN, WILLAMETTE
The Wolves have won five straight against Corban, dating back to the 2007 season - last losing to the Warriors Dec. 15, 2006, in Salem. This includes WOU defeating Corban 77-39 last season in Monmouth with Madisyn Clark (18 points, 10 rebounds) and Meadow Aragon (17 points, 10 rebounds) both finishing with double-doubles and the Wolves outscoring Corban 31-11 in the first quarter.
Against Willamette, WOU has won three straight dating back to the 2012 season. It's last loss to the Bearcats came Dec. 8, 2006 - a 71-51 loss in Monmouth. The two teams played last season in Salem with the Wolves winning 72-39 behind 16 points, five blocks and four rebounds from Aragon.
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.
