WBB: Feast Week preview
WAC women's basketball teams spend the holiday preparing for another week of action with some big opportunities to pick up wins at destinations far and wide.
Welcome to what is known as Feast Week. Most WAC teams are traveling this week to tournaments far and wide but a couple will stay home. Let’s take a look at the week ahead.
Tuesday, Nov 26
Saint Louis at California Baptist University 6 p.m. PT ESPN+
Against arguably their toughest schedule ever assembled in program history the Lancers have been in two of their last three games but still find themselves winless.
Grace Schmidt has not missed a beat in her return from a patellar tendon surgery that sidelined her for the second half of last year. However, Khloe Lemon has not yet appeared in a game this year, and Filipa Barros has missed the team’s last three contests.
Can a shorthanded Lancer side head for Florida on a winning note against a Billikens team that won last year’s WNIT?
Tarleton State at Houston Christian - 6 p.m. CT ESPN+
Houston Christian already has one win against a WAC opponent this year in Utah Tech.
Bill Brock’s team will make the trip to Houston for their first of two games against Southland opponents in five days.
Tarleton’s offense is averaging just 60 points per game against mid-major opponents. However, last time out, the Texans scored a season-high 73 against Northwestern State.
Arieona Rosborough has reached double-digit scoring in four straight games, including an impressive 21 points against Arizona.
If you appreciate the history of the women’s game, HCU’s analyst is former WNBA and LSU head coach Van Chancellor.
Wednesday, November 27:
Liberty at GCU - 11:30 a.m. MT ESPN+
This Thanksgiving Eve game completes GCU’s WAC/CUSA Challenge pair of games.
A year ago in Lynchburg, the Lopes got off to a slow start and fell by 13 points, snapping a six-game winning streak.
This will be GCU’s first game back since a 70-54 loss at Oregon nine days ago in which the Lopes could not recover from an early 18-6 Ducks run at Matthew Knight Arena.
Alyssa Durazo-Frescas, Trinity San Antonio and Tiarra Brown are all averaging double-digit scoring so far with Laura Erikstrup not far behind. GCU’s defense is averaging 18.8 turnovers forced per game so far.
Colorado at Utah Tech - 1 p.m. MT ESPN+
This will be the first of four games against power conference matchups with two at home for the Trailblazers.
The biggest question for Utah Tech entering this season was how would the Trailblazers hold up offensively without Maddie and Macie Warren who are using redshirt years to rehab from ACL injuries suffered last year?
So far, at least, the answer to that question is just fine. Chardonnay Hartley is showing why she’ll be in the race for conference scoring champion, averaging 18.5 points per game while taking 88 trips to the free throw line and earning last week’s Player of the Week award.
Meanwhile, Aaliyah Ybarra and Ellie Taylor have also had moments over the first couple of weeks.
Ybarra has scored 20 or more points twice in her first five games in a Trailblazer uniform, including 36 last time out at McNeese State, which earned her a Newcomer of the Week award.
Taylor, a true freshman, went 12-21 from the field in a pair of games against Stonehill and Weber State.
And after missing last year as a result of a second ACL tear Emily Isaacson hasn’t missed a beat, going 6-7 from 3-point distance in a win against Weber State.
Saturday, November 30
Westcliff at Utah Tech 2 P.M. MT ESPN+
MTE’s/Tournaments:
Talking Stick Resort Thanksgiving Classic (Hosted by GCU):
All Games on ESPN+
November 29:
Seattle U vs. East Texas A&M - 11 a.m. MT
UC Santa Barbara at GCU - 2:30 p.m. MT
November 30:
Seattle U vs. UCSB - Noon MT
East Texas A&M at GCU - 2:30 p.m. MT
Skyler Young’s revamped Seattle U roster has struggled early on, failing to score 60 points in their first four outings against Division I opponents.
Will a trip to the desert ignite their offense and end a four-game losing skid against Division I competition?
Their first game in Phoenix will be against an East Texas A&M side that pushed UT Arlington to the brink before falling at home.
Meanwhile, first-year Gauchos head coach Renee Jimenez brings her team to Phoenix on the heels of an overtime win at WCC power San Diego.
Alyssa Marin is a fifth-year guard averaging just a shade under 19 points per contest for UCSB.
FIU Thanksgiving Classic: All games on ESPN+
November 29:
Sacramento State vs. Abilene Christian - 12 p.m. CT
November 30:
Either FIU or Wagner vs. Abilene Christian
Julie Goodenough’s crew makes another trip to Miami, coming off a gutsy second-half comeback at UIW.
Emma Troxell is averaging 14 points and 11.5 rebounds over her last two games while Payton Hull is averaging just over 16 points per game so far.
Meanwhile, Bella Earle returns to the site of her career-high game in scoring.
Nugget Classic (Hosted by Nevada-Reno):
November 29:
Southern Utah vs. Portland 4 p.m. MT
November 30:
Southern Utah vs. Nevada 2 p.m. MT - Mountain West Network
December 1:
Southern Utah vs. Central Michigan 11 a.m. PT
Southern Utah makes a trip to Reno looking for their first Division I win of the year.
They’ll start with a Portland side that beat CBU last weekend by 19 at home. SUU continues play against the host Wolfpack, who lost to Weber State by two possessions but has a nice win against UCSB.
The T-Birds will finish the tournament against a Central Michigan team that also makes the trip west, in search of their first win.
University of San Diego Thanksgiving Classic:
November 29:
Alabama A&M vs. Utah Valley 5 p.m. MT
November 30:
Nebraska-Omaha vs. Utah Valley - 3 p.m. MT
Unfortunately for Utah Valley fans, they won’t get the opportunity to watch the Wolverines over Thanksgiving weekend. There is no streaming options for this MTE.
The Wolverines will open play in San Diego against an Alabama A&M side that beat UMKC by five points at home.
They’ll finish with their toughest test of the year against a Nebraska-Omaha team that lost to Wisconsin, (yes the Badgers) by two points and battled mid-major power Drake before losing by 17.
FGCU Homewood Suites Classic:
November 29:
CBU at Florida Gulf Coast - 1 p.m. PT ESPN+
November 30:
CBU v Penn 10 a.m. PT
Jarrod Olson’s crew will also spend the Thanksgiving holiday in sunny Florida, about 150 miles west of Miami at perennial mid-major power FGCU.
Although, long-time Eagles coach Karl Smesko resigned to take over the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream just a couple of weeks ago, FGCU, with a pair of wins against the Big East, will still be a big test for the Lancers.
They’ll finish the tournament with a game against Ivy League member Penn, making the trip South looking to end a three-game losing streak which includes an overtime loss to UCI.
Big Easy Classic:
November 29: Tarleton v Delaware 5:45 P.M. CT
November 30: Tarleton v Nicholls 8:00 P.M. CT
All games streamed on Crescent City Sports
Tarleton will start tournament play against a Delaware side that has struggled since former head coach Natasha Adair left for Arizona State after the Blue Hens reached the 2022 NCAA tournament.
The Blue Hens are just 1-4 but lost by 11 to Temple. Next year this could be a WAC/CUSA challenge game since Delaware is headed for CUSA in 2025.
The Texans finish with a Nicholls team that is 3-2 and has a narrow two-point loss to Louisiana Tech.