WBB: Finals Week News & Notes
WAC Women's Basketball Teams are idle until Friday when UT Arlington makes the trip to Houston to visit Rice and former ACU star Madi Miller, an assistant on the Owls staff...
With a few days off due to finals week it’s time to open the WAC Hoops Nation Women’s Basketball Notebook and take a look at some early storylines…
Newcomers making their mark:
This year’s Newcomer of the Year race might be the most competitive in recent WAC women’s basketball history. Let’s take a look at some of the rookies who have stood out thus far…
Kira Reynolds, Freshman, F, UT Arlington» Reynolds had the game winning rebound and basket against Texas A&M on November 24. She’s leading the Lady Mavs in scoring and rebounding at 13.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per game while shooting 56% from the field. She’s been in double-digit scoring seven times in nine games so far, with four double-doubles. Reynolds swept both Player and Newcomer of the Week awards last week for her performance in Hawaii and earned a second straight Newcomer of the Week award as announced Monday.
Brooklyn Fely, Junior, F, Southern Utah» Fely started her time in Cedar City with a pair of 20+ point performances and three straight double-doubles, including a 20 point, 13 rebound effort against Washington State. Fely swept both the Player and Newcomer of the Week awards for opening week and has had four double-doubles in the TBirds first nine games.
Lauren Olsen, Freshman, G, CBU» Olsen, the Wyoming High School all-time leader in scoring for boys and girls, has been in double-digit scoring in seven of CBU’s first nine games. That included six straight contests at one point. She’s also second in the WAC in made 3-pointers with 19, a trio out of the lead of ACU’s Payton Hull and teammate Chance Bucher. Olsen was Newcomer of the Week for November 17.
Chance Bucher, Grad Student, G, CBU» Bucher has made an impressive return to the Division I level with four double-digit scoring performances in CBU’s first nine games. She is tied for the WAC lead in total made 3-pointers at 22 with Preseason Player of the Year Payton Hull.
Kaylee Borden, Redshirt Senior, G, Utah Tech» Borden, a transfer from Nevada, leads the WAC in scoring at the Finals Week break. She’s been in double-digit scoring six times with five games of 20 or more points, including a pair of 25 point performances.
Shadasia Brackens, Junior, F, Tarleton State» Brackens, a transfer from North Texas, has had three straight double-doubles as the Texans have won three straight games. She’s been in double-digit scoring five times to start the season.
Collegeinsider.com Poll Update:
3 teams find themselves in this week’s collegeinsider.com women’s basketball mid-major poll, but only one is in the top-25.
After a 2-0 week which included a non D1 win against McMurry and a road win at East Texas A&M, ACU checks in at No. 24.
Two teams in UT Arlington and CBU are receiving votes. The Lady Mavs are 13th among those receiving votes and 38th overall. CBU, who dropped a pair of games last week and faces No. 51 UC Irvine on Saturday, is 17th among teams receiving votes and 42nd overall.
Weekly Awards:
On Monday afternoon the WAC office named UT Arlington’s Kira Reynolds as Newcomer of the Week for a second straight week. Reynolds went for 22 points and 11 rebounds in a win at Arkansas-Little Rock and is the fourth student-athlete to earn the award this season.
ACU’s Meredith Mayes earned Player of the Week honors for recording consecutive double-doubles in wins over McMurry and East Texas A&M. She averaged 19.5 points and 13 rebounds per contest. Mayes is the fifth different student-athlete to earn the award this season.
By the Numbers:
91.5» Free Throw percentage for Southern Utah’s Sierra Chambers, which leads the conference.
56» Number of assists for CBU’s Filipa Barros through nine games, which puts her 16th nationally as of yesterday morning.
26» Number of steals for Utah Valley’s Cambree Blackham, giving her the conference’s lead in total steals.
22» Number of 3-pointers made by both ACU’s Payton Hull and CBU’s Chance Bucher through nine games. They share the conference’s lead in total made 3-pointers.
Power Rankings:
1. UT Arlington (5-4): The Lady Mavs continued their holiday road trip with a win at Arkansas-Little Rock, making that a three game winning streak.
2. Southern Utah (7-2): The TBirds split the week, rallying for a win against New Mexico State behind a pair of career performances from Sierra Chambers, but falling at Colorado State after hanging in there for a half.
3. ACU (6-3): The Wildcats bounced back from a tough trip to Florida with a non-D1 win over McMurry and a road win at East Texas A&M. Third quarters still seem to be an issue for the Wildcats as a poor third quarter let the Lions back into the game.
4. CBU (6-3): It was a tough week for the Lancers, who fell behind by as many as 21 in a loss at Pepperdine before losing by nine and eight with a minute to go at Boise State before falling by two points despite hitting 12 3-pointers.
5. Tarleton State (5-4): A solid week for the Texans with a non-DI win at home and a road win at Mississippi Valley State.
6. Utah Tech (4-4): It was a tough week for the Trailblazers, who dropped a pair of home games against McNeese State and New Mexico State. Against the Aggies, Utah Tech led for a good chunk of the game before succumbing to a late comeback.
7. Utah Valley (5-3): The Wolverines had a lead against Air Force in a rematch of last year’s WNIT opening round game but fell. Amanda Barcello returned to the lineup after missing a pair of contests due to injury but Halle Nelson missed Saturday’s game.
The Week Ahead:
Saturday, December 13
1pm MT» Southern Utah at Boise State (The Mountain West Network)
2pm CT» Utah Valley at UMKC (The Summit League Network)
2pm MT» UC Santa Barbara at Utah Tech (ESPN+)
2pm PT» CBU at UC Irvine (ESPN+)
Sunday, December 14
2pm CT» Abilene Christian at Texas Tech (ESPN+, Game played at Odessa JC)
Monday, December 15
6pm PT» UC San Diego at CBU (ESPN+)
Tuesday, December 16
6pm MT» La Sierra University at Utah Valley (ESPN+)
Wednesday, December 17
2pm MT» Chicago State at Utah Tech (ESPN+)
6:30 P.M. CT» Texas Southern at UT Arlington (ESPN+)
Friday, December 19
1pm MT» CBU at Denver (Summit League Network)
5:30pm CT» Montana at ACU (ESPN+)
7:30pm CT» Tarleton State v Buffalo (ESPN+)
Saturday, December 20
1pm CT» Tarleton State v Montana (ESPN+)
1pm PT» Southern Utah at Omaha (Summit League Network)
3pm CT» Buffalo at ACU (ESPN+)
4:30 pm CT» Idaho State at Utah Valley (ESPN+)
Sunday, December 21
11am CT» CBU at Nebraska (Big Ten Streaming Services)
1pm CT» UT Arlington at LSU (SEC Network)
2:30pm CT» Southern Utah at LMU (ESPN+)