The WWU women's basketball team (13-5, 7-3 GNAC) opens the second half of the GNAC season this week closing out a four-game homestand hosting Concordia on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday. Both games feature a 7 pm tip-off on WECU Court in Carver Gym. 

 

The Vikings enter play this week with an overall 13-5 record, have won three straight and are 9-2 over the last 11 games. WWU is 7-3 in GNAC play to tie for 3^rd in the conference standings, one game back of second place Northwest Nazarene. Overall are 7-0 in home games this season in Carver Gym and 6-5 in games away from Bellingham.

 

 

WWU recorded a pair of wire-to-wire last week over No. 4/5 Alaska Anchorage (71-64) and Alaska Fairbanks (88-47) to earn GNAC Team of the Week honors. The Vikings combined to shoot 53.5% (61-for-114) and were 11-for-26 (42.3%) from 3-point range. Emma Duff led Western averaging 14.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, including a 20-point effort in the upset win over UAA. Lexie Bland scored in double digits in both games (22 points) and recorded a team-high 11 assists.

 

The Vikings have played only seven home games so far this season, the fewest amongst all GNAC teams, but are 7-0 in games played in Carver Gym. WWU is 484-90 (.843) all-time in Carver Gym, with head coachCarmen Dolfo leading the team to a 290-57 (.836) record in the on-campus facility.

 

Senior guard Lexie Bland has scored in double-digits in each of her last seven games, averaging 11.6 points per game during WWU's 6-1 stretch beginning Jan. 4 with a 88-41 win at Concordia.

 

Senior center Anna Schwecke crossed the 1,000-point milestone for her collegiate career, now with 1,008 points in 109 games. She has scored 834 of those points 76 games as a Vikings (73 starts) for an 11.0 points per game average. She played her freshman season at Colorado-Colorado Springs (174 points). She is 166 points shy of reaching 1,000 points as a Viking.

 

·         West Region Rankings – Moved up to 6^th in the D2SIDA West Region Media Poll.

·         What Remains – 10 regular-season games remaining, all in GNAC play (5 at home, 5 on the road).

·         GNAC Standings – Tied for 3^rd in the conference standings with 7-3 GNAC record (won 6 of last 7 games).

·         Strangers at Home – Played only seven home games (7-0), the fewest home games by any GNAC school.

·         Balanced Offense – Eight players are averaging at least 5.0 points, led by 13.8 ppg from Anna Schwecke.

·         Close Defeats – Three of five defeats have been by 4-or-fewer points (all single-digit losses).

·         Efficient Anna – Anna Schwecke leads the GNAC with a 61.8% FG% (94-for-152)…she is shooting 56.6% for her WWU career (329-for-581), the 6^th-best mark in GNAC history.

·         Olson's Assists – Mollie Olson is 2^nd in the GNAC averaging 4.7 assists per game, with 41 over last 6 games.

·         Dangerous Duff – Emma Duff has scored in double-digits in 8 of 18 games, averaging 10.8 points/game.

·         Cleaning the Glass – Outrebounded opponents in 15 of 18 games (leads GNAC with +8.6 reb margin).

·         Scoring Offense – 3^rd in the GNAC averaging 75.1 points per game (avg. 66.0 points/game in 2018-19).

·         Defensive – 2^nd in GNAC holding opponents to 61.4 points per game (UAA is 1^st at 53.4).

·         Sharp Shooters – Shooting 46.2% (523-for-1132) to lead the GNAC in FG% (20^th in NCAA II).

·         Dishing it Out – 4^th in NCAA II and leads the GNAC averaging 18.6 assists per game.

·         Scoring & Rebounding Leader – Anna Schwecke ranks 8^th in the GNAC averaging 13.8 points/game and is also 7^th with 6.7 rebounds/game, both team-leading marks.

·         Not Very Bland – Lexie Bland is averaging 11.6 points and 3.7 assists per game over last 7 games (6-1 rec).

·         Big Block – Leads the GNAC and ranks 11^th in NCAA II averaging 5.3 blocked shots per game.

·         The Decade – Finished the 2010-19 decade with a 213-85 record for a .715 winning pct.

·         The Head Coach – Carmen Dolfo is in her 29^th season leading the Vikings and has 603 career wins.

Here is a look at the series history between the Vikings and this week's opponents:

 

·         Concordia – Defeated Concordia 88-41 on Jan. 4 in Portland, with the 47-point margin of victory 10^th-best by a WWU squad during the NCAA II era (since 1998)…WWU leads the all-time series 13-3.

·         Western Oregon – WWU fell 73-70 in a double-overtime game on Jan. 2 in Monmouth…lead the all-time series vs. WOU 53-11 and has won 21 of the last 23 games dating back to 2008-09…won 11 consecutive home games vs. the Wolves.

 

Senior center Anna Schwecke leads the GNAC and ranks 6^th in NCAA II with a 61.8 field goal percentage, connecting on 94-of-152 shots from the field this season. Over her last 7 games is shooting 76.5% (39-for-51) from the field (25-for-29 in last 5 G). She is also 3^rd in the conference with a 85.9 free throw percentage (61-for-71). While there is a lot of season left to play, the WWU single-season record book shows that only three players have combined for five instances of shooting above 60.0% in a season, last Lisa Berendsen with a school-record mark of 67.6 (140-207) in 1999-2000.

 

 

3
Double-Doubles by Anna Schwecke this season to rank tied for 6^th in the GNAC. Schwecke now has 13 double-doubles in her WWU career.

4.7
Mollie Olson is 2^nd in the GNAC and ranks 40^th in NCAA II averaging 4.7 assists per game. In 10 GNAC contests is averaging 5.6 assists per game (56 total assists) to lead all conference players.

7
Consecutive games Lexie Bland has scored in double-digits, with the senior averaging 11.6 points per game during this 6-1 stretch.

9
Assists by Mollie Olson in a pair of recent games to set a single-game career high and tie for the 2^nd-most in a game by a GNAC player this season. Last Viking with 10+ assists in a game was Trishi Williams twice during the 2012-13 season.

18.9
WWU ranks 4^th in NCAA II with a league-leading 18.9 assists per game.

29
Points by Anna Schwecke on 1/18 at NNU (94-83 win), the most by a Viking since Taylor Peacocke had a 34-point game in 2016-17.

61.8
Anna Schwecke is shooting 61.8% from the field this season (94-for-152), currently the 5^th-best mark by a WWU player during the NCAA II era (record is 67.6 by Lisa Berendsen in 1999-2000)…leads the GNAC and is 6^th in NCAA II in FG%.

75.1
WWU is averaging 74.5 points per game to rank 3^rd in the GNAC. Averaging 78.0 points per game in GNAC play (Tied for GNAC lead).

101
Lexie Bland has appeared in 101 career games for the Vikings.

603
Carmen Dolfo has recorded 603 career wins in her 29-year WWU head coaching career.

1008
Anna Schwecke has scored 1008 points in her collegiate career, spanning 109 games. Her career total includes 834 points in 76 games with WWU and 174 points in 33 games as a freshman at Colorado-Colorado Springs in 2016-17. 

 

The Vikings are the top assist team in the conference, leading the GNAC averaging 18.6 assists per game. The mark also ranks in No. 4 in NCAA II. Sophomore guard Mollie Olson is at the top of the GNAC assist leaderboard averaging 4.7 assists per game, including 41 over her last 6 games.

 

WWU has held opponents to 61.4 points per game, 2^nd-best in the GNAC this season. A big reason behind the defensive dominance has been the league-leading 5.3 blocked shots per game and 10.1 steals per game (3^rd in the GNAC).

 

WWU ranks 2^nd in the GNAC with a 1.2 assist-to-turnover ratio and is 3^rd in the conference with a turnover margin of +2.28.

 

The Vikings lead the GNAC averaging 40.1 rebounds per game and also have the best rebound margin in the conference at +8.6 (721-566). Also the 2^nd-best rebounding team in the conference via opponent boards (31.4 per game). Anna Schwecke ranks 7^th in the GNAC averaging a team-best 6.7 rebounds per game andEmma Duff is just outside of the top 10 at No. 11 with 6.1 per game.

 

Western leads the GNAC and ranks No. 20 in NCAA Division II with a team shooting percentage of 46.1% (523-for-1134). The team has shot over 45.0% in 10 of 18 games, going 10-0 in those contests (8 of last 11 games). During stretch of last seven games (6-1 record), the Vikings have combined to shoot 51.7% as a team.

 

Head coach Carmen Dolfo recorded her 600^th career win on Jan. 11 vs. Seattle Pacific, in her 840^th career game. Dolfo became the 36^th active NCAA women's head coach across all divisions to join the 600-win club and is one of 73 women's coaches all-time in NCAA history to reach the milestone. She is also the 8^th active NCAA II coach with 600 career wins and the 17^th at the NCAA II level.

 

All conference games during the 2019-20 season will stream live and feature live statistical updates atGNAC.tv, with home games also on YouTube with rewind capability. In addition to being available online, all conference matches are available via the GNAC channel on Roku, Apple TV, Android TV and Amazon Fire TV. Live links can be accessed through WWUVikings.com/Live.

 

Here is a look at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings heading into games this week:

 

 

Head coach Carmen Dolfo is in her 29^th season leading the program, owning an all-time record of 603-241 (.714) to rank amongst the active and career leaders at the NCAA Division II level for career wins and winning percentage. Dolfo has led the Vikings to 16 trips to the NCAA Championships and a pair of Elite 8 appearances. She became the winningest coach in WWU Athletics history when she collected victory No. 519 on Dec. 3, 2015 vs. Alaska to pass former men's basketball coach Brad Jackson (518-279). WWU has recorded 20 seasons with 20-or-more wins under Dolfo.

 

Senior guard Lexie Bland, senior center Anna Schwecke and junior forward Kelsey Rogers were selected to the 15-player Preseason All-GNAC team that was voted on by the conference's 11 head coaches. WWU led the GNAC with three selections to the preseason team.

 

The Vikings were picked to finish 2nd in the 2019-20 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll. The Vikings received 107 points, including three first-place votes, to finish two points behind conference preseason favorite Central Washington (109 points).

 

The 2019-20 coaching staff includes eighth-year head assistant coach Stacey Turrell, along with graduate assistant Kayla Bernsen (2^nd season) and student assistant Zach Phelps (1^st season).

 

Two WWU women's basketball coaches have more than 400 career victories, with current head coach Carmen Dolfo amassing 603 wins and Hall of Fame coach Lynda Goodrich totaling 411 wins leading the Vikings for 19 seasons from 1971-1990.

 

The Vikings earned a historic victory against Saint Martin's (69-58) on Jan. 13, 2018 to record win No. 1,000 in program history. According to available records, WWU became just the 16th women's college basketball team (all levels/divisions) to reach 1,000 all-time victories, and is currently at 1,035 all-time wins with a program winning percentage of .734 (1035-376).

 

More information on the 2019-20 season, including statistics, schedule, roster and quick facts can be found online at WWUVikings.com/WBB and via social media on Twitter (@WWUBasketball), Instagram (@wwu.basketball) and Facebook (@WWUwomensbball).

 

One of the premier basketball programs in NCAA Division II, recording a 20-win season in seven of the last 11 seasons, and 34 times in the 48-year history of the program. WWU has 20 seasons of 20 or more wins under head coach Carmen Dolfo, who is the winningest coach of any sport at WWU and ranks among Division II active and all-time coaching leaders in wins with 603, win percentage and 20-win seasons. The Vikings have reached the NCAA II Tournament in 16 of 21 seasons at the Division II level with two trips to the Final Four. The program has 1,035 all-time wins in the 48-year history of the program, and according to available records, is one of just 16 women's college basketball team across all divisions and levels to reach the milestone.

 

Here is a statistical look at GNAC teams, listed alphabetically, heading into this week's games.