The WWU women's basketball team (16-6, 10-4 GNAC) returns to Carver Gym for a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference games hosting Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and in-state rival Central Washington on Saturday. Both games tip-off at 7 pm on WECU Court. 

 

The Vikings are 16-6 overall and 10-4 in GNAC play. Have won 9 of the last 11 games (and 12 of 15) and had a season-high 6-game winning streak snapped last Saturday at Saint Martin's. WWU is in 4^th place in the GNAC standings with a 10-4 conference record. Owns a perfect 9-0 record in home games this season in Carver Gym and are 7-6 away from Bellingham.

 

 

The Vikings are currently in 4^th place in the GNAC standings heading into games this week. The top six in the standings at the end of the regular season will advance to the 2020 GNAC Championships that will be held March 5-7 in Brougham Pavilion in Seattle. WWU has six regular-season games remaining on the schedule, three at home and three on the road.

The Vikings went 1-1 on the road last week, defeating Seattle Pacific 77-62 behind a 54.2 team field goal percentage (32-for-59). Dropped a 71-63 contest at Saint Martin's to snap a 24-game winning streak vs. the Saints. Lexie Bland and Kelsey Rogers led the Vikings each averaging 12.0 points per game, with Anna Schwecke adding 11.5 points/game on 11-for-15 shooting (.733).

W🏀 | The Vikings are back in Carver Gym this week with two big #GNACWBB games hosting Northwest Nazarene (Thursday) and Central Washington (Saturday). 

Come out to Carver this week to support @WWUbasketball. #GoViks x #WeAreVikings pic.twitter.com/xMivtdEv0v
— WWU Athletics (@WWUAthletics) February 11, 2020

 

WWU is a perfect 9-0 in home games on WECU Court in Carver Gym this season, including a perfect 7-0 mark in GNAC games. WWU is 486-90 (.844) all-time in Carver Gym, with head coach Carmen Dolfo leading the team to a 292-57 (.837) record in the on-campus facility.

 

Senior guard Lexie Bland has scored in double-digits in 9 of her last 11 games, averaging 11.3 points per game during WWU's 9-2 stretch beginning Jan. 4 with a 88-41 win at Concordia.

 

WWU leads the GNAC and ranks 20^th in NCAA Division II with a 45.8 field goal percentage (627-for-1370). Has shot over 50.0% in a game six times, with five coming in GNAC play. In 14 GNAC games has combined to shoot 46.4% (405-for-869).

This Saturday, WEAR PINK‼️

All donations go towards patients & families affected by cancer.#WeAreVikings x #GoViks pic.twitter.com/MpopwBT82j
— WWU Athletics (@WWUAthletics) February 11, 2020

·        West Region Rankings – Ranked No. 7 in this week's D2SIDA West Region Media Poll.

·        What Remains – 6 regular-season games remaining, all in GNAC play (3 at home, 3 on the road).

·        GNAC Standings – 4^th place in the conference standings with 10-4 GNAC record (won 9 of last 11 games).

·        Home Court Advantage – Perfect 9-0 record in home games in Carver Gym this season.

·        Balanced Offense – Six players are averaging at least 6.5 points, led by 12.9 ppg from Anna Schwecke.

·        Close Defeats – Three of six defeats have been by 4-or-fewer points (5 of 6 single-digit losses).

·        Efficient Anna – Anna Schwecke leads the GNAC with a 61.0% FG% (108-for-171)…she is shooting 56.6% for her WWU career (343-for-606), currently the 4^th-best mark in WWU history (5^th in GNAC history).

·        Olson's Assists – Mollie Olson is 3^rd in the GNAC averaging 4.4 assists per game (1^st with 2.0 Ast-TO ratio).

·        Cleaning the Glass – Outrebounded opponents in 18 of 22 games (leads GNAC with +8.1 reb margin).

·        Dangerous Duff – Emma Duff has led the team in scoring (9x) and rebounding (10x), most on the team.

·        Scoring Offense – 3^rd in the GNAC averaging 74.0 points per game (avg. 66.0 points/game in 2018-19).

·        Defensive – 2^nd in GNAC holding opponents to 61.3 points per game (UAA is 1^st at 53.6).

·        Sharp Shooters – Shooting 45.8% (627-for-1370) to lead the GNAC in FG% (20^th in NCAA II).

·        Dishing it Out – 7^th in NCAA II and leads the GNAC averaging 17.7 assists per game.

·        Big Block – Tied for GNAC lead and ranks 16^th in NCAA II averaging 4.8 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 606 career wins. 

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

 

·        Northwest Nazarene – Defeated NNU on the road 94-83 on Jan. 18, fueled by a 52-point second half…win over the Nighthawks snapped a 5-game losing streak vs. NNU…WWU is 31-14 all-time vs. NNU.

·        Central Washington – Dropped the road match-up vs. the Wildcats 72-62 in Ellensburg on Jan. 16…current 3-game losing streak vs. the Wildcats and dropped 4 of last 5. WWU leads the all-time series 94-15.

Senior center Anna Schwecke leads the GNAC with a 61.0 field goal percentage, connecting on 108-of-177 shots from the field this season. She is also 3^rd in the conference with a 87.0 free throw percentage (67-for-77). 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. Schwecke holds a career 56.6 FG%, currently 4^th-best in program history (min. 200 FG).

 

 

Junior guard Emma Duff has led the team in scoring nine times and rebounding 10 times, both team-highs. Duff is averaging 10.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.41 steals per game while starting all 22 games. Duff is also WWU's top 3-pointer shooter going 27-for-80 from beyond the arc.

 

Junior forward Kelsey Rogers is averaging 10.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 48.7% from the field (92-for-189). Rogers has scored in double-digits in 13 of 21 games, including 9 of her last 13 games.

 

Senior center Anna Schwecke has passed the 1,000-point milestone for her collegiate career, now with 1,042 points in 113 games. She has scored 868 of those points in 80 games as a Vikings (77 starts) for an 10.9 points per game average. She played her freshman season at Colorado-Colorado Springs (174 points). She is 132 points shy of reaching 1,000 points as a Viking.

 

WWU has held opponents to 61.3 points per game, 2^nd-best in the GNAC this season. A big reason behind the defensive dominance has been the league-leading 4.8 blocked shots per game and 10.2 steals per game (3^rd in the GNAC).

 

WWU ranks 2^nd in the GNAC with a 1.1 assist-to-turnover ratio and is 3^rd in the conference with a turnover margin of +2.50.

 

 

1.5
Avery Dykstra leads the team and ranks 14^th in the GNAC averaging 1.5 steals per game.

3
Double-Doubles by Anna Schwecke this season to rank tied for 7th in the GNAC. Schwecke now has 13 double-doubles in her WWU career.

4.4
Mollie Olson is 3^rd in the GNAC and ranks 54^th in NCAA II averaging 4.4 assists per game. In 14 GNAC contests is averaging 4.9 assists per game (68 total assists) to lead all conference players.

9
Lexie Bland has scored in double-digits in 9 of her last 11 games, with the senior averaging 11.3 points per game during this 9-2 stretch.

9
Assists by Mollie Olson in a pair of 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 in 2012-13.

17.7
WWU ranks 7^th in NCAA II with a league-leading 17.7 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.

61.0
Anna Schwecke is shooting 61.0% from the field this season (108-for-177), currently the 4^th-best mark in program history (record is 67.6 by Lisa Berendsen in 1999-2000)…leads the GNAC in FG%.

105
Lexie Bland has appeared in 105 career games for the Vikings.

295
Lexie Bland is 5 assists short of 300 for her career. Will become the 19^th player in program history to reach 300 career assists.

606
Carmen Dolfo has recorded 606 career wins in her 29-year WWU head coaching career.

1042
Anna Schwecke has scored 1042 points in her collegiate career, spanning 113 games. Her career total includes 868 points in 80 games with WWU and 174 points in 33 games as a freshman at Colorado-Colorado Springs in 2016-17. 

 

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 606-242 (.715) 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.

 

WWU recorded a pair of wire-to-wire over No. 4/5 Alaska Anchorage (71-64) and Alaska Fairbanks (88-47) Jan. 23 and Jan. 25 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.

 

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 606 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 1,038 all-time wins with a program winning percentage of .734 (1038-377).

 

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 606, 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 1,038 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.