#BigSkyWBB Weekly Notebook - Jan. 15

1/16/2019 6:44:21 PM

WEEKLY NOTEBOOK(PDF)

OGDEN, Utah (January 15, 2019) --  The Big Sky Conference enters the fourth week of conference play.  No team has distinguished itself as a clear favorite at this point in the season.  This week features some key games that could lead to separation at the top of the league standings.

• After the third week of conference play there is a log jam at the top of the standings with four teams with one loss.  Idaho State and Northern Colorado sit with identical 5-1 records in conference play and are followed by Idaho (4-1) and Portland State (3-1) in the table.
• This week’s schedule consists of games on Thursday and Saturday this week with all teams getting Monday off.  Thursday’s schedule will consist of three games, while Saturday will carry a full slate with five games.  
• Northern Colorado’s Savannah Smith was named this week’s Ready Nutrition Player of the Week.  Smith averaged 29 points and 4.5 rebounds in two games this past week.  Smith scored 31 points against Montana, the second most she has scored in a game this season.
• Northern Colorado appeared in this weeks College Insiders Women’s Mid-Major Top 25 poll this week.  The Bears debuted at No. 25 in the poll.

Eastern Washington

• The Eagles will play their first game in nine days on Saturday, January 19.  Eastern Washington last played a game on Thursday, January 10 when the beat Montana 68-62.
• Eastern Washington’s win last week was their second in conference play and was their third of the season.  
• Violet Kapri Morrow leads the Eagles in scoring with 17.5 points a game.  That average ranks Morrow as the fifth leading scorer in the conference.

Idaho

• The Vandals will end their nine day rest with a match up on Saturday against Montana.  
• Idaho picked up a victory in their only game of the week when they defeated Montana State 82-66.
• The Vandals are one of four teams with only one loss in conference play.  
• Mikayla Ferenz continues to lead the conference in offensive production and is averaging 22.5 points per game this season.

Idaho State  

• The Bengals are one of two teams that have a 5-1 record this season and sit in a tie for the top spot in the standings.
• Idaho State picked up two more wins this week when the defeated Weber State and Sacramento State.
• The Bengals have a league best 44.5 percent field goal percentage this season.

Montana

• The Lady Griz dropped both of their games this week and were held to only 62 points in both games. 
• Montana plays only one game this week and will face Idaho at home on Saturday.
• Jace Henderson had 17 rebounds in their game against Eastern Washington, which was also the most rebounds in a game this week.

Montana State

• Montana State picked up a key win on Monday night when they defeated Northern Colorado 79-66 to go 1-1 in the previous week.
• The Bobcats are 4-2 this season in conference play and sit in fifth place.
• Claire Lundberg leads the team in three point field goal percentage this season as is shoot 41.3 percent beyond the arc.  

Northern Arizona

• The Lumberjacks had one game this week when they hosted Southern Utah.  Northern Arizona was defeated 82-76 in that contest.
• Kaleigh Paplow is the eighth best scorer in the conference and is averaging 15.1 points per game.

Northern Colorado

• The Bears suffered their first loss in conference play this season with a 79-66 defeat at the hands of Montana State.  Before Monday’s loss, the Bears had won 18 straight over conference opponents.  That streak also included postseason games.
• Savannah Smith was named the Ready Nutrition Player of the Week after a great week of offensive play.  Smith averaged 29 points this week and had a high of 31 points in the Bears’ victory over Montana.
• Ali Meyer continues to lead the conference in rebounds this season and is averaging 11.9 rebounds per game.

Portland State

• Portland State picked up a 77-59 win this week over Weber State.  The Vikings are now 3-1 in conference play and are one of four teams with one loss this season in conference play.
• Ashley Bolston and Kylie Jimenez sit near the top of the conference in assists per game with 5.3 and 5.2 assists per game respectively.          
• The Vikings play two games this week when the host Southern Utah and Northern Arizona.                                                             

Sacramento State

• Sacramento State is one of two teams in the conference that have yet to get a Big Sky win this season.  Sacramento State played only one game this past week but were defeated 73-43 by Idaho State.
• Sacramento State will host a pair of games this week.  The will play Northern Arizona and Southern Utah.

Southern Utah

• Southern Utah picked up an 82-76 victory over Northern Arizona in their lone game last week.  
• This week the Thunderbirds travel to take on Portland State and Sacramento State.
• Harley Hansen is currently 37th in the country in steals this season and is averaging 2.79 per game.

Weber State

• Weber State is one of two teams in the conference that have yet to win a game in conference play.  The Wildcats lost games to Idaho State and Portland State last week.
• The Wildcats will play just a single game this week when they travel to Northern Colorado on Thursday.
• Jaiamoni Welch-Coleman has the third most points in the conference this season with 277 points.