WBB WEEKEND PREVIEW: SPARTANS TO HOST LETHBRIDGE, CALGARY

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (CANADA WEST)
FRIDDAY, JANUARY 6, 2012
WEEKEND PREVIEW

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WBB WEEKEND PREVIEW: SPARTANS TO HOST LETHBRIDGE, CALGARY

LANGLEY, British Columbia – The Trinity Western women’s basketball team will enter 2012 having posted the most wins overall in a fall semester, nine, in program history.

With a 3-5 record in conference play and a 6-4 record in non-conference action, the Spartans are in a great position in terms of confidence heading into the second half of the season.

Tip-off is at 6:00 p.m. Friday and 5:00 p.m. Saturday.

Both games will be streamed live on www.canadawest.tv

TRINITY WESTERN SPARTANS (3-5)
Last Weekend: Alberta 66-65 W, Saskatchewan 62-49 L
2011 CIS Rank: N/A
2010-2011: CW Record: 3-21, 12th
2010-2011: CW Tournament: N/A
2010-2011: CIS Tournament: N/A

After posting nine wins in the first half of the season for the first time in program history, and coming off a win over No. 7 ranked Alberta in their final weekend of the Canada West regular season, the Spartans enter the second half of the season on a rising crescendo.

Add to all that a non-conference win over 74-53 win over Manitoba and a tight 56-50 loss to NCAA Div. II Simon Fraser over the holidays and Trinity Western looks to be in good shape heading into this weekend’s tilts.

But while, the Spartans are pushing the envelope in terms of program success, they are still very much in a dog-fight for a playoff position. And this weekend will go a long way to proving where this team stands within the conference and dictating where this team will finish at the end of the year.

Through eight games this year, the Spartans have been a team that has won and lost by committee. The Spartans have seven players who have averaged more than 19 minutes per game and three players who are averaging more than 11.5 points per game in Tiffany Olsen (12.1 and 19th in CW), Laurelle Weigl (11.7 and 23rd in CW) and Holly Strom (11.5 and tied for 25th in CW).

As a team, Trinity Western is averaging 63.6 points per game (9th in CW) and 65.6 points against per game (8th in CW). Most statistically prominent has been their defending of the 3-point shot. The Spartans are third in the conference, allowing the opposition to hit just .272 per cent of its shots from beyond the arc. Trinity Western also has a turnover margin of +4.50, which is also third in the conference.

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE PRONGHORNS (2-6)
Last Weekend: UBC 74-56 L, Victoria 69-59 L
2011 CIS Rank: N/A
2010-2011: CW Record: 4-20, 11th
2010-2011: CW Tournament: N/A
2010-2011: CIS Tournament: N/A

The Pronghorns enter this weekend having lost four games in a row and each of them by at least 10 points. Although the losses did come against No. 5 Saskatchewan twice, No. 3 UBC and Victoria, they still come to Langley having not won since Nov. 12.

With both of their wins coming at home, the Pronghorns are also looking to earn their first road victory of the season when they come to the Langley Events Centre Friday night.  

Through eight games, the Pronghorns have struggled to put up points as they are averaging just 60.1 points per game (11th in CW) and they have yet to hit the 60-point plateau in any of their losses. Remarkably thought, they are third in the conference in assists with an average of 15.0 per outing.

Defensively, the Pronghorns are giving up 67.4 points per game (11th in CW) and the opposition has averaged a .408 field goal percentage (11th in CW).

Individually, Lethbridge is led by Kim Veldman, who has 10.9 points per game (29th in CW) and 6.0 rebounds per game (tied for 20th in CW), while Natalie Nichols has pulled down a team-high 7.9 boards per game (tied for 5th in CW).

UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY DINOS (6-2)
Last Weekend: Victoria 69-64 W, UBC 78-75 OT W
2011 CIS Rank: N/A
2010-2011: CW Record: 10-14, 10th
2010-2011: CW Tournament: N/A
2010-2011: CIS Tournament: N/A

The Dinos come to Langley on quite a hot streak.

First they finished the first half of the Canada West regular season with an overtime win over No. 3 UBC and then then hosted a holiday tournament where they reeled off three straight wins over No. 10 Toronto, Victoria and the Royal Military College of Canada. Add to that the win over Victoria in their second to last game of conference play and Calgary enters this weekend on a five-game winning streak and pushing for a Top 10 ranking. And other than a pair of road losses to No. 1 Regina, Calgary has been perfect since the beginning of the regular season.

The Dinos are tied for third in conference scoring, averaging 75.0 points per game, and are even more impressive at the defensive end of the floor as they are only giving up 57.0 points per game (2nd in CW). Thus, they have a league-best +18.0 scoring margin. They have also been particularly proficient from beyond the arc, both offensively and defensively, as they are third in the conference with a .370 3-point shooting percentage and second in the conference in defending the long ball, only allowing the opposition to hit .250 per cent of its shots.

Calgary has been led offensively by Jenna Kaye (14.9 points per game and 7th in CW) and Tamara Jarrett (13.9 points per game and 9th in CW). Kaye and teammate Jessica Franz are tied for ninth in the conference with 7.3 rebounds per game while Megan Lang is tops in Canada West with a .611 shooting percentage.

-TW-