Monday, January 4, 2016

PORTLAND, Ore. – A pair of solid performances by Montana State Billings’ Jace Anderson and Northwest Nazarene’s Ellie Logan in the return to conference play have been recognized with selections as the GNAC’s Players of the Week.

Anderson was selected as the Men’s Basketball Player of the Week after leading the Yellowjackets to a pair of victories to a pair of home wins over Simon Fraser and Western Washington to improve to 3-1 in GNAC play and 6-6 overall. Anderson scored 18 points to go along with six rebounds and six assists and made 7 of 7 from the free throw line in 94-83 victory over the Clan on Thursday. He repeated the 18-point performance in a 77-75 win over the Vikings on Saturday, adding two steals and two assists. For the week, Anderson hit 50 percent of his shots from the field and went 7 of 13 from three-point range.

Anderson enters the week averaging 14.1 points per game and is ninth in the GNAC with an .839 free throw percentage (26-31).

Logan earned the Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honor after finishing with 31 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Crusaders to home wins over Saint Martin’s and Seattle Pacific. She scored 12 points and had eight rebounds in Thursday’s 86-58 win over the Saints. Logan came back to score 19 points, which included two game-winning free throws with 12 seconds left, in the 66-65 win over the league-leading Falcons.

Logan enters the week ranked 10th in the GNAC in scoring, averaging 12.8 points per game. She leads the GNAC and is third in Division II in free throw percentage at 95.5 percent (42-44).

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 18
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Jace Anderson (Montana State Billings, G, 5-10, Jr., Whitewater, Mont. – Saco-Whitewater) Anderson put together a pair of 18-point performances as the Yellowjackets picked up home wins over Simon Fraser and Western Washington, making 50 percent of his shots and going 7 of 13 from three-point range. Against the Clan on Thursday, Anderson scored 18 to go along with six rebounds, six assists and made 7 of 7 from the free throw line. In the win over the Vikings, Anderson added two steals and two assists to his 18 points. Also Nominated: Joel Devastey (Northwest Nazarene), Drew Martin (Concordia), Julian Nichols (Western Oregon), Cole Preston (Saint Martin’s), Sekou Wiggs (Alaska Anchorage), Travante Williams (Alaska).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Ellie Logan (Northwest Nazarene, G, 5-9, So., Fossil, Ore. - Wheeler): Logan finished the week with 31 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Crusaders to home wins over Saint Martin’s and Seattle Pacific. She scored 12 points and had eight rebounds in the 86-58 win over Saint Martin’s on Thursday and added 19 points in the 66-65 win over Seattle Pacific on Saturday, including two game-winning free throws with 12 seconds left. Logan went a perfect 11 of 11 from the free throw line for the week. Also Nominated: Tia Briggs (Western Washington), Emily Howey (Western Oregon), Ellen Kett (Simon Fraser), Megan Mullings (Alaska Anchorage), Megan Wiedeman (Saint Martin’s), Jordan Wilson (Alaska).