Friday, February 17, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. – Two of the top scorers in the GNAC are being considered among the top players in small college basketball with selection to the Bevo Francis Award’s Top 50 Watch List.

Western Washington senior guard Taylor Stafford and Alaska Anchorage senior guard Suki Wiggs made the cut for the top-50 list for the award, which will honor the top non-Division I men’s basketball player in the nation. The list will be cut down to 25 players on March 15.

Stafford has led Western Washington to a GNAC Championships berth and sole possession of first place in the GNAC standings at 14-3 (20-5 overall). The third leading scorer in the conference and 23rd in Division II at 22.3 points per game. A starter in all 25 games for the Vikings, Stafford is also fourth in the GNAC with 3.9 assists per game and leads the league in free throw percentage at 88.5 percent (131-148). Stafford also ranks among the Division II leaders in free throws made and attempted. His season high in scoring is 44 points at UC San Diego on Dev. 12.

Wiggs leads the GNAC and is fifth in Division II in scoring at 24.1 points per game. He has led the Seawolves to a 19-6 overall record as the team sits in second place in the conference standings at 13-4. Wiggs has scored 30 or more points in six games this season, including a blistering 46-point performance at Central Washington on Dec. 1. He ranks in the NCAA Division II in free throws made (146) and attempted (196), field goals made (191) and attempted (417) and total points (583).

Now in its second year, the Clarence “Bevo” Francis Award is presented annually to the player who has had the finest overall season within small college basketball.  Considerations will be season statistics and individual achievements, awards, personal character and team achievements.