Tuesday, January 8, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. - Simon Fraser maintained its steady climb in this week's USA Today Sports Division II Top 25 coaches poll.  The Clan, which has won eight straight, moved up two slots and is now ranked No. 7, its highest ranking of the year.

SFU is the highest ranked West Region team in the poll.  Other West Region teams ranked include Chico State (9th), Western Washington (11th) and Grand Canyon (19th).  Ashland (Ohio) is the No. 1 ranked team receiving all 32 first-place votes.

Western Washington made the biggest move in the poll climbing nine positions from No. 20.

The national poll has no impact on the eight teams that will eventually qualify for the West Regional playoffs.  The NCAA conducts a regional poll of its own to determine which five at-large teams will join the GNAC, PacWest and California Collegiate Athletic Association champions in the regional.

The first of three regional poll will be conducted in February.

Raincock-Ekunwe Leads NCAA Division II In Field Goal Percentage

PORTLAND, Ore. - Simon Fraser's Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe is the NCAA Division II national leader in field goal percentage shooting at a 68.4 clip.

Raincock-Ekunwe, who set a GNAC record last week with her 48th and 49th career double-doubles, also ranks second in rebounding averaging 12.8 per game.  She is tied for fifth in double-doubles with eight.

Five other players are ranked in the Top 10 in a category.  Sasha King of Alaska Anchorage ranks second in assists (7.1).  Ally Schmitt of Central Washington and Bobbi Knudsen of Montana State Billings rank sixth (6.1) and ninth (6.9), respectively, in assists.

Mariah Durian of Western Oregon ranks second in free throw percentage (95.3) and Simon Fraser's Erin Chambers ranks 10th with a 91.3 free throw percentage.

SFU is ranked in the Top 10 in three team categories including seventh in field goal percentag (46.1) and eighth in scoring margin (21.3) and assists (18.5).

Alaska Anchorage ranks second in free throw percentage (80.0), third in assist/turnover ratio (1.30) and turnover margin (8.91), seventh in fewest turnovers (13.5) and 10th in three-pointers made (8.5).

Montana State Billings ranks third in fewest turnovers (11.6), fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.25), seventh in turnover margin (7.93) and 10th in fewest fouls (13.1).

Seattle Pacific ranks fourth in free throw percentage (79.5) and 10th in three-point percentage (38.8) and Central Washington ranks sixth in three-pointers made (8.8).

NATIONAL STATISTICS (Through Jan. 6):  Team (Top 30): Scoring Offense – 28. Seattle Pacific 74.3; 30. Simon Fraser 74.1. Scoring Defense – 12. Simon Fraser 52.8.  Scoring Margin – 8. Simon Fraser 21.3.  Field Goal PCT. – 7. Simon Fraser 46.1; 17. Seattle Pacific 44.4.  Free Throw PCT. – 2. Alaska Anchorage 80.0; 4. Seattle Pacific 79.5; 20. Northwest Nazarene 76.1.  Rebound Margin – 17. Seattle Pacific 9.6. Three-Point FGs – 6. Central Washington 8.8; 10. Alaska Anchorage 8.5; 24. Simon Fraser 7.6.  Three-Point PCT. – 10. Seattle Pacific 38.8; 26. Western Oregon 36.7. Three-Point PCT. Defense – 22. Simon Fraser 24.8. Assists – 8.  Simon Fraser 18.5; 17. Alaska Anchorage 17.5; 18. Western Washington 17.3. Blocked Shots – 19. Simon Fraser 4.9. Fewest Turnovers – 3. Montana State Billings 11.6; 7. Alaska Anchorage 13.5.  Fewest Fouls – 10. Montana State Billings 13.1.  Assist Turnover Ratio – 3. Alaska Anchorage 1.30; 5. MSU Billings 1.25; 11. Simon Fraser 1.13; 19. Western Washington 1.08.  Turnover Margin  - 3. Alaska Anchorage 8.91; 7. Montana State Billings 7.93. Individuals (Top 30):   Rebounds – 2. Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe, SFU, 12.8.  Assists – 2. Sasha King, UAA, 7.1; 6. Ally Schmitt, CWU, 6.1; 9. Bobbi Knudsen, MSUB, 5.9.  Blocked Shots – 18. Jasmine Parker, CWU, 2.18.  Steals – 21. Sasha King, UAA, 3.27.  Field Goal PCT. – 1. Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe, SFU, 68.4.  Free Throw PCT. – 2.  Mariah Durian, WOU, 95.3; 10. Erin Chambers, SFU, 91.3; 27. Suzanna Ohlsen, SPU, 88.1.  Assist/Turnover Ratio – 12. Suzanna Ohlsen, SPU, 2.48; 14. Bobbi Knudsen, MSUB, 2.37; 16. Sasha King, UAA, 2.36.  Double-Doubles – 5. Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe, SFU, 8; 27. Megan Hingston, NNU, 5.