Friday, November 15, 2019

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Samantha Bowman
Central Washington
C • 6-2 • So. • Zillah, Wash.

Bowman averaged 17.5 points per game to go with 24 rebounds and four blocks while shooting 68.4 percent from the field as the Wildcats split their games at their own CWU West Region Crossover. Bowman finished with a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds in Friday’s 85-76 win over Stanislaus State. She then posted a big effort of 22 points and 12 rebounds on 10 of 14 from the field in Saturday’s 81-76 loss to Hawaii Pacific. She also added three assists and three blocks in the effort.

Also Nominated: Riley Friauf (Concordia), Taylor Cunningham (Montana State Billings), Shariah Green (Western Oregon), Dani Iwami (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• Alaska opened its season 2-0 with wins over San Francisco State on Saturday and Chaminade on Sunday at the West Region Challenge in Anchorage, Alaska. The Nanooks topped San Francisco State, 71-66, then dominated against Chaminade, 92-47.

• Jocelyn Gandara led the Nanooks with 20 points, 11 rebounds and two assists against San Francisco State. Sam Tolliver and Kylie Wallace also reached double digits in points with 17 and 14, respectively.

• Wallace and Tolliver both led the Nanooks again against Chaminade with 18 points each. The Nanooks limited Chaminade to just 14 points in the first half.

• The Nanooks are 2-0 on the season and will head to California to play at Biola on Thursday and Point Loma on Saturday.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Despite what the preseason rankings said, Alaska Anchorage opened the season on a mission to prove that it is still one of the best teams in the GNAC. The Seawolves topped Chaminade, 93-45, on Saturday then beat San Francisco State, 110-82, on Sunday.

• The Seawolves outscored Chaminade 45-20 in the first half to run away with the lead. Nicole Pinckney led the offensive charge with 17 points, two steals and two rebounds while making five three-pointers.

• Safiyyah Yasin and Tennae Voliva led the Seawolves against San Francisco State with 25 and 20 points, respectively. Voliva also recorded 11 rebounds, three assists, three steals and two assists in the game. Yasin is third in the GNAC in scoring while Voliva is fourth in Division II with two double-doubles.

• Alaska Anchorage is now 3-0 on the season and is second in Division II with 100.0 points per game. Up next, the Seawolves will stay home to host Wisconsin-Parkside and Westminster in the Seawolf Hoops Classic.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington split its games last week with an 85-76 win over Stanislaus State on Friday and an 81-76 loss to Hawaii Pacific on Saturday as the Wildcats hosted the GNAC/CCAA Crossover.

• Samantha Bowman earned GNAC Player of the Week honors after she averaged 17.5 points per game to go with 24 rebounds and four blocks while shooting 68.4 percent in the two games. Her top performance of the week came in Saturday’s loss to Hawaii Pacific as she putup 22 points and 12 rebounds.

• Kaelie Flores scored 22 points to add to two blocks, four rebounds and an assist against Stanislaus State while Brianna Phiakhamngon scored 18 points. Flores also scored 13 points against Hawaii Pacific.

• Central Washington is 1-1 on the season and will head to Nampa, Idaho, to compete in the Fairfield Inn Tournament. The Wildcats are scheduled to play Westminster on Friday and Colorado Christian on Saturday.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia lost both of its games last week with a 67-55 loss to Cal State East Bay on Friday and a tough 79-77 loss to Academy of Art on Saturday.

• Riley Friauf led the Cavaliers with 12 points and five rebounds against Cal State East Bay.

• The Cavs went into the fourth quarter up 70-63 against Academy of Art but the Knights limited the Cavs to just seven points in the last quarter to complete the comeback.

• Four Cavs scored in double digits against Academy of Art. Olivia Vezaldenos led the Cavs with 18 points, two steals, four assists and a rebound. Mady Simmelink also played well with 12 points and five steals.

• Concordia is now 0-2. Up next, the Cavs will head to Rohnert Park, California, to play Chico State on Friday and Sonoma State on Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings played in two exhibition games last week then lost to Black Hills State, 60-42, on Wednesday in Spearfish, South Dakota.

• The Yellowjackets were limited to just nine points in both the first and third quarters in the loss to Black Hills State. No Yellowjacket player scored in double digits.

• Emily St. John scored seven points to go with an assist and a steal. Hannah Collins scored six points to go along with two steals, two rebounds and an assist.

• Taryn Shelley led the Yellowjackets with eight points off the bench in the loss. She is 37th in Division II with 21 field goals made.

• Montana State Billings is now 0-4 to start the season. Up next, the Yellowjackets will stay home to host South Dakota Mines on Saturday before playing in an exhibition game against Corban on Monday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene split its games last week with a 83-80 loss to Hawaii Pacific on Friday and a 76-63 win over Stanislaus State on Saturday at the GNAC/CCAA Crossover in Ellensburg, Washington.

• Avery Albrecht and Marina Valles led the Nighthawks against Hawaii Pacific. Albrecht put up 21 points, three steals, two assists and eight rebounds while Valles scored 15 points to go with four steals, four rebounds and eight assists.

• The game against Hawaii Pacific was about to head to overtime but HPU’s Starr Rivera made a three-pointer at the buzzer to win the game for the Sharks.

• Albrecht also recorded 14 points, eight rebounds and two assists against Stanislaus State while Erin Jenkins scored 19 points to add to 10 rebounds.

• Northwest Nazarene is now 1-1 on the season. Up next, the Nighthawks will stay home to host the Fairfield Inn Tournament. The Nighthawks are scheduled to play Colorado Christian on Friday and Westminster on Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s lost to Seattle, 91-81, in an exhibition match on Wednesday in its only game of the week. The Saints also topped Pacific Lutheran, 73-64, on Tuesday to open their season.

• Bria Thames shined in the win over the Lutes, scoring 21 points to add to nine rebounds. Claire Dingus also shined for the Saints as she tallied 15 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and three assists.

• The Saints shot 44.8 percent from the field while shooting 46.2 percent from three-point range.

• Saint Martin’s opened its season with 1-0 record. Up next, the Saints will host Warner Pacific on Sunday before traveling to St. George, Utah, to compete in the Dixie State Tournament. The Saints will play Colorado Mesa on Friday and Dixie State on Saturday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific dropped both of its games last week at the West Region Crossover hosted by Humboldt State. The Falcons lost 70-54 to the Jacks on Friday then lost, 91-77, to Fresno State on Saturday.

• Ashlynn Burgess led the Falcons with 18 points, 11 rebounds and a block in the loss to Humboldt State. Burgess led her squad again against Fresno State, tallying 23 points, five rebounds and an assist while shooting 9 of 15 from the field.

• Grace Sterk also played well against Fresno Pacific with 12 points and seven rebounds.

• Seattle Pacific is now 0-2 and will stay on the road to play at Azusa Pacific on Friday and UC-San Diego on Saturday in another West Region Crossover, hosted by the Cougars.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser went 0-2 last week with a 67-62 loss to Cal State San Marcos on Friday and an 84-77 loss to UC-San Diego on Sunday.

• Ozi Nwabuko and Tayler Drynan both recorded 11 points against Cal State San Marcos. Nwabuko ranks third in Division II with 41 rebounds.

• Jessica Jones led the way for the Clan in the loss to UC-San Diego as she tallied 24 points, seven rebounds and two steals.

• Simon Fraser is now 2-4 on the year. Up next, the Clan will stay home to host Cal State LA on Friday and Sunday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon split its games last week, losing 72-63 to Academy of Art on Friday before beating Cal State East Bay, 65-49, on Saturday.

• Shariah Green was the top scorer for the Wolves against Academy of Art, posting 15 points, five rebounds, a steal and an assist in the loss.

• Tresai McCarver and Keyonna Jones led the Wolves in the win over Cal State East Bay with 17 points each. McCarver also recorded five rebounds, two steals and an assist in the win.

• Western Oregon is 1-1 on the season and will travel to Rohnert Park, California, to play Sonoma State on Friday and Chico State on Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington opened its season with two wins at the West Region Crossover in Arcata, California. The Vikings topped Fresno Pacific, 86-82, on Friday then beat host Humboldt State, 76-73, on Saturday.

• Dani Iwami was named the player of the tournament after she scored 19 points against Fresno Pacific and 11 points against Humboldt State. Iwami is averaging 6.0 assists per game and is perfect from the free-throw line so far this season.

• Katrina Gimmaka led the Vikings in scoring off the bench with 14 points, two rebounds, a steal and a block.

• Western Washington is 2-0 on the season. Up next, the Vikings will play in the West Region Crossover in Azusa, California, as they are scheduled to play UC-San Diego on Friday and Azusa Pacific on Saturday.