Tuesday, March 5, 2013

LACEY, Wash. - Western Washington will take a No. 6 USA Today Sports WBCA national ranking and Simon Fraser will bring a No. 10 ranking into Friday's Great Northwest Athletic Conference semifinals at Marcus Pavilion on the Saint Martin's University campus.

The Vikings will play either Alaska Anchorage or Northwest Nazarene in the second semifinal at 2:15 p.m.  The first semifinal will pit Montana State Billings against Seattle Pacific. Tipoff will be at noon.  Those two quarterfinal games will be played Wednesday.

Friday's winners will play Saturday at 5:15 p.m. on ROOT Sports for the conference title and an automatic berth in the NCAA West Regionals which begin Friday, March 15.

Western Washington and Simon Fraser are the two highest ranked teams from the West Region in the national poll.  Chico State is the only other West Region team ranked in the national poll.  The Wildcats are ranked 14th.

WOMEN (Mar. 6-9 at Lacey): Wednesday - #3 MSUB Billings (17-9) vs. #6 Seattle Pacific (16-10), 5:15 p.m.; #4 Alaska Anchorage (17-9) vs. #5 Northwest Nazarene (19-7), 7:30 p.m.  Friday – 3/6 winner vs. #2 Simon Fraser (22-4), noon; #4/5 winner vs. #1 Western Washington (23-3), 2:15 p.m.  Saturday – Championship game at 5:15 p.m. (ROOT Sports). 

Raincock-Ekunwe National Leader in Field Goal Percentage

Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe is the national leader in field goal percentage in this week's NCAA Division II national statistical report. Raincock-Ekunwe also ranks third in rebounding (12.7) and third in double-doubles (18).

Britt Harris of Western Washington ranks third in field goal percentage (59.1).  Bobbi Knudsen of Montana State Billings ranks third in assists (6.1) and sixth in assist/turnover ratio (2.43).  Sasha King of Alaska Anchorage is fifth in assists (5.9).

Corinn Waltrip of Western Washington ranks sixth in three-point percentage (45.3) and Suzanna Ohlsen of Seattle Pacific is seventh in free throw percentage (89.3).

NATIONAL STATISTICS (Through Mar. 3):  Team (Top 30): Scoring Offense – 26. Western Washington 72.4; 30. Seattle Pacific 72.0. Scoring Defense – 23. Simon Fraser 55.0.  Scoring Margin – 12. Simon Fraser 15.9; 21. Western Washington 12.7.  Field Goal PCT. – 4. Simon Fraser 45.9; 6. Western Washington 44.8; 14. Seattle Pacific 43.7.  Free Throw PCT. – 1. Seattle Pacific 80.0; 10. Northwest Nazarene 76.3; 14. Alaska Anchorage 76.1.  Rebound Margin – 10. Seattle Pacific 8.0. Three-Point FGs – 9. Alaska Anchorage 8.2; 12. Central Washington 7.8; 18. Simon Fraser 7.3.  Three-Point PCT. – 7. Seattle Pacific 37.4; 18. Western Washington 35.8. Assists – 5.  Western Washington 18.2; 6. Simon Fraser 18.1. Blocked Shots – 30. Simon Fraser 4.6.  Fewest Turnovers – 2. Montana State Billings 11.5.  Fewest Fouls – 11. Montana State Billings 13.5; 18. Simon Fraser 13.7.  Assist Turnover Ratio – 3.   MSU Billings 1.20; 7. Western Washington 1.13; 11. Simon Fraser 1.12; 29. Alaska Anchorage 1.02.  Turnover Margin  - 11.  Montana State Billings 6.21. Individuals (Top 30):   Scoring – 13. Megan Hingston, NNU, 18.9. Rebounds – 3. Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe, SFU, 12.7.  Assists – 3.  Bobbi Knudsen, MSUB, 6.1; 5. Sasha King, UAA, 5.9; 15. Kristina Collins, SFU, 5.2. Blocked Shots – 17. Jasmine Parker, CWU, 2.31.   Steals – 27. Sasha King, UAA, 2.95; 29. Trishi Williams, WWU, 2.88. Field Goal PCT. – 1. Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe, SFU, 66.1; 3. Britt Harris, WWU, 59.1.  Free Throw PCT. – 7. Suzanna Ohlsen, SPU, 89.3; 12. Erin Chambers, SFU, 88.9; 14. Aubree Callen, SPU, 88.3.  Three-Point PCT. – 6. Corinn Waltrip, WWU, 43.5. Assist/Turnover Ratio – 6. Bobbi Knudsen, MSUB, 2.43.  Double-Doubles – 3. Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe, SFU, 18; 30. Megan Hingston, NNU, 11.  Triple-Doubles – 2. Trishi Williams, WWU, 1.