NAMPA, Idaho – After a week with no games, Northwest Nazarene women's basketball is back home this week to face Western Oregon and Saint Martin's.
Game Information
NNU (9-4, 3-2 GNAC) vs Western Oregon (7-5, 3-2 GNAC)
Thursday, Jan. 20 | 5:15 PM | Nampa, Idaho | Johnson Sports Center
Live Video | Live Stats
NNU (9-4, 3-2 GNAC) vs Saint Martin's (9-4, 1-3 GNAC)
Saturday, Jan. 22 | 5:15 PM | Nampa, Idaho | Johnson Sports Center
Live Video | Live Stats
Nighthawks Notes
- NNU went 1-1 against the two programs from Alaska in their last action two weeks ago, defeating Alaska Fairbanks 81-75 before falling to Alaska Anchorage in a thriller, 76-72.
- Teagan Thurman was named the GNAC Player of the Week last Monday after averaging 21 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and two steals in the games against UAF and UAA.
- The Nighthawks were supposed to visit Simon Fraser and Western Washington last week, but had to postpone both games due to health and safety protocols.
- The Nighthawks are currently ranked ninth in the D2SIDA West Region rankings. They have been slotted as high as eighth this season.
- When NNU holds opponents under 70 points, they are 7-1. When NNU scores 70 or more, they are 5-1.
- If NNU forces more turnovers than they commit, they are 5-0 in such games on the season.
- Thurman has only started three games this year and plays just under 20 minutes per game, but the sophomore forward is nearly averaging a double-double with a team-leading 13.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per contest. The rebounding mark is second in the GNAC. She has also recorded five double-doubles on the season.
- Freshman Ashlynn Sylve is in the top five in the GNAC in both field goal percentage (56.3) and steals (2.0 per game).
- Nyalam Thabach is second on the Nighthawks with 12.3 points per game, shooting 50.4% from the field, and has made three of the four triples she has attempted this year. She also pulls down 7.5 rebounds per game and has notched 10 blocks.
- Erin Jenkins is third on the squad with 9.5 points per game and 5.1 boards per contest.
- As a team, NNU leads the GNAC in rebounding with 42.6 per game.
Series History
- Against Western Oregon, NNU is 27-11 since joining Division II in 2001. The Nighthawks are 14-5 in the games played in Nampa, and have won the last seven matchups in a row and nine of the last 10. In the most recent meeting on Feb. 22, 2020, NNU cruised to an 82-62 victory at home.
- Against Saint Martin's, NNU is also 27-11 since joining Division II in 2001. The Nighthawks are 16-4 in the games played in Nampa, and have won 11 of the last 12 contests. In the most recent meeting in Nampa on Jan. 30, 2021, a big second quarter propelled NNU to an 85-69 victory.
Scouting the Wolves
- The Wolves have had a decent year thus far, going 7-5 overall and tying with NNU for fifth in the GNAC at 3-2 in conference play.
- WOU enters Thursday riding a three-game win streak, all in GNAC action, with victories over Saint Martin's, Alaska Fairbanks, and Montana State Billings.
- Meadow Aragon leads the Wolves, ranking 11th in the GNAC at 12.7 points per game, tied for third with 7.7 rebounds per game, third with a 59.7 field goal percentage, third with an 83.3 free throw percentage, and second with 2.4 blocks per game.
- Tresai McCarver averages 11.8 points per game while tying for the conference lead with 4.3 assists per game.
- Cali McClave also adds 9.6 points per game and 3.3 boards per contest.
- As a team, WOU is third in the GNAC with a 69.9 free throw percentage, third with 40.4 rebounds per game, third with a +5.8 rebounding margin, and first with 5.4 blocks per game.
Scouting the Saints
- The Saints performed well in nonconference action, racing out to an 8-1 mark, but have gone just 1-3 in GNAC play to enter the weekend 9-4 overall.
- SMU has dropped their last two games, including only scoring 31 points in a road loss to Montana State Billings last Saturday.
- Claire Dingus is a do-it-all player for the Saints, ranking fifth in the GNAC with 16.3 points per game, fourth with 7.7 rebounds per game, 13th with 2.8 assists per game, fourth with 2.2 steals per game, and second with 3.4 offensive rebounds per game.
- Rian Clear isn't too far behind, ranking eighth in the conference with 13.4 points per game, third with a 42.2 three-point percentage, and 11th with 1.6 steals per game.
- Tierney DeDonatis is tied for the GNAC lead with 4.3 assists per game while ranking third on the team with an even 10 points per game.
- As a team, SMU is third in the conference with 58.8 points allowed per game, third with a 34.7 field goal percentage defense, second with a 25.7 three-point percentage defense, and fourth with 15.1 assists per game.
