Complete release in pdf format

This Week
The No. 9 Westminster men's basketball team travels to Caldwell, Idaho for two games at the Golden Rule Shootout. Westminster opens the tournament against Northwest (Wash.) on Friday, November 20, at 6:00 p.m. Then they face the tournament host, the College of Idaho, on Saturday, November 21, at 8:00 p.m. Both games will be played at the Albertson Activities Center.

Westminster (1-3) carries a 3-game losing streak with them to Idaho. They went 0-2 against No. 8 Concordia (Calif.) and No. 3 Fresno Pacific at the Las Vegas Classic last weekend. This is the first time the Griffins have lost three consecutive games since the 2006-07 season and is only the sixth time that has happened since the 1999-2000 season.

Westminster is averaging 72 points per game through the first four games of the season and is shooting 45.5% from the field. They are grabbing 37.8 rebounds per game with a 2.5 rebounding margin. The Griffins rank 29th in the NAIA by holding the opposition to just 29.3% shooting from beyond the arc.

Weston Anderson leads the team in scoring and ranks 41st in the country with a scoring average of 18 points per game. Anderson has scored 20-plus points twice and had 18 points in another outing this season. Blair Prowse is averaging 3.25 makes from beyond the arc in the early going this season. That number puts him 18th in the country and second in the Frontier Conference.

Live Media
There will be Live Stats and Live Video available for both games at the Golden Rule Shootout this weekend. You can access the live feeds by visiting westminstergriffins.com.

Men's Basketball Fast Break
•The 1-3 start by the Griffins marks the first time they have started this slow since reinstatement in 1999.

•Westminster is shooting 71% from the free throw line to rank 20th in the country.

•The double-overtime game against Fresno Pacific was the first multiple overtime game since November 5, 2005 against Concordia (Calif.).

About Northwest (WA)
Northwest (Wash.) heads to the Golden Rule Shootout with a 2-1 overall record. They opened the year with two straight wins, before falling 70-68 against Pacific Union on November 9. The Eagles average 69 points per game and are shooting 41.3% from the field. Defensively they allow 64.7 points per game while forcing 14 turnovers.

About College of Idaho
The host College of Idaho squad is 1-0 on the season after a 79-72 victory over Northwest Nazarene on November 10. The Yotes shot 41.4% from the floor and went 26-of-36 at the charity stripe in that contest. They limited NNU to just 40.7% shooting and forced them into 14 turnovers.

Inside the Series with…
Northwest (Wash.)
Series Record: First meeting

College of Idaho
Series Record: Westminster leads, 9-8
Current Streak: Westminster 4 wins
Last Meeting: Westminster def. College of Idaho 81-71 (11/22/08)

Tough Competition
Westminster has faced some tough competition through the opening two weeks of the season. After battling NCAA D2 and in-state rival Dixie State in the season opener, Westminster battled NAIA D2 No. 18 Warner Pacific. Last weekend they went against No. 8 Concordia (Calif.) and No. 3 Fresno Pacific. Westminster still has six games against teams that are ranked or receiving votes in the preseason NAIA top 25 poll.

On the Prowse
Senior Blair Prowse had a great start to the season after missing most of 2008-09 with an injury. Prowse is averaging 17.3 points per game and ranks 18th nationally with his 3.25 makes from 3-point territory per game. His 13 total makes from distance is the 22nd highest total to date in the NAIA. He was the team leads with 20 points and eight rebounds in the game against Concordia (Calif.) on November 13.

Well Done Mr. Anderson
Westminster senior Weston Anderson currently leads the team with his 18 points per game average. He currently is third in the Frontier Conference and 41st nationally in scoring. Anderson has started all four games after making just one start during the first three years of his career. He has reached 20 points twice this season, and went for 18 in another. His 12 assists rank second on the team through the opening four games.

A Walker to Remember
JC transfer Ben Walker is off to a fast start during his Griffin career. Walker currently ranks third on the team with 54 points and is tops on the squad with his 34 rebounds. He ranks 24th nationally with an average of 3.5 offensive rebounds per game and is 41st in the country by shooting 84.2% from the foul line. Walker has recorded two double-doubles through the opening four games to rank second in the Frontier Conference in that department.

Coaches Like the Griffins
The Westminster men's basketball team was selected to win the Frontier Conference according to a poll of the conference coaches. The Griffins received 47 total points and five first-place votes in the poll of the eight conference coaches. Defending NAIA national champion Rocky Mountain College finished second with 44 points and three first-place votes.

In the Polls
The Westminster men's basketball team received a No. 9 national ranking in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Preseason Poll that was released on October 26. The Griffins received 232 total points in the poll. The No. 9 ranking is the highest for the team to start a season ever, and the 12th consecutive poll they have been in the top 10. The previous high to start a season was 13th in 2006 and 2008.

Next Week
Westminster is home for the Thanksgiving Weekend as they play host to the Westminster Thanksgiving Tournament. The College of Idaho, Westmont College, and Carroll College will visit the Behnken Field House for games on Friday, November 27, and Saturday, November 28. Westminster battles the College of Idaho on Friday and Westmont on Saturday. Both Westminster games begin at 7:30 p.m.