Complete Release | PDF
SALT LAKE CITY – The fourth-ranked Westminster College women's basketball team begins a three-game home stand on Saturday when they welcome Montana Western to the Behnken Field House. The Griffins only game of the week has an early start time of 2 p.m. MST.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
The action on Saturday will be shown live on Griffins TV and on Comcast 6 in northern Utah. Mike Lageschulte handles the play-by-play with analyst Lance Barton. Live stats will also be available for the action. Fans can find links for the live stats and Griffins TV by
clicking here.
GRIFFIN NOTES
The Griffins enter Saturday at 11-2 on the season and riding a season-long four-game winning streak. They are a perfect 4-0 at home this season and they have won 16 straight home games dating back to last season. Westminster has played just one home game since Nov. 8, defeating Montana Tech 61-43 on Jan. 4.
Westminster is scoring 68.69 points per game while ranking eighth in the NAIA by shooting 45.6 percent from the floor. They lead the nation in 3-point field goal percentage by making 41.8 percent of their attempts from deep. The Griffins make 8.38 threes per night to rank 10th in the NAIA while placing 19th in the NAIA with an average of 15.77 assist per night.
On the defensive end Westminster is allowing 56.77 points per game and they rank sixth in the nation in that department. Griffin opponents shoot 39.8 percent from the field and 33.2 percent from beyond the arc. Westminster limits the opposition to 30.46 rebounds per game to rank second nationally. They are forcing 15.31 turnovers per game with an average of 8.23 steals per contest.
Alli Blake currently leads the team in scoring at 14.54 points per game with
Shelby Ellsworth chipping in 11.23 points per night. Blake also leads the team with 59 assists, 35th in the NAIA, while Ellsworth is tops on the squad with 84 rebounds.
Tia Pappas takes 1.92 steals per game and
Alli Winters makes a NAIA-best 62.5 percent from three and makes 2.69 per contest.
NATIONAL RANKING
Westminster received 224 points and to hold down the No. 4 ranking in the third regular season coaches' poll of the season that was announced on Tuesday. The Griffins have now been ranked in the Top 25 for a school-record 27 consecutive polls dating back to Dec. 12, 2011. They have also spent the last 16 polls inside the top five which is the longest active streak in the country.
BOMBS AWAY
Westminster continues its hot shooting from beyond the arc this season. The Griffins rank 10th in the NAIA by making 8.38 triples per contest and they lead the country by making 41.8 percent from beyond the arc. They have recorded at least five threes in every game and hit at least eight treys on nine occasions.
Alli Winters is the top 3-point shooter in the NAIA as the junior makes 62.5 percent of her long range attempts. She is 13th in the country by making 2.69 triples per outing and has made three or more in a game eight times. During a five game span earlier this season, Winters went 18-of-24 (75%) with a season-high six at Montana Western on Dec. 7.
Amy Krommenhoek is shooting 46.4 percent from long range to place 10th in the NAIA with
Kelsi Wells placing 21st by making 40.7 percent from deep.
FRONTIER DOMINANCE
Going back to the start of the 2008-09 season, Westminster has dominated the Frontier Conference to the tune of a 71-5 mark. They have won five straight regular season titles and have only dropped more than one league game one time. During that span, only Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) at 54-23 (.701) and Carroll (Mont.) at 40-37 (.519) have winning records in Frontier action. The Griffins have won 16 straight home conference games, going undefeated at home in league play for two straight seasons.
BALL CONTROL
While the Griffins are fifth in the Frontier by scoring 68.69 points per game, they are efficient with the basketball. Westminster is averaging 107.2 points per 100 possessions while posting 15.77 assists per game to place 19th in the NAIA. They rank third in the country with a 1.31 assist-to-turnover ratio and sixth by holding the opposition to 56.77 points per night. Griffin opponents are scoring 88.6 points per 100 possessions and are committing 15.31 turnovers per game.
THE BLAKE SHOW
Senior
Alli Blake has been doing a little bit of everything for the Griffins this season. She currently leads the team in scoring at 14.54 points per game to place fourth in the Frontier. Blake has been named the Frontier Conference Player of the Week two times in the past three weeks. During that six game span, Blake is averaging 17.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.5 assist per game. She has scored in double figures 10 times this season and twice gone for at least 20, including a 29 point performance in the win at Montana State-Northern last Saturday.
Blake is 12th in the NAIA by shooting 52.9 percent from the floor and 23rd by handing out 4.54 assist per game. She has led the team in assists in eight games while twice going for at least seven assists. Blake is also averaging 5.2 rebounds per night with 29 of her 67 total rebounds coming on the offensive end.
WELCOME BACK ELLSWORTH
Sophomore
Shelby Ellsworth returns after sitting out last season with a knee injury. Ellsworth posted the first 20-20 game in school history when she had 23 points and 20 rebounds in a game versus Cal Maritime in 2010. This season, Ellsworth is second on the team in scoring at 11.23 points per game and she has been in double figures on nine occasions. She has scored in double figures nine times and recorded her first double-double of the year with 14 points and 12 rebounds in the win at Great Falls (Mont.) last Friday.
LOOKING AHEAD
Westminster will remain home for a pair of conference game next week, starting with Rocky Mountain (Mont.) on Jan. 23 at 5:30 p.m. MST. They will then face Lewis-Clark State on Jan. 25 at 5:30 p.m. MST.
