Griffins Set for Concordia Classic
The Westminster women's basketball team is off to Portland, Ore., to play a pair of games at the Concordia Classic this weekend. The Griffins start the trip against Concordia (Ore.) on Friday at 8 p.m. MST. They will then play a neutral site game against Saint Martin's on Saturday at 3 p.m. MST.

All the games from the Concordia Classic will be broadcast live in their Game Central portal. Live stats will also be available in the portal. The feed is produced by the host institution and is available at portal.stretchinternet.com/cuportland or WestminsterGriffins.com/live.

Fast Break
> Westminster travels to Oregon at 0-1 on the season after a loss at NNU.
> The Griffins also dropped a pair of exhibition games against BYU and Utah State.
> They are 1-1 against teams from the GNAC since joining the RMAC prior to last season.
> Westminster hasn't played Concordia since 2010 and Saint Martin's since 2000.

About the Griffins
Westminster enters the second week of the season at 0-1 overall after an 84-68 loss at Northwest Nazarene on Saturday. This is the Griffins second season of play at the NCAA Division II level and as a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The Griffins went 12-14 overall last season and finished 10th in the RMAC with a 9-13 record in conference games. The team returns 12 players, including two starters, from last season.

The returning players accounted for 62 percent of the teams 59.3 points per game last year. That includes the top-two leading scorers in Aubrie Vale (11.6 points per game) and Gonzalez (9.7). The Griffins shot 38.9 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from beyond the arc a year ago.

Westminster opponents averaged 61.2 points per game in 2015-16 and they shot 39.6 percent from the floor. The Griffins grabbed 36.2 rebounds per game and averaged 12.4 assists and 15.2 turnovers.

Denise Gonzalez led the Griffins with 18 points in the loss at NNU. She made 8 of 14 shots and added two rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Sydnee Taylor scored 17 points and Aubrie Vale had 10 points. Vale also led the team with six rebounds and five assists.

Came on Late
After starting last season 6-11, Westminster closed the year by winning six of their final nine games. Four of those wins came on the road, including a 69-62 overtime win at Colorado Mesa in the season finale. The Griffins averaged 63.1 points per game over the span and had a plus-five rebounds margin.

Counting on Experience
With 12 players returning from a season ago, the Griffins will count on that experience to help them to a faster start this season. The returning players scored 62 percent of the team's total from the 2015-16 campaign while playing 56 percent of the minutes. Five of the returners played at least 298 minutes last season and six scored in double figures at least one time.

Down the Stretch
After scoring in double figures just six times in the first 15 games of the season, Aubrie Vale hit the mark in 10 of the final 11 games the team played. She raised her scoring average from 8.3 to 11.6 points per game during that time. Vale scored 20 points or more in a game three times last season, including a career-high 31 against Colorado Mesa in the season finale.

Value the Basketball
Denise Gonzalez finished last season as the team's No. 2 scorer at 9.7 points per game. Gonzalez scored in double figures 13 times last season and led the team in scoring nine times. She also led the Griffins with 87 assists and 40 steals while posting a 1.32 assist-to-turnover ratio as a freshman.

Time to Shine
Riley Reidhead returns for her senior season after averaging 4.7 points per game during her first season at Westminster. Reidhead scored in double figures four times and shot 32.8 percent from beyond the arc. She played 17.2 minutes per game and had one start.

Immediate Impact
Sydnee Taylor has had a positive impact on the team early this season. She scored 17 points on 6 of 12 shooting at NNU on Saturday. Taylor grabbed two rebounds with two assists and one steal. In the two exhibition games, Taylor averaged 12.0 points per game and shot 55.6 percent from beyond the arc.

Opponent Info: Concordia
• Concordia enters this week's play at 2-0 on the season and 2-0 at home.
• The Cavaliers have wins over Cal State Monterey Bay and Stanislaus State.
• Briannah Smith averages 10.0 points per game to lead the team.
• Concordia leads the all-time series 2-1. The teams have never met in Portland.
• After dropping games in 2001 and 2002, the Griffins defeated the Cavaliers in 2010.

Opponent Info: Saint Martin's
• Saint Martin's starts the week at 1-1 overall and 1-1 on a neutral court.
• The Saints lost to Cal State East Bay and defeated San Francisco State.
• Hannah Reynolds leads the team in scoring at 8.5 points per game.
• Saint Martin's leads the all-time series 1-0.
• The Saints defeated the Griffins 55-52 in 2000 at Payne Gymnasium.

Following the Griffins
Make sure to like Westminster Griffins on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and You Tube for the latest news about the Griffins. Game updates are provided on Twitter by following @wc_griffins. Fans can stay connected with Westminster women's basketball by following @westminster_womens_basketball on Instagram.

Looking Ahead
The Griffins will play at home for the first time this season when they host Dixie State on November 25. The action with against the in-state rival begins at 2 p.m. MST in the Behnken Field House. Tickets for the game are available at WestminsterGriffins.com/tickets.