Westminster Plays Exhibition at Utah State; Opens Season at NNU
The Westminster women's basketball team has two games on the agenda this weekend, including the season's first regular season contest. The Griffins will play an exhibition game against Utah State on Friday at noon in Logan, Utah. They will then open the 2016-17 season on Saturday at Northwest Nazarene in Nampa, Idaho, at 5 p.m.
 
Live video will be available during both games of the road trip with the content being produced by the host institution. Live stats will also be available each game. Links for all of the live features can be found on the calendar at WestminsterGriffins.com/live.
 
Fast Break
> Westminster went 6-3 over the final nine games of last season.
> The Griffins finished 5-8 in road games.
> Utah State defeated the Griffins, 74-67, in an exhibition game last November.
> Westminster claimed an 88-60 win against Northwest Nazarene last season in SLC.
 
About the Griffins
Westminster will begin its second season of play at the NCAA Division II level and as a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference on Saturday. 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 Griffins dropped an exhibition game at BYU on November 2 by a score of 77-59. Sydnee Taylor led the team with 13 points while Sicilee Williams and Denise Gonzalez scored nine points apiece.
 
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.
 
Along with leading the team in scoring, Vale made a team-high 48 three-pointers and shot 33.8 percent from beyond the arc. Gonzalez led the team with 87 assists and 40 steals while shooting 35 percent from three.
 
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 the 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.
 
Opponent Info: Utah State
• Utah State went 14-17 overall last season and 8-10 in Mountain West play.
• They return six players and two starters from that team.
• Rachel Brewster and Eliza West led the Aggies with 12 points each in an exhibition win over CSU-Pueblo on Sunday.
• The teams have never met in a counter game for the Griffins. Utah State has won an exhibition game in each of the past two seasons.
• Friday's game is the season-opener for the Aggies.
 
Opponent Info: Northwest Nazarene
• NNU finished 12-15 last season and was fifth in the GNAC at 10-10.
• The Crusaders return none players for first-year head coach Steve Steele.
• Ellie Logan scored 22 points in an exhibition win over Eastern Oregon on November 2.
• NNU defeated Eastern Oregon, 83-81, and fell at Oregon State, 51-78, in two exhibition games.
• NNU leads the all-time series with the Griffins, 2-1. Westminster is 0-2 in Nampa. The Griffins defeated the Crusaders 88-60 last season in the Behnken Field House.
 
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
Westminster remains on the road next weekend as they travel to Portland, Ore., to play a pair of games at the Concordia Classic. The Griffins will face tournament host Concordia on November 18 at 8 p.m. MT. They will then play Saint Martin's on November 19 at 3 p.m. MT.