SLIAC Game of the Week - Dec. 31
The SLIAC Game of the Week is a weekly feature that highlights a key match-up this week for a SLIAC conference member. This week's feature game is a cross town men's and women's basketball double header between Webster University and Washington University on Saturday, January 4 at the Wash U Field House.
At a
Glance
This week's featured games are a men's and women's basketball
double header between Webster University and Washington
University-St. Louis. The two schools, both NCAA Division III
institutions, are located less than five miles from each other. The
Webster women enter the game at 5-4 overall while Wash U is
currently 8-1 overall and ranked #2 in the nation. Game time is set
for 1 p.m. The men's game pits 5-4 Webster against #9 ranked Wash U
who is currently 7-2 overall and will start at 3 p.m.
About Webster Women
Webster is 5-4 this season and is playing their first game since a
66-60 loss to Pomona-Pitzer. The Gorloks are averaging 69.8 points
per game. They have limited their opponents to 63.7 points per game
and are out rebounding them by 6.3 per game. The Gorloks are
shooting 37-percent from the floor and average 9.8 steals per
game.
Webster is led by Courtney Pursley who is averaging 16.0 points and 11.3 rebounds per game, both team highs. Britt Harris-Conway is averaging 13.0 points per game and leads the team in field-goal percentage at 53-percent. Cassie Endicott is the third Gorlok averaging in double figures in scoring at 11.3 points per game and is second on the team in rebounding at 7.2 per game.
About Webster
Men
Webster is 5-4 this season and is coming off a 68-67 win over
Monmouth on December 20. That win snapped a two game losing streak
by the Gorloks. Webster is averaging 75.1 points per game this
season, shooting 49-percent from the field.
Ahmad Smith is leading the Gorloks in scoring this season at 16.1 points per game. He has knocked down a team high 15 three-pointers and is averaging 3.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. Forward Kevin Miller is averaging 14.7 points and leads the team with 8.4 rebounds per game. Miller is shooting 54-percent from the field and provides the Gorloks with an inside presence. Hollis Edwards has run an effective point, averaging 8.2 points and 3.9 assists per game. He also leads the conference in steals with 31.
About Washington Women
The Lady Bears start this week with an 8-1 overall record and
ranked #2 in the latest national poll. They will face Millikin
University on the road December 31 before hosting Webster on
Saturday. The Lady Bears only loss this season was a 74-62 game to
#1 ranked DePauw University on December 1.
Wash U is averaging 75.7 points per game and allowing just 56.9 points per game. They are out rebounding their opponents by nearly 11 per game and force nearly 20 turnovers per game. The Lady Bears are shooting 43-percent from the field and use a balanced scoring attack with five players averaging at least 8.7 points per game. Their offensive attack is spearheaded by Melissa Gilkey who is the lone player averaging in double figures at 15.4 points per game. She is also the team's leading rebounder at 7.4 per game and is shooting 51-percent from the field.
About
Washington Men
Washington University starts the week with a 7-2 record and are
ranked #9 in latest national poll. By the time Saturday's game
rolls around the Bears will be on their third game of the week,
having played Fontbonne on Monday and Wheaton College on Thursday.
The Bears last loss was on December 7 against #5 ranked Illinois
Wesleyan.
Wash U is averaging 80.4 points per game this season, shooting 49-percent from the field. They shoot 37-percent from three-point range as a team and are out rebounding their opponents by nearly nine rebounds per game. The Bears feature four players who average double figures in scoring, led by Alan Aboona at 17.9 points per game. Aboona also tops the team with 46 assists and has knocked down 28 three-pointers this season. Matt Palucki is averaging 10.4 points and a team best 7.3 rebounds per game.
Game Notes
- The Washington University women's team leads the all-time series against Webster 13-1.
- The lone win for Webster in the series match-up was in the 2004-05 season when the Gorloks won 77-57.
- This will be the Washington-St. Louis women's third meeting against a SLIAC team this season. They have already defeated Spalding (88-57) and Fontbonne (83-53) this season.
- The Washington University men's team leads the all-time series against Webster 19-2
- Webster's last win over Washington-St. Louis was in the 2010-11 season when Webster won 61-58 over the Bears.
- The Webster men are averaging 11.1 steals per game, which is tops in the SLIAC.
