NU vs. Oregon Tech

Saturday | Jan. 1 | Krisit Brodin Pavilion

NU vs. Southern Oregon

Sunday | Jan. 2 | Kristi Brodin Pavilion

Game Notes | Live Stats and Stream | Cascade Conference WBB

KIRKLAND – Northwest plays its first games of 2022 this weekend with Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon visiting. The Eagles take on Oregon Tech at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Southern Oregon at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
 
The games were originally scheduled for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, but poor travel conditions forced a one-day postponement.
 
In compliance with King County's mandate, Northwest University requires proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test, administered by a professional, within 72 hours of the scheduled start time.  
 
NU is back in action for the first time since Dec. 18 when they grabbed a 64-45 road win at Multnomah. Livi Lindsey and Sam VanLoo had 13 points each. Grace Meza shared the rebound lead with VanLoo with seven and the steals lead with Lindsey with three.
 
Northwest goes into the game at 10-2 overall. It is the earliest an NU women's basketball team has reached 10 wins. The previous best was the 2010-11 team's 10-4 start.
 
VanLoo is knocking down field goals at 56.9 percent accuracy, which is the second-best percentage in the Cascade Collegiate Conference. She also is second with 2.0 blocks per game.
 
Meza is getting 7.3 rebounds per game, leading the team, over the last three games. VanLoo has begun to hit her stride as well, averaging 13.7 points and 2.7 blocks per game. The Eagles are also killing it at the free-throw line, shooting 76 percent from the stripe.  
 
The Eagles are 19^th in the nation, allowing 55.8 points per game. Teams are shooting just over 24 percent from three-point range against Northwest, which ranks the Eagles' three-point defense at No. 11.
 
The Eagles snapped a 13-game slide in the series with Oregon Tech the last time the teams met in January 2020. VanLoo had 14 points, DuChesne added 13, and Lindsey had 10 for NU. Maddyson Tull had 10 for the Owls. OIT has a 28-8 lead in the series.
 
Oregon Tech is 8-4 overall and 1-4 in the Cascade Collegiate Conference after having to take a Covid-19 forfeit against Bushnell on Dec. 18. The Owls won with five players at home against Corban on Dec. 17. Tull leads Oregon Tech with 13 points per game. Shelby Blodgett averages 12 points and 6.3 rebounds. OIT is ninth nationally in field goal percentage at 47.1. Oregon Tech leads the NAIA in rebound margin at 15.5.
 
Northwest snapped a 13-game skid in the series with Southern Oregon the last time the teams met in Kirkland–December 2019. Sam VanLoo had 30 points and nine rebounds in that win. Syd'Nee Fryar had 22 points and 10 rebounds for SOU. The Raiders are 30-9 in the series with Northwest.
 
Southern Oregon sits atop the Cascade Collegiate Conference at 5-0 with a 12-1 overall record heading into Saturday's game at Evergreen State for their first conference road game. Kami Walk leads the team with 17.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. The Raiders are 13^th nationally with 13.5 steals per game.