COMING UP: The Evergreen State College opens the second half of the Cascade Collegiate Conference women's basketball schedule this weekend with two games in Oregon. The Geoducks (10-6 overall, 4-5 CCC) play at Northwest Christian (7-10, 3-6) in Eugene on Friday and against Corban (12-9, 6-3) in Salem on Saturday.
 
FOLLOW THE GEODUCKS: Video streams and live stats for the games are available.
NCU Video stream - http://gobeacons.com/sports/2011/9/9/GEN_0909112340.aspx?&tab=2
NCU Live stats - http://www.nwcu.edu/livestats/mbb/XLIVE.HTM
Corban: Video stream and live stats - http://portal.stretchinternet.com/corban/
 
ABOUT THE GEODUCKS: One look at the conference statistics shows Evergreen's Brittany Gray atop the scoring chart with 15.9 points per game, but with her eligibility done the Geoducks are quickly learning to fill in wherever and however they can. Sadee Jones, a 5-6 senior post, is piling up double-doubles and averages 14.6 points (third best in the CCC) and 9.6 rebounds (second best) per game. LaNiecia Weatherspoon, a junior guard, averages 13.6 points (sixth) and 6.5 rebounds (12th). Junior post Uriah Thomas has moved into Gray's starting post role and has been outstanding with a .476 shooting percentage while increasing her scoring average to 7.8 points per game. Senior guard Natasha Trinidad has started all 16 games, averages 6.1 points and leads the team in steals, and senior point guard Randi Boseman is fourth in the CCC with 4.1 assists per game. Junior guard Karina Gee has become the team's primary long-range shooter with 37 percent accuracy beyond the three-point line. Irene Moore, a track & field standout, joined the squad halfway through the season and provides a major boost of energy and defensive intensity. All of that has worked well for the Geoducks, now 10-6 overall and 4-5 in the conference. It has worked so well, in fact, that the Evergreen women were named the…
 
CCC TEAM OF THE WEEK: The Cascade Collegiate Conference has selected The Evergreen State College's women's basketball team as the Adidas Team of the Week for January 12-18. "We have committed to the process of improving defensively, as well as buying into doing the little things on offense such as setting screens, boxing out and finding shooters. When we stick to the game plan we are really good. Again, it takes the whole team for us to be great," Evergreen head coach Jennifer Schooler said.
 
NOT THE ONLY HONOR: The women's team award was not the only one received by Evergreen this week. Sadee Jones earned CCC Red Lion Player of the Week recognition after leading the Geoducks to home victories over Concordia and Warner Pacific. Jones becomes the first women's basketball player from any team to win the conference award for the second time this season. She was previously honored for the week of Nov. 24-30 after a double-double performance in an Evergreen victory over New Hope Christian. The conference has presented the Red Lion Women's Basketball Player of the Week award 11 times during the 2014-15 campaign and four of those have gone to Evergreen players. In addition to Jones being honored twice, LaNiecia Weatherspoon (Nov.10-16) and Brittany Gray (Dec. 8-14) have been recognized.
 
WHERE THEY RANK: Evergreen is ranked in the NAIA Division II women's hoops top 20 in four different categories. It is 11th in defensive rebounds per game (34.4), 15th in rebound margin (+7.75), 19th in scoring defense (58.8), and 20th in offensive rebounds per game (14.9). Individually, Sadee Jones ranks seventh in offensive rebounds per game (4.375) and 19th in total rebounds per game (9.6).
 
ABOUT NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN: Northwest Christian's 3-6 conference record belies the Beacons' ability to get big wins on their home court. While they are just 4-5 at home, two of those victories have come against the two teams tied atop the Cascade Conference standings. They defeated Southern Oregon, 95-92, and Eastern Oregon, 70-57, and those clubs are 7-2 in the CCC. Since starting the conference season with a 1-4 record, the Beacons have won twice and lost twice. This is an extremely balanced team on offense with six players averaging at least 7.5 points per game and none of them in double figures. Senior guard Hannah Frederick leads with 9.8 points per game, followed by 6-2 junior post Chandler Gabrio and senior forward Melyssa Weber at 9.4. Gabrio leads rebounding with 5.6 per game, just ahead of junior forward MeShel Rad at 5.4 per game. For the season NCU is averaging 66.2 points while allowing 67.2, and they are a negative 3.3 rebounds per game.
 
THE LAST TIME: The Geoducks shot 46 percent from the field, including a 50 percent mark in the final half, in taking a 65-52 win over the Beacons on Dec. 20 in Olympia. Sadee Jones registered a double-double with 12 points and 16 rebounds, while Brittany Gray added 13 points and eight rebounds. Uriah Thomas scored 12 points, LaNiecia Weatherspoon added 10 points and five assists and Randi Boseman also notched five assists for the victors. Hannah Frederick scored 13 points and Andrea Gloss added 12 for the Beacons, who also got eight points, seven rebounds and three blocks from Demarea Caples.
 
ABOUT CORBAN: The Warriors are a bit of an enigma this season. While they are 6-3 and in third place in the conference, they have won just one of their four conference home games up to this point. A perfect 5-0 road record has helped the Warriors get where they are. There are a trio of players who have played a major role in getting Corban into third place in the standings. Tara Van Weerdhuizen, a 6-2 senior center, averages 13.0 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.4 blocked shots per game. Jade Lowery, a junior guard, is the team's leading scorer with 13.6 points per game and she also shoots 39 percent from beyond the three-point line. One of the conference's most accurate long-range shooters is sophomore forward Sadie Pilgeram, who hits 47 percent from three-point land while averaging 9.7 points per contest. For the season the Warriors average 66.8 points per game while allowing 62.3, and they also have a positive rebound number with an average of 2.6 more rebounds per game than their opponents.
 
THE LAST TIME: Corban held off an Evergreen second half comeback and come away from CRC Gymnasium with a 65-51 victory on Dec. 19. Sadee Jones tallied 13 points and nine rebounds to lead the Geoducks, followed by LaNiecia with 12 points and six boards. Jade Lowery scored 13 points and added a game-high six assists for the victors. Sadie Pilgeram finished with 12 points and Tara Van Weerdhuizen was a force in the paint with 11 points, nine rebounds, one block and several altered shots.
 
EVERGREEN 59, CONCORDIA 55: Uriah Thomas scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds last Friday to lead the Geoducks to a 59-55 win over the Cavaliers at CRC Gymnasium. The Geoducks gave head coach Jennifer Schooler a birthday present with the victory. Thomas was one of four Evergreen players to score in double figures. Sadee Jones tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds while LaNiecia Weatherspoon and Natasha Trinidad both finished with 10 points for Evergreen. Lexi Campbell knocked down a trio of three-point field goals on the way to 14 points for the Cavaliers. The Geoducks shots 37 percent overall (23-for-62) and won the rebound battle, 44-40.
 
EVERGREEN 68, WARNER PACIFIC 57: Sadee Jones picked up her ninth double-double of the season, finishing with 24 points and 10 rebounds in Evergreen's 68-57 home triumph over the Knights. Karina Gee was 3-for-4 from beyond the three-point line, all in the first half, and finished with 15 points, while LaNiecia Weatherspoon ended up with 14 points, six rebounds and three assists. For Warner Pacific, Jordan Wilcox hit a trio of threes on the way to 15 points, while Daesha Jackson added 14 and Lindsay Loe 13 points and seven rebounds.