Women's Basketball Set For Pivotal Matchups vs. CSUN & UCSB

RIVERSIDE, Calif.—As conference play winds down, every week becomes more important. However, this week for the UC Riverside Women's Basketball team may be the biggest of them all. The Highlanders have the chance to heavily alter their seeding in the Big West Tournament. UCR plays CSUN on Thursday and then UCSB on Saturday.

The Highlanders (14-12) and Matadors (14-12) currently sit tied for second place with an 8-4 record. In the previous matchup on Jan. 19 in Northridge, the Highlanders took a 69-56 loss. Malou De Kergret scored a team-high 20 points. Two other Highlanders scored in double digits, but Jannon Otto was held to just four points.

The Highlanders have a definite advantage playing at home. The team is 7-2 at home and 6-7 on the road this season.

In their previous matchup against the Gauchos (3-10, 6-20) at home on Feb. 2, the Highlanders picked up a 73-60 win. The team was able to hold UCSB to just three points in the first quarter and were led by Otto, who tallied 26 points, and De Kergret, who scored 20 points.

UCR has been on quite a run as of late. The team has tallied three straight wins, with the last two coming in dramatic fashion. The team won a 75-68 double overtime thriller last Thursday vs. Cal Poly and then beat UC Irvine 66-65 on a last-second three-pointer by Tianna Eaton.

Will that same magic continue this week? Only time will tell.

BIG WEST HARDWARE
Freshman Daphne Gnago won Big West Player of the Week on Monday. Gnago averaged 13.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals in the wins vs. Cal Poly and UC Irvine. She combined to shoot an impressive 75 percent (12-of-16) from the field.

BLOCK PARTY
The Highlanders have 124 blocked shots on the season, with an average of 4.8 per game, which is second in the Big West. Marina Ewodo had 45 of those and is averaging 1.7 blocks per game. The team has out-blocked opponents 121-46.

KNOCKING 'EM DOWN
The Highlanders lead the Big West in free throw percentage at .812. Jannon Otto leads the conference in free throw percentage at .879 percent. Malou De Kergret is second with .857 percent.

IRON WOMEN
Four student-athletes are in the Top 10 in minutes played during conference (3-6-8-9): Marina Ewodo (35.5), Malou De Kergret (35.1), Keilanei Cooper (34.7) and Jannon Otto (34.0).

OTTO-MATIC
Jannon Otto is averaging 18.8 points per game in conference, which is third in the Big West. Otto is second in the conference in field goal percentage (.525).

STEALS GALORE
The Highlanders are second in the Big West in steals. Through 12 games, the team has 121 steals (10.1 per game). Keilanei Cooper is second in the Big West in steals/game with 2.2.