SPOKANE, Wash. – The Whitworth University women's basketball team will focus on Northwest Conference games the rest of the way in the 2022-23 season, beginning with Lewis & Clark and Pacific at home this weekend. The Pirates host L&C on Friday at 6:00 in a game that will be televised locally on SWX. Saturday's contest against the Boxers starts at 4:00 pm. Both can be heard live on KSBN radio (1230 am) as part of women's-men's doubleheaders.
Check the Whitworth women's basketball schedule for live links to this weekend's action.
Tickets: Digital tickets are required for entrance to the Whitworth Fieldhouse for all fans. Tickets can be purchased in advance using the Hometown Ticketing App. Follow the Tickets link on the schedule for access. Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for senior adults, non-Whitworth students and children. Whitworth students, as well as faculty and staff, get free admission by using an ID number.
The Pirates: Whitworth (4-7) lost its final non-conference game of the season to California Lutheran on December 29th in the Fieldhouse. The Pirates led 30-29 at halftime but committed 30 turnovers, leading to 35 points off turnovers in the 66-47 setback. Whitworth made only 15 of 57 (25.4%) shots from the floor. Olivia Mayer had 13 points and 11 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season. Quincy McDeid added 10 points, while Kimberly Dewey had eight points and seven boards.
The Opponents: Lewis & Clark is 1-10 overall and 0-2 in the Northwest Conference under second-year head coach Ann Dorris. The Pioneers have not played since a three-game set in Southern California Dec. 16-19 and L&C dropped all three games. Junior guard Karli Mulkai leads the team in scoring at 15.0 points per game. Jamison Richards, another junior guard, adds 13.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest. Charlotte Carroll (Jr., F), averages a double-double (11.2 ppg / 10.7 rpg) and ranks second in the NWC in rebounding. Whitworth split with L&C last season, losing 55-50 in Portland but winning 74-55 at home in the season finale.
Pacific (Ore.) comes into the weekend tied for first in the NWC at 9-2 overall and 2-0 in the conference. The Boxers defeated Alma (Mich.) 59-50 at home on December 29th in their final non-conference contest and will play at Whitman on Friday night before coming to Spokane. Head coach Alecia Parker is in her fifth season. A pair of stellar guards have led Pacific. Brilie Kovaloff (Jr.), a first team All-NWC honoree in 2021-22, averages 16.0 points per game. Rilee Price (Sr.) contributes nine points, 3.7 assists and 3.2 rebounds per contest. The Boxers have won four games in a row over the Pirates, including a 67-57 win in Spokane and a 69-66 win in Oregon last season.
Pirates picked 6th in 2022-23: Whitworth was sixth in the NWC's preseason coaches poll with 27 points. The Pirates are coming off a seventh place finish in 2021-22 after finishing 10-15 overall and 5-11 in the NWC. Puget Sound (61 points, 5 first place votes) edged Whitman (58 points, 4 first place votes) for first place in the poll.
McDeid Gets It Done: Quincy McDeid has been a part of the Whitworth starting lineup since her first year. McDeid has started 64 of the 68 games over her four seasons and has never missed a contest in that time. McDeid has averaged double figures in scoring, with a career scoring average of 12.2 points per game. She has 840 points and has a chance to become the 14th player in Pirate women's basketball history to surpass 1,000 career points. She currently leads the NWC in free throw percentage (89.7%).
Mayer Makes it Happen: Olivia Mayer is already off to a better start then her phenomenal first season at Whitworth. She leads the Northwest Conference in scoring (17.1 ppg), rebounding (12.6 rpg) and double-doubles (9). She has made 45-51 (88.2%) from the free throw line.
Last season Mayer averaged 11.8 points per game and 6.0 rebounds per game. She led the team in steals (32). In just Northwest Conference games only, her stats were even better with averages 13.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game against NWC opponents. She claimed honorable mention All-NWC recognition.
Don't Foul 'Em: Whitworth leads the Northwest Conference and ranks ninth in all of NCAA DIII in team free throw percentage (75.7%).
On the Air Again: Many of Whitworth's games are once again carried live this season on KSBN 1230am in Spokane. The broadcast schedule includes non-conference games against Walla Walla and California Lutheran and all Northwest Conference contests. The relationship between Pirate athletics and KSBN goes back to 1994, a span of more than 25 years. Bud Nameck is in his eighth season as the voice of Whitworth basketball. Nameck has more than 30 years of experience calling college basketball at Gonzaga University and Washington State.
The Coach: Kenny Love is in his first season guiding the Pirate women. He moved over from the men's coaching staff, where he was an assistant coach since 2017 and was involved in all aspects of the men's team operation, including scouting, recruiting, budget management, conditioning and summer camp organization. Love is a former Pirate player who claimed first team All-NWC recognition three times and was the 2015 NWC Player of the Year.
Looking Ahead: Whitworth will play at Whitman on Tuesday and then host George Fox on Saturday next week.
