Photo by: Jacob Gonzalez
Ready for Tipoff
11/3/2016 8:09:00 AM | Women's Basketball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Defending 2015-16 PacWest Champion and preseason favorite California Baptist University tips off the season this weekend, a week earlier than most of the nation, and couldn't be more excited to get after it.
"We're looking forward to having a really good year," said Coach Jarrod Olson, who is one win away from hitting the 100-mark at CBU. "We have a lot of good players returning, but we know we're going to have our hands full with a lot of good teams in the PacWest."
The No. 2-ranked Lancers open at the DII Tipoff Classic in Orange, Calif., Friday against Simon Fraser at 6:15 p.m. The next day, CBU has what might be its toughest competition before postseason in March, as it takes on No. 3 West Texas A&M on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The Lancers conclude the three-day tournament with an 8:30 p.m. tip against University of Mary on Nov. 6.
Five seniors will look to lead the way for the Lancers, with PacWest Preseason Player of the Year Cassidy Mihalko in the front of the charge. The senior guard averaged 19.9 points per game (ranking 20th in the NCAA Division II) and went on a streak of 28-consecutive games where she scored 10 or more points last year.
If teams key in on Mihalko, however, there are other Lancers who can go off. Kamille Diaz and Courtney Nelson each are an offensive threat in their own ways.
Diaz finished last year with 5.8 assists per game, which ranked in the division's top 10, and 15.1 points per game. She set a new PacWest Tournament record on the women's side — tying the men's record — with nine three-pointers made in a single game. It also finally broke CBU's record of eight made triples, which she had tied on numerous occasions.
Nelson, who along with Mihalko was named to the Preseason All-PacWest Team, also averaged double figures with 14.1 points per game. She scored double figures in 25 games, including a string of 15 consecutive games to close out the year.
Erin Asher and Olivia Weber round out the five seniors and like Mihalko and Diaz, have been there from the beginning.
"Their freshman year was kind of a unique situation," said Olson. "It was my second year coaching here at CBU and we had to create a new roster [after losing 10 seniors]. It's been pretty exciting and rewarding to see the growth from those girls and see how they've developed both on and off the court."
Asher will look to spark the offense at point guard and build on last year's momentum. She finished just behind Diaz with 3.6 assists per game and had 39 steals on the year. The senior posted 7.7 points per game, the next best after Mihalko, Diaz and Nelson.
Weber is battling back from an injury but hopes to jump right into the post once she's cleared. Last year, she grabbed 5.1 rebounds per game and had 11 blocks in 14.4 average minutes played.
The Lancers added four newcomers, including three freshmen and junior transfer Tori Mitchell. The six-foot-one center will look to provide some height in the post for CBU after two successful years just down the street at Riverside City College, where she holds the record for most blocks and defensive rebounds in a season.
CBU's first home game is Nov. 17 as the Lancers host Cal State San Bernardino at 7:00 p.m. The Lancers start PacWest action in December with the hopes of defending their title and grabbing their third-straight postseason berth.
"I think our seniors are proud of what they've accomplished so far, but I also think they're aware that they have more things they want to do," said Olson. "There are a lot of goals they want to achieve and we're ready to get started and finish it off."
"We're looking forward to having a really good year," said Coach Jarrod Olson, who is one win away from hitting the 100-mark at CBU. "We have a lot of good players returning, but we know we're going to have our hands full with a lot of good teams in the PacWest."
The No. 2-ranked Lancers open at the DII Tipoff Classic in Orange, Calif., Friday against Simon Fraser at 6:15 p.m. The next day, CBU has what might be its toughest competition before postseason in March, as it takes on No. 3 West Texas A&M on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The Lancers conclude the three-day tournament with an 8:30 p.m. tip against University of Mary on Nov. 6.
Five seniors will look to lead the way for the Lancers, with PacWest Preseason Player of the Year Cassidy Mihalko in the front of the charge. The senior guard averaged 19.9 points per game (ranking 20th in the NCAA Division II) and went on a streak of 28-consecutive games where she scored 10 or more points last year.
If teams key in on Mihalko, however, there are other Lancers who can go off. Kamille Diaz and Courtney Nelson each are an offensive threat in their own ways.
Diaz finished last year with 5.8 assists per game, which ranked in the division's top 10, and 15.1 points per game. She set a new PacWest Tournament record on the women's side — tying the men's record — with nine three-pointers made in a single game. It also finally broke CBU's record of eight made triples, which she had tied on numerous occasions.
Nelson, who along with Mihalko was named to the Preseason All-PacWest Team, also averaged double figures with 14.1 points per game. She scored double figures in 25 games, including a string of 15 consecutive games to close out the year.
Erin Asher and Olivia Weber round out the five seniors and like Mihalko and Diaz, have been there from the beginning.
"Their freshman year was kind of a unique situation," said Olson. "It was my second year coaching here at CBU and we had to create a new roster [after losing 10 seniors]. It's been pretty exciting and rewarding to see the growth from those girls and see how they've developed both on and off the court."
Asher will look to spark the offense at point guard and build on last year's momentum. She finished just behind Diaz with 3.6 assists per game and had 39 steals on the year. The senior posted 7.7 points per game, the next best after Mihalko, Diaz and Nelson.
Weber is battling back from an injury but hopes to jump right into the post once she's cleared. Last year, she grabbed 5.1 rebounds per game and had 11 blocks in 14.4 average minutes played.
The Lancers added four newcomers, including three freshmen and junior transfer Tori Mitchell. The six-foot-one center will look to provide some height in the post for CBU after two successful years just down the street at Riverside City College, where she holds the record for most blocks and defensive rebounds in a season.
CBU's first home game is Nov. 17 as the Lancers host Cal State San Bernardino at 7:00 p.m. The Lancers start PacWest action in December with the hopes of defending their title and grabbing their third-straight postseason berth.
"I think our seniors are proud of what they've accomplished so far, but I also think they're aware that they have more things they want to do," said Olson. "There are a lot of goals they want to achieve and we're ready to get started and finish it off."
Players Mentioned
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