STOCKTON, Calif. – The Pacific women's basketball team will officially begin the 2019-20 regular season when they host University of Missouri-Kansas City in a first-round game of the Preseason WNIT tournament at the Alex G. Spanos Center on Friday night.
After defeating UC Merced, 80-44, in an exhibition on Nov. 1, the Tigers will look to keep their momentum rolling early in their matchup with the Roos.
GAME INFORMATION:
vs. University of Missouri-Kansas City
Friday, November 8, 2019 | 7:00 pm
Alex G. Spanos Center | Stockton, Calif.
Live Stream |
Live Stats
LAST SEASON:
- The Tigers finished the 2018-2019 season with their first winning record since 2014-15, posting an overall record of 19-13. Pacific would also notch a 10-8 record in WCC play, tying Loyola Marymount for fifth place in the final conference standings.
- Valerie Higgins was the WCC Defensive Player of the Year last season after collecting 289 total boards, 99 steals and 38 blocks. Additionally, the redshirt junior from Granada Hills, Calif. earned a spot on the All-WCC First Team after finishing with averages of 17.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 3.1 steals and 1.2 blocks in her first year with the Orange and Black. Overall, her 550 total points last year ranked second all-time in program history for points in a single season.
- After starting all 32 games as a sophomore for the Tigers last season, Brooklyn McDavid was named to the 2019 All-WCC Second Team following averages of 15.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and a 45% shooting percentage.
- The Tigers played in the Postseason WNIT for the fifth time in school history last season, defeating Fresno State in the opening round before falling to the eventual champion, University of Arizona.
MAKING STRIDES:
- Pacific will be playing in the Preseason WNIT for the second time in program history, with the Tigers last appearance coming in an 81-54 opening round loss to New Mexico in 2001. This season's field will include 2019 NCAA participants — Boise State, DePaul, Missouri State, Oregon State and Portland State as the event runs through Sunday, Nov. 17, when the champion will be crowned.
- UOP earned an invitation into the tournament following a stellar turnaround in 2018-19, which saw the Tigers win 19 total games (four more wins than the previous season) and 10 WCC games (three more than the previous season).
- The Tigers are aiming to advance to the semifinal round of the WCC tournament for the second time in three years after reaching the third round of the tournament last season before falling to Pepperdine. Pacific has won at least one WCC tournament game the previous three years, with their deepest run coming in the 2017-18 season, when they were defeated by San Diego in the semifinal round.
STARTING OUT STRONG:
- Following an excellent season in her first year at Pacific, Higgins was selected to the 2019-20 Preseason All-WCC Team at the Conference's annual media day in Las Vegas, Nevada on Oct. 2.
- Just like Higgins, McDavid was also named to the 2019-20 Preseason All-WCC Team. Additionally, the Studio City native was selected as one of twenty players for the 2020 Katrina McClain Award Watch List. Named after the two-time All-American and 1987 National Player of the Year, the annual award in its third year recognizes the top power forward in women's NCAA Division I college basketball.
NEW TIGERS:
FOLLOW US: For more updates and more information on the 2019-20 Pacific women's basketball team, be sure to follow @Pacific_Hoops on Twitter, @pacificwbb on Instagram and @PacificWomensBasketball on Facebook.
