The Northwest Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Championships get underway Thursday at the Walt Price Fitness Center on the campus of Everett Community College. Here is a breakdown of the tournament:
FAVORITES
Umpqua. The Riverhawks (29-0) are the only undefeated team in the NWAC, the unanimous No. 1 team in the NWAC coaches poll, and have played just six games this season that were decided by single digits. Umpqua is hoping this is the year after finishing as the runner-up each of the past two seasons.
Walla Walla. If there’s a team that can stop Umpqua’s march to the title it’s probably the Warriors (26-2). Walla Walla is ranked second in the NWAC coaches poll and has a history of doing well at the NWAC tournament — the Warriors beat Umpqua for the title two years ago.
Lane. The Titans (23-6) lost to Umpqua both times the teams played during the regular season. But Lane, ranked No. 3 in the NWAC coaches poll, was within four points in the fourth quarter of both contests against the Riverhawks.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Brooke Bullock, Clackamas. The 5-foot-9 freshman guard averages 18.2 points and 11.3 rebounds per game, making her the only player in the NWAC to rank in the top six in both categories.
Cherita Daugherty, Lower Columbia. The 5-9 sophomore guard is a former University of Idaho player who can do it all. This season she’s averaging 9.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.4 steals per game.
Hannah Hezekiah, Everett. The 5-9 sophomore forward, who’s a Mariner High School graduate and was the 2018-19 North Region MVP, is averaging 17.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game.
FORMAT
Single elimination.
ADMISSION
Day passes are $17 for adults, $9 for students and seniors, $8 for ages 7 -12, and free for 6 and under and military.
ON THE WEB
All games will be streamed live on the NWAC Sports Network at nwacsportsnetwork.com.
SCHEDULE
Thursday
Game 1: West No. 3 Tacoma (12-14) vs. East No. 2 Wenatchee Valley (20-9), 8 a.m.
Game 2: South No. 4 Mt. Hood (18-10) vs. North No. 1 Whatcom (21-8), 10 a.m.
Game 3: East No. 3 North Idaho (17-10) vs. West No. 2 Lower Columbia (21-8), 12 p.m.
Game 4: North No. 4 Everett (15-15) vs. South No. 1 Umpqua (29-0), 2 p.m.
Game 5: North No. 3 Bellevue (18-6) vs. South No. 2 Lane (23-6), 4 p.m.
Game 6: East No. 4 Yakima Valley (21-8) vs. West No. 1 Centralia (21-7), 6 p.m.
Game 7: West No. 4 Highline (10-14) vs. East No. 1 Walla Walla (26-2), 8 p.m.
Game 8: South No. 3 Clackamas (21-6) vs. North No. 2 Peninsula (18-7), 10 p.m.
Friday
Game 9: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 1 p.m.
Game 10: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 3 p.m.
Game 11: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 5 p.m.
Game 12: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 7 p.m.
March 14
Game 13: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 1 p.m.
Game 14: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, 3 p.m.
March 15
Championship: Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner, 2 p.m.
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