University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Saturday, January 14
Greeley, Colo.
2 p.m.
University of Northern Colorado
vs
Portland State
Photo by: Jam David
UNC Concludes Homestand Saturday vs. Portland State
1/13/2023 3:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball
GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado returns to the friendly confines of Bank of Colorado Arena for a pivotal Big Sky clash with Portland State. Opening tip is set for 2 p.m. and an ESPN+ national broadcast.
Series Record
UNC leads the all-time series 21-8 and sport a 12-1 record at home. The Bears have won six-in-a-row in a row in the series and 9-1 over the past 10 games.
Last Time vs. (PSU 2/7/2022)
UNC defeated PSU 93-45 from Bank of Colorado Arena. The 93-45 margin is the most lob-sided result in the series. Five student-athletes scored in double figures, with Micayla Isenbart dropping a game-high 15 points. UNC won in front of the basket and out-rebounded Vikings 48-28 and scored 38 points in the paint.
Winning at the Free-Throw Line
The Bears rank 10th in the country and first in the Big Sky in free-throw percentage and are converting 78.7 percent of their attempts. Hannah Simental is a new guarantee at the charity stripe and sports a 93.8 free-throw percentage, which ranks first in the conference and eighth nationally.
Simental & Company
Simental is the Bears' go-to scorer. The Pueblo native and guard is averaging a team-high 15.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Simental has started and played in each game this season and is shooting 43.4 percent from the field and a dangerous 43.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Delaynie Bryne, a 6-foot-3 forward is busy in front of the basket. The Arvada native averages 12.3 points and a team-high 6.9 rebounds per game. Bryne is known to take high-quality shots and is shooting 45.4 percent from the floor, which is a team-high.
Avree Kleinhans is averaging 9.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, while Gabi Fields is averaging 9.0 points and 3.3 boards per game.
Brief Look vs. PSU
The Vikings are led by Esmeralda Morales. The Sophomore guard averages a team-high 16.9 points and is shooting 49.4 percent from the field. Joining Morales in the backcourt is Jada Lewis. Lewis averages 11.9 points and is an effective 88.9 percent at the free-throw line. The Vikings are averaging 63.1 points per game, while allowing an average of 59.4 points per contest.
Other Notes
Simental Named to All-Big Sky Preseason Team
Simental is poised to challenge the very best in the conference in her junior campaign as positioned by the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference announcement on Thursday.
One of seven individuals recognized by the league, and one of only two non-seniors, Simental averaged 14.7 points per game last season to not only lead the Bears, but to rank No. 6 in the conference ledger.
An elite shooter from long range, Simental led the conference and was ranked No. 14 in the NCAA DI with a 42.3 percentage from deep. In addition, her 90.6 percent conversion rate from the free throw line stood as the No. 5 mark in the nation.
Simental was named to the Big Sky All-Tournament Team last season after guiding the Bears to a pair of postseason wins, including a 72-54 rout over No. 1-seeded Idaho State.
Bears Ink Tatum West
Coach Mattio welcomes yet another talent to their roster with the addition of Tatum West.
West will make her way to Greeley next fall by way of Combine, Texas and will bring a long list of accolades with her to Northern Colorado after becoming a four-year letterwinner for Crandall High School.
West is also the No. 22 ranked recruit in the state of Texas for the 2023 class according to Jason Keys and Premier Basketball. In her junior season, West averaged 16.9 points per game and 12 rebounds.
The 6-foot-1 forward was also named First Team All-District three times, was voted Newcomer of the Year her freshman season, and earned District Defensive MVP last season. She is also a two-time Team MVP and Offensive MVP and surpassed the 1,000-point mark in her high school career last season.
In addition to her prolific high school career, West played AAU basketball for Higher Goals, one of the top AAU programs in Texas.
West chose UNC over multiple institutions including Montana State, Tarleton State, Incarnate Word, Texas State, New Mexico State, Fresno State, Binghamton, and the University of Pennsylvania.
Series Record
UNC leads the all-time series 21-8 and sport a 12-1 record at home. The Bears have won six-in-a-row in a row in the series and 9-1 over the past 10 games.
Last Time vs. (PSU 2/7/2022)
UNC defeated PSU 93-45 from Bank of Colorado Arena. The 93-45 margin is the most lob-sided result in the series. Five student-athletes scored in double figures, with Micayla Isenbart dropping a game-high 15 points. UNC won in front of the basket and out-rebounded Vikings 48-28 and scored 38 points in the paint.
Winning at the Free-Throw Line
The Bears rank 10th in the country and first in the Big Sky in free-throw percentage and are converting 78.7 percent of their attempts. Hannah Simental is a new guarantee at the charity stripe and sports a 93.8 free-throw percentage, which ranks first in the conference and eighth nationally.
Simental & Company
Simental is the Bears' go-to scorer. The Pueblo native and guard is averaging a team-high 15.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. Simental has started and played in each game this season and is shooting 43.4 percent from the field and a dangerous 43.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Delaynie Bryne, a 6-foot-3 forward is busy in front of the basket. The Arvada native averages 12.3 points and a team-high 6.9 rebounds per game. Bryne is known to take high-quality shots and is shooting 45.4 percent from the floor, which is a team-high.
Avree Kleinhans is averaging 9.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, while Gabi Fields is averaging 9.0 points and 3.3 boards per game.
Brief Look vs. PSU
The Vikings are led by Esmeralda Morales. The Sophomore guard averages a team-high 16.9 points and is shooting 49.4 percent from the field. Joining Morales in the backcourt is Jada Lewis. Lewis averages 11.9 points and is an effective 88.9 percent at the free-throw line. The Vikings are averaging 63.1 points per game, while allowing an average of 59.4 points per contest.
Other Notes
Simental Named to All-Big Sky Preseason Team
Simental is poised to challenge the very best in the conference in her junior campaign as positioned by the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference announcement on Thursday.
One of seven individuals recognized by the league, and one of only two non-seniors, Simental averaged 14.7 points per game last season to not only lead the Bears, but to rank No. 6 in the conference ledger.
An elite shooter from long range, Simental led the conference and was ranked No. 14 in the NCAA DI with a 42.3 percentage from deep. In addition, her 90.6 percent conversion rate from the free throw line stood as the No. 5 mark in the nation.
Simental was named to the Big Sky All-Tournament Team last season after guiding the Bears to a pair of postseason wins, including a 72-54 rout over No. 1-seeded Idaho State.
Bears Ink Tatum West
Coach Mattio welcomes yet another talent to their roster with the addition of Tatum West.
West will make her way to Greeley next fall by way of Combine, Texas and will bring a long list of accolades with her to Northern Colorado after becoming a four-year letterwinner for Crandall High School.
West is also the No. 22 ranked recruit in the state of Texas for the 2023 class according to Jason Keys and Premier Basketball. In her junior season, West averaged 16.9 points per game and 12 rebounds.
The 6-foot-1 forward was also named First Team All-District three times, was voted Newcomer of the Year her freshman season, and earned District Defensive MVP last season. She is also a two-time Team MVP and Offensive MVP and surpassed the 1,000-point mark in her high school career last season.
In addition to her prolific high school career, West played AAU basketball for Higher Goals, one of the top AAU programs in Texas.
West chose UNC over multiple institutions including Montana State, Tarleton State, Incarnate Word, Texas State, New Mexico State, Fresno State, Binghamton, and the University of Pennsylvania.
Players Mentioned
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