Simon Fraser University faces a gauntlet of opposition in its quest for top spot in Great Northwest conference women’s basketball.
The Clan split its weekend schedule, falling 73-71 to first-place Saint Martin’s in Lacey, Washington on Jan. 16. SFU then got past Western Oregon 56-47 on Saturday to improve its conference record to 4-3.
While on the plus side of the ledger, SFU still trails five separate schools in the conference standings, including Alaska Anchorage, Montana State Billings, Saint Martin’s and Western Washington, all tied with a similar 5-2 record.
Seattle Pacific is currently tied with the Clan, but holds an edge with a win over SFU earlier in the season.
Against Saint Martin’s trailed by as many as 11 points early in the second half before making a game of it down the stretch.
Freshman Ariana Sider of New Westminster gave SFU its first lead of the half on a three-point bucket.
Junior Katie Lowen put the visitors up 63-59 with a successful trey, before finishing the game with 15 points, five rebounds and four steals.
But a turnover, one of 26 committed by the Clan in the game, allowed Saint Martin’s to tie the game and eventually take a four-point lead.
Junior guard Erin Chambers had a game-high 25 points for the Clan. Freshman Ellen Kett led the Clan in assists with six, while sophomore Meg Wilson had a team-best seven rebounds.
Against Western Oregon, Rebecca Langmead scored 10 points and had 13 rebounds. Lowen led all scorers with 18 points, while Chambers chipped in with 11.
If the Clan wants to be a presence in the conference this season, the team need look no farther than the last two weeks in January, when it meets three of the top-five teams in the next two weeks.
SFU is at home this week to Alaska Fairbanks on Thursday, before hosting first-place Anchorage on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Next up at the West Gym are Seattle Pacific and Montana State-Billings the following weekend.
