THE AGENDA
The OUAZ women's basketball team opens a stretch of four straight road games this week as they head to southern California for a return to Golden State Athletic Conference action with a pair of games. On Thursday, the Spirit are in Costa Mesa, Calif. to face No. 5 Vanguard at 6:30 p.m. MST. They will then head to El Cajon, Calif. on Saturday when they play San Diego Christian at 2 p.m. MST.

Live video of both games will be available through the host school's Game Central portal and on the NAIA Network. Live stats will also be available during each game. The NAIA Network is available on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku devices by searching NAIA. 

Links for all live coverage is available at OUAZSpirit.com/live.

ABOUT THE SPIRIT
OUAZ starts the week at 6-4 overall after securing a 110-94 win in overtime against Bethesda on Saturday at home. The Spirit are 0-3 in GSAC action and currently tied for eighth in the 10-team league. They are 2-1 in road games this season and 7-3 in their last 10 road games dating back to last season.

The Spirit are averaging 73.6 points per game and they shoot 38.1 percent from the field. They have scored 70-plus points six times this season, including the school record 110 against Bethesda on Saturday. The Spirit shoot 26.2 percent from three while averaging 6.0 makes from beyond the arc per game. They convert 68.6 percent at the foul line and record 13.4 assists with a 0.8 assist-to-turnover ratio.

OUAZ opponents are averaging 68.5 points per game and shooting 36.4 percent from the floor. The Spirit have held the opposition under 70 points five times this season with a 4-1 record in those contests. In school history, OUAZ is 9-0 when holding an opponent under 60 points. 

This season, the opposition shoots 29.5 percent from three with an average of 6.9 makes per game. The Spirit grab 45.5 rebounds per game and they are forcing 21.2 turnovers while averaging 11.2 steals and 2.2 blocks per game.

Bailey Osmer continues to lead the Spirit in scoring at 17.4 points per game to rank fourth in the GSAC. Osmer has scored in double figures nine times, including a school record 36 against Arizona Christian on December 8. She also leads the team with 65 rebounds and 25 steals while adding 26 assists and five blocked shots.

Jorie Mayfield is second on the team in scoring 12.6 points per game. She has scored in double figures in each of the past seven games and she has tallied a double-double in two straight contests. Mayfield averages 6.6 rebounds per game and she leads the team with seven blocked shots.

Alexis Smith scores 12.1 points per game and she has been in double figures six times. She had a career high and then-school record 31 points against Benedictine Mesa on November 8. Smith has totaled 27 assists to go with 55 rebounds and 14 steals.

ABOUT VANGUARD
Vanguard started the season with a No. 1 national ranking and now sits at No. 5 with their 11-2 overall record. The Lions are tied atop the GSAC standings with a 3-0 mark in conference play and they start the week having dropped two straight games. Vanessa Murphy leads the team in scoring at 18.2 points per game.

Thursday will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools with Vanguard coming to Surprise on February 2.

ABOUT SAN DIEGO CHRISTIAN
San Diego Christian begins 2019 with a 6-9 overall record and on an 8-game losing streak. They are tied with OUAZ for eighth in the GSAC with matching 0-3 records. The Hawks are 2-1 at home this year. Henriette Gahming is averaging a team-best 8.4 points per game.

OUAZ leads the all-time series 1-0 after securing a 56-41 win last season on the road. The teams will meet in Surprise on January 31.

LOOKING AHEAD
OUAZ is back on the road next week with a return trip to SoCal. The Spirit are at Hope International on January 10 before visiting Life Pacific on January 12.