Women's Basketball 10/31/2022 10:00:00 AM

2022-23 Women's Basketball Notes -- Week 1

THE WEEK AHEAD
The sixth season of OUAZ women's basketball will tipoff this week with a busy slate of four games in six days. OUAZ begins the new season on Tuesday evening in Prescott against Embry-Riddle at 5:30 p.m. The Spirit will then play three straight 6 p.m. games at Faith Arena, starting on Thursday against SAGU American Indian College. The stretch continues on Friday with the first of two visits from Benedictine Mesa and then on Monday with the rematch with Embry-Riddle.

OPENING TIP
The 2022-23 Spirit return eight players from last season's group that finished with a 6-21 overall record and ninth in the GSAC after posting a 3-15 mark in conference play. The returning players feature three regular starters and five that appeared in at least 15 games.

With that experience returning, they accounted for 60 percent of the team's total points scored in 2021-22. They played 57 percent of the total minutes while collecting 54 percent of the team's rebounds.

Seven newcomers and one redshirt are also on the roster heading into the season opener on Tuesday. In total, there are one junior, 10 sophomores, and five freshmen.

ABOUT THE SPIRIT
The 2021-22 Spirit averaged 48.0 points per game on 31.6 percent shooting. They scored 70-plus points in a game five times during the season.

In making 4.6 3-pointers per game last season, the Spirit shot 25.4 percent from beyond the arc. They made at least one three in every game and twice made 10 in a game.

SEASON OPENERS
OUAZ enters Tuesday's season opener with a 3-2 record all-time in the first game of the season. The Spirit won the first three season openers but have now lost two straight.

FAST START HELPFUL
In the program's first five years, getting out to a halftime lead has been key to the Spirit earning a win. Entering the new season, OUAZ is 32-5 all-time when entering the halftime break with the lead. In contrast, they have just five wins when trailing at the break.

SPIRIT LEADERS
Makayla Holthaus was the OUAZ leading scorer last season, with 212 points at an average of 9.2 points per game. In her career, Holthaus has scored in double figures 15 times with a career-high of 21 points.

Marlee Johnson was third on the team last season – and second among returners – with 169 points. Johnson led all the returners with 24 made 3-pointers and 45 assists.

Johnson has played 36 games and 832 minutes in her OUAZ career to lead all eight returners. She ranks in the top 10 in program history in each category while also sitting sixth all-time with 28 games started.

Cierra Kiser scored 161 points and led the team with 121 rebounds – an average of 5.0 per game – during the 2021-22 season. Kiser had 10-plus rebounds in a game three times with one double-double.

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