The Malone University women's basketball team will begin a five-game stretch of G-MAC road games this week when it visits Trevecca Nazarene University (TN) on Thursday, January 12th before facing Kentucky Wesleyan on January 14th in a key conference showdown. Both games are part of doubleheaders with the men's basketball game to follow in both instances.
 
GameDay
(1/12) Malone (9-4) at Trevecca Nazarene (4-8) – 7:00 pm ET (6:00 pm CT)
Live Video/Stats: portal.stretchinternet.com/trevecca
Live (Malone) Audio: ESPN 990 AM | espn990.com/listen.php
 
(1/14) Malone at Kentucky Wesleyan (11-1)* - 2:00 pm ET (1:00 pm CT)
Live Video: livestream.com/accounts/15713690
Live Stats: sidearmstats.com/kwc/wbball
Live (Malone) Audio: ESPN 990 AM | espn990.com/listen.php
*Record as of Wednesday, January 11th
 
All-Time Series
Malone is 0-4 all-time against Trevecca Nazarene, but the Pioneers have not played the Trojans since 2004. Saturday's meeting with Kentucky Wesleyan will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Malone Notes - Roster | Schedule | Stats

• A year removed from a 9-18 record, the Pioneers have already matched last season's win total through 13 games. Malone held off Alderson Broaddus (77-70) in the conference opener last Tuesday before using a come-from-behind effort to defeat Davis & Elkins (73-64) on Saturday.
• After allowing an uncharacteristic 52.8% (19-36) shooting figure from D&E in the first half, the Pioneers held the Senators to just 14.8% (4-27) shooting in the second half as Malone erased an 18-point deficit in the win. On the season, Malone is holding opponents to a G-MAC-low 36.3% shooting and 61.5 points per game.
• Hannah McCue, the driving force behind the Malone comeback, was named the G-MAC Player of the Week for her efforts. One of the premier defenders in the conference, McCue ranks 2nd in rebounds (9.8 rpg), 2nd in steals (2.1 spg), and 4th in blocked shots (1.3 bpg).
• On the offensive end, McCue is 4th in scoring (15.5 ppg) and 8th in made three-pointers (26). Among six-footers in DII, McCue is third in three-point shooting percentage (40.0%).
• While the 6'0 McCue is getting it done outside, 5'7" Rachel Goddard continues to thrive near the basket and at the free throw line. Goddard has gone to the line more than any other player in the conference where she ranks 2nd in free throw shooting (84.0%).
• Goddard remains the conference leader in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.82) where she also sits fourth nationally. The G-MAC's 6th-best scorer (14.8 ppg) is also third in assists (5.0 apg).
• Baylen Dyrlund is the G-MAC's 9th-ranked scorer at 12.5 ppg and the 7th-ranked rebounder at 6.7 a game. She leads the league with 37 offensive boards.
• Over the last five games, Dyrlund is averaging 15 points and 9.4 rebounds while shooting 56.9% from the field.
• Across the same time span, reserve guard Mackenzie Storlie, who has averaged close to 20 minutes off the bench, has 14 assists and nine steals. Storlie scored a career-high seven points in the win over Davis & Elkins.
• Starting guard Chrissie Vaughan has also made her presence felt on both ends of the court. Vaughan collected a season-high six rebounds along with a pair of threes against D&E. On the season Vaughan is shooting 41.5% (27-65) from three-point range where she ranks 8th in the G-MAC.
• As a team, Malone is 16th in DII and 2nd in the conference in made threes per game (8.7). The Pioneers lead the conference in rebounds (42.1 rpg) and fewest turnovers (14.4 tpg).
• The Pioneers enter this week's road trip 5-2 away from their home court.
   

Trevecca Nazarene Notes - Roster | Schedule | Stats

• The Trojans went a 1-1 in the first week of G-MAC play, defeating Ohio Valley (75-58) last Saturday after falling to Cedarville (70-58) two days prior.
• The 75 points against Ohio Valley marked just the second time all season that the Trojans have scored over 70 points and just the fourth time scoring over 60. Points may once again be at a premium when the G-MAC's lowest scoring offense (58.2 ppg) squares off against Malone's top-ranked defense.
• Forwards Sarah Raby (11.1 ppg) and Megan Kilburn (9.9 ppg) and guard Adi Hale (10.2 ppg) pace the slowed-down offense. Raby also leads the team in rebounding (5.9 rpg) and blocked shots (8). Kilburn (5.1 rpg) scored a team-high 17 points in the win over Ohio Valley.
• Hale, a G-MAC All-Freshman Team selection a year ago, leads the Trojans with 21 steals and is one of the most efficient three-point shooters in the conference where she ranks 2nd with a 48.9% (22-45) success rate from downtown.
• The Nashville-based Trojans will being playing their conference home opener on Thursday. Last season, TNU finished 5-2 in G-MAC home games.
   

Kentucky Wesleyan Notes - Roster | Schedule | Stats

• The Owensboro-based Panthers defeated Ohio Valley (73-60) and Cedarville (77-72) in the first week of conference play to up their winning streak to 11 straight since losing their season-opener to nationally-ranked Drury (MO). Prior to Saturday's clash with Malone, KWC will host defending G-MAC Champions Ursuline on Thursday.** 
• Kentucky Wesleyan comes into the weekend as one of the most efficient offenses in the conference, scoring 73.2 points per game on a league-best 44.5% shooting clip. The Panthers' opportunistic defense allows just 62.1 points and forces a conference-best 20.9 turnovers per game.
• 2015-16 All G-MAC Second Team selection Brittany Wells leads the team and ranks 2nd in the G-MAC in scoring, posting 20.5 points a night. The uber-efficient guard ranks 9th in the nation in overall shooting percentage (58.0%) and leads the G-MAC with a 48.9% (23-47) rate from three-point range.
• Wells has hit the 20-point mark eight times this season, but was held to a season-low nine points at Cedarville last Saturday. In her stead, Jennifer Walker-Crawford (11.3 ppg) scored a team-high 14 points in the win.
• Bria Wright, who added 10 points in the victory, leads the team in rebounds (6.5 rpg) and assists (3.2 apg).
• The senior-laden Panthers, who have made it to at least the G-MAC semifinals in each of the past three seasons, are 7-0 at home this season.
• **Prior to Saturday's game with Malone, the Panthers saw their 11-game winning streak snapped by Ursuline in a 75-48 defeat.