The Colorado College women's basketball team returns to Reid Arena to host Concordia University and McMurry University on Friday, Jan. 18, and Sunday, Jan 20. The Tigers (11-2) aim to regain control of the Blue Division of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
Last Time Out
CC went 1-1 on the road last weekend in Texas against Southwestern and Texas Lutheran. On Friday, the Tigers defeated the Pirates 58-45, their first-ever win as a ranked team. CC entered week No. 24 in the WBCA national poll, marking its first-ever appearance in a national poll in program history.
Three Tigers scored in double-digits, led by senior
Zoë Tomlinson, who dished 16 points and seven rebounds. Junior
Kayla Mackel scored 12 points and finished with four rebounds and two steals. Senior
Healy Bledsoe racked up 10 points, two rebounds, four steals and an assist.
On Sunday against the Bulldogs, the Tigers fell 76-65 to end their seven-game losing streak. Tomlinson led the team with 27 points and 16 rebounds, and Mackel followed with 23 points, nine rebounds, and three assists.
TLU got an early lead and limited the Tigers to a 39.3 shooting percentage to hand CC its first conference defeat of the season.
Both Tigers and Bulldogs are receiving votes in the D3Hoops.com national poll this week.
Chasing History
Zoë Tomlinson needs only one rebound to tie the all-time career rebounding record in program history. Lorna Kollmeyer set the record in 1980 with 1,099 rebounds over her legendary career. Tomlinson sits second with 1,098 and will need only two boards to become the new record holder.
Earlier this season, she became the only third player in CC history to reach 1,000 career rebounds.
So far this year, Tomlinson ranks fifth in the country and first in the SCAC, averaging 9.0 defensive rebounds per game. She is seventh nationally, averaging 13.7 rebounds per game. She is just under her career mark of 14.00 rebounds per game, which she set last year when she set the CC single-season rebounds record with 378.
In The Polls
The Tigers played their first games as a ranked team last weekend. Despite dropping out this week after suffering a loss to TLU in Seguin, CC made history this season, being ranked No. 24 in the WBCA poll and No. 25 in the D3Hoops.com poll.
Both polls debuted in the 1990's, and the Tigers made their first-ever appearance in either poll in the same week.
CC"s Strengths
The Tigers rank in the top three of multiple statistical categories in the SCAC. CC is third in scoring offense behind Tomlinson's 21.6 ppg (2nd in SCAC) and Mackel's 15.6 ppg (7th in SCAC).
Mackel leads the conference in three-pointers made per game. Sophomore
Isa Nelson is second in three-point percentage (46.3).
As the reigning SCAC Defensive Player of the Year,
Healy Bledsoe leads the SCAC in 35 steals.
Scouting The Opposition
Concordia enters Friday with a 6-5 record and is fourth in the Gold Division with a 1-1 SCAC record. Destiny Mathews leads the Tornadoes with 25.6 points per game, which is the best in the conference. The Graduate Student from Palestine, TX, is fifth in the nation in scoring and is a four-time American Southwest Conference all-conference selection.
Mathews has been named SCAC Player of the Week twice this season. One behind
Zoë Tomlinson for most times this season of any player (three).
McMurry is 9-2 to start the year and is second in the Gold Division behind Texas Lutheran. The Warhawks are undefeated through their first SCAC games, with wins over Trinity University and Schreiner.
Junior guard Kyle Flippin leads the team with 14.7 points per game, followed by senior guard Emily Holland, who has 14.3 points per game. Holland was named the SCAC Player of the Week on Dec. 23, 2024.
How To Watch
All CC home games are broadcast on FloCollege. Fans can purchase a subscription to watch all Tiger basketball games at Flocollege.com
