TACOMA, Washington – Despite a loss at Whitman last week, the No. 20/16 Puget Sound women's basketball team remains in the driver's seat when the Loggers host Willamette and George Fox this weekend (Feb. 3-4).
 
NWC landscape
Puget Sound remains in first place in the Northwest Conference, touting a 9-1 conference record. Whitman is just one game behind with an 8-2 NWC record. Pacific is 7-3, and Willamette is 7-4.
 
Gotta knock 'em down
The Loggers are 16-3 overall this season. Two of the three losses happened when Puget Sound shot under 30.0-percent from the floor (vs. Wheaton; at Whitman). Puget Sound shot 36.1-percent in its close loss at No. 3 Trinity (Tex.). The Loggers are 13-0 when they shooting 37.0-percent or better from the floor.
 
Leaders on both ends
Among all NWC teams, Puget Sound ranks first in: scoring offense (75.8), turnover margin (+16.6), 3-point percentage (33.3-percent), assists (15.3), and steals (15.95).
 
Kennedy's campaign
Kennedy Brown is averaging 13.4 points per game, which ranks fifth in the NWC. She averaged 10.7 points last year.
 
Ready to rob
Katie Minnehan is the nation's No. 8 leader in steals, averaging 3.89 swipes per game. As a team, the Loggers rank No. 9 in the nation with 15.9 steals per game.
 
Scouting Willamette (12-8, 7-4 NWC)
The Bearcats have one six of their last seven games – the one loss came against Whitman. Willamette lost at home against Puget Sound, 81-75, earlier this season (Jan. 7). Megan River ranks seventh in the NWC in scoring (11.8), and Carolyn Ho is 10^th (11.3). Ashlyn Ascuena-Mercil averages 7.4 rebounds, which is tied for fourth in the NWC. As a team, the Bearcats are second-to-las in rebounding (35.4).  
 
Scouting George Fox (8-11, 5-5 NW)
The Bruins enter the weekend with three wins in their last four outings – they lost against Willamette last week. Nobody on the team averages double-digits in scoring, but Alex Borter ranks eighth in the NWC for rebounding (6.5). George Fox ranks last in scoring offense (51.1) and 3-point percentage (25.2-percent).