Arizona Western looks to even season series against Central Arizona
Before a win at Central last year, the Arizona Women's basketball team had lost 14 straight to the Vaqueras.
Today the Matadors go for their second win in as many years against the Vaqueras when they host No. 3 CAC at 5:30 p.m. at The House.
AWC, entering the game ranked 10th, can pull into a virtual tie with the Vaqueras for first in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference. A loss will likely mean the Matadors (21-2 overall, 13-1 ACCAC) will have to travel to Coolidge to face the Vaqueras (23-1, 15-0) in the NJCAA Region I Division I title game.
“Wednesday is an important game, but they're all important for us right now,” AWC coach Patrick Cunningham said. “We just have to treat it with respect and realize they're a little more talented and there's a reason why they're No. 3 in the country. They're pretty good.”
The Vaqueras won the first meeting this year, topping AWC 71-62. The Matadors led early in the second half, but a 13-0 Vaquera run iced the win.
“We didn't play that well up there, and they didn't play that well either,” Cunningham said. “And that's what's going to happen when the two best teams play each other. They are going to force them to take some shots they don't normally take and make some mistakes they don't normally make. Both teams are probably going to be more relaxed. It should be a battle.”
Jolie Olingende, who leads AWC with 15.3 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, said the Matadors — and specifically her — have to finish their shots.
“I have to rebound the ball well and finish the play,” said Olingende, who finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds in the last game against CAC. “The last game against them I didn't finish the ball. I was like 4-for-14. That was real bad. I want to finish the ball and rebound the ball well. It won't happen again.
“The last time we missed like 12 easy baskets. We expect to make them and not get beat for the second time.”
She won't be the only scoring option for AWC. Lisette Longomo averaged 28 points last week to earn her second straight ACCAC Player of the Week honor. She scored 29 in a game against lowly Phoenix College, an 86-59 game that AWC trailed 38-33 in the second half. Cunningham said Saturday's game showed both the best and the worst of the Matadors.
“You saw what we're capable of doing if we get things rolling, but you also saw what happens when we relax a little bit,” Cunningham said. “We let them play us instead of us being the aggressor. And you saw what happened when we're not the aggressor.”
Washington said the team is more focused on the positive of Saturday's win.
“We came out and scored 57 points in the second half, so I feel like that was a confidence booster. I feel like going into Wednesday, we're going to have confidence, we're going to be hyped. I think we're going to play hard.”
The game is part of a doubleheader that concludes with the men's game at 7:30 p.m. The Matadors (20-5, 11-4) have won the last 12 against Central (14-8, 8-7) but barely held on for an 83-81 win. Lester Medford hit a jumper with 3.5 seconds left for the win, erasing a 70-60 CAC lead with 6:30 left.
Both games will be on AWC Channel 74, KBLU-AM 560 and www.azwestern.edu/athletics.
