LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Webster University Women's Basketball is set to close out the 2019 calendar year here this weekend by playing two games in three days in the Golden State.
 
The Gorloks, who are sporting a 4-4 overall record and are riding a two-game winning streak, will open its California trip with a 3 p.m. CT contest on Saturday, Dec. 28 at Whittier College, before concluding the trip with a 3 p.m. CT game on Monday, Dec. 30 at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges.
 
Webster, who hasn't played a game since collecting an 82-46 home St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory on Dec. 14 against MacMurray College, returned to practice on Thursday following a 12 day break for final exams and the Christmas holiday and then traveled to California late on Thursday, before practicing Friday morning at the Galen Center on the campus of the University of Southern California.
 
"These are two big games for our basketball team this weekend," Webster head coach Jordan Olufson said prior to Friday's practice. "We have to be ready to get after it for two games against two quality Division III opponents."
 
Along with earning a win over MacMurray in its last game prior to the Christmas holiday, the Gorloks began its current season high two game win streak with an impressive 80-60 win at Greenville on Dec. 9. The Greenville win snapped a three game losing skid for the Gorloks, which included an 89-82 overtime loss at home to Spalding in its SLIAC opener on Dec. 5. In that game, Webster led by 16 points in the third period, before the Golden Eagles outscored the Gorloks, 42-20 in the fourth period and overtime session.
 
Webster's success lately can be attributed to a strong effort on the defensive end of the floor as the Gorloks are allowing 53 points and are forcing 24.5 turnovers per game and are limiting its last two foes to 30 percent shooting from the field and 26 percent shooting from the 3-point line. The Gorloks last two opponents have been held to 60 points or less, including allowing 46 points to MacMurray.
 
While its defense has been stout over its last two games, the Gorloks offense has also picked up the pace as they are averaging 81 points per game and have 80 or more points in each game, including tying a season high with 82 points. Along with averaging 81 points per game, the Gorloks are also shooting 55 percent from the field and 42 percent from the 3-point line and are averaging 7.5 made treys per game. In addition, Webster is outrebounding its foes by eight boards per game during its current two game win streak and are averaging 17.5 steals per game.
 
On the season, Webster is averaging 69.8 points per game and is allowing 64.4 points per game. The Gorloks are also shooting 43 percent from the field and 32 percent from the 3-point line and are forcing 24.9 turnovers per game and averaging 13.5 steals per contest.
 
Leading the way offensively for the Gorloks is sophomore forward Addison Beussink (Jackson, Mo./Saxony Lutheran), who is averaging 16.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game and has recorded a team best two double-doubles. Beussink will make her return to the line-up this weekend after missing the last two games due to a concussion suffered late in the game against Spalding. Beussink, who is shooting 54 percent from the floor, has scored in double figures in all six games she's played in this season and has a streak of eight consecutive double-digit scoring efforts dating to last season.
 
In addition to Beussink, two other Gorloks are averaging in double figures this season – junior guard Naomi Johnson (St. Louis, Mo./Greenville University) and senior guard Jaysea Morgan (Fisk, Mo./Twin Rivers). Johnson, who is averaging 22.0 points per game over her last two contests, is averaging 12.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game and is shooting 52 percent from the field and 36 percent from the 3-point line and leads the team with 10 made treys, while Morgan is averaging 10.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game and is shooting 40 percent from the field and 83 percent (25-for-30) from the free throw line.
 
Along with the three double-digit scorers, Webster also has two other players averaging over 8.0 points per game as freshman forward Julie Baudendistel (St. Louis, Mo./Lindbergh) is averaging 8.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game and has scored in double figures in two of her last three games and is shooting 51 percent from the floor and 50 percent from the 3-point line and sophomore guard Hannah Cottrell (Steelville, Mo./Steelville) is averaging 8.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.8 steals per game and is shooting 35 percent from the floor and 78 percent at the free throw line.
 
Meanwhile, Webster's opponent on Saturday, Whittier, comes into the game sporting a 5-6 overall record and the Poets have lost two straight games and three of its last overall. Whittier hasn't played since suffering a 77-41 loss this past Sunday at NCAA Division I foe, Grand Canyon. Whittier has played a tough schedule as its previous 10 foes (minus Grand Canyon) have posted a 58-26 record this season and the Poets are 4-3 at home on the year.
 
The Poets, who are members of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, have two players averaging in double figures this season with senior guard Cali Cubel leading the way. Cubel is averaging 17.1 points and 2.5 rebounds per game and is shooting 49 percent from the field and has reached double figures in scoring in nine straight games and 10 games overall on the season, including tallying a career high of 28 points in the season opener against UC Santa Cruz. In addition to Cubel, junior guard Teani White is the other double-digit scorer as she is averaging 11.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game and is shooting 46 percent from the field and 35 percent from the 3-point line.
 
As a team. Whittier is averaging 60.3 points per game and is shooting 43 percent from the floor and 31 percent from long distance and is making nearly five treys per game. On defense, the Poets are allowing 63.1 points per game and is limiting its foes to 37 percent shooting from the field and 28 percent from the 3-point line and are forcing 17.5 turnovers per game and getting outrebounded by nearly four boards per contest.
 
Webster's opponent on Monday, Pomona-Pitzer, enters the weekend sporting a 4-4 overall record and the Sagehens, who are 2-0 in the SCIAC, have won three straight games and four of its last five overall with the only loss being a 73-65 setback to nationally-ranked Gustavus Adolphus. Much like Whittier, Pomona-Pitzer, who advanced to the NCAA Tournament a season ago and host Lewis & Clark on Sunday before facing Webster, has played a tough schedule so far this season as the Sagehens opponents have combined for a 47-22 overall record and they faced two nationally-ranked teams in George Fox and Gustavus Adolphus and one team – Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, that received votes in the most recent D3Hoops.com Top 25 poll.
 
The Sagehens have two players averaging over 10.0 points per game on the season as sophomore guard Carly Leong leads the way as she is averaging 13.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game and is shooting 41 percent from the field and 31 percent from the 3-point line. Leong, who was the D3Hoops.com West Region Rookie of the Year last season, has scored in double figures in six games. In addition to Leong, sophomore guard Kamil English is averaging 12.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game and is shooting 51 percent from the field and 46 percent from the 3-point line and 96 percent (21-for-22) from the free throw line.
 
As a team, Pomona-Pitzer is averaging 70.1 points per game and is shooting 40 percent from the field, 28 percent from the 3-point line and 70 percent at the free throw line and is averaging 5.6 made treys per game. On defense, the Sagehens are allowing 70.4 points per game and are limiting its foes to 44 percent shooting from the floor and 36 percent from the 3-point line and are forcing 18.9 turnovers per games and averaging 11.9 steals per game.
 
Webster and Whittier will be meeting for the third time in school history on Saturday as the Gorloks have won the two previous meetings, including collecting a 63-43 win in the team's last meeting on Dec. 28, 2017, during Webster's last trip to California. The Gorloks also hold a 2-1 series advantage over Pomona-Pitzer as Webster won the most recent meeting, 72-61, on Dec. 29, 2017.
 
Following Webster's trip to California, the Gorloks will return to SLIAC play as they open the New Year on Saturday, Jan. 4 at Grant Gymnasium with a 1 p.m. game against Fontbonne University.