IRVINE, Calif. -- Biola got its first three wins of the season last week to improve to 3-2 on the season, becoming the fourth PacWest team with three wins so far this season ahead of Thanksgiving week.
The week will get an early start with Dominican taking on Cal State Dominguez Hills on Monday. The Penguins are looking for their first win of the season against an in-form Toros team that is receiving votes in the D2SIDA West Region rankings. Dominican will also face Purdue Northwest and Chico State this week.
Chaminade is competing in the biannual Maui Jim Maui Invitational this week, starting with a Monday tipoff against the Kansas Jayhawks. The tournament will be televised nationally on the ESPNU channel, featuring some of the best college basketball programs in the nation. In 2017, the Silverswords finished the tournament with a 96-72 win over Cal.
Notre Dame de Namur is hosting a four-team tournament that includes Holy Names, Western New Mexico and UC San Diego, which is the ranked fifth in the nation. Holy Names will face the Tritons on Friday at 5 p.m.
Fresno Pacific will take on a pair of CCAA opponents this week, facing Cal State Monterey Bay at home on Tuesday before going to Cal State East Bay on Saturday. Point Loma will play at home on Saturday against Seattle Pacific. Azusa Pacific’s only game this week is on Tuesday against Cal State San Marcos, which already has two wins against PacWest teams this year.
Weekly awards for the week of Nov. 18-24
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kaden Anderson, Point Loma
F, So., 6-8 -- Enumclaw, Wash.
Anderson scored 40 points this week in two games as Point Loma split results against No. 5 UC San Diego and homecoming opponent Trevecca Nazarene. Anderson made 13 of 27 field goals and recorded 16 rebounds with two steals. He has now scored in double figures in all five games this year. The sophomore was 0 for 2 on 3-point attempts going into last week before going off for a 7-for-11 performance from 3-point territory. He is now averaging 18 points and 8.4 rebounds with a .517 field-goal percentage as he has helped Point Loma to a 4-1 start.
DEFENDER OF THE WEEK
Solomon Ruddell, Biola
F, So., 7-0 -- Los Osos, Calif.
Ruddell helped Biola win three games last week and finished the week with his best game of the season so far statistically. The sophomore transfer from UC Irvine recorded 10 blocks with 36 points and 15 rebounds in three games. Ruddell had an impressive 13-for-15 performance from the field and made all of his 10 free-throw attempts. Against Fort Kent, Ruddell scored 23 points on 9 of 10 shooting with five rebounds and five blocks.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Zanen Zeller, Biola
G, Fr., 6-3 -- Los Lunas, N.M.
Zeller came off the bench to score 12 points in Biola’s three wins last week. The freshman scored a career-high 10 points with seven rebounds, two steals, an assist and a block against Fort Kent on Saturday. He made 5 of 7 shots from the field and played 24 minutes in the victory.