Gonzaga women rise three spots to 19th in AP poll; Brynna Maxwell rises to top 3-point shooter in nation
Brynna Maxwell and the Gonzaga women are moving up the national charts.
Brynna Maxwell, a senior guard is the top 3-point and foul shooter in Division 1 this week, while the Zags moved up three spots, to 19th, in the Associated Press poll announced Monday.
The Zags won twice last week, over San Diego and Montana, to improve to 12-2 going into Thursday’s West Coast Conference game at Pepperdine.
Ranked 22nd last week, Gonzaga moved ahead of Arkansas, Kansas and Creighton, all of whom suffered losses last week.
Gonzaga is getting less respect from the NCAA however: its NET ratings on Monday put the Zags at 40th. Only three weeks ago, GU was ranked 24th in NET.
That trend may continue as the Zags continue conference play. The next highest WCC teams in NET are Santa Clara and San Francisco, at 102 and 105, respectively.
Maxwell made the bigger national splash, moving atop the individual rankings in two major categories.
Hovering in the top 10 in 3-point shooting for most of the season, the senior transfer from Utah moved to No. 1 after going 5-for-6 from long range in the Zags’ 82-67 win Wednesday over Montana.
“That’s why we recruited her,” GU coach Lisa Fortier said after the game.
Maxwell is 40 for 75, or 53.33%, from beyond the arc. Macey Turley of Murray State is right behind at 19 for 36, or 52.78%. As of Monday, nine players are shooting at least 50% from long range and making at least 16 shots.
Maxwell has been almost perfect from the foul line.
Since going 7 for 8 against Louisville on Nov. 19, Maxwell has made 26 straight foul shots. She’s now 41 for 42, or 97.62%.
Maxwell moved into first place after previously perfect Erin Houpt of Mercer missed one free threw week to fall to third at 96.88%, or 31 for 32.
In second place is Emilee Ebert of Kansas State at 34 for 35, or 97.14%
As a team, Gonzaga ranks third in free-throw shooting at 187 out of 233, or 80.26%. That’s well above the GU men, who are shooting 72.2%.