After a dominant fall from Point Loma Nazarene University athletics, this winter has been no different. As it stands, the PLNU men’s basketball team sits atop the PacWest standings with a record of 18-4 (11-1 in conference), and the women’s team is third with a record of 15-5 (10-2 in conference).
Last season, the men’s team tied for first in the PacWest Conference with Academy of Art before being upset by APU in the PacWest Championship. Fifth-year guard Zackry Paulsen said that contributes to the motivation and mentality of this year’s squad.
“We had a pretty good season and were able to win the PacWest but I think we left a lot on the table, not being able to make the NCAA Tournament, not being able to go as far as we believe that we could’ve gone,” Paulsen said. “I think there’s a small chip on our shoulder just because we didn’t necessarily get to do that last year.”
The team has played some of its best ball of late, as they’re currently on a five-game winning streak that included a win against Academy of Art (second in PacWest) and a road win against Biola (third in PacWest). Paulsen attributes much of the success of this team to a change in mindset.
“I think, last year, we kind of fell victim to approaching different games differently, where this year we’ve had a big focus on approaching every single game the same, respecting every single opponent you play and then leaving no doubt once we’re on the court,” Paulsen said.
One of the marked improvements from last year to now is the defense. Last season, PLNU was in the middle of the pack at sixth for average points given up per game. This year, they’re in first, only allowing 67.3 points per game, propelling them to a point differential of +202 on the season.
Though expectations are high, Paulsen and the team make it a goal to not listen to any outside noise.
“People project realities on us all the time, they project that we’re going to do this and do that, and we’ve really focused on just taking it one day at a time, one practice at a time, one shootaround at a time, just because that’s really the only way that we can continue to grow,” Paulsen said.
Meanwhile, the women’s basketball team is on track to have the best record they’ve had since Head Coach Charity Elliott took the program over in 2021. At 15-5 overall, the team is three wins away from tying Elliott’s season high, set last year.
The women lost their first two conference games to Biola and Vanguard. Prior to the Biola loss on Jan. 16, they were on a 12-game winning streak. Transfer students Alli McDonald and Kaylee Byon have been immediate contributors and are both part of the starting five. Elliott spoke to how the team has rallied around each other despite the roster turnover.
“We’ve got incredible young ladies on this team who are committed to celebrating each other’s success … and they each recognize that when one player shines, we all shine,” Elliott said via email. “I think it helps that this team took a summer trip to Costa Rica which allowed us to really get to know each other and build that trust and bond which has carried over into this season.”
Third-year forward Maddie Mersch said Coach Elliott has helped make the transition easy and kept the team focused.
“As returners, we all knew it was going to be different this year and there were going to be new people coming in,” Mersch said. “But I think our goal and what our coach really emphasized for them coming in was to make sure that they knew that this was their team also.”
The team is near the top of the conference in offense and defense, as they are second out of 14 in defense and third on offense. Their intensity and dedication outside of practice have been major factors.
“This team probably puts in more time outside of practice in the gym working on their game more than most teams I’ve coached … they really want to be their best and are willing to put the time and effort into it outside of just practice time,” Elliott said.
To Mersch, defense has been the main priority of this team. Good defense leads to better offense.
“The biggest thing we’ve been working on is just getting stops on defense,” Mersch said. “We preach that as long as you play good defense, you’re going to get buckets on the offensive end.”
Roughly halfway through the season, both teams look to stay on top of the PacWest Conference as playoff time nears. The next home games are on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. against Azusa Pacific.
Sydney Brammer 
Luke Mallery