‘Yote Notes – Jan. 2, 2003

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@albertson.edu

 

 

 

 

GENERAL ATHLETICS NEWS:

MUNIZ NAMED CALDWELL HIGH HEAD COACH: Men's basketball assistant coach Matt Muniz was named Dec. 21 the new head boys basketball coach at Caldwell High School.  The Albertson grad had served as an assistant for Mark Owen for the past two seasons.  Muniz guided the Cougars to a 54-50 victory over Middleton High in his debut - against another former Coyote, Dale Karst.

 

LATHAM RANKS HIGH ON NATIONAL LIST: Three-sport standout Alyssa Latham finished the 2002 soccer season No. 4 in the entire NAIA in assists per game.  Latham recorded 21 assists in 21 games last season, which established a new school-record.

ALPINE SKIING:

COMING UP: Northwest Conference Qualifier #1, Brundage Mountain, January 10-12.

SKI REPORT: With storm after storm pounding the Idaho mountains, ski conditions for the Coyotes are supreme as they prepare for their 2003 opener - the first Northwest Conference Qualifier at Brundage Mountain, next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  Current conditions at Brundage Mountain – 54 inch base, 74 inches of powder at the top.  Bogus Basin – 51 inch base, 52 inches at the top, operating at 100-percent (including night skiing until 10 p.m.).

PREVIEW: The 2003 men's and women's alpine ski teams have a great balance of talent and depth with 12 veteran athletes returning who have collegiate racing experience.  The team also has eight new freshmen who will help meet the demands of an aggressive competition schedule.  The women's program, led by junior Logan Thurber (Bennington, Vt.), has won the Western Region Championship two of the past five years and finished 5th overall at the 2002 USCSA Nationals in New Hampshire.  The men's program has reloaded with fresh talent from across the United States.   They will have much to prove in a short period of time.   Junior Sam Elias (Detroit, Mich.) will lead the men's team to meet this season's challenge.

 

MEN’S BASKETBALL (0-2 CCC, 7-8 overall): Coyotes host Evergreen and Northwest in first games of 2003

 

LAST WEEK: Idle since Dec. 18

 

COMING UP: vs. Evergreen, Friday, 8 p.m.; vs. Northwest, Saturday, 8 p.m.

 

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN: It will have been 16 long days between games for the Albertson men’s basketball team – 16 days after back-to-back road losses to open the Cascade Conference season.  From this point on, however, it will be wall-to-wall basketball – 16 games packed into eight consecutive weekends, with the prize of an automatic berth to the NAIA Division II national tournament being dangled at the end.

 

TRYING TO REBOUND: Dating back to a loss to Concordia at the CCC Tip-Off Tournament, the Coyotes have lost six of their last seven games.  It equals their longest losing stretch since 2000-01.  The longest losing streak in school history was an 11-game skid covering the 1977-78 and 1978-79 seasons.

 

RECOVERING: With the long layoff, a pair of injured ‘Yotes have had a lengthy rehab time to come back from nagging injuries.  Point-guard Joe Green (Pocatello, Idaho / BYU-Idaho) has been fighting a stress-fracture in his leg, while post Eric Hare (San Miguel de Allende, Mex. / West Valley CC) suffered a separated shoulder in the Dec. 7 win over Westminster.  With the added time off, both players should be near 100-percent for Friday’s game with Evergreen.

 

AROUND THE CONFERENCE: With only a handful of non-conference games remaining this season, it is interesting to see how the Cascade Conference stacks up against other leagues in the Northwest.  Despite more scholarships, the Frontier Conference struggled against the CCC this winter, as the NAIA Division I schools lost 12-of-15 meetings with the CCC.  The NCAA Division III teams from the Northwest Conference battled the CCC to a virtual draw, winning 11-of-21 games.  However, the downside was against the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and the NCAA Division II, where the CCC went 1-10 – in fact, the CCC won more games against NCAA Division I teams (2), than Division II teams (1).

 

CONFERENCE NUMBERS: Despite the rough go of it as of late, the Coyotes still rank among the top teams in the league in a pair of categories.  Albertson continues to lead the league in free throw percentage (.780), along with ranking second in field goal percentage (.480).  The latter statistic is deceiving, as the ‘Yotes rank last in the loop in field goal percentage (.379) in conference play.  The squad ranks ninth in scoring offense (74.6 ppg), and tenth in blocks per game (1.6) and offensive rebounds per game (8.7).

 

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: The Coyotes are a perfect 3-0 at home this season, winning games against Westminster, Montana-Western, and Montana Tech.  The J.A. Albertson Activities Center has been a nightmare for opponents, with Albertson holding a 130-25 advantage (.839 percent) since the gym opened in the early 1990s.  Outside of the 1996-97 season (where the ‘Yotes went 6-6 at home), no Albertson team has lost more than three times at home in one season since the 1970s.

 

HIGH MARKS IN THE CONFERENCE: A quartet of Coyote players can be found among the top-15 in the latest Cascade Conference statistical report.  Joe Green is the most consistent of the bunch, ranking fourth in steals per game (2.8), and sixth in both assists per game (4.3) and three-point percentage (.442).  Tom Perkes (Spokane, Wash. / Big Bend CC) ranks in the top-ten in four categories – fourth in free throw percentage (.851), seventh in scoring average (17.9 ppg), and eighth in both rebound average (6.8 rpg) and field goal percentage (.543).  Eric Hare sits in fifth-place in field goal percentage and 11th in rebound average (6.5 rpg), while Andy Harper (Idaho Falls, Idaho / Columbia Basin CC) ranks 12th in assists per game (3.3).

 

WASHINGTONIANS TRYING TO MAKE A SPLASH: Albertson will be looking to jump out of the Cascade Conference cellar this weekend, hosting both Washington schools at the Activities Center.  On Friday night, defending CCC champion Evergreen makes its trek to the Treasure Valley.  John Barbee’s Geoducks (1-1, 5-9) have had a rocky start to this season, one year removed from winning 20-games in a row, and advancing to the second-round of the NAIA Tournament.  The “Clams” had to replace a pair of All-Americans, but 2002 Cascade Conference Newcomer-of-the-Year, Mike Parker (19.9 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 3.5 apg, 3.5 spg, 2.5 bpg) has put up big numbers – ranking in the CCC top-ten in nearly every statistical category.  Newcomers Adam Laneer (11.9 ppg) and Karriem Fielding (10.7 ppg) have been consistent, but Evergreen is still looking to put two wins together for the first time this season (they are coming off a Dec. 20 victory over Pacific Lutheran).  The all-time series, which began in 1999, is deadlocked at 3-3, with the Geoducks winning both meetings last season – 89-82 in Olympia, and 80-65 in Caldwell.  On Saturday, the ‘Yotes will face Northwest for the second time this season.  Albertson topped the Eagles (1-1, 7-7) at the CCC Tip-Off Tournament, 93-68, but had to later forfeit the win to Northwest, ending a seven-game win streak against the Assemblies of God institution from Kirkland, Wash.  Dan Schneider (18.6 ppg, 7.5 rpg), a three-time All-Conference selection, has been the dominating force for John Van Dyke’s team, which stopped Southern Oregon, 89-79, on Dec. 18 to even its CCC record.  Northwest has never won in Caldwell, and trails the all-time series, 8-3.  Albertson won 89-75 on the road and overcame an 11-point halftime deficit to win 71-56 at home last season.

 

OTHER CONFERENCE GAMES: No. 1 ranked Oregon Tech will face its stiffest competition so far this season, hosting No. 17 Cascade and Warner Pacific this weekend in Klamath Falls.  Southern Oregon (vs. CC and WPC) and Eastern Oregon (vs. Evergreen and NW) are on the flip-side of their travel partners, while a pair of CCC unbeatens – Concordia and Western Baptist meet Saturday in Salem.

 
ON THE AIR: Listen to both weekend games live on 1490 KCID-AM with Mike Safford Jr. calling the action, with the pregame show beginning at 7:50 p.m. each night.  For those outside the Treasure Valley, the games can also be heard via the Albertson athletic website at the following address: www.collegeofidaho.edu/webcam/Athletics.asx.

 

MORE INFORMATION ON THE COYOTES: For game stories, statistics, and information regarding the Albertson men’s basketball program, head to the official site of Coyote basketball: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/mensbasketball.htm.

 

CASCADE CONFERENCE HOTLINE: For up-to-date scores from the Cascade Conference, call the Cascade Conference Hotline at (208) 459-5135.  Each night, scores and updated standings are posted on the Conference Standings page within the Albertson men’s basketball website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/mbasketball/stats/standings.htm.  

 

 

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (2-0 CCC, 8-8 overall): Three-game win streak on the line at home vs. Evergreen and Northwest

 

LAST WEEK: Defeated Westminster, 79-60.

 

COMING UP: vs. Evergreen, Friday, 6 p.m.; vs. Northwest, Saturday, 6 p.m.

 

LADY ‘YOTES KNOCK OFF WESTMINSTER: After struggling at home during their previous four home games, the Albertson women’s basketball team woke up during the second half on Saturday, stinging Westminster College en route to a 79-60 victory.  The Lady ‘Yotes outscored Westminster 54-32 in the second half, shooting 64-percent from the field in the period to run away with the win.  Heidi Goicoechea (Burley, Idaho / Burley HS) scored a game-high 23 points, with post Kristen Bailey (Fountain Green, Utah / Snow CC) recording her sixth double-double of the year, scoring 13 points and pulling down 16 rebounds.  The Coyotes led 54-51 with 7:53 left, but outscored the Griffins 25-9 the rest of the way to avenge a 20-point loss in Salt Lake in November.

 

HENRICHS RETURNS: After missing the first 15 games of the season with torn knee ligaments, senior forward Megan Henrichs (Preston, Idaho / Preston HS) returned to the line-up against Westminster.  The All-Conference and Academic All-American played seven minutes, scoring two points and grabbing one rebound.

 

SECOND HALF MAGIC: During the current three-game winning streak (equaling the longest win streak from last season), Albertson has completely dominated the second half of each of the games.  The Coyotes are averaging 48 points during each of the past three second halves, shooting a blistering 50-of-89 (.561 percent) from the field and 35-of-42 (.833 percent) from the foul line.  The Lady ‘Yotes have outscored the three opponents (Western Baptist, Concordia, Westminster) 145-88 during the second stanza.

 

GOICOECHEA CLOSING IN ON FIFTH-PLACE: Heidi Goicoechea continues to inch up the Albertson career record book.  The junior has now scored 818 points in her career, sixth most in Lady ‘Yote history, and at her current pace has a chance to become the fifth player to record 1,000 points in a career.  She should also move into fifth-place all-time this week in a pair of categories – field goals made (279, 11 behind Lynne Overly), and field goals attempted (821, six behind Cecilie Bates).

 

CONFERENCE TEAM STATISTICS: As 2002 came to a close, the Lady ‘Yotes not only sat atop the Cascade Conference standings, but near the top of the team statistical race.  Albertson leads the CCC in both free throw percentage (.732 percent) and blocked shots per game (5.8), while ranking second in the loop in rebound margin (+2.8) and lowest opponent field goal percentage (.394 percent).  The Coyotes also are third in the CCC in field goal percentage (.410 percent).

 

TOUGH PRESEASON FOR THE CCC: As the overall records indicate, it was a very rough preseason for the Cascade Conference against their Northwest friends.  The CCC went 10-22 against the Northwest Conference (NCAA Division III), 6-14 against the Frontier Conference (NAIA Division I), and 2-18 against the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (NCAA Division II).

 

INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCE NUMBERS: Five different Lady ‘Yote players can be found within the Cascade Conference statistical list as the non-conference slate came to a close.  Kristen Bailey leads the way for Albertson, ranking in the top-ten in five different categories – she leads the CCC in both blocked shots per game (4.3) and defensive rebounds per game (7.9), is third in rebounds per game (9.7), fifth in field goal percentage (.507), and ninth in scoring average (13.1 ppg).  Right behind Bailey is Heidi Goicoechea, who leads the loop in free throw percentage (.877), ranks fifth in three-pointers made per game (1.9), is seventh in scoring average (14.3 ppg), and 14th in rebounds per game (6.2).  Back-up point-guard Krystal Thacker (Elko, Nev. / BYU-Idaho) is second in the CCC in free throw percentage (.865), 11th in assists per game (3.1), and 12th in field goal percentage (.410).  Rounding out the crew is Lindsey Karren (Brigham City, Utah / Salt Lake CC) who is sixth in rebounds per game (8.4) and 13th in steals per game (1.8), and Dani Cotterell (Nampa, Idaho / Nampa HS) who ranks fifth in three-point percentage (.353) and eighth in three-pointers made per game (1.8).                                                                                                         

 

TRYING TO CLAM UP EVERGREEN AND NORTHWEST: The Coyotes will put their three-game win streak on the line this weekend, a start of seven January games in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.  Friday night, a struggling Evergreen team comes to Caldwell for the fifth time, still looking for that elusive victory over Albertson.  The Geoducks (0-2, 1-11) are still searching for life – since their program began in 1997, the team has a combined 18-132 record (including four CCC wins in four years).  Head coach Monica Heuer has planted the rebuilding seed, but six losses by 40-or-more points and seven games where the team did not score 50 points have hampered her efforts.  Cascade College transfer Alicia Riddle (11.7 ppg) has been the bright spot for the Clams, who have lost five straight since a 74-72 overtime win against Lewis & Clark.  Evergreen is last in the CCC in 12-of-19 stat categories (shooting just .308 from the field and .610 from the line).  Albertson is 9-0 against the Geoducks all-time, with an average score in Caldwell of 82-44.  Another rebuilding team in Northwest comes calling on Saturday night.  After earning a spot in the Cascade Conference tournament each of the past two seasons, the Eagles (0-2, 2-12) have just three players returning from last year’s playoff team.  Shooting woes have plagued Kathy Langston’s squad, as the Eagles have connected on only .339 percent of their shots and averaging 55 points a game.  Northwest did end a ten-game losing streak its last time out, a 68-53 win over Bethany (Calif.) at the Concordia-Irvine Holiday Classic.  Transfer Sierra Tonga (10.3 ppg) and Rachel Nettleton (9.5 ppg) are the top scoring threats for the Eagles.  Albertson has won three in a row in the series and 14 of the 15 overall meetings between the clubs – inlcluding a 63-52 win in Caldwell last year.

 

AROUND THE CONFERENCE: Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech put their undefeated CCC records on the line, hosting Cascade and Warner Pacific.  Cascade (who has a league-best ten wins) is down to just six players due to a host of suspensions and academic problems.  Western Baptist hosts Concordia on Saturday, while Eastern meets both Evergreen and Northwest.

 

INTERNET BROADCAST INFORMATION: It is unclear whether this weekends women’s games will be broadcast live via the internet.  With the Albertson campus closed until next Monday, and a major overhaul to the institution’s web server being completed, how this will affect the connection for live broadcasts is uncertain.  Nonetheless, if games cannot be accessed live at www.collegeofidaho.edu/webcam/Athletics.asx, check the women’s basketball homepage (under Internet Broadcasts), where a link to the archived audio broadcast will be created following each game.  The sports information department apologizes for an inconvenience.

 

MORE INFORMATION ON THE LADY ‘YOTES: For game stories, statistics, and information regarding the Albertson women’s basketball program, head to the official site of Lady ‘Yote basketball: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmensbasketball.htm.

 

 

- ALBERTSON -