‘Yote Notes – Feb. 4, 2003

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@albertson.edu

GENERAL ATHLETICS NEWS:

WENDY'S PRESENTS THE ALBERTSON COLLEGE ATHLETIC HALL-OF-FAME INDUCTIONS: This Saturday afternoon, the three newest members of the Albertson Athletic Hall-of-Fame will be inducted at a 12:30 p.m. luncheon in the Simplot Dining Hall.  Tickets are $13.00 and can be reserved by calling 459-5835.  Former legislator Jack Kennevick, former Notus superintendent Bob Morford, and former national champion skier Adele Allender (Savaria) will be honored.

C.A.A. BOOSTER CLUB DINNER SET FOR THIS MONTH: The next Coyote Athletic Association booster dinner is set for Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Simplot Dining Hall.  Playoff basketball, along with the upcoming spring sports season will be the topic.  To RSVP, contact Dave Hahn at 459-5835. 

TAILGATE PARTY: The Albertson alumni office is hosting another tailgate party for Coyote boosters and fans prior to this Friday's game with Warner Pacific .  Festivities begin in Blatchley Hall at 5:30 p.m., with food and drinks provided for a $5.00 donation.  Contact the alumni office to RSVP at 459-5300.

ALPINE SKIING:

COMING UP: Northwest Conference Qualifier #4, Schweitzer Mountain,  Saturday and Sunday.

'YOTE MEN WIN AT MOUNT SPOKANE: Led by a group effort, the Coyote men's alpine team had an outstanding performance at the third Northwest Conference qualifier.  The 'Yotes topped the field on Saturday, with four racers ranking in the top-ten - No. 2 Tyler Maxwell, No. 6 Sam Elias, No. 9 Matthew Sylvester, and No. 10 Justin Rackley.  The team finished second to invitee Rocky Mountain on Sunday, with Maxwell (fourth), Rackley (eighth) and Sylvester (tenth) all in the top ten.

MARCIAL WINS SUNDAY RACE: Freshman phenom Cassie Marcial continues to be a diamond in coach Ron Bonneau's cap.  The youngster took home the slalom crown on Sunday, distancing the field with a two-run time of 1:33.55 - nearly a second faster than her nearest opponent, leading Albertson to the team victory.  She also placed third on Saturday, as the Coyotes finished third.

'YOTES ON TOP OF STANDINGS: With one qualifier remaining, both Albertson teams sit atop of the Northwest Conference standings.  The men have 130 team points, 15 ahead of second-place Central Oregon.  The women boast 145 points, 30 more than second-place Puget Sound.  The top-six teams in the conference advance to the Western Region Championships in Steamboat Springs, Colo.

MEN’S BASKETBALL (8-5 CCC, 15-11): Win streak at five after sweep in Washington, big tests ahead vs. Warner & Cascade

LAST WEEK: Defeated Eastern Oregon, 104-80; won at Northwest, 81-71; won at Evergreen 79-70 (OT).

COMING UP: vs. Warner Pacific, Friday, 8 p.m.; vs. No. 13 Cascade, Saturday, 8 p.m.

‘YOTES WIN STREAK AT FIVE: A very consistent week for the Albertson men’s basketball team helped the squad extend their win streak to five in a row, and vault themselves into fourth-place in the rough-and-rugged Cascade Conference.  The win streak equals the mark set on two occasions last year, and is the longest since the Coyotes won 12 straight during the 2000-01 season.  With three weeks remaining, the ‘Yotes sit just one-half game out of second-place, and ironically, two games out of first-place and the automatic berth to the NAIA national tournament.

DEFENSE IS THE KEY: The key for the ‘Yotes success has been on the defensive end, utilizing a variety of defenses to stop the opponent.  Last week, various zones kept the flashy Eastern Oregon guards in check until the game was out of reach, and tough man-to-man defense was the key in the second half against both Northwest and Evergreen.  Head coach Mark Owen was quick to single out Justin McCarthy (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) for his work in the opponents’ end.  “Justin’s numbers aren’t flashy – but he is getting the job done night in and night out on the top player our opponent has.  He held Dan Schneider (Northwest) to four second half points on Friday, and Mike Parker (Evergreen) to seven points after halftime on Saturday.”

ALL CLAMMED UP: A 10-0 second half run got the Coyotes to overtime, and a 12-3 run in the extra session staked Albertson to a crucial 79-70 victory over Evergreen on the road, Saturday night.  Trailing 37-27 at halftime, the ‘Yotes held Evergreen to just 1-of-7 shooting in the extra session, while converting 16-of-17 free throws from halftime on. Tom Perkes (Spokane, Wash. / Big Bend CC) put the Coyotes on top 65-64 with a corner trey with 1:51 left and Andy Harper (Idaho Falls, Idaho / Columbia Basin CC) extended the lead to three with two free throws.  However, Evergreen nailed a long three with two seconds left to send the game to overtime.  In the extra session, Albertson scored the final nine points of the period, including a Joe Green (Pocatello, Idaho / BYU-Idaho) longball and six Harper freebies.  The win gives Albertson the season sweep of the Geoducks.

NORTHWEST CAN’T FIND ANSWER: A tale of two halves was the story at Northwest on Friday, as suffocating second half defense lifted the ‘Yotes to a 81-71 win over an Eagle team that had stopped Albertson twice this season.  Trailing 40-27 with five minutes before halftime, the Coyotes switched to a man defense – and the beginning of an 18-2 run which turned the tide.  Northwest, which shot 56-percent in the first half, managed a 30-percent clip in the second stanza – and missed all three-point attempts after halftime. Jon Thomas (Nampa, Idaho / Gem State Academy) helped the Albertson cause, draining five three-pointers as part of a 19 point evening.

BACK HOME GO THE MOUNTIES: Behind a season-high 13 three-balls and 58-percent shooting from the field, Albertson sprinted past Eastern Oregon, 104-80, on Tuesday night, ending a five-game homestand at 4-1.  Andy Harper hit three quick three’s to get the Coyote lead into double-digits five minutes into the game, ending any Eastern threat.  Justin McCarthy had 18 points and Eric Hare (San Miguel de Allende, Mexico / West Valley CC) scored 14 for the victors, as Albertson scored over 100 points for the second time this season.

WHEN THE ‘YOTES GO OVER 100: Since the 1950-51 season, Albertson has scored over 100 points on 56 occasions, including Tuesday’s win over Eastern.  In those games the ‘Yotes have an all-time record of 53-3.

BIRTHDAY BOY FINISHES WEEK WITH BIG NUMBERS: Who needs to give Tom Perkes a birthday present – his performance last week may have been enough.  The junior transfer scored 20-or-more points in all three ‘Yote wins, including back-to-back double-doubles against Northwest and Evergreen.  For the week, Perkes averaged 21.6 points, nine rebounds, made 25-of-36 shots from the floor (.694 percent), 4-of-5 three’s, and 11-of-13 free throws (.846 percent).  For the season, the expecting father (he and wife Brianne are awaiting their first child) has scored 20-or-more points in nine of the last 11 games, and has 15 20-plus games and seven double-doubles this season.

RASMUSSEN COMING INTO HIS OWN: The role of being one of the first players off the bench has fit former walk-on Zach Rasmussen (Boise, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) nicely.  During the last seven games, the sophomore has seen his playing time increase to 17 minutes a game, including a career-high 29 minutes in the overtime win over Evergreen.  Over the latest stretch, Rasmussen is averaging just under seven points and three rebounds a game, while making 9-of-20 shots from outside the arc.

‘YOTES HAVE A BIG CHRISTMAS PRESENT IN HARPER: Another one of Mark Owen’s analogies deals with junior college transfers and the time it takes them to adjust to basketball at Albertson College.  After a very slow start to the 2002-03 season, Andy Harper has come on like gangbusters as of late.  Prior to the Christmas break, the junior transfer made just 27-percent of his three-point shots and averaged ten points a game.  Since the holidays, Harper has been a force to be reckoned with – scoring in double figures in all of the Coyotes ten games, averaging nearly 17 points a game, and connecting on .432 percent of his long range shots.

AMONG THE CONFERENCE’S BEST: As a team, the Coyotes continue top the Cascade Conference and the NAIA Division II in free throw percentage at a .779 clip.  Albertson is one of only 12 teams in both the NCAA and NAIA that have a percentage higher that 77-percent.  The ‘Yotes also lead the CCC in field goal percentage (.484).  Individually, Tom Perkes ranks tops the CCC and ranks No. 6 in the NAIA in free throw percentage (.874 percent), along with placing No. 3 in the CCC field goal percentage (.593), No. 5 in scoring average (19.5 ppg), and No. 6 in rebound average (7.2 rpg).  Joe Green also ranks in the conference top ten in four categories – third in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.58), fourth in steals per game (2.58), and eighth in both assists per game (4.0) and three-point percentage (.411).  Three players rank in the top-ten in one category – Eric Hare in field goal percentage (No. 8 at .543), Andy Harper in three-pointers made (No. 3 with 56), and Jon Thomas in three-pointers made (No. 6 with 51).

TOUGH GAMES TO KEEP THE ROLL GOING: Two teams sandwiched around the Coyotes come to Caldwell for important Cascade Conference games this weekend.  Friday night, Warner Pacific rolls in, winners of five of their last six, including a nail-biting 69-67 win over then No. 1 ranked Oregon Tech.  Bart Valentine’s Knights (7-5, 16-6) are a very balanced team, with All-Conference post Matt Segrin (18.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg) patrolling the middle, and point-guard Demarcus Best (13.4 ppg, 5.4 apg) running the show.  Warner, the top team in the conference in outside shooting (.372 percent), has won two in a row against Albertson, but trails the all-time series 21-8.  Saturday, the circus sideshow that is the Cascade men’s basketball team stops in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.  Craig Moody has his T-Birds (8-4, 19-6) off to their best start in school history, along with a No. 13 national ranking.  Cascade has put the evils of suspensions and forfeitures behind them, riding the coat tails of Matt Evers (15.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg), Tevis Jones (14.5 ppg), and Randy Kelly (14.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg) to a six-game win streak.  Albertson did defeat the T-Birds, the worst three-point shooting team in the loop (.308 percent), 65-60 in January, their 30th win over the Oklahoma Christian satellite institution in 32 meetings.

ON THE AIR: Listen to both games (Friday vs. Warner Pacific and Saturday vs. Cascade) live on 1490 KCID-AM with Mike Safford Jr. calling the action. The pregame show begins at 7:50 p.m.  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 (7-6 CCC, 13-14): Lady ‘Yotes to close out home schedule with games vs. Warner Pacific and Cascade

LAST WEEK: Lost to Eastern Oregon, 56-52; lost at Northwest, 80-78 (2 OT); won at Evergreen, 59-51.

COMING UP: vs. Warner Pacific, Friday, 6 p.m.; vs. Cascade, Saturday, 6 p.m.

TOUGH WEEK SEES LADIES FALL IN STANDINGS: With three weeks left in the regular season, the chance of a conference championship all went down the drain for the Lady ‘Yotes with a 1-2 week, including a tough home loss to Eastern Oregon.  Albertson now sits five full games out of first-place with five games remaining, but just one game out of third-place – with Cascade and Warner Pacific, the No. 4 and No. 6 teams in the Cascade Conference, coming to town this weekend.

SENIOR NIGHT THIS SATURDAY: This Saturday, the two Coyote seniors will be honored in a pre-game ceremony prior to the women’s game with Cascade, the final regular-season home game for Albertson. Megan Henrichs (Preston, Idaho / Preston HS), a four-year member of the team, along with Kristen Bailey (Fountain Green, Utah / Snow CC), a two-year veteran, will be recognized.

LATE RALLY NOT ENOUGH FOR EVERGREEN: A ball game is never over until the final horn – that motto was definitely prevalent on Saturday night in the Lady ‘Yotes 59-51 win over Evergreen.  Albertson led 54-33 with 6:40 left in the game, but watched in horror as the squad missed eight field goals, five free throws, and turned the ball over six times during the closing stretches of the game – allowing the Geoducks to run off 18 of the next 21 points.  However, Dani Cotterell (Nampa, Idaho / Nampa HS) buried two free throws with 14 seconds left to seal the win.  Albertson used a 14-2 run to jump out to an early lead and led from start-to-finish. Heidi Goicoechea (Burley, Idaho / Burley HS) led the way with 16 points, with Lindsey Karren (Brigham City, Utah / Salt Lake CC) scoring ten points and 13 rebounds, her fifth double-double of the year.

OVERTIME BLUES: Despite a frantic finish and chances to win the game at the end of regulation and the first overtime, the Lady ‘Yotes dropped a 80-78 double overtime thriller to Northwest College on Friday in Kirkland, Wash.  After trailing by eight at half, Albertson rallied to take the lead on two different occasions in the second half, before a late trey gave the Eagles a 63-59 advantage with 36 seconds left.  Junior Michelle Dyreng (Kaysville, Utah / Snow CC) split a pair of free throws with 24 ticks on the clock, and after a NW missed free throw, Krystal Thacker (Elko, Nev. / BYU-Idaho) converted a lay-up with six seconds left to cut the margin to 63-62.  Three turnovers would ensue in the next four seconds, with the final one sending Lindsey Karren to the foul line with 1.2 seconds left.  The junior split her freebies, sending the game to overtime.  After Albertson opened up a five-point margin in the first extra session, Northwest would rally to tie the score, and Thacker’s runner at the buzzer rimmed out, sending the game to a second OT.  The Eagles would dominate the period, using an 8-0 run to close Albertson out.  Dyreng led the Lady ‘Yotes with a career high 14 points, while Kristen Bailey recorded her 24th career double-double, scoring ten points to go along with 15 rebounds.

EASTERN SHOCKS LADY ‘YOTES: A dreadful 32-percent shooting night, coupled by a pair of clutch three-pointers by Eastern Oregon, led to a Mountaineer 56-52 victory over the Lady ‘Yotes on Tuesday night.  Despite 18 Heidi Goicoechea points, and a 16-point, ten-rebound night from Kristen Bailey, Eastern won for the second consecutive time in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.  The Mountaineers opened up a 47-36 lead with six minutes left, allowing their large fan contingent to make copious amounts of noise.  But the Coyotes weren’t through, closing the gap to two on a pair of occasions.  However, a Goicoechea three-point attempt to tie the score with three seconds left was blocked, ending the Albertson rally.

RECORDS BROKEN: Multiple individual and team records have already been broken by the 2002-03 Lady ‘Yotes.  As a team, the squad has crushed the single-season blocked shot record, along with the marks for free throws made and blocked shots in a game.  Individually, Heidi Goicoechea has established new records for points and field goal attempts in a game, along with tying the steals record, while Kristen Bailey set a new standard for free throw attempts in a game, along with recorded eight blocks on three different occasions this year.  Those two players also find themselves quickly climbing the single-season and career list in multiple categories – Goicoechea having scored 957 points, moving her just 55 points out of fourth-place all-time, while Bailey needs one block to reach 200 in a career.  Bailey also scored 718 points, just 17 behind seventh-place all-time, and 559 rebounds, fourth-best in school history.

CONFERENCE LEADERS: As a team, the Lady ‘Yotes lead the Cascade Conference in both free throw percentage (.719) and blocked shots (162), along with ranking second in both rebounds per game (42.4) and rebound margin (+4.3).  The team ranks fourth in the scoring categories – scoring offense (68.6), scoring defense (66.2), and scoring margin (+2.4).  Individually, Kristen Bailey ranks among the top-ten in five different categories – No. 1 in both blocked shots (114) and defensive rebounds (212), No. 2 in rebound average (10.6), No. 6 in field goal percentage (.480), and eighth in scoring average (13.7 ppg).  Heidi Goicoechea leads the loop in free throw percentage (.870 – No. 5 in the NAIA), ranks fifth in three-pointers made (53), and ninth in scoring average (13.6 ppg).  Also among the leaders are Krystal Thacker – No. 2 in free throw percentage (.853), Lindsey Karren – No. 8 in rebound average (8.3), and Dani Cotterell – who ranks No. 5 in three-point percentage (.345) and No. 6 in three’s made (50).

PLAYOFF PICTURE: Three teams have clinched spots in the Cascade Conference postseason tournament – Southern Oregon, Oregon Tech, and Eastern Oregon.  Both the Lady ‘Yotes and Cascade can both clinch spots this weekend with either a win or a Northwest loss.  The top four seeds will host first round games on Tuesday, Feb. 24, with the higher seed in the straight-seeded bracket hosting the opening games.

NEED TWO WINS: With a home playoff date at the top of the list of wants for the Albertson women’s basketball team, this weekend’s home dates with both Warner Pacific and Cascade loom as must win opportunities.  Friday night against the much-improved Knights (6-6, 9-16), the Lady ‘Yotes hope to recover from a 71-67 overtime loss to Warner in Portland a month ago – a win for the Knights that sent the team on a seven-game win streak.  Head coach Katy Steding has a solid post in Shawna Damon (16.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg), and a pair of good guards – Joy Best (11.8 ppg, 4.8 apg) and Angie Sun (13.0 ppg) to work with.  The Knights have lost 5-of-7 meetings against Albertson, including all three meetings in Caldwell.  Saturday, John Phillips’ Thunderbirds (7-5, 16-9) ride into town, coming off an impressive 82-74 win over Southern Oregon.  Cascade, which has never qualified for the post-season in women’s basketball – boasts the top scorer in the NAIA (Nicole Brown at 25.8 ppg), the No. 2 rebounder in the NAIA (Marquetta Pruitt at 12.9 rpg), and the leader in NAIA assists (Silver Pierce with 7.7 apg).  Brown, who puts up 24 shots per game, has scored 30-or-more points on eight occasions.  The T-Birds, who average over 70 points a game, are the worst three-point shooting team in the league (.257 percent).  Cascade defeated Albertson, 68-67, in January, their first win over the Lady ‘Yotes in five previous meetings.

 
INTERNET AND RADIO BROADCAST INFORMATION: Both weekend games (Friday vs. Warner Pacific and Saturday vs. Cascade) will be broadcast live on the Internet at www.collegeofidaho.edu/webcam/Athletics.asx with students Jordan Komoto and Jake McClean calling the action. 

HALL-OF-FAME NIGHT: On Saturday, three new members will be inducted into the Albertson Athletic Hall-of-Fame – Adele Allender (Savaria), Jack Kennevick, and Bob Morford.  Induction ceremonies, presented by Wendy’s, will take place at 12:30 p.m. in the Simplot Dining Hall, with a special presentation to the trio during the basketball doubleheader against Cascade.  For more information on the Wendy’s Hall-of-Fame luncheon, contact Dave Hahn at (208) 459-5835.

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 -