‘Yote Notes – Jan. 10, 2006

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@collegeofidaho.edu

ATHLETIC NEWS:

TAILGATE PARTIES: The Albertson College alumni office will be hosting a pair of tailgate parties during the weekend homestand on January 27 and 28. Friday night the 27th (against Northwest) and Saturday night the 28th (against Evergreen State), the tailgate will take place from 6:30-8 p.m. in Blatchley Hall. For more information or to RSVP, contact Mary Bitner at 459-5300.

WINTER / SPRING SPORTS APPROACHING: Action will be fast and furious in the next month, as many Coyote teams get back into the swing of things. Alpine skiing opens the 2006 season on Jan. 21 at the Mount Hood Ski Bowl; indoor track begins a four-meet schedule on Jan. 21 in Nampa at the Hampton Inn Invite; baseball opens its schedule with a twinbill against Lewis & Clark on Feb. 11; softball begins its schedule on Feb. 11 at Utah Valley State.

SWIMMERS RETURN TO THE POOL: The Albertson College swim teams will head to the Emerald City on Saturday for a short-course dual against NCAA Division II power, Seattle University. It will be the first of two duals that the ‘Yotes will compete in over the next two weeks – as the squad looks to add more names to the list of automatic qualifiers for the NAIA Championships in March.

MEN’S BASKETBALL (7-8, 4-2 CCC): Coyotes begin four-game road trip at No. 2 Southern Oregon and No. 12 Oregon Tech

LAST WEEK: vs. Cascade (W 74-68 OT), vs. No. 5 Warner Pacific (W 86-72)

COMING UP: at No. 2 Southern Oregon, Friday, 7:30 p.m. (PST); at No. 12 Oregon Tech, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. (PST)

RADIO: All 27 regular-season men’s basketball games will be broadcast live in the Treasure Valley on 1490 KCID-AM, the “Home of the Coyotes.” Mike Safford Jr. begins his fifth season as the play-by-play man for Albertson basketball, with the pregame show beginning 20 minutes prior to every game. The weekend games at Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech are women-men doubleheaders – with the broadcast beginning at 5:15 p.m. (PST) for the ladies action, followed by the men’s game. All games can also be heard live on the Albertson Athletic Website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/media/audio/YoteSports.asx.

CCC AND NATIONAL POLL: The Cascade Conference men’s basketball coaches’ poll was released on Monday and saw some changes. Oregon Tech was picked No. 1, followed by Southern Oregon and Warner Pacific. Northwest jumped into the No. 4 spot, followed by Eastern Oregon and Albertson.

GAME MOVED TO JANUARY 30: The make-up game between Albertson and Concordia (originally scheduled for Dec. 20, but postponed due to travel problems with the Cavaliers) will be played on Monday night, January 30, at the J.A. Albertson Activities Center. All tickets for the Dec. 20 contest (Game 7 in the season ticket package) will be honored.

DAUNTING STRETCH STARTS WITH WIN: The ‘Yotes opened up the season with an extremely tough non-conference schedule – including games against five nationally-ranked NAIA Division I opponents. An even tougher stretch has begun for Albertson – three consecutive conference games against opponents ranked in the NAIA Division II’s Top-12. The Coyotes got off to a rousing start with their upset of No. 5 ranked Warner Pacific on Saturday – but the road gets harder, with games this weekend at No. 2 Southern Oregon and No. 12 Oregon Tech.

‘YOTES TOP FIFTH-RANKED WARNER: Albertson College used a 27-7 second half run to take command, as the Coyotes upset No. 5 ranked Warner Pacific, 86-72, Saturday night in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center. The victory for the 'Yotes was the first back-to-back wins for the club since November and their first win against a nationally-ranked team this season. Leading 46-42 at the break, Albertson saw the Knights use a 13-5 run, keyed by six Donny Woods points, to take a 55-51 edge with 15:19 left in the game. However, the Coyotes would respond, as a Derek Brown (Las Vegas, Nev. / Desert Pines HS) three-point play gave Albertson the lead for good, and a Brandon Nielsen (Twin Falls, Idaho / Big Bend CC) trey with 6:38 left capped the surge with the hosts leading 78-62. Dan McFaul (Moses Lake, Wash. / Big Bend CC) tied a career-high with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Ike Stafford (Auburn, Wash. / Salt Lake CC) had 20 points and seven assists.

TOP-FIVE WINS UNDER OWEN: The victory over Warner Pacific was the fifth time in the six-year head coaching career of Mark Owen that the Coyotes had defeated a team ranked in the NAIA Top-5. Albertson defeated Oregon Tech twice during the 2000-01 season (once while No. 2, once while No. 3), topped No. 2 Siena Heights during the 2000-01 season, and last year defeated No. 3 Western Baptist.

BROWN COMES UP BIG: The spark for Albertson on Saturday came from senior Derek Brown, as the four-year player had his best all-around game of the 2005-06 season. “D” had his third career double-double, scoring 13 points and recording 11 rebounds, while providing five assists and a season-high five steals in 30 minutes of action off the bench. Brown, who had been hampered by a hand injury over the past two weeks, eclipsed the 800-point mark in his career on Saturday – while playing in his 117th game, just four behind the school-record of 121, set by Justin McCarthy (2001-04) and Dan Hardee (1987-90).

CASCADE GIVES COYOTES OVERTIME SCARE: Albertson College fended off an upset bid from upstart Cascade College, as the Coyotes outscored the visitors 11-5 in overtime, topping the Thunderbirds, 74-68, Friday night in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center. True freshman guard Bryan Champ (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS) calmly hit 5-of-6 free throws in the final 30 second to secure the win for the 'Yotes. Albertson held a 53-41 lead with 7:27 left in the game, but Cascade would rally – trying to end a 32-game conference losing streak. Joshua Garrett hit four treys in a 22-8 run, capped by two Paul Hamilton free throws to give the T-Birds a 63-61 edge with a minute left. The 'Yotes would force overtime, as Champ picked Garrett cleanly with 15 seconds left, then following a timeout, Kurt Nielson (Rexburg, Idaho / Eastern Utah CC) drove the lane for a lay-up, tying the score and sending the game to overtime. In the extra session, the Coyotes took the lead for good at 69-68 on a Brandon Nielsen reverse lay-up, then handed the game to Champ, who hit two freebies, made two more following a Cascade technical foul, and hit a final one with two seconds left to complete the scoring. Nielsen led all scorers with a season-high 27 points, but went 4-for-10 from the foul line, while Ike Stafford added 11 points and nine boards.

IN OVERTIME: The win over Cascade was the ‘Yotes sixth win in seven games that had gone to overtime, dating back to the 2003-04 season. Under Mark Owen, Albertson has an 8-4 record in overtime games, including a 3-2 mark in games going to two overtimes.

FRESHMEN THE KEY TO VICTORY: Albertson got a big lift from its freshman class in the win over Cascade, as both Bryan Champ and Kurt Nielson gave the ‘Yotes a boost. Champ scored 11 points and had six rebounds in 24 minutes of action off the bench – all three equaling or surpassing career-highs. Nielson also scored 11 points in 34 minutes of play – both tops in his young career.

CAN THE ‘YOTES BEAT THE RAIDERS?: One team over the past five years has given Albertson College fits – Friday’s opponent, Southern Oregon. The Raiders (16-3, 5-2 CCC) have used pressure defense to hold the ‘Yotes to just 60 points per game during their five-game win streak over the Purple and Gold – and at the same time seen their own stock rise. Southern is coming off a quarterfinal appearance at the 2005 NAIA national tournament and ascended to a No. 1 ranking throughout December. An untimely loss at Warner Pacific dropped the Raiders to No. 2 and a loss Saturday to Oregon Tech ended a 15-game home win streak and will ultimately drop SOU further in the poll. Brian McDermott’s club is led by First-Team All-American Shea Washington (18.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg), who has averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds against the ‘Yotes in five previous meetings, all Raider wins. He is joined by ever-improving point-guard Steve Farley (9.2 ppg, 4.4 apg) and forward Jeff Williams (8.0 ppg, 8.9 rpg) – both starters from a year ago. Southern is the top defensive team in the league – holding opponents to the lowest field goal percentage and lowest three-point percentage, while holding a plus-nine edge on the glass.

LOOKING AT THE “SOUTHERN STREAK”: The Raiders have had the Coyotes number over the past two seasons – winning five consecutive games, including last year’s Cascade Conference tournament title game, 50-47, in Ashland. Dating back to the 2001-02 season, Southern Oregon holds a 9-3 mark against the ‘Yotes – including three wins during both the 2001-02 and 2004-05 season, along with handing Albertson their only two league losses during their 2003-04 CCC championship campaign. Of the last three games at McNeal Hall – all have been barnburners, as two were decided on the last possession of the game, the other saw SOU use a 12-0 run in the final five minutes to notch a win. Despite the tough times of late, Albertson holds a 32-15 all-time series edge.

HEADED TO DANNY’S COURT: Saturday night, the Coyotes head into the Klamath Basin and a game in the “House that Danny Built” at Oregon Tech. Head coach Dan Miles, he of 777 victories, has the built the No. 12 ranked Owls (16-3, 5-2) into the basketball machine that they have been over the past decade. The 2004 NAIA champs have won ten games in a row and are a perfect 10-0 at home – with their last loss coming at the hands of the ‘Yotes, a 66-62 defeat in the CCC tournament semifinals last year. OIT began the season as the preseason No. 1 ranked team in the NAIA, thanks to spark-plug point-guard Levell Hesia (17.1 ppg, 5.1 apg) and mini-post Andre Lawrence (14.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg), with Lawrence averaging 16 points and 12 rebounds per game vs. Albertson last season. Western Oregon transfer Ryan Fiegi (17.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg) has been the key acquisition for the Owls, who are among the league leaders is scoring and rebounding, while recording the fewest number of turnovers in the loop. Albertson holds a 37-22 all-time series edge with OIT and have won four of their last six meetings at Danny Miles Court.

LEAGUE LEADERS: Scoring Average – Eric Fiegi (COR) 28.4, Michael Lay (CU) 18.6, Shea Washington (SOU) 18.4, Joshua Garrett (CAS) 18.4, Ryan Fiegi (OIT) 17.2; Rebound Average – E. Fiegi 11.9, Jeff Williams (SOU) 8.9, Washington 8.1, Aaron Sawyer (NW) 7.5, Donny Woods (WPC) 7.4; Field Goal Percentage – Bobby Lester (CU) .623, Tanner McIntosh (EOU) .620, Thomas Cook (ESC) .618, Washington .617, Lay .579; Assist Average – Lay 6.4, Woods 6.1, Levell Hesia (OIT) 5.5, Steve Farley (SOU) 4.6, Andre Lawrence (OIT) 4.5.

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

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (9-8, 3-3 CCC): Lady ‘Yotes split home games, set off on four-game road swing through Oregon

LAST WEEK: vs. Cascade (W 62-44), vs. Warner Pacific (L 74-61)

COMING UP: at Southern Oregon, Friday, 5:30 p.m. (PST); at Oregon Tech, Saturday, 5:30 p.m. (PST)

RADIO AND INTERNET: All nine women’s CCC road games will be broadcast live this season on 1490 KCID-AM with Mike Safford Jr. calling the action. The pregame show will begin at 5:15 p.m. (PST) on Friday and Saturday as the Lady ‘Yotes meet Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech. The game can also be heard live on the Internet at www.collegeofidaho.edu/media/audio/YoteSports.asx.

LIVE STATS: Both weekend games will have live stats available on the Internet. On Friday, head to http://www.sou.edu/athletics/livestats/xlive.htm, thanks to SOUSports.com. On Saturday, visit http://140.211.130.21/live/xlive.htm, thanks to the Oregon Tech athletic department.

CCC POLL: The Cascade Conference women’s basketball coaches’ poll was released on Monday and saw some changes. Corban was ranked No. 1 for the fourth-straight week and should maintain their No. 17 national ranking. They are closely followed by Warner Pacific and Eastern Oregon, with the Lady ‘Yotes sitting in the No. 4 slot. Oregon Tech and Concordia round out the top-six.

INJURY BUG CONTINUES TO HAMPER POSTS: The Lady ‘Yotes continue to see their size advantage in the paint dwindle before their eyes, as another key component for the Albertson College women’s basketball team has been injured. Add Magen Dufurrena (Denio, Nev. / Lowry HS) to the injured list, as the sophomore tore knee ligaments during the second half of the Dec. 30 game at Northwest. She was scheduled for surgery this week and is lost for nine months. The injury to “Duff” was not the first to a ‘Yote post – as fellow starter Whitney Martin (Rupert, Idaho / Boise State U.) has been out for the past month with an injured knee. Martin expects to be cleared to resume practice next Monday, with hopes of a return for games at Corban and Concordia.

FOUR GAME ROADIE AHEAD FOR LADY ‘YOTES: The next two weeks will be tough ones for the Coyotes, as a pair of long road trips await the squad sitting 9-8 overall and 3-3 in conference play. This weekend, Albertson heads on the long, winding trip to Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech – a trip in which the club has never swept the two games. Next weekend, it’s the first of two trips to the Willamette Valley for the final meeting with Corban and the first meeting with Concordia. The schedule will then be in the ‘Yotes favor, as Albertson plays six of their final eight games at home.

SECOND HALF LEADS TO WIN OVER CASCADE: Kim Strunk (Twin Falls, Idaho / Twin Falls HS) had 12 of her game-high 17 points in the second half, as the Albertson College women's basketball team shook off a sluggish first half to defeat Cascade College, 62-44, Friday in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center. The Lady 'Yotes, who extended a win streak to three games, missed their first 12 shots outside the paint, but managed a 21-18 halftime lead. After Cascade would score the opening bucket of the second half, Albertson would go on a 12-0 run to take control of the contest. Whitney Clark (Jerome, Idaho / NW Nazarene) had 14 points and five assists in the win, as Albertson held a 47-40 edge on the boards and forced 24 Cascade turnovers.

TOUGH NIGHT VS. WARNER: Warner Pacific held Albertson College to 5-of-26 shooting in the second half as the Knights won their sixth consecutive game, a 74-61 victory in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center on Saturday night. With the win, Warner remains in a first-place tie with Corban College atop the Cascade Conference standings. The Knights jumped out to a 16-1 edge in the first eight minutes of the contest, keyed by eight Becky VanTine points. Albertson would rally behind Kim Strunk, who scored nine of her 11 points in the opening period to rally, taking a brief 29-28 lead before halftime. Cascade College transfers Nicole Brown and Silver Pierce would take over in the second half, Brown hitting three jumpers and four free throws, part of her 13 point night, while Pierce hit back-to-back three's to give WPC a 58-44 edge with six minutes left. Pierce scored eight points, had ten boards, and nine assists. Albertson, which had a three-game win streak halted, was led by the 17 points of Jori Grady (Roseburg, Ore. / Umpqua CC).

A GOOD WEEKEND FROM THE LINE: Despite having shooting woes throughout the weekend, the Lady ‘Yotes had their best two-game stretch of the season at the foul line. Albertson made 24-of-29 shots from the stripe on Friday (a season-best 83-percent) and followed it up with a 26-of-35 night on Saturday.

A SECOND-STRAIGHT WIN IN ASHLAND?: Throughout the years, McNeal Pavilion has been one of the tougher places for the Lady ‘Yotes to get a victory. Up until last season, Albertson had gone 1-9 in games played in the home gym of Friday’s opponent, Southern Oregon, with the only win coming during the 2000-01 run to the NAIA title game. Things changed last season, as the Coyotes blasted the Raiders, 71-50 – sweeping the season series with SOU for only the second time. Coming off a 4-25 season, new head coach Lynn Kennedy had the Raiders (9-9, 2-5 CCC) off to a 5-1 start, however, has seen his club drop four of their last five games – including three in a row at home. SOU has quality wins against Dominican and Concordia, but their seven other victories have come at the hands of teams with a combined 11-74 record (Pacific Union, Western Oregon, Savannah A&D, Cascade, Simpson - twice, Walla Walla). Andi Peterson (12.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg) has been the most consistent performer this season, while Jenna Ayers (9.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg) is averaging 12 points per game in conference play. It is the 24th meeting between the teams, with Southern holding a 13-10 edge.

REMEMBERING THE PLAYOFFS AT TECH: Last season, the Lady ‘Yotes won for the first time in school history at Oregon Tech – defeating the No. 1 seeded Owls 37-36 in the semifinals of the Cascade Conference tournament. Albertson will look for a repeat performance on Saturday against Tech (13-5, 4-3), who has rattled off ten wins in their last 11 games and has an 8-1 record at home. For the past two seasons, OIT went to all-star Nikki McElligott for their scoring punch, but with their ace in the hole since graduated, the offense is a bit more balanced for Tom Loney’s club. Six different players average ten points per game or better – but no player averages 13 a night. Sophomore post Ashley DuBrey (12.3 ppg, 10.5 rpg) leads the league in rebounds, while Homedale native Kelsi Haylett (11.5 ppg, 4.3 apg) is one of the fastest players in the league. Despite winning 2-of-3 games last year, Albertson trails the all-time series, 5-3.

RECORD WATCH: Kim Strunk and Angie Gribble (Boise, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) continue to move up the charts on the ACI career record book. Strunk now is second all-time for free throws made (272) – needing just 55 made freebies to hold the all-time school mark. She ranks No. 4 in free throw attempts (345), is sixth in blocked shots (44) and games played (101), seventh in points scored (817), eighth in steals (107), ranks ninth in rebounds (500), and ranks tenth in field goals made (257) and attempted (618). Gribble ranks fourth on the all-time steals list with (122), is sixth on the all-time three-point field goals made list (64), while ranking seventh in three-point attempts (214) and assists (217).

CONFERENCE LEADERS: Scoring Average – Emilee Eisinger (NW) 17.2, Jori Grady (ACI) 16.7, Heidi Horobiowski (EOU) 14.7, Darcy Madison (CU) 13.8, Angie Sun (WPC) 13.5; Rebound Average – Ashley DuBrey (OIT) 10.5, Becky VanTine (WPC) 8.6, Jenny Olson (ESC) 8.5, Eisinger 8.4, Joyce Oniah (CU) 8.3; Field Goal Percentage – Sheena Henderson (EOU) .560, Adria Layne (EOU) .551, Eisinger .508, Brianne Carras (COR) .496, VanTine .494; Assist Average – Tosha Wilson (COR) 5.9, Samantha Gilbert (OIT) 4.3, Kelsey Haylett (OIT) 4.3, Chelsey Zimmerman (SOU) 4.2, Denise Benedict (CU) 3.6.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE LADY ‘YOTES: For up-to-date statistics, stories, and information about the Albertson women’s basketball team, head to the official website for the Lady ‘Yotes – www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmensbasketball.htm.

- ALBERTSON -