‘Yote Notes – Dec. 14,
2005
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Mike Safford Jr. – Sports
Info. Director
msafford@collegeofidaho.edu
ATHLETIC
NEWS:
COYOTE
APPAREL, A GREAT HOLIDAY GIFT: With the holidays fast approaching,
Albertson College athletic apparel is a great gift for the season.
T-Shirts (short and long sleeved), sweatshirts, hooded sweatshirts, polo
shirts, and hats are available for purchase daily in the ACI development office
(third-floor, Sterry Hall) or by calling 459-5301.
SWIMMERS
CRACK NAIA TOP-TIME LIST: For the first time in school history, the Albertson
College swim teams have cracked the NAIA’s Top-12 list for the fastest times in
the nation. On the women’s side, the Lady
‘Yotes 200-freestyle relay has the 12th-fastest time in the nation, while on
the men’s side, the ‘Yotes are ranked No. 9 in the 200-free relay, No. 11 in
the 400-free relay, and No. 12 in the 200-medley relay. Albertson returns to the pool in mid-January
for a pair of road duals at Seattle University and Pacific Lutheran University.
MEN’S BASKETBALL (3-6, 1-0 CCC): Coyotes return home for trio of games – vs. Montana-Western, Concordia,
and Corban
LAST WEEK: at Cougar Classic, Azusa, Calif. –
vs. Concordia-Irvine (L 99-96 2OT), vs. No. 3 Azusa Pacific (L 87-69)
COMING UP: vs. Montana-Western, Saturday,
7:30 p.m.; vs. Concordia-Portland, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.; vs. Corban, Wednesday,
7:30 p.m.
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.
All games can also be heard live on the Albertson Athletic Website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/media/audio/YoteSports.asx.
TOUGH START TO THE 2005-06 SEASON: With the
2005-06 non-conference schedule nearly complete, it is safe to say that the
schedule Mark Owen and Garry Matlock put together has been the
toughest slate in school history. The
Coyotes currently sit at 3-6 on the season, the worst record through nine games
since the 1979-80 team began the year with a 1-8 record. Of the six losses, four were against teams
ranked in the NAIA Division I poll (No. 3 Azusa Pacific, No. 7 Carroll, two
losses to No. 13 Westminster), while the losses to both Concordia-Irvine and
Lubbock Christian are to teams that have received votes in the NAIA poll.
LOOKING BACK TO THE PRESEASON: A break
here and there, and it is conceivable that the Coyotes could be 7-2 heading
into the winter break. Albertson had
the lead late in the second half against Carroll, was within one possession of
Westminster in the final minute in Caldwell and in Salt Lake City, and had
numerous chances to win against Concordia-Irvine on Friday night.
CCC AND NATIONAL POLL: The second Cascade
Conference men’s basketball coaches’ poll was released on Monday and was very
similar to last week’s balloting.
Southern Oregon was the unanimous No. 1 squad, followed by Warner
Pacific and Oregon Tech. Concordia
jumped to the No. 4 spot, followed by the Coyotes and Eastern Oregon. In the second NAIA Division II national poll
of the regular-season, Southern Oregon maintained their No. 1 ranking for the
second-straight week, while Warner Pacific dropped one slot to No. 6. Oregon Tech held pat at No. 17, while
Concordia, Albertson, and Eastern Oregon all were listed in the “others
receiving votes” category.
STAPLE IN THE NATIONAL POLL: The
Coyotes have seen their name in the NAIA Division II national poll for the last
23 consecutive polling periods – dating back to Jan. 28, 2003. During that stretch, the ‘Yotes had been
ranked in the Top-25 for a 18-week stretch that was ended last week.
STAFFORD HAS MONSTER GAME: Friday
night in Southern California, Ike Stafford (Auburn, Wash. / Salt Lake
CC) was in the zone. The junior
transfer scored a career-high 39 points in the loss to Concordia-Irvine,
etching his name among the elite in school history. The scoring outburst was the highest-scoring game since the
College of Idaho became Albertson College of Idaho in the Fall of 1991 and the
16th-highest scoring game in school history. Only five other players (Elgin Baylor, Mark
Owen, Johnnie Hilliard, Taft Jackson, and R.C. Owens) have scored more points
in a game as a Coyote. The last time a
player tallied more than 39 points in a contest was on March 14, 1991, as
Hilliard scored 44 points at the NAIA national tournament in Kansas City
against Saint Mary’s of Michigan.
TOUGH LOSS TO CU-IRVINE: A 7-0 run in the second
overtime helped Concordia-Irvine knock off Albertson College, 99-96, in the
opener of the Cougar Classic at the Felix Event Center on Friday night. Joe Roberson converted a lay-up with 1:30
remaining to give the Eagles a 96-94 edge. The 'Yotes had a chance to tie
on the following possession, but Josh Owen (Caldwell, Idaho /
Vallivue HS) missed an uncontested lay-up. Albertson would have one
final chance at the horn, but a trey from Derek Brown (Las Vegas,
Nev. / Desert Pines HS) was short. The
Coyotes took a 41-29 second half lead, but the Eagles rattled off 13-straight points
to reclaim the lead. Owen had 22 points for Albertson, but went 2-of-10
after halftime. Brown added 17 points for the 'Yotes, but missed a chance
to win the game at the end of the first OT, failing to convert a free throw
with four seconds left and the scored tied at 89-89.
IN OVERTIME UNDER OWEN: The loss to Concordia ended
a five-game win streak for the ‘Yotes in games that had gone to overtime,
dating back to the 2003-04 season. In
Mark Owen’s six years as head coach, Albertson has a 7-4 record in overtime
games, including a 3-2 mark in games going to two overtimes.
AZUSA ROLLS PAST ‘YOTES: A 32-14 run to open up the game
helped No. 3 ranked Azusa Pacific knock off Albertson College, 87-69, in the
final game of the Cougar Classic in the Felix Event Center on Saturday night. Five players scored in double figures for the Cougars, led
by the 13 points of Demario Butler.
The 'Yotes, who
trailed 48-30 at the break, trimmed the lead to 52-42 on a Kurt Nielson (Rexburg,
Idaho / Eastern Utah CC) trey with 14:03 remaining. However, Josh
Reisman answered with a trey, and the visitors would not threaten again. Brandon Nielsen (Twin Falls, Idaho /Big Bend CC) led the Coyotes
with 13 points, with Josh Owen and Dan McFaul (Moses Lake, Wash. /
Big Bend CC) each scoring ten. Justin Fried (Middleton,
Idaho / Middleton HS) and Nielson each had nine points, with Craig McGee
(Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) scoring seven.
MAGGARD MISSES WEEKEND: The ‘Yotes were without the
services of post J.R. Maggard (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS) for
the two games in California. The
sophomore rolled his ankle during Friday’s shoot-around prior to the
Concordia-Irvine game and was not able to play in either game. Maggard is day-to-day for Saturday’s contest
with Montana-Western.
COYOTES AMONG THE CCC LEADERS: As a team,
the Coyotes rank No. 1in the CCC in three-pointers made per game (9.8) and
second in free throw percentage (.731).
However, the squad ranks last in the league in five categories – field goal
percentage, defensive field goal percentage, defensive three-point percentage,
rebound margin, and assists per game. Individually,
three players rank among the top-ten in CCC stat categories. Josh Owen leads the league and is No. 2 in
the NAIA Division II in free throw percentage (.962), while ranking third in
the league in three-pointers made per game (2.7). Brandon Neilson ranks No. 1 in the loop and No. 7 nationally in
three-pointers made per game (3.2).
Rounding out the group is Ike Stafford, who ranks No. 4 in the league in
three-point percentage (.512) and three-pointers made per game (2.4), is No. 6
in scoring average (16.8), and is No. 7 in field goal percentage (.571).
LEAGUE LEADERS: Scoring Average – Eric Fiegi (COR)
28.9, Joshua Garrett (CAS) 20.4, Shea Washington (SOU) 19.4, Michael Lay (CU) 18.3,
Levell Hesia (OIT) 16.9; Rebound Average – Fiegi 11.8, Jeff Williams (SOU) 9.5,
Andre Lawrence (OIT) 7.8, Aaron Sawyer (NW) 7.6, Washington 7.5; Field Goal
Percentage – Thomas Cook (ESC) .698, Erion Moore (SOU) .684, Tanner McIntosh
(EOU) .667, Washington .634, Lay .624; Assist Average – Lay 6.6, Donny Woods
(WPC) 6.1, Hesia 5.8, Garrett 5.0, Lawrence 4.7.
MONTANA-WESTERN ROUNDS OUT NON-CONFERENCE SLATE: Albertson
finishes its preseason schedule on Saturday night, playing host to Montana-Western. The Bulldogs (4-7) have won two of their
last three games, including a 110-90 victory over Johnson & Wales (Colo.)
last Saturday night. The trio of Tyler
Palmer (18.9 ppg), Charlie Cox (16.1 ppg), and Jeff Feenstra (13.6 ppg, 5.2
rpg) form the nucleus of the team, which averages 88 points a game. However, Western has struggled on the
defensive end at times – with opponents shooting .499 percent against them,
while averaging 93 points a night.
Albertson has won six-straight against the Bulldogs, including a 97-89 victory
at the Quinn Classic in November and holds a 30-17 all-time series edge.
HERE COMES CONCORDIA, CORBAN: A much-improved
Concordia squad opens up the CCC slate in the J.A. Albertson Activities
Center on Tuesday night. The Cavaliers
(8-2, 1-1 CCC) have been playing very well lately, including wins over
nationally-ranked foes San Diego Christian and Oregon Tech, and an overtime
loss to No. 1 Southern Oregon – and lead the loop in scoring average and field
goal percentage. Concordia is led by
point-guard Michael Lay (18.3 ppg, 6.9 apg), who has torched the ‘Yotes in the
past, along with Alex Hartman (15.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and Bobby Lester (12.9 ppg,
6.0 rpg). Albertson has won
six-straight over Concordia and leads the all-time series, 38-8. Wednesday night, the ‘Yotes tangle with Corban,
and one of the top scorers in all of college basketball. The Warriors (6-6, 1-1) are coming off an
outstanding 2004-05 season in which they rose to No. 1 in the NAIA Division II
and earned a berth to the national tournament – however, return just one
starter from that bunch – All-American post Eric Fiegi (28.9 ppg, 11.8 rpg). The ability to find players to complement
Fiegi (who has taken 28-percent of the Warriors shots this season) is the key –
as Chris Lynn (16.1 ppg) is the only other player averaging in double
figures. Corban is looking to break a
three-game losing streak (losses to George Fox, Great Falls, and Lewis-Clark
State), but split a pair of games in Caldwell at the Golden Rule Shoot-Out in
November. Albertson holds a 37-19
all-time series edge, but the first 56 games were played between the ‘Yotes and
Western Baptist College, as Corban was previously known.
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 (6-6, 0-1 CCC): Grady named CCC Player of the Week, Lady ‘Yotes host pair of games next
week
LAST WEEK: at Northwest Nazarene (L 79-58),
at Aramark Classic – vs. No. 8 Montana-Western (L 66-53), vs. Rocky Mountain (W
81-80)
COMING UP: vs. Concordia, Tuesday (12/20),
5:30 p.m.; vs. No. 18 Corban, Wednesday (12/21), 5:30 p.m.
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. Tuesday and
Wednesday night’s games will be carried on the internet, via the Albertson
Athletic Website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/media/audio/YoteSports.asx
with Jake McClean calling the action.
GRADY NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK: After
averaging over 20 points per game over the three-game span covering last week,
Albertson College guard Jori Grady (Roseburg, Ore. / Umpqua CC) was
named Cascade Conference Player of the Week.
The junior was named the Aramark Classic most valuable player on
Saturday night, after averaging 23 points in the Coyotes two games in La
Grande. Grady made 7-of-14 shots from
outside the arc over the week, to go along with nearly five rebounds and three
assists per game. It is the first time
a Lady ‘Yote has been selected for the honor since Jan. 24, 2005, when Kasey
Hooter won the award.
MORE ON GRADY’S SOLID START: Through 12
games this season, Jori Grady is averaging 17.7 points per contest, ranking her
second in scoring average among all Cascade Conference players and No. 25 in
the NAIA Division II. More impressive
is the fact that Grady has the second-highest scoring average through 12 games
in school-history, ranking behind only Alyson Pincock’s 23.0 point per game
average during the start of the 2000-01 season.
LADY ‘YOTES THIRD IN CCC POLL: The Lady ‘Yotes
moved up two spots in the second week of the Cascade Conference coaches
poll. Leading the way was Corban,
ranked No. 17 in the latest NAIA Division II poll, followed by Eastern Oregon,
which received votes in the national poll.
Following Albertson were Evergreen State, Warner Pacific, and Southern
Oregon.
MARTIN INJURED, PATTERSON GONE: Albertson
will be without the services of forward Whitney Martin (Rupert, Idaho
/ Boise State U.) in the immediate future.
The junior injured her knee late in the game at Northwest Nazarene and
missed both weekend contests. Martin
has been fitted for a brace and will begin light workouts within a two-week
period. She had recorded a season-high
15 points at NNU prior to the injury.
The ‘Yotes will also be without forward Krystn Patterson (Wells,
Nev. / College of Southern Idaho), who has left the team for personal
reasons.
COYOTES RALLY TO TOP ROCKY: Whitney
Clark (Jerome, Idaho / Northwest Nazarene U.) made a pair
of free throws with three seconds left, giving the Albertson College women's
basketball team an 81-80 victory over Rocky Mountain at the Aramark Classic in
Quinn Coliseum on Saturday night. The
victory ended a Lady 'Yotes three-game losing streak, as Albertson rallied from
a 44-35 halftime deficit. Leading 75-68
with three minutes remaining, the Coyotes watched Rocky go on a 12-3 run to
grab an 80-78 edge inside the final minute. Jori Grady made 1-of-2 free
throws to get within one, then following an Angie Gribble (Boise,
Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) steal, the 'Yotes got the ball to Clark, who was
fouled - setting up the game-winning shots.
Grady led
Albertson with 26 points and eight rebounds, with Kim Strunk (Twin
Falls, Idaho / Twin Falls HS) adding 17 points and seven boards.
MINI-POST ADJUSTING TO ROLE: Coming
into the Lady ‘Yote program last year as a point-guard, the 2005-06 season has
been one of change for Magen Dufurrena (Denio, Nev. / Lowry HS). The sophomore has used her tenacity and
competitive spirit to work herself into the starting line-up as one of the two
forwards, despite standing at five-foot seven.
The height disadvantage has not hurt “Duff,” as in her seven starts, she
is averaging six points and eight rebounds per game, including a career-high 12
boards against Rocky Mountain, while recording at least one steal in each of
the last eight contests.
SLOW START DOOMS ‘YOTES VS. WESTERN: Megan Schmitz scored 21 points as
the Montana-Western women's basketball team opened up the Aramark Classic with
a 66-53 victory over Albertson College at Quinn Coliseum. The Bulldogs, ranked No. 8 in the latest
NAIA Division I poll, jumped out to a 32-14 lead at halftime and were never
threatened. Post Becky O'Neil had 20 points and
13 rebounds for Western, with Katherine Sunwall scoring 15 points and pulling
down nine rebounds. Albertson got 19 points and four
rebounds from Jori Grady, however, made just 4-of-16 three-point attempts and
went just 5-of-13 from the free throw line.
CRUSADERS WIN CANYON COUNTY SHOWDOWN: Behind the 23 point, ten rebound
effort of Danielle Dwello, Northwest Nazarene defeated Canyon County rival
Albertson College, 79-58, on Tuesday night at the Johnson Sports Center. Tied at 8-8 with 12:52 to play in the
opening half, the Crusaders used a 20-5 run over the next seven minutes, capped
by a Mallory Whipple old-fashioned three-point-play in the lane to take a 28-13
lead with 5:45 to go in the period. The
Coyotes would rally in the second half, cutting the margin to five when Jori
Grady knocked home a three-pointer off an Angie Gribble pass with 15:52 to
play, making it 45-40. However, Metz answered with a baseline jumper and then a
trey from the top of the key to push the lead back to 10 at 50-40 with 14:41 to
go. ACI was led by Grady's 17-point
effort, while Whitney Martin scored a career-high 15.
‘YOTES IN THE CCC: Four different Lady ‘Yotes are
among the top-ten in Cascade Conference statistical categories. Jori Grady ranks second in the league in
scoring average (17.7) and three-pointers made per game (2.2), ranks third in
three-point percentage (.491), and fifth in field goal percentage (.514). Angie Gribble leads the league in minutes
played per game (37.8), while ranking ninth in both assists (3.1) and steals
(2.0) per game. Rounding out the group
is Kim Strunk, who is eighth in the loop in free throw percentage (.750), with Desirae
Smoot (Provo, Utah / Western Wyoming CC) ranking second in the
league in free throw percentage (.870).
CONFERENCE LEADERS: Scoring Average – Emilee Eisinger
(NW) 19.4, Jori Grady (ACI) 17.7, Angie Sun (WPC) 15.8, Heidi Horobiowski (EOU)
15.5, Darcy Madison (CU) 15.3; Rebound Average – Ashley DuBrey (OIT) 10.1,
Joyce Oniah (CU) 9.8, Becky VanTine (WPC) 9.0, Jenny Olson (ESC) 8.6, Rachel Ross
(ESC) 8.3; Field Goal Percentage – Brianne Carras (COR) .593, Eisinger .558, Kelsey
Richards (SOU) .542, Adria Layne (EOU) .535, Grady .514; Assist Average – Tosha
Wilson (COR) 5.9, Samantha Gilbert (OIT) 4.6, Kelsey Haylett (OIT) 4.1, Chelsey
Zimmerman (SOU) 3.8, Cassie Snyder (NW) 3.6.
ABOUT CONCORDIA AND CORBAN: After
taking a week off to conduct final exams, the Lady ‘Yotes return to Cascade
Conference play for their remaining 17 games of the regular season next Tuesday
and Wednesday. Up first is Concordia,
a team that has been hit-or-miss so far during the preseason. The Cavaliers (5-4, 1-1 CCC) have quality
wins over Pacific and Oregon Tech, but have lost games to Northwest Christian
and Willamette at home, along with a 20-point loss to Southern Oregon. Darcy Madison (15.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg) is one of
four players averaging in double figures on a team that averages just seven
three-point attempts per game.
Albertson has won the past seven meetings with Concordia and holds a
17-4 all-times series edge. Wednesday
night, No. 17 ranked Corban comes to Caldwell as the defending CCC
tournament champs. The Warriors (9-2,
2-0), then known as Western Baptist, topped the Coyotes 60-57 in the CCC title
game last season. Returning all five
starters, Corban has been solid to start 2005, recording quality wins over Holy
Names, Dominican, and Western Oregon – while their two losses are to perennial
powers (Lewis-Clark State and Pacific Lutheran). Jessi Schaumberg (11.1 ppg) and Brianne Carras (10.5 ppg, 6.5
rpg) are the lone two players in double-figures, but nine different players
average at least four points per game.
The Warriors took 2-of-3 from the ‘Yotes last year, including a 40-38
win in Caldwell. Albertson does lead
the all-time series, 15-9.
RECORD WATCH: Kim Strunk and Angie Gribble
continue to move up the charts on the ACI career record book. Strunk now ranks No. 3 all-time for free
throws made (251), ranks No. 4 in free throw attempts (319), is seventh in
games played (96), blocked shots (37), and points scored (761), and ranks tenth
in field goals made (240), rebounds (455), and steals (98). Gribble ranks sixth on the all-time
three-point field goals made list (61), while ranking seventh in three-point
attempts (196), assists (198), and steals (113).
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 -