‘Yote Notes – Dec. 19, 2006

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@collegeofidaho.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

MEN’S BASKETBALL (7-1, 1-0 CCC): Yotes hit the road in Willamette Valley

 

COMING UP: at Concordia, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. (PST); at Corban, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. (PST)

 

LAST WEEK: at Montana-Western (W 87-83)

 

RADIO: All 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 will have all the action beginning 20-minutes prior to tip-off each night, on the Home of the Coyotes, 1490 KCID-AM – America’s Best Music.  Tuesday and Wednesday’s games from the Willamette Valley will be doubleheaders – with the women’s game carried at 5:30 p.m. (PST), with the men’s game to follow. 

 

INTERNET BROADCAST: All Coyote games can be heard live on the Internet at www.collegeofidaho.edu/media/audio/YoteSports.asx., with all games archived online at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/mbasketball/2006Radio.htm.  Tuesday’s game at Concordia will also be broadcast online at www.gocugo.com, with Tod Pickett calling the action.

 

LIVE STATS: Both games this week will have Live Stats available on the Internet.  Head to the Concordia athletic website (www.gocugo.com) on Tuesday night, and the Corban athletic website (www.corban.edu/athletics/live/xlive.htm) on Wednesday for the stat service.

 

YOTES TO MEET CONCORDIA IN PORTLAND: ACI returns to Cascade Conference play on Tuesday night, meeting Concordia University.  The Cavaliers (6-4, 0-2 CCC) ended a four-game losing streak last week, topping Multnomah Bible, 88-69.  Brad Barbarick’s club is a perfect 4-0 at home and has a deep squad – with 11 players averaging at least ten minutes per game.  The Cavs have struggled shooting the basketball at times, ranking No. 9 in the ten-team league in field goal percentage (.440), three-point percentage (.345), and free throw percentage (.670).  CU is led by seniors Alex Hartman (19.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and Ernie Rama (11.5 pg, 2.2 apg) – and are looking to erase losses to Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon to open the league slate.  The Yotes hold a 39-9 all-time series edge against Concordia, and have won four-straight in Portland.

 

CORBAN LOOKS TO END SKID: Wednesday night, the Yotes will tangle with Corban College in Salem, a team that handed ACI a pair of three-point losses last season.  This year has been a different story for the Warriors (1-12, 0-2), as Justin Sherwood’s team has dropped eight in a row, with nine of their 12 losses by double-figure margins.  Corban is struggling to find offensive punch, ranking last in the league in field goal percentage (.436), after losing their top-five scorers from last season, including First-Team All-American, Eric Fiegi.  Wade Douglas (14.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and Jason Braun (11.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg) have been the most consistent players this season for the Warriors, who have won three-straight against ACI.  The Yotes hold a 37-21 all-time series edge, but are looking to win in the C.E. Jeffers Center for the first time since 2004.

 

YOTES WIN IN MONTANA: Montana-Western rallied from a 15-point second half deficit to take the lead, but ACI hit eight-straight free throws down the stretch to earn a 87-83 victory in Dillon, Mont.  A 20-5 run midway through the second half gave the Coyotes a 68-53 edge, however, the Bulldogs held ACI without a field goal for six minutes, using a 16-0 run to grab a 69-68 lead.  Trailing 83-82 inside the final minute, Ike Stafford (Auburn, Wash. / Salt Lake CC) was fouled shooting a three-pointer and converted all three free throws.  After the Yotes forced a steal, Stafford hit two more freebies to put the game out of reach.  It was the ninth-straight win for ACI against Western.

 

BIG THREE GET IT DONE:  Last season, a three-headed guard attack was the key for ACI success – and it was that same trio that helped notch the win in Montana.  Senior Brandon Nielsen (Twin Falls, Idaho / Big Bend CC) had a season-high 25 points, including five three-pointers, with junior Josh Owen (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS) hitting six treys as part of his 22 point evening.  Ike Stafford connected on four second half treys, scoring all of his 17 points in the second half.  The trio knocked down all 15 of the Coyotes made three-pointers on the night.

 

COYOTES RANKED NO. 13 IN NAIA DIVISION II: Fueled by a 7-1 start to the season and three wins against nationally ranked opponents, the Coyotes remained at No. 13 in the second NAIA Division II national poll, released last week.  ACI maintained its perfect mark in the NAIA Division II, as the Yotes have been ranked at least once in the Top-25 every season since the NAIA split into two divisions in 1991 (The Coyotes were the very first No. 1 ranked team in the NAIA Division II, topping the initial poll during the 1991-92 season).  The Cascade Conference had five teams in the Top-25 – Oregon Tech ranked No. 2, Warner Pacific at No. 8, Eastern Oregon at No. 21, and Northwest at No. 23. 

 

18-STRAIGHT YEARS: The ranking of the Yotes last week extended the overall mark to 18 consecutive years that the ACI men’s basketball team has been in the Top-25 – including all seven years under head coach Mark Owen.  The following are the high-water mark each season since Coach “O” has been at the helm

 

2000-01             No. 24               2001-02             No. 8                2002-03             No. 15

2003-04             No. 3                2004-05             No. 5                2005-06             No. 16

2006-07             No. 13

 

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

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (5-5, 1-0 CCC): Lady Yotes off to Willamette Valley for games at Concordia and Corban

 

COMING UP: at Concordia, Tuesday, 5:30 p.m. (PST); at Corban, Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. (PST)

 

LAST WEEK: Idle

 

RADIO/INTERNET BROADCAST: All Cascade Conference women’s road games will be broadcast live in the Treasure Valley on 1490 KCID-AM with Mike Safford calling the play-by-play.  The pre-game show will begin at 6:10 p.m. (MST) each night, with the broadcast simulcast on the Internet via the ACI Athletic Website.  Tuesday’s game will also be broadcast live on the Concordia athletic website (www.gocugo.com) with Tod Pickett providing the play-by-play.

 

LIVE STATS: Live Stats will be available on the Internet for both the Concordia (www.gocugo.com) and Corban (www.corban.edu/athletics/live/xlive.htm) games this week.

 

YOTES BACK IN ACTION: After taking nine days off to complete final examinations on the ACI campus, the Lady Yotes are set for the 17 games remaining on the Cascade Conference schedule.  It will be the first of four road doubleheaders that ACI will embark on this Winter.

 

TRYING TO KEEP STREAK ALIVE VS. CAVS: ACI will open the road swing on Tuesday night at Concordia, looking to protect a nine-game win streak over the Portland school.  The Cavaliers (4-8, 1-1 CCC) come into the tilt on a two-game losing streak, dropping a 47-46 decision to Linfield, along with a 71-53 loss Saturday at home vs. Hope International.  CU currently leads the CCC in opponents scoring average (54.9 ppg) – but that number balloons to 61 points a night when two lopsided wins against Walla Walla College are not factored in.  The Cavs convert just 20-percent of their three-point attempts, and average just 50 points a night (not factoring in the WWC games).  Denise Benedict (10.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg), an honorable mention All-CCC selection last season, leads the club in scoring, with freshman Ann Snodderly (8.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg) leading the loop in blocked shots.  It is the 24th meeting between the teams, with ACI holding a 19-4 all-time series edge.

 

MEETING THE PRESEASON FAVORITE: Wednesday night, the Lady Yotes meet Cascade Conference preseason favorite, Corban, in Salem.  The Warriors (9-4, 1-1) opened the season ranked No. 22 in the NAIA Division II poll, but fell out of the rankings after dropping 3-of-4 games in mid-November.  Dr. Dave Bale’s team has righted the ship, winning seven of their last eight games, including four-straight.  Corban returns all five starters from last season’s CCC semifinal team – including All-CCC selections Jessica Steigleman (13.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and Tosha Wilson (11.8 ppg, 4.7 apg).  Jessi Norton (13.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg) and Brianne Carras (12.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg) have also played well during the preseason.  The Warriors have won the last three games between the teams, however, ACI holds a 15-11 lead in the all-time series.

 

NATIONAL POLL: The second NAIA Division II Top-25 poll was released last Wednesday, with Oregon Tech the lone Cascade Conference school represented, sitting at No. 24 in the rankings.  The national Top-5 has Indiana Wesleyan in the top spot, followed by the College of the Ozarks (Mo.), Northwestern (Iowa), St. Francis (Ind.), and Minot State (N.D.).  The next CCC coaches’ Top-6 poll will be released on Jan. 1, with the next national poll released on Jan. 3.

 

SUCCESS IN THE ACTIVITIES CENTER: Playing at home has always been a big key for the Lady Yotes, as ACI has posted a 94-40 all-time record in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.  This year’s team is 4-1 at home.

   

AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS: As a team, the Lady Yotes lead the CCC in steals per game (16.8), turnover margin (+6.7), and turnovers forced per game (28.9).  Individually, Whitney Clark (Jerome, Idaho / Northwest Nazarene U.) ranks second in the loop in scoring average (14.8), with Jori Grady (Roseburg, Ore. / Umpqua CC) and Christon Vander Esch (Grangeville, Idaho / Treasure Valley CC) tied for the league lead in steals per game (2.9).  Also among the league leaders is Denise Hill (Eugene, Ore. / Boise State U.), who is third in rebound average (8.1).

 

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

 

 
 
 
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