GEORGE FOX WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Overall 6-5: Home 1-1, Road 3-3, Neutral 2-1 / NWC 1-1: Home 0-0, Road 1-1
HIGHLIGHTS:
* Bruins Take 4th in Surf 'n' Slam Tournament
* Bruins Open Conference Play with Split in Eastern Washington
* Cave Receives Honorable Mention for NWC Player of the Week
* Bruins in NWC Stats: Cave Leads in FG Pct.
* This Week's Previews: vs. Pacific
THIS WEEK:
Sat., Jan. 11, 6:00 pm - vs. Pacific University (NWC), Newberg, Ore.
LAST WEEK (2-3):
Dec. 27 - George Fox 71, Rowan 62 (Surf 'n' Slam Tournament)
Dec. 28 - at Point Loma Nazarene 72, George Fox 68 (Surf 'n' Slam Tournament)
Dec. 30 - Wisconsin-Whitewater 63, George Fox 54 (Surf 'n' Slam Tournament)
Jan. 3 - at Whitman 58, George Fox 50
Jan. 4 - George Fox 67, at Whitworth 66
NORTHWEST CONFERENCE: George Fox (6-5) was picked to finish 3rd in the NWC this season, the same spot they tied for last year. With a 1-1 record after splitting NWC games in eastern Washington last weekend, the Bruins are in an early 5-way tie for 3rd. For the latest NWC standings, go to www.nwcsports.com.
COACH SCOTT RUECK (Oregon State '91) has a record of 121-44 (.733) through Jan. 5 in his 7th season as a head coach, all at George Fox. He notched his 100th career win last season when the Bruins defeated Northwest 78-68 on Dec. 1 in the PLU Parkland Chevrolet Classic in Tacoma, Wash. He was Northwest Conference "Coach of the Year" in 1999-2000 and "Co-Coach of the Year" in 2000-01. Against this week's opponent, he is 12-0 vs. Pacific (6-0 home, 6-0 road).
BRUIN BITS:
* Cave Receives Honorable Mention for NWC Player of the Week:
Darby Cave (Jr., P, Portland, Ore.) turned in 3 good games as the Bruins went 1-2 last week, earning Honorable Mention for Northwest Conference "Player of the Week" for Dec. 30-Jan. 5. In a 63-54 loss to Wisconsin-Whitewater in the Surf 'n' Slam Tournament on Monday, she was 5-9 from the field for 10 points, with 6 rebounds, 1 block, and 2 steals. In a 58-50 loss on Friday at Whitman, she was 5-10 from the field and 9-10 from the line for 19 points, with 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, and 1 steal. In a 67-66 win at Whitworth on Saturday, she was 7-11 from the field and 4-5 from the line for 18 points, with 6 rebounds and 2 steals. Her totals for the week were 47 points (15.4 ppg) on 17-30 from the field (.567) and 13-15 from the line (.867), with 24 rebounds (8.0 rpg), 1 assist, 2 blocks, and 5 steals.
NWC "Player of the Week" honors went to Simmie Muth of Willamette, who had 50 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and 8 steals as the Bearcats went 2-1.
* Double Your Pleasure:
Darby Cave has posted double-doubles in points and rebounds in 2 of the Bruins' last 5 games, with 18 points and 11 rebounds vs. Rowan in the Surf 'n' Slam Tournament on Dec. 27, and 19 points and 12 rebounds at Whitman on Jan. 3. She now has 3 double-doubles in her career.
* Gotta Be a First Time for Everything:
Whitman's 58-50 win over the Bruins in Walla Walla on Jan. 3 was the first time the Missionaries had ever beaten George Fox coach Scott Rueck. The Bruins had gone 12-0 (6-0 in Newberg, 6-0 in Walla Walla) in Rueck's first six years at GFU. Rueck's best unbeaten record is now 12-0 vs. both Pacific and Lewis & Clark.
* They Don't Lose for Long:
The Bruins' three-game skid from Dec. 28-Jan. 3 marked only the second time in the 6+ years Scott Rueck has been the head coach that they have lost more than two in a row. The Bruins dropped the last 3 games of the 1997-98 season and the first game of the 1998-99 season for the longest slide under Rueck - 4 games.
* Personal Bests:
Melissa Alexander came off the bench to tie her career high with 7 assists at Whitworth on Jan. 4 ... Laura Koval set a new high with 8 rebounds in a reserve role at Whitworth on Jan. 4 ...
* Where Bruins Rank in NWC Stats (thru Jan. 6):
Scoring Offense - 5th (63.8)
Scoring Defense - 6th (61.0)
Scoring Margin - 6th (+2.8)
Field Goal Pct. - 2nd (.415)
3-Pt FG Made - 3rd (4.36)
3-Pt FG Pct. - 4th (.302)
Free Throw Pct. - 2nd (.719)
FG Pct. Defense - 2nd (.359)
3-Pt FG Defense - 3rd (.272)
Rebound Offense - 1st (42.4)
Rebound Defense - 2nd (35.5)
Rebound Margin - 1st (+6.8)
Assists - 2nd (14.27)
Turnover Margin - 9th (-3.08)
Assist/TO Ratio - 2nd (0.75)
Steals - 9th (6.82)
Blocks - 3rd (2.91)
Kellie Thomas - 7th in scoring (12.4), 14th in 3-pt FG% (.296), 5th in 3-pt FG made (1.45, T), 7th in assists (2.73), 11th in blocks (0.45, T)
Darby Cave - 10th in scoring (11.5), 7th in rebounds (6.9), 1st in FG% (.541), 11th in blocks (0.45, T)
Kim Leith - 20th in scoring (9.7), 13th in FG% (.419), 10th in 3-pt FG% (.353, T), 13th in 3-pt FG made (1.09, T), 11th in assists (2.27)
Liz Clark - 24th in scoring (8.9), 11th in rebounds (6.1), 10th in FG% (.432), 3rd in 3-pt FG% (.524), 10th in 3-pt FG made (1.17, T), 15th in assists (2.33, T)
Sarah Myhre - 15th in blocks (0.33); has .689 FG% but is 2 FG short of qualifying
Amy Fitch - 10th in assists (2.36)
Emily Ruggles - 4th in blocks (1.00)
* Bruin Honors This Season:
Lady 'Yote Classic All-Tournament Team - Liz Clark, Kim Leith
THIS WEEK (Previews):
Sat., Jan. 11, 6:00 pm - vs. Pacific University (4-5, NWC 1-1), Newberg, Ore.
Northwest Conference home opener for the Bruins ... Pacific is located in Forest Grove, Ore. ... The Boxers were picked to finish 6th in the NWC pre-season poll ... George Fox and Pacific are tied in the all-time series 22-22, although the Bruins have won the last 12 in a row ... Pacific's last win was a 68-51 decision in Forest Grove in the NWC playoffs on Feb. 21, 1996, Sherrie Murrell's last game as the Bruins' coach ... The Boxers went 1-1 in eastern Washington last weekend, losing to Whitworth 67-52 before defeating Whitman 67-51 ... Pacific is 7th in the NWC in scoring (61.9), 9th in defense (64.1), 7th in rebound margin (+0.3), 4th in 3-point field goals (4.33), 7th in field goal pct. (.366), and 6th in free throw pct. (.671) ... Mary Lindburg is the only Boxer in double figures in scoring (11.4, 11th in the NWC) ... Lauryn Jones leads the NWC in free throw pct. (.870) and is 9th in rebounds (6.3) ... Katannya Kapeli is 2nd in free throw pct. (808) ... Lindburg is 4th in field goal pct. (.512) ... Kristine Callan is tied for 1st in assists (4.00) ... Tori Nelson is 2nd in 3-pointers per game (2.11).