Overall 14-5: Home 6-1, Road 5-2, Neutral 3-2 / NWC 8-2: Home 4-1, Road 4-1
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HIGHLIGHTS:
* Recent Games: Bruins Stay Tied for NWC Lead by Beating #10 Whitworth
* Coming Up: Home vs. Willamette, at Linfield on Weekend
* On the Air! Most Bruin Games Now on KFOX Radio/Internet
* Leith Wins Second NWC "Player of the Week" Honors for Jan. 31-Feb. 6
* Big Crowds for Homecoming Weekend Boost GFU to Top Attendance in NWC
* George Fox Rated 3rd in Latest West Region Rankings
* Career Lists: Clark Now in Top Ten in Assists, Steals, and Rebounds
* NWC Stats: Bruins Rate High Among Leaders in Defensive Categories
* NCAA Stats: Bruins, Leith, Thomas Among Leaders in Threes and Frees
* Halftime Programs for Bruin Basketball Games
RECENT GAMES: 2-0 (Click score for link to story):
Feb. 4 - Whitman 62, at George Fox 50
Feb. 5 - at George Fox 72, Whitworth 55
COMING UP:
* Fri., Feb. 4, 6:00 pm - vs. Willamette University (6-13, NWC 3-7), Newberg, Ore.
Radio/internet broadcast on KFOX ... The Willamete Bearcats from Salem, Ore., were picked to finish 8th in the NWC pre-season coaches' poll and are now 7th ... Series record: GFU leads 35-12 since 1982 (21-3 home, 14-9 road, 1-0 neutral) ... The Bruins have won the last 5 meetings, including a 69-36 decision in Salem on Jan. 18 ... The Bearcats average 60.3 ppg (8th in the NWC) and allow 66.7 ppg (8th) ... The Bearcats have one player in double figures in scoring: Vanessa Wyffels (19.4, 14th nationally) ... Wyffels is also the top rebounder (9.4) and is both the NWC and national leader in field goal pct. (.764) ... Coach Tom Steers, a two-time 3A Oregon State Coach of the Year, is in his 3rd year at Willamette ...
* Sat., Feb. 5, 6:00 pm - at Linfield College (10-9, NWC 5-5), McMinnville, Ore.
Radio/internet broadcast on KFOX ... The Linfield Wildcats were picked to finish 6th in the NWC pre-season coaches' poll and are currently tied for 5th ... Series record: GFU leads 33-20 since 1981 (22-3 home, 11-15 road, 0-2 neutral) ... The Bruins have won the last two meetings, including a 71-62 win in Newberg on Jan. 15 ... The Wildcats average 65.2 ppg (4th in the NWC) and allow 59.3 ppg (4th) ... Linfield leads the NWC in blocked shots (2.94) and is 2nd in free throw pct. (.733) and rebounding (37.9) ... The Wildcats have two players in double figures in scoring: Brandi Loring (12.1, 12th in the NWC), and Heidi Jurgens (10.9, 14th) ... Britany Mockand Kendra Victor are the top rebounders (5.9, 11th) ... Mock is the league leader in blocks (1.33) ... Coach Robyn Stewart is 93-101 in her 7th year at Linfield ...
ON THE AIR!
George Fox sports can now be heard locally via the airwaves and across the country via the internet through campus station KFOX. To listen to Bruin athletic contests, go to www.kfoxradio.net.
Current schedule of broadcasts for basketball:
Fri., Feb. 11 - vs. Willamette (Women 6 pm, Men 8 pm)
Sat., Feb. 12 - at Linfield (Women 6 pm, Men 8 pm)
Tue., Feb. 22 - vs. Pacific (Women 6 pm, Men 8 pm)
Fri., Feb. 25 - vs. Lewis & Clark (Women 6 pm, Men 8 pm)
NORTHWEST CONFERENCE:
After defeating 10th-ranked Whitworth in their last game to move back into a tie with the Pirates for first in the NWC, the Bruins hope to maintain that momentum with a home game Friday vs. Willamette and a road game Saturday at Linfield. The Bruins won their first encounters with both teams this season. Whitworth is ranked 16th in both the latest WBCA and D3hoops.com polls, while Puget Sound received vote in the D3hoops poll. For the latest NWC standings, visit the conference website at www.nwcsports.com.
COACH SCOTT RUECK:
Scott Rueck (Oregon State '91) is 157-66 (.704) to date in his 9th season as a college head coach, all at George Fox. He notched his 150th win when the Bruins defeated Whitman 62-55 in overtime in Walla Walla, Wash., on Jan. 7. He was NWC Coach of the Year in 1999-2000 and Co-Coach of the Year in 2000-01. Click here for the complete bio on Coach Rueck.
Rueck vs. upcoming opponents:
Willamette - 14-3 (home 8-0, road 6-3)
Linfield - 14-4 (home 9-1, road 5-3)
BRUIN BITS:
* Leith Wins Second NWC "Player of the Week" Honors for Jan. 31-Feb. 6
Wing Kim Leith scored a career high in one game and was a key in the Bruins' upset of 10th-ranked Whitworth as George Fox went 1-1, earning Northwest Conference "Player of the Week" honors for the second time this season Jan. 31-Feb. 6. In a 62-50 loss to Whitman on Friday, she scored 33 points on 12-24 from the field (3-11 on 3's) and 6-7 from the line, with 2 rebounds and 2 assists. In a 72-55 win over Whitworth on Saturday, she had 15 points on 5-14 from the floor (1-9 on 3's) and 4-4 from the line, with 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal. For the week, in 2 games, she scored 48 points (24.0), hitting 17-38 (.447) from the field, including 4-20 (.200) on 3's, and 10-11 (.909) from the free throw line, with 7 rebounds (3.5), 7 assists (3.5),and 1 steal. She was also NWC Player of the Week for Dec. 20-Jan. 2.
* 2004-05 Honors:
Liz Clark - Sodexho Tipoff Classic All-Tournament Team; NWC Player of the Week (Jan. 17-23)
Kim Leith - Grand Canyon Classic All-Tournament Team; NWC Player of the Week (Dec. 20-Jan. 2, Jan. 31-Feb. 6)
Kellie Thomas - Grand Canyon Classic All-Tournament Team
* Big Crowds for Homecoming Weekend Boost GFU to Top Attendance in NWC
A strong weekend at the gate that included the third-largest crowd in women's basketball history lifted the George Fox Bruins into the lead in attendance in the Northwest Conference in 2004-05. With about 750 on hand for Friday's game against Whitman, and a turnout of 1,750 to witness Saturday's win over 10th-ranked Whitworth that forged a tie for first in the NWC between the two, the Bruins have drawn 4,950 in 7 home dates, an average of 707 per game. The figure is more than twice the average of the next-closest team, Whitworth, which averages 347 per game.
The Bruins are also the overall leaders in the league. Their total attendance of 6,999 for 19 dates comes out to 368 per game, with Whitworth again second at 296 per date. In 2000-01, George Fox ranked third nationally in home attendance with an average of 792 per game, drawing 9,500 for 12 home dates.
* George Fox Rated 3rd in Latest West Region Rankings
Although they did not receive any votes for the top 25 in either the WBCA or D3hoops.com national polls this week, the George Fox Bruins were ranked 3rd in the West Region by the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Committee in their rating of Feb. 9. Ahead of the Bruins (14-5, 8-2 vs. regional opponents) were #1 Buena Vista (Iowa - 19-1, 16-0) and #2 Whitworth (17-2, 11-2).
Complete polls: USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Poll / D3hoops.com Poll / NCAA Division III Regional Rankings
* 2004-05 Records:
Most Points, Player, Half - 30 (1st half) by Kim Leith vs. Neumann, 12/31/04 at Phoenix, Ariz.
Most 3-Pt Field Goal Attempts, Team, Game - 33 at Whitworth, 1/8/05
* Double-Doubles:
Liz Clark: career 11, season 4 - 13 pts/12 reb at Seattle Pacific, 11-20, 12 pts/12 reb vs. Denison, 12-21 at Las Vegas, Nev.; 16 pts/19 reb at Whitman, 1-7; 12 pts/10 reb vs. Pacific Lutheran, 1-22
* Career Lists: Clark Now in Top Ten in Assists, Steals, and Rebounds
Liz Clark had 23 rebounds in the Bruins' two games last week, giving her 666 for her four-year career, 6th on the all-time list. Ahead is Susie Davis (753, 1983-87) ... With 2 steals during the week and 152 for her career, she is 9th on the all-time list. Ahead is Jennifer Childress (153, 1989-91) ... With 8 assists during the week and 191 for her career, she passed Jennifer Bearse (184, 1985-89) for 10th all-time. Next are Heather Gurney (193, 1987-91) and Jennifer Childress (202, 1989-91) ...
Kellie Thomas had no free throws during the week and and switched places with Kim Leith, dropping from 2nd to 3rd, in career free throw pct. (.795, 178-224) ... She hit 1-4 3-point field goals and ranks 5th in career 3-pt field goal pct. (.362, 106-293) ... With 838 points in her three-year career, she needs 152 in the last 6 games to tie for 10th all-time, and 162 to become the 9th Bruin to reach 1,000 career points ... With 3 assists during the week and 162 in her career, she needs 22 to tie Jennifer Bearse (184, 1985-89) for 10th ...
Kim Leith hit 10-11 free throws in two games last week and switched places with Kellie Thomas, climbing from 3rd to 2nd, in career free throw pct. (.800, 132-165) ... With 828 points in her three-year career, she needs 162 in the last 6 games to tie for 10th all-time, and 172 to become the 9th Bruin to reach 1,000 career points ... With 7 assists during the week and 164 in her career, she needs 20 to tie Jennifer Bearse (184, 1985-89) for 10th ...
* NWC Stats: Bruins Rate High Among Leaders in Defensive Categories
In the latest Northwest Conference stats (Feb. 5), George Fox is 1st in defense (53.3), field goal pct. defense (.345), steals (14.53), turnover margin (+7.89), 3-pt field goals per game (8.84); 2nd in scoring margin (+13.7), blocked shots (2.84); 3rd in scoring (67.0), 3-pt pct. (.337); 4th in assists (13.47); 5th in rebounding (36.8); 6th in free throw pct. (.701), 9th in field goal pct. (.393), rebound margin (-4.1) ...
Liz Clark is 1st in steals (2.89), 4th in 3-pt pct. (.417), 5th in rebounding (8.4), 10th in assists (2.72), 11th in blocked shots (0.50, tie), 15th in free throw pct. (.759), 3-pt field goals (1.11), 19th in scoring (9.8) ...
Kellie Thomas is 6th in 3-pt field goals (1.53, tie), 7th in free throw pct. (.833), 9th in 3-pt pct. (.382, tie), 15th in scoring (10.8) ...
Kim Leith is 1st in 3-pt field goals (2.50), 4th in free throw pct. (.852), 5th in scoring (17.2), 7th in 3-pt pct. (.398), 11th in blocked shots (0.50, tie), 12th in steals (1.67), field goal pct. (.445) ...
Tiffany Behary is 3rd in steals (2.37), 8th in 3-pt field goals (1.42), 10th in assist/turnover ratio (1.02), 14th in assists (2.26), 15th in 3-pt pct. (.300), 29th in scoring (7.4) ...
Robin Taylor is 6th in field goal pct. (.496), 23rd in scoring (9.0) ...
Melissa Marek-Farris is 5th in blocked shots (0.76, tie) ...
Katy Campbell is 14th in blocked shots (0.47) ...
* NCAA Stats: Bruins, Leith, Thomas Among Leaders in Threes and Frees
In the latest NCAA Division III national stats (games thru Feb. 6), the George Fox Bruins ranked 4th in 3-pt field goals per game (8.8) behind Grinnell (11.2), Muhlenberg (9.5), and Waynesburg (9.2). Proving that a little defense is also necessary when shooting a lot of threes, however, the Bruins are the only one of the four with a winning record (14-5 as opposed to Grinnell's 5-14, Muhlenberg's 9-11, and Waynesburg's 9-10) ...
Kim Leith was tied for 21st in 3-pt field goals per game (2.5), and ranked 22nd in free throw pct. (.852, 46-54 ...
Kellie Thomas ranked 34th in free throw pct. (.833, 50-60) ...
* Halftime Programs for Bruin Basketball Games
A number of special promotions are scheduled for the halftimes of George Fox men's and women's basketball games throughout the 2004-05 season, including:
"Halftime Hoop Shoot" - Co-sponsored by the Coffee Cottage in Newberg and Country Insurance & Financial Services, this promotion takes place at the halftime of every home game. Tickets for $1 are sold in the gym lobby until just before halftime, and one lucky ticketholder is selected to shoot. A made free throw earns a $5 coupon at the Coffee Cottage, a made three-pointer earns a $10 coupon. A made half-court shot earns the shooter the Country Financial "pot" for the evening, which increases by $50 each time no shot is made (the pot currently stands at $400 for the men's games and $400 for the women's games). All proceeds from the ticket sales go to the GFU basketball programs as a donation.
"Border Collies Night", Feb. 11 - The always-popular Border Collies show from Dallas, Ore., will perform during halftime of both Bruin games vs. Willamette. This entertaining group of trained dogs has performed at many college and professional games, including the Portland Trailblazers and Portland Beavers.
"GFU Cheer Clinic Night", Feb. 22 - Participants in the GFU Cheer Team's Youth Clinic on Feb. 19 will perform some of the stunts and routines they will have learned at haltime of the women's game only.
"Chehalem Valley Dance Academy Night", Feb. 25 - The CVDA Performing Company from Newberg will present some of their competition dance routines during halftime of both Bruin games vs. Lewis & Clark.