Season to continue for women's basketball
by Melanie Mock, Faculty Advisor
On Sunday, March 2, the George Fox University Women's basketball team learned their stellar season would continue, as they were granted an at-large berth in the NCAA Division III national tournament.
The women will be playing in the NCAA D-3 national tournament on Friday, March 7, at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. Their first round game will be against Chapman; if they win that game, they will play the next day against the winner of the UPS v. LaVerne game. The games will be broadcast on D3hoops.com.
The Bruins were left hoping for an at-large berth after falling to the University of Puget Sound in the 2008 Northwest Conference championship game on Friday, February 29. Although the Bruins had handily beaten the Loggers earlier in the season, they were unable to secure an easy win (and thus an automatic conference bid) in Tacoma, and fell to UPS 62-52. Seniors Tiffany Behary and Katy Campbell led the Bruins with 14 points and 13 points, respectively.
Two nights earlier, on February 27, the Bruins pulled out a victory over Lewis and Clark, assuring their place in the NWC championship game. In that 76-71 overtime win, the Bruins could not hold an early double figure lead, and seemed unable to stop the Pioneers' hot three point shooting.
The game was won at the line for the Bruins, who were 24-31 in free throws, including some key shots down the stretch. Melissa Marek-Farris, a senior, went 8-11 at the line and 7-10 from the field, leading all scorers with a career-high 22 points. She also stuffed the Pioneers six times, her all-time best, and had nine rebounds. Several other seniors helped the Bruin cause, including Campbell, with 16 points; Kaleigha Ramey, who added 11; and Behary, with 10 points.
For the Bruins, a trip to the national tournament caps an outstanding season, as the women finished with a 23-4 record, tying the GFU women's team record for most wins in one season. The Bruins finished the season ranked 18th in the nation, and tied UPS for the regular season NWC title.
Several Bruins were recognized for their outstanding work in the Northwest Conference. Campbell was named NWC player of the year, an honor she also received in 2006-07. Marek-Ferris was named to the all-NWC first team, and Behary received an all-NWC honorable mention. Scott Rueck was recognized as NWC coach of the year, an honor he also received last year and in 2000, 2001, and 2005.