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Jan 28, 2009
WHAT’S BRUIN: Weekly News & Notes
Overall Record: 6-11 (Home
3-4, Road 2-6, Neutral 1-1)
Northwest Conference: 2-6, 7th T (Home 1-2, Road 1-4)
Internet Links For:
Quick Facts / Roster / Schedule / Results / Statistics / Box Scores / Press Releases
HIGHLIGHTS:
* Coming Up: NWC Home Games vs. Eastern Washington Teams
* Recent Games: Bruins Split
Road Games at Willamette and PLU
* Bruin Coaches in “Suits and Sneakers” Cancer
Awareness Weekend
* Martin BAA Athlete of the Week, HM for NWC Honors
* NCAA Stats: Bruins, Martin Nationally Ranked in Assists
* NWC Stats: Martin, Atwater, Stockner Among Top 10
* The Wirta Watch: “Biggs” Adds Two More to List of Streaks
* COMING UP: NWC Home Games vs. Eastern Washington
Teams
Fri., Jan. 30, 8:00 pm - vs. Whitworth University, in Newberg,
Ore.
Sat, Jan. 31, 6:00 pm - vs. Whitman College, in Newberg, Ore.
The second half of Northwest Conference play begins as the Bruins
host the eastern Washington teams this weekend.
The Whitworth Pirates, who are nationally ranked in several
statistical categories, are vying for a berth in the NWC
Tournament, while the Whitman Missionaries, after a hopeful 2-0
conference start, have fallen on hard times and dropped six in a
row. Both games this weekend are NWC
doubleheaders, with the women’s games preceding at 6:00 p.m.
Friday and 4:00 p.m. Saturday. Please note the
two-hours-earlier start times on Saturday to allow for Whitman
travel time back home.
Campus station KFOX Radio will webcast all games this weekend,
with live video streaming and LiveStats also available on the
internet. Links to George Fox multimedia
coverage when provided:
KFOX radio webcasts - http://www.georgefox.edu/offices/asc/kfoxradio/
LiveStats - http://academic.georgefox.edu/~sports/xlive.htm
Live video streaming - http://media.georgefox.edu/bruinsports.html
Whitworth (13-4, NWC 5-3, 3rd8-1): The Whitworth Pirates
from Spokane, Wash., were picked to finish 2nd in the Northwest
Conference pre-season coaches’ poll, the Bruins 9th …
Whitworth is tied for 8th among “others receiving
votes” with 9 points in the latest d3hoops.com poll …
The Piratse fell 72-64 at Lewis & Clark in their last outing on
Jan. 23 … Series record: George Fox trails 10-22 since 1974
(6-9 home, 4-13 road) … The Pirates have won the last six
meetings, including a 94-60 decision in Spokane on Jan. 2 in their
first meeting this season when Calvin Jurich of Whitworth posted a
triple-double of 15 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists …
The Bruins’ last win in the series was 77-69 in overtime on
Dec. 2, 2005, in Newberg … Whitworth averages 79.6 ppg (4th
in the NWC, 44th nationally) and allows 64.5 ppg (1st) … The
Pirates lead the NWC in field goal pct. (.497, 17th nationally),
field goal pct. defense (.388, 12th nationally), 3-pt field goal
pct. defense (.298, 46th nationally), rebounding margin (+7.8, 9th
nationally), and are 2nd in scoring margin (+15.1, 12th
nationally), 3-pt field goals (8.25, 32nd nationally), 3-pt pct.
(.392, 29th nationally), and free throw pct. (.707) … The
Pirates have four double-figure scorers: G David Riley (17.3, 3rd),
P Nate Montgomery (15.4, 9th), P Calvin Jurich (11.6, 19th), and PG
Ross Nakamura (10.3, 25th) … Jurich is the top rebounder
(7.9, 2nd) … Ross Nakamura is the assists leader (4.81, 4th)
… In the latest NCAA stats, Riley was 12th in 3-pt field
goals (3.4) and 14th in 3-pt pct. (.487) … Nakamura was 7th
in assist/turnover ratio (2.96) … Three-time NWC Coach of
the Year Jim Hayford is 153-50 to date in his 8th season at
Whitworth, and 190-77 in his 10th season overall … Next
game: Jan. 31 at Pacific, 6:00 p.m.
Whitman (6-11, NWC 2-6, 7th T): The Whitman
Missionaries from Walla Walla, Wash., were
picked to finish 7th in the Northwest Conference pre-season
coaches’ poll, the Bruins 9th … The Missionaries have
dropped their last six in a row, including a 69-63 setback at Lewis
& Clark on Jan. 24 in their last game … Series record:
George Fox leads 23-15 since 1971 (14-3 home, 9-12 road) …
The Missionaries won this season’s first meeting 94-85 in
Walla Walla on Jan. 3 … The Bruins swept last year’s
series, 82-75 in double overtime in Walla Walla and 72-65 in the
season finale in Newberg … Whitman averages 79.9 ppg (6th in
the NWC, 40th nationally) and allows 83.2 ppg (9th) …
Whitman is 2nd in the NWC in steals (10.00, 36th nationally)
… The Missionaries have three double-figure scorers: G Chris
Faidley (22.1, 1st in the NWC, 16th nationally), G Brandon Shaw
(16.5, 5th), G Jordan Wheeler (10.8, 24th) … F Graham Brewer
is the top rebounder (4.3, 19th) … Wheeler is the assists
leader (2.59, 12th) … In the latest NCAA stats, Whitman was
14th in turnover margin (+5.6) … Faidley was 16th in 3-pt
field goals (3.4) … Coach Eric Bridgeland, who won three NWC
titles in five seasons at Puget Sound, is 6-11 to date in his 1st
season at Whitman, and is in his 8th season overall as a head coach
… Whitman visits Pacific Friday before meeting the Bruins
… Next game: Feb. 6 vs. Linfield, 8:00 p.m.
* RECENT GAMES (1-1): Bruins Split Road Games at Willamette and
PLU
Jan. 23 - George Fox 75, at Willamette 70
Jan. 24 - at Pacific Lutheran 81, George Fox 74
The Bruins closed out the first half of Northwest Conference play
by splitting a pair of road games, winning at Willamette before
falling at Pacific Lutheran. The win at
Willamette’s Cone Fieldhouse ended a 12-game losing streak
for the Bruins there; they had not won in Salem since an 83-74
victory on Jan. 27, 1996. Alex Stockner topped
the Bruins with 18 points, Jack Martin posted his third
double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and
Evan Atwater scored 15, narrowly missing his own double-double with
9 rebounds. At PLU, the Bruins stormed back from
a 15-point deficit midway through the second half to pull within
three with 21 seconds left before the Lutes hit four free throws to
ice the game. Martin led all scorers with 22
points, hitting 8-12 from the field, including 6-9 from three-point
range, Stockner added 17 points, and Travis Toedtemeier scored 11.
COACH MARK SUNDQUIST:
Mark Sundquist (Seattle Pacific '89) is 88-128 (.407) to
date in his 9th season as a college head coach, all at George Fox.
He was the NWC Coach of the Year in 2004-05 for leading the Bruins
to an 18-7 record and 2nd place in the conference. Click here for
the complete bio on Coach
Sundquist.
Sundquist vs. upcoming opponents
Whitworth - 5-12 (3-5 home, 2-7 road)
Whitman - 9-8 (6-2 home, 3-6 road)
* Bruin Coaches in “Suits and Sneakers” Cancer
Awareness Weekend
George Fox men’s basketball coaches Mark
Sundquist and Brad Crosby will be
participating in the 2009 “Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and
Sneakers” cancer awareness weekend during the Bruins’
home games Jan. 30-31 vs. Whitworth and Whitman.
“Suits and Sneakers” is a national Coaches vs. Cancer
event, sponsored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches
and the American Cancer Society, that is designed to raise
awareness about the fight against cancer by encouraging member
coaches and their coaching staffs to wear sneakers with their suits
at games during the weekend of Jan. 30-Feb. 1. By wearing sneakers,
participating coaches help raise awareness about cancer and the
importance that nutrition and physical activity play in reducing
one's risk of the disease. Additionally, this weekend helps promote
the American Cancer Society as a place for people facing cancer to
turn for free information, day-to-day help, and emotional
support. Visiting coaches Jim Hayford of
Whitworth and Eric Bridgeland of Whitman are also expected to
participate in the program.
BRUIN BITS:
* Martin BAA Athlete of the Week, HM for NWC Honors
Junior guard Jack Martin has been named the Bruin
Athletic Association Men’s Athlete of the Week for Jan. 19-25
and received honorable mention for the Northwest Conference
Men’s Basketball Student-Athlete of the
Week. In a 75-70 win at Willamette on Jan. 23,
he posted his third double-double of the season, scoring 17 points
on 6-14 field goals (3-10 on threes) and 2-2 on free throws, with
11 rebounds, 6 assists and a steal. In an 81-74
loss at Pacific Lutheran on Jan. 24, he scored 22 points on 8-12
field goals (6-9 on threes), with 5 rebounds and 3
assists. For the week, he totaled 39 points
(19.5 ppg) on 14-26 field goals (.538), including 9-19
three-pointers (.474), and 2-2 free throws (1.000), with 16
rebounds (8.0 rpg), 9 assists (4.5 apg) and a steal. He has
been the BAA Athlete of the Week and honorable mention for NWC
Student-Athlete of the Week twice this season.
Martin is 2nd in the NWC in assists (5.41), 3rd in 3-pt field goals
(2.82), 7th in assist/turnover ratio (1.59), 10th in 3-pt pct.
(.397), 13th in scoring (14.1, T), steals
(1.24). He is 35th nationally in assists.
* 2008-09 Honors:
Evan Atwater ---
- Bruin Athletic Association Men's Athlete of the Week (Nov.
17-23; Dec. 29-Jan. 4)
- Northwest Conference Student-Athlete of the Week (HM, Nov.
17-23; HM, Dec. 15-Jan. 4)
Jack Martin ---
- Bruin Athletic Association Men's Athlete of the Week
(Nov. 24-30; Jan. 19-25)
- Northwest Conference Student-Athlete of the Week (HM, Nov.
24-30; HM, Jan. 19-25)
Alex Stockner ---
- Bruin Athletic Association Men's Athlete of the Week
(Dec. 1-7; Dec. 8-14; Jan. 5-11; Jan. 12-18)
- Northwest Conference Student-Athlete of the Week (HM, Dec. 1-7;
HM, Dec. 8-14; HM, Jan. 5-11; HM, Jan. 12-18)
* NCAA Stats: Bruins, Martin Nationally Ranked in Assists
In the latest NCAA national statistics (thru Jan. 25),
George Fox as a team was 48th in assists per game
(15.8) … Jack Martin was 35th in assists
(5.4) …
* NWC Stats: Martin, Atwater, Stockner Among Top 10
Where the Bruins rank in the latest Northwest Conference stats
(thru Jan. 27):
Scoring Offense – 8th (71.3)
Scoring Defense – 7th (77.8)
Scoring Margin – 9th (-6.5)
Field Goal Pct. - 6th (.442)
Field Goal Pct. Defense – 5th (.459)
3-Pt Field Goals – 6th (7.18)
3-Pt Field Goal Pct. – 8th (.319)
3-Pt Field Goal Pct. Defense – 9th (.401)
Free Throw Pct. – 7th (.673)
Rebounding Offense – 6th (36.8)
Rebounding Defense - 6th (36.7)
Rebounding Margin – 6th (-0.5)
Assists – 4th (15.76)
Blocked Shots - 8th (1.12)
Steals – 8th (5.00)
Turnover Margin – 9th (-3.06)
Assist/Turnover Ratio – 5th (0.99)
- Jack Martin is
2nd in assists (5.41), 3rd in 3-pt field goals (2.82), 7th in
assist/turnover ratio (1.59), 10th in 3-pt pct. (.397), 13th in
scoring (14.1, T), steals (1.24) …
- Evan Atwater is 8th in 3-pt field goals (1.76),
13th in free throw pct. (.712), 16th in scoring (12.4) ...
- Alex Stockner is
4th in field goal pct. (.561), 12th in rebounding (5.2), 13th in
scoring (14.1, T) …
- Travis Toedtemeier is 15th in rebounding (4.7)
...
- Bryan O’Connell is 16th in rebounding
(4.5) …
* Double-Doubles:
- Jack Martin: career 3, season 3 - 17 pts/10 ast vs.
Corban, 12/29; 11 pts/11 ast at Whitman, 1/3; 17 pts/11 reb at
Willamette, 1/23
* The Wirta Watch: “Biggs” Adds Two More to List of
Streaks
Mike "Biggs" Wirta, who has been charting basketball
statistics for the George Fox men's team since the 1970-71 season
while he was an undergraduate student, continues to add to his
incredible streaks of attendance at GFU men’s games.
With the Bruins’ games at Willamette and Pacific Lutheran, he
has now seen 656 straight games, home and away. He has worked
456 straight men’s home games, not missing a one at home
since 1972 when he was in military service. In all, he has seen
over half of all games ever played by the George Fox men’s
team (1,068 of 2,095 for 50.98%) in the 105 years of Bruin
basketball.
