WHAT’S BRUIN: Men’s Basketball News & Notes 11/23

Links: Quick Facts / Roster / Schedule & Results / Statistics / Press Releases

Multimedia: Live Stats / Video / KFOX Radio 

Overall Record: 1-2 (Home 0-1, Road 1-1)

NWC Record: 0-0 (Home 0-0, Road 0-0)

HIGHLIGHTS:

* Coming Up: Bruins Host NW Christian for 4th Straight Game vs. CCC

* Recent Games: Bruins Start 1-2 vs. Cascade Conference Powers

* Clark Captures BAA Award, Honorable Mention for NWC Honors

* NWC Poll: Bruins Face Uphill Fight after 7th-Place Prediction

* NWC Stats: 7 Bruins Among Early Conference Stats Leaders

* Statistician “Biggs” Increases Overall Streak to 720 in a Row

* Coming Up: Bruins Host NW Christian for 4th Straight Game vs. CCC

- Sat., Nov. 26, 7:00 pm – vs. Northwest Christian University (3-4, Newberg, Ore.

NEWBERG, Ore. – In preparation for their first Northwest Conference games on Dec. 2-3, the George Fox Bruins will play the fourth of four straight games against teams from the NAIA’s Cascade Collegiate Conference on Saturday, Nov. 26, when they host the Northwest Christian University Beacons at 7:00 p.m.

The Bruins are 1-2 on the season, having opened with consecutive 88-70 setbacks at Concordia-Portland on Nov. 18 and at home vs. Northwest (Wash.) on Nov. 19 before pulling out a thrilling 68-64 overtime win at Corban on Nov. 22. 

Tickets:  Ticket prices for basketball games at the Wheeler Sports Center / Miller Gym are $6 for adults and $3 for non-GFU students and seniors 55 and over.  Children 6 and under who are not in school are free.  George Fox faculty, staff, and students are admitted free with valid GFU ID; the ID covers immediate family members for George Fox employees.

Multimedia: For fans who cannot get to the game, George Fox will provide live audio streaming via campus radio station KFOX, live stats, and live video streaming via Stretch Internet for Saturday’s games against Northwest Christian; see the GFU links above.

Northwest Christian (3-4): The Beacons from Eugene, Ore., are members of the NAIA Division II and the Cascade Collegiate Conference  ... The Beacons will host St. Martin’s on Friday before meeting the Bruins ... Series record (since 1965): George Fox leads 20-5 (12-0 home, 6-5 road, 2-0 neutral) ... The Wildcats won last year’s meeting 78-72 in Eugene on Nov. 23, ending a seven-game losing streak to the Bruins ... The Bruins’ last win was 78-76 in Newberg on Dec. 2, 2008 ... Northwest Christian by the numbers: Scoring (61.1 ppg), Defense (62.4 ppg), Rebounding (36.6 rpg), FG % (.401), 3-pt % (.286), FT % (.667) ... The Beacons have two double-figure scorers: G Trevor Parker (11.4 ppg), F Jordan Buhler (10.3) ... Buhler and C Brody McGowan are the top rebounders (5.4 rpg) ... Buhler is the assists leader (3.0) ... Coach Corey Anderson is in his third season at NCU ... Next: Dec. 2 at Southern Oregon, 7:30 p.m.

* Recent Games: Bruins Fall at Whitman and No. 1-Ranked Whitworth

Nov. 18 - at Concordia-Portland 88, George Fox 70

Stung by a blistering-hot shooting pace of 70 per cent in the first half by Concordia, the Bruins fell behind early and dropped their season opener on the road to the Cavaliers.  The Cavs exploded for a 17-2 run over a five-minute span early in the game to build a 23-7 lead and were up 50-25 at the half.  The Bruins out-scored them in the second half, but not enough.  Anthony Sanchez led the Bruins with 18 points and Spencer Bolte came off the bench to toss in 11.  Sean Atkins and Mike Taylor added nine points each.  Sanchez, Bolte, and Cam Rier grabbed 4 rebounds apiece, and Corey Clark handed out 5 assists. 

Nov. 19 - Northwest (Wash.) 88, at George Fox 70

A 16-4 run early in the second half enabled the Northwest (Wash.) to break open a tight ballgame and the Bruins went on to drop their home opener to the Eagles by the same score as the previous night at Concordia.  After falling behind early 21-7, the Bruins rallied to lead 24-22 and trailed only 37-35 at the half before the Eagles pulled away in the second half.  Mike Taylor and Jon Adrian led the Bruins with 15 points, the latter establishing a career high by hitting 6-of-9 shots, including 3-of-4 on three-pointers.  A.J. Grant added 11 points and Matt Zandbergen scored 10, making 5-of-6 from the field.  Spencer Bolte had six rebounds for the Bruins, who were out-rebounded 49-24.  Corey Clark handed out a career-high 8 assists.  Atkins blocked 4 shots and Taylor added 3 rejections.

Nov. 22 - George Fox 68, at Corban 64 (OT)

Rookie guard A.J. Grant scored 15 of his 20 points in the second half and overtime, including the game-winner with 33 seconds left, leading the visiting Bruins to a 68-64 upset of the Corban Warriors.  The Bruins built an early 21-7 lead before the Warriors got hot and went on a 19-1 run to end the first half with a 26-22 lead.  The Bruins fell behind by 9 in the second half, but rallied to send it into overtime, where Grant scored the winning bucket, then iced the game with two free throws with 17 ticks left.  Sean Atkins scored 13 and Sanchez 11 for the Bruins.  Mike Taylor had 5 assists and a pair of blocks shots, and Cam Rier grabbed 9 rebounds, leading the Bruins to a 33-31 advantage on the glass.  Grant also had 3 steals.

* Clark Captures BAA Award, Honorable Mention for NWC Honors

Running the George Fox offense smoothly and efficiently and taking over the early lead in the Northwest Conference in assists, point guard Corey Clark has been named the Bruin Athletic Association Men’s Athlete of the Week and also received honorable mention for the NWC Men’s Basketball Student-Athlete of the Week for Nov. 14-20.

In the Bruins’ season-opening 88-70 loss at Concordia-Portland, Clark, a senior from Fallbrook, Calif., led the team with 5 assists and also had a steal while scoring 3 points on a field goal and a free throw.  He added 8 more assists, a career-high, in the Bruins’ home opener, another 88-70 setback to Northwest (Wash.), and picked up another steal.  For the week, he had a conference-leading 13 assists (6.5 apg) and two steals while scoring three points on 1-4 field goals and 1-3 free throws. 

The George Fox Athlete of the Week Award for both men and women is presented throughout the Bruin sports seasons by the Bruin Athletic Association, whose mission is to provide George Fox student-athletes with an outstanding athletic and academic experience and to strengthen the overall competitiveness of the Bruin athletics program.  For more information about the organization or to become a member, visit the Bruin Athletic Association website. 

2011-12 Bruin Athletic Association Men’s Athletes of the Week

Aug. 29-Sept. 4 - Jacob Baker (Soccer)

Sept. 5-11 - Luke Hammer (Soccer)

Sept. 12-18 - Mike Ulstad (Golf)

Sept. 19-25 - Shawn Aldrich (Tennis)

Sept. 26-Oct. 2 - Joseph Pia (Cross Country)

Oct. 3-9 - Chris Lumsden (Golf)

Oct. 10-16 - Luke Hammer (Soccer)

Oct. 17-23 - Aleks Gabrio (Golf)

Oct. 24-30 - Kyle Dreibelbis (Cross Country)

Oct. 31-Nov. 6 - Elliott Davis (Soccer)

Nov. 7-13 - Kyle Dreibelbis (Cross Country)

Nov. 14-20 - Corey Clark (Basketball)

BRUIN BITS:

* 2010-11 Honors

Corey Clark

- Bruin Athletic Association Athlete of the Week - Nov. 14-20

- Northwest Conference Student-Athlete of the Week - Nov. 14-20 (HM) in N

NWC POLL: New-Look Bruins Face Uphill Fight after 7th-Place Prediction

With only one starter returning from last year’s 8-17 team, that was no doubt a major factor in the George Fox Bruins being picked to finish seventh in the Northwest Conference pre-season coaches’ poll.  The Bruins received 24 points in the voting, between Willamette’s 27 and Linfield’s 21.  Two-time defending champion Whitworth received six first-place votes and 67 points, while Whitman was the runner-up with 61 points.

(First-place votes in parenthesis. Points awarded on 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis).

* NWC Stats: 7 Bruins Among Early Conference Stats Leaders

- In Northwest Conference stats thru games of Nov. 22, George Fox is 1st in 3-pt field goals (25), blocked shots (4.0, T), 2nd in assists (15.0 apg, T), fewest turnovers (11.3 topg), 6th in scoring (69.3 ppg), 3-pt pct. (.309), free throw pct. (.722), 7th in field goal pct. (.416),8th in rebounding (30.0 rpg), steals (6.0) ...

- A.J. Grant is 1st in free throw pct. (1.000, T), 3rd in assists (9), steals (5, T), 4th in 3-pt field goals (7), 14th in scoring (13.0 ppg, T) ...

- Mike Taylor is 1st in blocked shots (6), 2nd in assists (11), 25th in scoring (10.7 ppg) ...

- Anthony Sanchez is 5th in 3-pt field goals (6, T), 23rd in scoring (11.3 ppg, T)…

- Sean Atkins is 3rd in blocked shots (4), 8th in free throw pct. (.857), 28th in scoring (9.0 ppg, T) …

- Cam Rier is 18th in rebounding (4.7 rpg, T) ...

- Jon Adrian is 2nd in 3-pt pct. (.556, T), 7th in 3-pt field goals (5, T), 9th in field goal pct. (.600, T) ...

- Corey Clark is 1st in assists (14) ...

* Double-Doubles

- Mike Taylor: season 0, career 3

* Triple-Doubles

- Mike Taylor: season 0, career 1 - 18 pts, 15 reb, 11 ast vs. Willamette, 1/25/11 (first GFU triple-double in 18 seasons)

* Statistician “Biggs” Increases Overall Streak to 720 in a Row

With the Bruins’ first three games of the 2011-12 season, long-time statistician Mike “Biggs” Wirta extended his streak of George Fox men’s basketball games attended, home and way, to 720 in a row.  His streak of home games worked stands at 640 straight.  He has not missed a Bruin home game 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 (1,131of 2,158 for 52.41%) in the 107-plus seasons of Bruin basketball.

* Head Coach Mark Sundquist 

Head coach Mark Sundquist (Seattle Pacific ’87) is 112-167 (.401, 59-62 home, 41-91 road, 12-14 neutral) to date in his 12th season at George Fox … He became the second-winningest coach in Bruin history, breaking a tie with Lorin Miller (99-72, 1970-76), when he picked up his 100th coaching win in a 103-90 victory over Whitman at home on Feb. 5, 2010.  The all-time leader is Mark Vernon (318-218, 1982-2000) … He was the Northwest Conference Coach of the Year in 2004-05 …

Sundquist vs. upcoming opponents:

Northwest Christian - 8-2 (4-0 home, 2-2 road, 2-0 neutral)