WHAT’S BRUIN: Men’s Basketball News & Notes 12/28

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

Multimedia: Live Stats / Video / KFOX Radio 

Overall Record: 4-7 (Home 0-4, Road 4-2,Neutral 0-1)

NWC Record: 1-1, 4th T (Home 0-0, Road 1-1)

HIGHLIGHTS:

* Coming Up: Bruins Return to NWC Play at Lewis & Clark on Jan. 3

* Recent Games: Bruins Split Two Games in D-III NIT in San Antonio

* Sanchez Named BAA Athlete of the Week, HM for NWC Honors

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

* NCAA Stats: Bruins 28th-Best in Nation in Avoiding Turnovers

* NWC Stats: Taylor Takes Over NWC Lead in Assists, 2nd in Blocks

* Statistician “Biggs” Increases Overall Streak to 728 in a Row

* Coming Up: Bruins Return to NWC Play at Lewis & Clark on Jan. 3

- Tue., Jan. 3, 8:00 pm - at Lewis & Clark College (4-6, NWC 0-2), Portland, Ore.

NEWBERG, Ore. – With all of their non-conference games behind them, during which they went 3-6, the George Fox University Bruins, who are 4-7 overall, will now turn their undivided attention to Northwest Conference games, starting with a visit to the Lewis & Clark College Pioneers on Tuesday, Jan. 3, for an 8:00 p.m. matchup.

The Bruins are coming off a 1-1 split of two games in the D-III National Invitational Tournament in San Antonio, Texas, on Dec. 20-21.  Both games went to overtime, with the Bruins knocking off host Trinity University 57-55 on Tuesday before falling to Buena Vista University 82-73 on Wednesday.  All the Bruins’ other non-conference games were against scholarship-granting institutions, against whom they went 2-5. 

Tuesday’s action will be a doubleheader, with the George Fox-Lewis & Clark women’s NWC game to precede the men’s matchup at 6:00 p.m.

Multimedia: George Fox will provide audio coverage of both games at Lewis & Clark via campus radio station KFOX; see the quick link above.  Lewis & Clark will provide a live video feed of both games at the following link: http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/lclark.portal#.

* Upcoming Opponents:

Lewis & Clark (4-6, NWC 0-2, 7th T): The Pioneers from Portland, Ore., were picked to finish 3rd in the pre-season NWC coaches’ poll ... The Pios have lost their last two games, the latest a 73-58 setback at Lewis-Clark State on Dec. 17 in which Ross Erickson scored 16 points, James Hollins 13, and Donato Perconti 11 ... The Pios host Lewis-Clark State on Dec. 31 before meeting the Bruins ... Series record (since 1965): George Fox trails 22-40 (12-15 home, 10-25 road) ... The teams split last year, Lewis & Clark winning 80-70 in Portland on Jan. 7 and George Fox winning 71-70 in Newberg on Feb. 5 ... Lewis & Clark by the numbers: Scoring (67.5 ppg), Defense (69.8 ppg), FG% (.391), 3-pt FG% (.332), FT% (.762), Reb Avg. (34.3 rpg) ... The Pioneers have three double-figure scorers: G Ross Erickson (14.7 ppg), G James Hollins (14.5 ppg),  and PG P.J. Taylor (12.7 ppg) .... Hollins is the top rebounder (7.2 rpg) ... G Marcus Wells is the assists leader (2.5 apg) ... Coach Dinari Foreman (Lewis & Clark ‘95) is 4-6 to date in his 1st season as head coach at his alma mater ... Next game: Jan. 6 at Linfield, 8:00 p.m.

* Recent Games: Bruins Split Two Games in D-III NIT in San Antonio

Dec. 20 - George Fox 57, at Trinity TX 55 (OT)

Mike Taylor hit a running jumper from the left side with 27 seconds left in overtime for the game-winning basket as the Bruins upset the host Trinity Tigers 57-55 in the first round of play in the D-III National Invitational Tournament Tuesday in San Antonio, Texas.  Both teams started out ice-cold from the floor; five minutes into the game, George Fox led only 5-2, and was up 11-8 with 9:37 to go in the period.  At that point, both teams were only 5-18 from the field.  Over the next four minutes, the Tigers scored five straight goals to take an 18-11 lead, but the Bruins responded by closing the half with a 14-3 run, the last seven on two fast-break layups and a three by Cam Rier, to take a 25-21 lead into the break.  In the second half, the Bruins rallied from a 50-45 deficit with 4:21 left to take a 53-50 lead, but the Tigers sent it into overtime with two free throws with 2.6 seconds left.  Each team scored one basket in overtime before Taylor’s winning shot, then Trinity missed a three at the buzzer.  Anthony Sanchez scored 14 points to lead the Bruins, while A.J. Grant and Taylor added 12 apiece.  Sanchez, Grant, and Taylor had six rebounds each, Taylor passed out seven assists, and Grant had all four of the George Fox steals.

Dec. 21 - Buena Vista 82, George Fox 73 (OT)

Beaten on the boards 49-31 and unable to stop the power game of Buena Vista’s stout 6-7 center Wes Nordquist, who had 28 points and 18 rebounds, the Bruins dropped an 82-73 decision in overtime to the Beavers in the second round of the D-III National Invitational Tournament at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.  After falling behind 8-0, three-pointers by Anthony Sanchez, A.J. Grant, and Jon Adrian fueled a 14-5 George Fox run, capped by a Mike Taylor drive that gave the Bruins a 14-13 lead with 10:23 to go in the half.  Buena Vista rebounded to take a 36-28 halftime bulge, but the Bruins scored the first 15 points of the second half while using a full-court press to go up 43-36 with 17:23 remaining. In the final 15 minutes of regulation, there were nine lead changes and 12 ties.  Sean Atkins canned two free throws with 3.3 seconds left to send the game into overtime for the Bruins, but Nordquist scored 11 straight points for Buena Vista as the Beavers controlled the extra period. Sanchez led the Bruins with a career-high 24 points, hitting 9-15 from the field, and had eight rebounds.  Taylor added 16 points and six assists, and Atkins scored 11 points while making five steals. 

* Sanchez Named BAA Athlete of the Week, HM for NWC Honors 

With three fine games while leading the Bruins to a 2-1 record in the two-week period covering Dec. 12-25, shooting guard Anthony Sanchez has earned the Bruin Athletic Association Men’s Athlete of the Week award while also receiving honorable mention for the Northwest Conference Men’s Basketball Student-Athlete of the Week.

Sanchez, a junior from Inglewood, Calif., helped the Bruins to a 79-71 win at Portland Bible on Dec. 12 by scoring 17 points on 6-10 field goals, including 5-8 on three-pointes, with a game-high 9 rebounds, 3 assists and a blocked shot.  In a 57-55 overtime upset of host Trinity (Texas) in the D-III National Invitational Tournament in San Antonio on Dec. 20, he had a team-high 14 points on 6-12 field goals (2-7 on threes), with 6 rebounds and 3 assists.  In an 82-73 overtime loss to Buena Vista on Dec. 21 in the NIT, he scored a career-high 24 points on 9-15 field goals (2-8 on threes) and 4-6 free throws, with a team-high 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a blocked shot.  For the two-week period, in three games, he total 55 points (18.3 ppg) on 21-37 (.568) from the field, including 9-23 (.391) on three-pointers, and 4-6 (.667) from the line, with 23 rebounds (7.7 rpg), 9 assists (3.0 apg), 2 steals, and 2 blocked shots. 

In the latest NWC statistics, Sanchez ranks 8th in 3-pt field goals (22), 15th in rebounding (5.0 rpg), and 19th in scoring (11.5 ppg).  He is the fifth different men’s basketball player to earn the BAA award and honorable mention NWC honors in as many weeks.

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)

Nov. 21-27 - A.J. Grant (Basketball)

Nov. 28-Dec. 4 - Mike Taylor (Basketball)

Dec. 5-11 - Sean Atkins (Basketball)

Dec. 12-25 - Anthony Sanchez (Basketball)

BRUIN BITS:

* 2011-12 Honors

Corey Clark

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

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

A.J. Grant

- Bruin Athletic Association Athlete of the Week - Nov. 21-27

- Northwest Conference Student-Athlete of the Week - Nov. 21-27 (HM)

Mike Taylor

- Bruin Athletic Association Athlete of the Week - Nov. 28-Dec. 4

- Northwest Conference Student-Athlete of the Week - Nov. 28-Dec. 4 (HM)

Sean Atkins

- Bruin Athletic Association Athlete of the Week - Dec. 5-11

- Northwest Conference Student-Athlete of the Week - Dec. 5-11 (HM)

Anthony Sanchez

- Bruin Athletic Association Athlete of the Week - Dec. 12-25

- Northwest Conference Student-Athlete of the Week - Dec. 12-25 (HM)

* 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).

* NCAA Stats: Bruins 28th-Best in Nation in Avoiding Turnovers

- In the latest NCAA Division III national statistics release (thru games of Dec. 18), George Fox ranked 28th in fewest turnovers per game (12.2 topg) ... A.J. Grant ranked 49th in 3-pt field goal pct. (.444) ...

* NWC Stats: Taylor Takes Over NWC Lead in Assists, 2nd in Blocks 

- In Northwest Conference stats thru games of Dec. 27, George Fox is 1st in assists  (14.4 apg), 2nd in 3-pt field goals (88), blocked shots (3.2), fewest turnovers (12.2 topg), 6th in 3-pt oct. defense (.343), steals (6.4 spg), 7th in defense (71.8 ppg), field goal pct. (.410), 8th in field goal pct. defense (.467), free throw pct. (.660), 3-pt pct. (.298), 9th in scoring (63.9 ppg), rebounding (32.2 rpg), rebounding margin (-5.6) ...

- A.J. Grant is 3rd in steals (1.9 spg), 5th in 3-pt field goals (25, T), 6th in 3-pt pct. (.439), assists (2.7 apg), 12th in scoring (12.8 ppg) ...

- Mike Taylor is 1st in assists (4.3 apg), 2nd in blocked shots (1.1 bspg), 10th in scoring (14.2 ppg), 13th in rebounding (5.2 rpg) ...

- Anthony Sanchez is 8th in 3-pt field goals (22), 15th in rebounding (5.0 rpg), 19th in scoring (11.5 ppg) ...

- Sean Atkins is 5th in steals (1.5 spg, T), blocked shots (0.9 bspg, T), 28th in scoring (9.3 ppg) …

- Corey Clark is 5th in assists (3.2 apg) ...

* Double-Doubles

- Mike Taylor: season 1, career 4 - 18 pts, 10 reb at Whitworth, 12/3

* 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 726 in a Row

With the Bruins’ two games at the D-III National Invitational Tournament in San Antonio, Texas, on Dec. 20-21, long-time statistician Mike “Biggs” Wirta extended his streak of George Fox men’s basketball games attended, home and way, to 728 in a row.  His streak of home games worked reached 643 straight with Dec. 9-10 games vs. Corban and Concordia-Portland.  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 (1,139 of 2,166 for 52.59%) in the 107-plus seasons of Bruin basketball.

* Head Coach Mark Sundquist

Head coach Mark Sundquist (Seattle Pacific ’87) is 115-172 (.401, 59-65 home, 44-92 road, 12-15 neutral) to date in his 12th season at George Fox … He is the second-winningest coach in Bruin history behind Mark Vernon (318-218, 1982-2000) … He was the Northwest Conference Coach of the Year in 2004-05 …

Sundquist vs. upcoming opponents: 7-15 vs. Lewis & Clark (5-6 home, 2-9 away)