WHAT’S BRUIN: Women’s Basketball News & Notes 2/17

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

Multimedia: Live Stats / Video / KFOX Radio 

Overall Record: 18-5 (Home 10-0, Road 63, Neutral 2-2)

NWC Record: 12-2, 1st T (Home 7-0, Road 5-2)

HIGHLIGHTS:

* Coming Up: Final Two Games of Season with NWC First Place at Stake

* Recent Games: Bruins Sweep ‘Whits’ to Take Share of League Lead

* Munger Earns 7th BAA Weekly Award, HM Again for NWC Honors

* NCAA Stats: Munger Climbs to 8th in Nation in FG Pct.

* NWC Stats: Munger and Gordon Lead NWC in Five Stats

* Career Lists: Gordon Moves into 8th on All-Time Scoring List 

* Coming Up: Final Two Games of Season with NWC First Place at Stake 

- Fri., Feb. 18, 6:00 pm – at Linfield College (12-10, NWC 7-7), McMinnville, Ore.

- Sat., Feb. 19, 6:00 pm – vs. University of Puget Sound (18-5, NWC 11-3), Newberg, Ore.

NEWBERG, Ore. – There will be scoreboard-watching galore around the Northwest Conference this weekend with all four spots in the upcoming NWC Women’s Basketball Tournament up for grabs, and the George Fox Bruins’ games at Linfield Friday and at home against Puget Sound Saturday will be among those of prime interest. 

George Fox and Lewis & Clark are tied for first, both 12-2 in league play, with Puget Sound one game back at 11-3.  Linfield, 7-7 in the conference, is half a game behind Whitman, which is 8-7, for the fourth and final spot.  The Bruins can win the conference outright with a sweep of their two games and a loss by Lewis & Clark in either of their two games (the Pioneers host Puget Sound Friday and are at Willamette Saturday).  A tie between the George Fox and L&C, if both win out, would give the Pios the top seed over the Bruins by virtue of a sweep of UPS.  Puget Sound could beat both George Fox and Lewis & Clark and forge a possible three-way tie for the top, or there could be three different ties for first.  One thing is for certain: no matchups will be determined for the conference tournament until all the results are in.

Both George Fox women’s games this weekend tip off at 6:00 p.m., followed by NWC men’s games at 8:00 p.m.

Linfield (12-10, NWC 7-7, 5th): The Wildcats from McMinnville, Ore., were picked to finish 7th in the NWC pre-season poll, the Bruins 1st ... Last game: The Wildcats won their third straight with a 65-57 win over Pacific at home on Feb. 12 behind 24 points from NWC Player of the Week Gretchen Owens and 14 from Kaely Maltman ... Series record (since 1981): George Fox leads 43-22 (27-4 home, 16-16 road, 0-2 neutral) ... The Bruins have won the last seven meetings, including 64-49 in Newberg on Jan. 22 this season as Keisha Gordon scored 17 points, Hannah Munger 16 with 14 rebounds, and Megan Arnoldy 14 ... The Wildcats’ last win in the series was 51-50 in McMinnville on Jan. 23, 2007 ... Linfield by the numbers: Scoring (65.9, 5th in the NWC), Defense (60.0, 3rd), Rebounding (35.0, 8th), FG % (.448, 2nd, 19th nationally), 3-pt % (.308, 7th), FT % (.697, 3rd) ... The Wildcats have two double-figure scorers: F Gretchen Owens (19.9, 1st in the NWC, 16th nationally), F Kaely Maltman (12.5, 9th) ... Owens is the top rebounder (7.4, 6th) ... G Abby Olbrich is the assists leader (2.85, 6th) ... Coach Robin Potera-Haskins is 12-10 to date in her 1st season at Linfield, and 338-208 in her 15th season overall ... Next: Feb. 19 at Pacific Lutheran, 8 p.m.

Puget Sound (18-5, NWC 11-3, 3rd): The Loggers from Tacoma, Wash., were picked to finish 4th in the NWC pre-season poll, the Bruins 1st ... Last game: The Loggers had a five-game winning streak snapped at Linfield 57-46 on Feb. 11 despite 14 points from Kelsey McKinnis ... Series record (since 1981): George Fox leads 22-17 (15-5 home, 7-12 road) ... The Loggers ended an eight-game losing streak to the Bruins with a 56-40 win in Tacoma on Jan. 21.  Kelsey McKinnis scored 21 and Jocelyn Riordan 16 for the Loggers, while the Bruins got 13 points and 10 rebounds from Hannah Munger and 10 points from Keisha Gordon ... The Bruins’ last win in the series was 59-37 in Newberg on Mar. 6, 2010, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament ... UPS by the numbers: Scoring (65.8, 6th in the NWC), Defense (56.0, 1st), Rebounding (42.9, 2nd), FG % (.359, 8th), 3-pt % (.311, 6th), FT % (.690, 4th) ... UPS is 38th nationally in fewest turnovers per game (16.2) ... The Loggers have two double-figure scorers: G Jocelyn Riordan (16.7, 2nd in the NWC), G Kelsey McKinnis (15.6, 5th)  ... McKinnis leads the NWC and is 26th nationally in free throw pct. (.855) ... C Sarah Stewart is the top rebounder (7.7, 4th) ... McKinnis is the assists leader (2.30, 9th) ... Coach Loree Payne is 18-5 to date in her 1st season at UPS ... The Loggers are at Lewis & Clark Friday before meeting the Bruins ... Next: Feb. 24 vs. TBA in NWC Tournament, 7 p.m.

Multimedia: Linfield will provide live audio streaming of both games on Friday via Stretch Internet at http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/linfield.portal#.  George Fox will provide live audio streaming of all four games this weekend via campus radio station KFOX, and live stats and live video streaming via Stretch Internet of the home games on Saturday; see the GFU links above.

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.

* Recent Games: Bruins Sweep ‘Whits’ to Take Share of League Lead

Feb. 11 - George Fox 61, at Whitman 45

Held scoreless in the first half, Hannah Munger exploded for 14 second-half points as the Bruins earned a share of first place in the Northwest Conference with a critical 61-45 win over the Missionaries.  Whitman pulled within three points with 12 minutes left to play before Munger answered with a three-point play for her first points of the game, igniting a 24-7 run by the Bruins over a seven-minute span.  Munger scored 12 more points during that time, which expanded the lead to a safe 57-37 with five minutes left.  Keisha Gordon made 10-10 from the line and led all scorers with 16 points.  Arianna Mohsenian collected a career-high 11 rebounds as the Bruins owned the glass 38-29, and also passed out three assists. 

Feb. 12 - George Fox 78, at Whitworth 71, OT

A career-high 33 points by Hannah Munger and Keisha Gordon’s 26 points enabled the Bruins to escape an upset bid by the Pirates 78-71 in overtime maintained its hold on a share of first place with Lewis & Clark.  The Bruins used outstanding shooting from the field, hitting 27-49 shots for a .551 percentage, and superior size that out-rebounded the Pirates 49-27 to secure the win, but nearly cost themselves by committing 22 turnovers to 10 by Whitworth and shooting a meager .488 (20-41) from the free throw line.  Whitworth scored the first three points of overtime before the Bruins scored 11 straight points, six of them by Munger, to build a 77-69 lead with 26 seconds left.  Munger posted her 10th double-double of the season and 21st of her career with 12 rebounds.  Gordon also had a double-double, her fifth this year and sixth overall, with 11 boards, and handed out five assists.

BRUIN BITS:

* Munger Earns 7th BAA Weekly Award, HM Again for NWC Honors

In leading the Bruins to a pair of wins and into a first-place tie in the Northwest Conference, 6-5 sophomore center Hannah Munger of Newberg, Ore., has been named the Bruin Athletic Association Women’s Athlete of the Week for the seventh time, and was honorable mention for the NWC Women’s Basketball Student-Athlete of the Week, for games of Feb. 7-13.

In a 61-45 win at Whitman on Feb. 11, Munger scored 14 points on 5-8 field goals and 4-7 free throws, with 6 rebounds, 2 blocked shots and an assist.  In a 78-71 overtime win at Whitworth, she scored a career-high 33 points on 13-21 field goals and 7-14 free throws, with 12 rebounds, 2 blocked shots and a steal.  It was her 10th double-double of the season and the 21st of her career.  For the week, she scored 47 points (23.5 ppg) on 18-29 field goals (.621) and 11-21 free throws (.524), with 18 rebounds (9.0 rpg), 4 blocked shots (2.0 bspg), an assist and a steal.

Munger, an All-Conference and Second Team All-West Region performer last year, currently leads the NWC in field goal pct. (.586, 8th nationally), rebounding (10.1), and blocked shots (3.13, 11th nationally), is 4th in scoring (16.3), and ranks 42nd nationally in double-doubles (10).  She has been the NWC Student-Athlete of the Week three times and honorable mention four times.

The 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.

* 2010-11 Honors

Hannah Munger

- Bruin Athletic Association Athlete of the Week - Nov. 15-21; Nov. 29-Dec. 5; Jan. 10-16; Jan. 17-23; Jan. 24-30; Jan. 31-Feb. 6; Feb. 7-13

- Northwest Conference Student-Athlete of the Week - Nov. 15-21; Nov. 29-Dec. 5; Jan. 10-16; HM, Jan. 17-23; HM, Jan. 24-30; HM, Jan. 31-Feb. 6; HM, Feb. 7-13

Keisha Gordon

- Bruin Athletic Association Athlete of the Week - Nov. 22-28; Dec. 23-Jan. 2; Jan. 3-9

- Northwest Conference Student-Athlete of the Week - HM, Nov. 22-28; Dec. 23-Jan. 2; HM, Jan. 3-9

* Records Set or Tied in 2010-11

- Best FG Pct. in a Game (with a miss) - .900 (9-10), Keisha Gordon at Pacific Lutheran, 12/4 (ties record set by Katie Lacey vs. Menlo, 11/27/1999)

* Bruins Stretch Streak of Winning Seasons to 18 in a Row

With two more wins this past week, the Bruins are 18-5 under first-year coach Michael Meek and have secured their 18th consecutive winning season.  The Bruins’ string of winning seasons began in 1993-94 in their first year under Sherri Murrell, now the women’s basketball coach at Portland State.  Following three winning seasons with Murrell, the Bruins added 14 more winnings season under Scott Rueck, who left this past summer for the women’s basketball position at his alma mater, Oregon State.  George Fox is 347-125 (.735) during that span.

* Bruins Add Another Game to NWC Home Winning Streaks

With a win over Lewis & Clark on Feb. 5, George Fox extended its two home court winning streaks against Northwest Conference opponents.  The Bruins have won 40 straight regular season games vs. the NWC in Newberg since a 55-51 setback to Linfield on Nov. 28, 2006.  Including post-season games in the NWC and NCAA Division III Tournaments, the Bruins have won 39 in a row over conference teams at the Wheeler Sports Center’s Miller Gym since falling at home to Puget Sound 51-48 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 3, 2007.

* NCAA Stats: Munger Climbs to 8th in Nation in FG Pct.

In the latest NCAA Division III national statistics (thru Feb. 13), George Fox was ranked 11th in blocked shots per game (5.7), 15th in field goal pct. (.450), 29th in rebound margin (+8.3) ... Center Hannah Munger ranked 8th in field goal percentage (.586), 18th in blocked shots per game (3.1), 42nd in double-doubles (10) ...

* NWC Stats: Munger and Gordon Lead NWC in Five Stats

- Thru NWC stats of Feb. 15, George Fox is 1st in scoring margin (+11.7), field goal pct. (.450), field goal pct. defense (.346), 3-pt field goal pct. defense (.277), blocked shots (5.65), assists (15.48), steals (9.91), 2nd in scoring (68.4), defense (56.8), rebounding defense (34.0), rebound margin (+8.3), assist/TO ratio (0.73), 3rd in rebounding (42.3), 5th in 3-pt field goal pct. (.313), 7th in 3-pt field goals (4.43), turnover margin (-1.87), 8th in free throw pct. (.612)...

- Keisha Gordon is 1st in steals (2.64), assist/TO ratio (1.48), 3rd in assists (3.36), 5th in rebounding (7.6), 6th in scoring (15.5), 7th in free throw pct. (.786), 11th in field goal pct. (.451), 12th in 3-pt field goals (1.41) …

- Hannah Munger is 1st in field goal pct. (.586), rebounding (10.1), blocked shots (3.13), 4th in scoring (16.3) …

- Arianna Mohsenian is 5th in 3-pt field goals (1.78), 7th in steals (1.65, T), 12th in assists (1.87, T), 3-pt field goal pct. (.342), 29th in scoring (8.0) …

- Hayley Cusick is 2nd in steals (2.05, T), 5th in blocked shots (1.00), 7th in assists (2.52), 25th in scoring (8.4) ...

- Breezy Rinehart-Young is 6th in blocked shots (0.76) ...

* Double-Doubles

- Hannah Munger: season 10, career 21 - 20 pts, 13 reb vs. Corban, 11/16; 11 pts, 14 reb vs. Chapman, 11/21; 25 pts, 19 reb at Willamette, 11/30; 22 pts, 10 reb vs. St. Mary’s (Ind.) at San Diego, Calif., 12/28; 21 pts/11 reb vs. Whitman; 13 pts, 10 reb at Puget Sound, 1/21; 16 pts, 14 reb vs. Linfield, 1/22; 14 pts, 14 reb vs. Pacific Lutheran, 1/28; 15 pts, 13 reb vs. Lewis & Clark, 2/5; 33 pts, 12 reb at Whitworth, 2/12

- Megan Arnoldy: season 1, career 1 - 17 pts, 12 reb vs. Southern Oregon, 11/19

- Keisha Gordon: season 4, career 5 - 27 pts, 10 reb at Pacific Lutheran, 12/4; 22 pts, 11 reb vs. Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham at San Diego, Calif., 12/27; 17 pts, 10 reb vs. St. Mary’s (Ind.) at San Diego, Calif., 12/28; 19 pts, 11 reb vs. Lewis & Clark, 2/5; 26 pts, 11 reb at Whitworth, 2/12

* Career Lists: Gordon Moves into 8th on All-Time Scoring List

- Keisha Gordon: With 42 points in two games last week, Gordon raised her career points total to 1,165 and passed Nicole Prazeau (1,133, 1998-2002) for 8th on the all-time list.  Ahead is Liz Stephens (1,197, 1992-96) … After going 20-27 from the line in two games, her career free throw pct. is at .807 (254-315), third-best in Bruin history behind Kim Leith (.8108, 210-259, 2002-06) and Christy Brock (.8105, 77-95, 1997-98) ... She had 3 steals last week, giving her 191 in her career, 5th on the all-time list.  Ahead is Tracy Nelson (192, 1988-92) ... She had 6 assists last week, giving her 214 in her career.  She needs 6 to tie Melinda Day (220, 1981-85) for 10th on the all-time list ...

- Hanna Munger: With 4 blocked shots in the last two games, Munger has 179 career blocked shots, 4th on the all-time list.  Ahead are Melissa Marek-Farris (182, 2004-08) and Shawna Chandler (188, 1982-85) ... After going 18-29 in two games, she has a career field goal pct. of .568 (322-567), 2nd to Kristen Shielee (.599, 223-372, 2005-09) ...

- Breezy Rinehart-Young: Rinehart-Young had 1 blocked shot in that last two games, giving her 65 in her career.  She needs 7 more to tie Melody Groeneveld-McMaster (72, 1981-85) for 10th on the all-time list ...

* Head Coach Michael Meek

Head coach Michael Meek (Eastern Oregon ‘99) is 18-5 (.783) to date in his first season at George Fox after replacing Scott Rueck, who took the women’s basketball head coaching job at his alma mater, Oregon State.  Meek composed a record of 264-79 (.769) in 13 years of high school coaching in Oregon, three at La Grande (1997-2000) and 10 at Beaverton Southridge (2000-10).  He led Southridge to five large-school state championships in his last six years, received 12 league or state Coach of the Year awards during his career, and was the 2006 MaxPrep National Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year ... He is 1-0 (1-0 home) vs. Linfield, and 0-1 (0-1 road) vs. Puget Sound.