WHAT’S BRUIN: Women’s Basketball News & Notes 1/11

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Multimedia: Live Stats / Video / KFOX Radio 

Overall Record: 13-0 (Home 4-0, Road 6-0, Neutral 3-0)

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

HIGHLIGHTS:

* Coming Up: Bruins Host First Two Conference Home Games This Weekend

* Recent Games: Bruins Win at Pacific to Raise Conference Record to 4-0

* 2nd Annual “Bruin Madness” Family Event Set for UPS Twinbill on Jan. 14

* Munger Wins BAA Award, Honorable Mention for NWC Weekly Honors

* Polls: Bruins Remain No. 3 in Both D3hoops and WBCA National Polls

* Bruins One Win Away from Securing 19th Straight Winning Record

* NCAA Stats: Munger Up to 2nd Nationally in Blocks, 3rd in FG Pct.

* NWC Stats: Munger Paces Conference in Rebounds, Blocks, FG Pct.

* Career Lists: Gordon Moves into 5th Place on All-Time Assists List 

* Coming Up: Bruins Host First Two Conference Home Games This Weekend 

- Fri., Jan. 13, 6:00 pm - vs. Willamette University (1-12, NWC 0-4), Newberg, Ore.

- Sat., Jan. 14, 6:00 pm – vs. University of Puget Sound (8-6, NWC 4-1), Newberg, Ore. 

NEWBERG, Ore. – After playing their first four Northwest Conference games on the road, the George Fox University Bruins will play seven of their next eight league games at home, starting with the Willamette University Bearcats on Friday, Jan. 13, and the University of Puget Sound Loggers on Saturday, Jan. 14. 

Both games this weekend will tip off at 6:00 p.m. in the Wheeler Sports Center’s Miller Gym, and will be a part of NWC doubleheaders, the men’s games following at 8:00 p.m.  Saturday’s games will also feature the second annual “Bruin Madness” event, sponsored by the George Fox Department of Alumni Relations (see details below). 

The Bruins, who are ranked third in both the D3hoops.com and and WBCA national polls, are off to the second-best start in team history at 13-0; only the 2008-09 national championship team started better, and that team went 32-0.  With a 4-0 record in conference play, the Bruins are in sole possession of the league lead, as every other team has lost at least one conference game.

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: George Fox will provide live audio internet coverage through campus station KFOX, live video through Stretch Internet, and live stats for all games this week; see the George Fox links above. 

* Upcoming Opponents: 

Willamette (1-12, NWC 0-4, 9th): The Bearcats from Salem, Ore., were picked to finish 9th in the pre-season NWC coaches’ poll ... The Bearcats have dropped their last six in a row, the latest a 78-61 setback at Linfield on Jan. 7 in which Rebecca Josephson scored 14 points, Mackenzie Lamson 13, and Kaileigh Westermann 12 ... Series record (since 1981): George Fox leads 47-12 (27-3 home, 19-9 road, 1-0 neutral) ... The Bruins have won the last 20 meetings and 29 of the last 31, including wins of 60-38 in Salem on Nov. 30 and 87-46 in Newberg on Jan. 25 last season ... Willamette’s last win in the series was 53-51 in Salem on Feb. 9, 2002 ... Willamette by the numbers: Scoring (59.0 ppg, 8th in the NWC), Defense (71.5 ppg, 9th), FG% (.341, 9th), 3-pt FG% (.190, 9th), FT% (.641, 8th), Reb Avg. (42.0 rpg, 1st) ... The Bearcats have one double-figure scorer: G Mackenzie Lamson (11.4 ppg, 16th) .... F Kaileigh Westermann is the top rebounder (7.5 rpg, 7th) ... PG Jojo Long is the assists leader (2.9 apg, 7th) ... Coach Anne Lapray (Willamette ’96) is 4-32 to date in her 2nd season as head coach at Willamette and 5th year on staff ... Next game: Jan. 14 at Lewis & Clark, 6:00 p.m. 

Puget Sound (8-6, NWC 4-1, 2nd): The Loggers from Tacoma, Wash., were picked to finish 3rd in the pre-season NWC coaches’ poll ... The Loggers have won two in a row following a four-game losing streak, the latest a 65-58 overtime win at Pacific Lutheran on Jan. 10 behind 20 points from Kelsey McKinnis, 11 points and 10 rebounds from Lindsay Layland, and 11 points from Taylor Jones ... Series record (since 1981): George Fox leads 23-17 (16-5 home, 7-12 road) ... The Bruins won two of the three meetings last year, falling 56-40 in Tacoma on Jan. 21, winning 83-55 in Newberg on Feb. 19, then defeating the Loggers 62-56 in Newberg on Feb. 24 in the first round of the NWC Tournament ... Puget Sound by the numbers: Scoring (69.4 ppg, 3rd in the NWC), Defense (63.4 ppg, 6th), FG% (.378, 7th), 3-pt FG% (.320, 3rd), FT% (.711, 5th), Reb Avg. (39.7 rpg, 7th) ... The Loggers have three double-figure scorers: G Kelsey McKinnis (15.0 ppg, 6th), G Jocelyn Riordan (10.6 ppg, 17th),  and F Lindsay Layland (10.1 ppg, 20th) .... C Sarah Stewart is the top rebounder (8.3 rpg, 4th) ... McKinnis is the assists leader (2.9 apg, 13th) ... Coach Loree Payne (Washington ‘03) is 26-14 to date in her 2nd season at Puget Sound ... Next game: Jan. 20 vs. Linfield, 6:00 p.m. 

* Recent Games: Bruins Win at Pacific to Raise Conference Record to 4-0 

Jan. 7 - George Fox 65, at Pacific 55

Hannah Munger posted a double-double of 21 points and 15 rebounds while blocking seven first-half shots, leading the Bruins past the feisty Pacific Boxers on Saturday in Forest Grove, Ore.  The Bruins had to overcome a 29-point performance by the Boxers’ Erica Schultz, including 15 in a row for her team at one stretch, in running their overall record to 13-0 and their conference mark, all on the road, to 4-0.  Munger scored the first two points of the game before Schultz hit a three-pointer, giving Pacific its only lead of the game one minute in.  Munger then put in back-to-back baskets to ignite a 10-0 George Fox run that gave the Bruins a 12-3 lead at the 16:15 mark, and they led 37-22 at the break.  A layup by Jami Roos five minutes into the second half gave George Fox its largest lead of 17 points at 47-30, but the Boxers battled back to close within six twice, the last with 2:35 left.  Keisha Gordon drained back-to-back threes, however, as the Bruins rebuilt a safe 12-point lead of 65-53 with a minute to go.  Munger hit 10 of 14 shots from the floor en route to her seventh double-double of the season and 32nd of her career, and Gordon scored 12 points, all on a 4-for-7 game from behind the arc.  Arianna Mohsenian handed out six assists, and Hayley Cusick made six steals. 

BRUIN BITS: 

* 2nd Annual “Bruin Madness” Family Event Set for UPS Twinbill on Jan. 14

A Northwest Conference basketball doubleheader with the University of Puget Sound on Saturday, Jan. 14, will be the backdrop for George Fox’s second annual “Bruin Madness” family event, sponsored by the Department of Alumni Relations.

The evening begins with a huge Indoor Tailgate Party Dinner and a KidZone with activities for children ages 1-12 at 4:00 p.m. in the Klages Dining Hall and Bruin Den in the Student Union Building.  The tailgate party will offer a variety of food buffets including nachos, barbeque, a salad bar, Bruin Madness cupcakes, and much more.  The basketball doubleheader begins with the women’s game between the Bruins and Loggers at 6:00 p.m., followed by the men’s game at 8:00 p.m.  Following the games, the celebration will continue as Abby’s Pizza hosts the “Young Alumni Night” for graduates from the past 10 years at 10:00 p.m.

Tickets are required for the Tailgate Party Dinner and KidZone.  The cost is $13 for adults and George Fox students who are not on the meal plan, and $6 for children under 10.  GFU students on the meal plan are aditted to the Dinner free.  University employees may get a discount ticket of $9 for the Tailgate Party if picked up at the Pennington House on campus before the end of the day on Wednesday. 

For more information on “Bruin Madness”, visit bruinmadness.georgefox.edu.  Anyone with further questions should contact Anna Phillipsen at 503-554-2131 or via e-mail at aphillipsen@georgefox.edu.

* Munger Wins BAA Award, Honorable Mention for NWC Weekly Honors

By posting two double-doubles in the last two weeks and narrowly missing a third, 6-5 center Hannah Munger has been named the Bruin Athletic Association Women’s Athlete of the Week for the two-week period of Dec. 26-Jan. 8 and also received honorable mention for the Northwest Conference Women’s Basketball Student-Athlete of the Week award for the same period.

Munger, a junior from Newberg, Ore., began by scoring 25 points on 11-15 field goals and 3-10 free throws, with 9 rebounds, 8 blocked shots and a steal in a 72-42 win at Concordia-Portland on Dec. 28.  Her blocks were part of a Bruin-record 14 in the game.  In a 68-63 win at No. 10 Lewis & Clark on Jan. 3, she scored 12 points on 6-9 field goals, with 11 rebounds, 7 blocks and an assist.  She finished with 21 points on 10-14 field goals and 1-2 free throws, with 15 rebounds, 7 blocks and 2 assists in a 65-55 win at Pacific on Jan. 7.  For the two-week period, she totaled 58 points (19.3 ppg) on 27-38 field goals (.711), with 35 rebounds 11.7 rpg), 22 blocked shots (7.3), 3 assists and a steal.

In NWC stats, Munger ranks 1st in rebounding (10.3 rpg), field goal pct. (.622), and blocked shots (4.7 bspg), and 4th in scoring (15.3 ppg).  Nationally, she is 2nd in blocked shots (4.7 bspg), 3rd in field goal pct. (.622), 16th in double-doubles (7), and 47th in rebounding (10.3 rpg).

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 Women’s Athletes of the Week

Aug. 29-Sept. 4 - Patti Reeves (Volleyball)

Sept. 5-11 - Melanie Gaither (Soccer)

Sept. 12-18 - Kelsey Morrison (Golf)

Sept. 19-25 - Megan McGrew (Golf)

Sept. 26-Oct. 2 - Kate Freiheit (Cross Country)

Oct. 3-9 - Stephanie Kerr (Volleyball)

Oct. 10-16 - Courtney Hochstetler (Cross Country)

Oct. 17-23 - Megan McGrew (Golf)

Oct. 24-30 - Tiffany Burk (Volleyball)

Oct. 31-Nov. 6 - Patti Reeves (Volleyball)

Nov. 7-13 - Courtney Hochstetler (Cross Country)

Nov. 14-20 - Jami Roos (Basketball)

Nov. 21-27 - Keisha Gordon (Basketball)

Nov. 28-Dec. 4 - Keisha Gordon (Basketball)

Dec. 5-11 - Jami Roos (Basketball)

Dec. 12-25 - Keisha Gordon (Basketball)

Dec. 26-Jan. 8 - Hannah Munger (Basketball)

* 2011-12 Honors

Jami Roos

- Bruin Athletic Association Athlete of the Week - Nov. 14-20; Dec. 5-11

- Northwest Conference Student-Athlete of the Week - Nov. 14-20; (HM) Dec. 5-11

Keisha Gordon

- Bruin Athletic Association Athlete of the Week - Nov. 21-27; Nov. 28-Dec. 4; Dec. 12-25

- Northwest Conference Student-Athlete of the Week - Nov. 21-27 (HM); Nov. 28-Dec. 4 (HM); Dec. 12-25 (HM)

- Posada Royale Thanksgiving Classic All-Tournament Team (MVP)

Hannah Munger 

- Posada Royale Thanksgiving Classic All-Tournament Team

- Bruin Athletic Association Athlete of the Week - Dec. 26-Jan. 8

- Northwest Conference Student-Athlete of the Week - (HM) Dec. 26-Jan. 8

* Polls: Bruins Remain No. 3 in both D3hoops and WBCA National Polls

With a 13-0 record through games of Jan. 8, the George Fox Bruins remained No. 3 in both NCAA Division III national polls.  After receiving one vote for first and 578 points in the D3hoops.com poll last week, the Bruins again got one first and 578 points in the Jan. 10 poll.  The top three teams all held their places as defending national champion Amherst (20-0) was first with 21 firsts and 619 points, followed by Chicago (11-0) with three firsts and 598 points. Fellow Northwest Conference member Lewis & Clark (12-1) climbed from 11th to 10th with 393 points despite losing to the Bruins as one of the teams ahead of them, Wisconsin-Stevens Point, lost and fell from 9th to 11th.   

In the second in-season USA Today / ESPN / Women’s Basketball Coaches Association poll of Jan. 10, the Bruins received 185 points, trailing Amherst (5 firsts and 197 points) and Chicago (3 firsts and 194), after receiving 184 points last week. The Bruins were third with 156 points in the WBCA pre-season poll.  Lewis & Clark climbed from 10th to 8th despite its loss to the Bruins as Wisconsin-Stevens Point fell from 8th to 11th and Washington-St. Louis lost and dropped from 9th into a tie for 9th.

USAToday/ESPN/WBCA poll: http://www.wbca.org/news/top-25-polls/usa-today-espn-division-iii-top-25-coaches-poll/

D3hoops.com poll: http://www.d3hoops.com/top25/index

* Bruins One Win Away from Securing 19th Straight Winning Record

Now 13-0, the Bruins can secure their 19th consecutive winning season with one more victory.  Their string of 18 straight winning records began in 1993-94 in the 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 winning seasons under Scott Rueck, who left in the summer of 2010 for the women’s basketball position at his alma mater, Oregon State. The 2010-11 Bruins finished 25-6, their 18th straight winning season, under first-year coach Michael Meek.  Including this year’s 13-0 record, George Fox has gone 377-127 (.748) during that 18-years-plus span from 1993-2012.

* Bruins Take Home Streaks of 41 in a Row vs. NWC into New Season

Entering the 2011-12 season, the Bruins have a home court winning streak against Northwest Conference opponents in all games, including post-season NWC and NCAA Division III Tournament games, of 41 in a row at the Wheeler Sports Center’s Miller Gym. The last time the Bruins lost at home to a conference team was 51-48 to Puget Sound in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 3, 2007. The Bruins have also won 41 straight regular season-only games vs. the NWC in Newberg since a 55-51 setback to Linfield on Nov. 28, 2006. 

NWC Poll: Bruins Favored to Win 6th Straight League Title

After winning or sharing each of the last five Northwest Conference championships, and with five starters returning, it is perhaps little wonder that the George Fox Bruins are favored to win their sixth straight NWC title as predicted in a pre-season poll of the league’s nine coaches The Bruins picked up seven of nine first-place votes and tallied 70 of 72 possible points in the poll. Lewis & Clark, which shared last year’s regular-season conference crown with George Fox, was second in the poll with 59 points and picked up the other two first-place votes.

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

* NCAA Stats: Munger Up to 2nd Nationally in Blocks, 3rd in FG Pct.

- In NCAA Division III national statistics thru games of Jan. 8, George Fox ranked 1st in won-lost pct. (1.000, tied with 9 others), 9th in scoring margin (+19.7), 10th in field goal pct. (.450), 17th in rebound margin (+10.3), 27th in defense (50.7 ppg), 35th in steals (12.9 spg), 45th in assists (15.5 spg), 49th in scoring (70.4 ppg) ...

- Keisha Gordon was 8th in field goal pct. (.585), 45th in assist/turnover ratio (1.78) ...

- Hannah Munger was 2nd in blocked shots (4.7 bspg), 3rd in field goal pct. (.622), 16th in double-doubles (7), 47th in rebounding (10.3 rpg) ... Her 8 blocked shots vs. Northwest on Nov. 19 and at Concordia-Portland on Dec. 27 are tied for the 9th-most in a game this season ...

* NWC Stats: Munger Paces Conference in Rebounds, Blocks, FG Pct.

- Thru NWC stats of Jan. 10, George Fox is 1st in scoring (70.4 ppg), defense (50.7 ppg), scoring margin (+19.7), field goal pct. (.450), field goal pct. defense (.359), rebounding margin (+10.6), assists (15.5 apg), steals (12.9 spg), blocked shots (6.8 bspg), 2nd in 3-pt field goals (79), 3-pt field goal pct. (.346), rebounding (41.7 rpg), 5th in 3-pt pct. defense (.318), 8th in fewest turnovers (19.5 topg), 9th in free throw pct. (.593) ...

- Keisha Gordon is 2nd in field goal pct. (.585), 3-pt pct. (.395), steals (3.1 spg), 4th in assists (3.2 apg, T), assist/turnover ratio (1.8), 10th in scoring (14.2 ppg), 12th in rebounding (5.8 rpg, T) …

- Hannah Munger is 1st in rebounding (10.3 rpg), field goal pct. (.622), blocked shots (4.7 bspg), 4th in scoring (15.3 ppg) …

- Arianna Mohsenian is 6th in 3-pt field goals (20, T), 7th in assist/turnover ratio (1.6), 8th in 3-pt pct. (.351) ...

- Jami Roos is 2nd in 3-pt field goals (30, T), 3rd in 3-pt pct. (.390), 18th in scoring (10.8 ppg) ...

- Breezy Rinehart-Young is 4th in blocked shots (1.0 bspg) ...

- Carrie Myers is 15th in rebounding (5.6 rpg) ...

* Records Set or Tied in 2011-12

- Most Steals, Career - 247 by Keisha Gordon, 2008-present (broke previous record of 243 by Linda Funderhide, 1987-91, with career high-tying 7 steals at Concordia-Portland, 12/27/2011)

- Most Blocked Shots, Team, Single Game - 14 at Concordia-Portland, 12/27/11: Hannah Munger 8, Breezy Rinehart-Young 3, Carrie Myers 2, Megan Arnoldy 1 (broke previous record of 13 at Dallas, 11/28/2008, and tied vs. Linfield, 1/16/2010)

* Double-Doubles

- Hannah Munger: season 7, career 32 - 10 pts, 10 reb vs. Corban, 11/15; 14 pts, 18 reb vs. Northwest (Wash.), 11/19; 24 pts, 13 reb vs. Chapman at Thousand Oaks, Calif., 11/26; 19 pts, 10 reb at Whitworth, 12/3; 12 pts, 11 reb vs. Chapman, 12/10; 12 pts, 11 reb at Lewis & Clark, 1/3; 21 pts, 15 reb at Pacific, 1/7

- Keisha Gordon: season 3, career 10 - 12 pts, 12 reb vs. Northwest (Wash.), 11/19; 21 pts, 10 reb at California Lutheran, 11/27; 18 pts, 11 reb at Lewis & Clark, 1/3

- Megan Arnoldy: season 0, career 1

* Career Lists: Gordon Moves into 5th Place on All-Time Assists List

- Keisha Gordon: With 12 points at Pacific, Gordon raised her career points total to 1,468, 3rd on the all-time scoring list.  Ahead are Katie (Greller) Lacey (1,524, 1997-2001) and Melody Groeneveld-McMaster (1,629, 1981-85) … She had no free throws in the last game, leaving her career free throw pct. at .765 (310-405), 7th-best all-time ... With no rebounds in the last game, she has 620 in her career, 9th on the all-time list.  Ahead are Hannah Munger (700, 2009-present), Liz Clark (743, 2001-05), Katy Campbell (747, 2004-08), and Susie Davis (753, 1983-87) …... She had no steals in the last game, but her 247 career total is 1st on the all-time list ... She had 4 assists in the last game, giving her 280 in her career and moving her past B.B. Gardner (279, 2006-10) into 5th on the all-time list.  Ahead is Marianne Funderhide (294, 1984-88) ...

- Hanna Munger: With 21 points at Pacific, Munger raised her career points total to 1,083, 11th on the all-time list.  Ahead are Katy Campbell (1,093, 2005-08) and Nicole Prazeau (1,133, 1998-2002) ... With 7 blocked shots in the last game, she has 261 in her career, 2nd on the all-time list. No. 1 is Tammy Lewis (287, 1985-89) ... After going 10-14 from the field in the last game, she has a career field goal pct. of .567 (453-799), 2nd to Kristen Shielee (.599, 223-372, 2005-09) ... With 15 rebounds in the last game, she has 700 in her career, 8th on the all-time list. Ahead are Liz Clark (743, 2001-05), Katy Campbell (747, 2004-08), and Susie Davis (753, 1983-87) …

- Breezy Rinehart-Young: With no blocked shots at Pacific, Rinehart-Young has 81 career blocks, 8th on the all-time list.  Ahead are Angela Pettit (85, 1993-97) and Darby Cave (92, 2000-04) ...

* Head Coach Michael Meek

Head coach Michael Meek (Eastern Oregon ‘99) is 38-6 (.864, 16-0 home, 15-3 road, 7-3 neutral) to date in his second season at George Fox. Prior to joining the Bruins, he 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 ...

Meek vs. upcoming opponents: 2-0 vs. Willamette (1-0 home, 1-0 away); 1-1 vs. Puget Sound (1-0 home, 0-1 away)