COMING UP: at Oregon Tech, Friday, 5:30 p.m. (PT); at Southern Oregon, Saturday, 5:30 p.m. (PT)
LAST WEEK: vs. No. 24 Carroll (L 69-52)
LIVE STATS/LIVE VIDEO: Live Video and Live Stats are available for both weekend games at Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon. Friday’s game at OIT will have Live Video at
https://www.oit.edu/athletics/watch-live - a simulcast of the KLAD-AM radio broadcast with Mike Garrard calling the action, with Live Stats at
http://media.oit.edu/athletics/livewbk/xlive.htm. Saturday at SOU, Live Video is available online at
http://www.livestream.com/souraiders, with Live Stats available online at
http://www.sidearmstats.com/sou/wbball/scoreboard.aspx.
ROUGH SHOOTING NIGHT: It was a tough night for the Lady Yotes on Saturday against Carroll College, as The C of I went ice cold from the field in the first half of a 17-point loss. The Yotes made just 5-of-27 shots from the field against the nationally-ranked Saints, falling to 0-4 on the season when they scored less than 68 points in a game. Ironically, in three of the four losses this season, the Lady Yotes have made 31-percent or less of their field goal attempts.
TOUGH PRESEASON FINALLY OVER: It was the toughest preseason schedule of any of the Cascade Conference teams in 2012-13, as the Lady Yotes played seven of their eight games against either NAIA Division I or NCAA Division II opponents’. C of I preseason foes have a combined 43-39 overall record, while two teams – Westminster and Carroll, which handed the Yotes three of their four losses, are ranked in the Top-25. The team that the Coyotes faced during the preseason with the worst record was 3-10 Lewis-Clark State, who were ranked No. 15 to start the year.
NATIONALLY RANKED DEFENSIVE NUMBERS: Defense has been the key, as Coyote opponents’ have been held under 60 points in five of the six victories. Two players have been the catalysts statistically, ranking among the NAIA Division II Top-20 in defensive categories. Post
Laura Geis (Frenchtown, Mont. / U. of Montana Western) ranks No. 9 in the nation in blocked shots per game, No. 11 in total blocks, No. 14 in defensive rebounds per game, and No. 15 in total rebounds per game. The senior has recorded a blocked shot in nine of 10 games this season, while recording double-digit rebounds six times. Also in the Top-20 is
Katelin Shannon (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS), who is No. 17 in the NAIA in total steals and No. 20 in steals per game. The senior, who ranks among the Top-3 in C of I history in steals, has recorded at least one steal in 83 of her last 90 games played – recording five or more steals 12 times.
LOWBER EMBRACING ROLE: Sophomore point-guard
Aleah Lowber (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) has seen her minutes double this year – and has taken advantage of the opportunity. Lowber, who scored a season-high nine points against Carroll on Saturday, is averaging four points a game – though averaging eight points a game over her last three contests, while recording more steals this year than turnovers.
AROUND THE LEAGUE: It is an interesting five-day stretch around the CCC, as Eastern Oregon and the Yotes head to Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon for Friday-Saturday games, while Northwest Christian and Corban head to Evergreen and Northwest for Monday-Tuesday games (due to final exams on various campuses. The early games will be crucial – as each of the four teams heading to Klamath Falls and Ashland are currently 2-0 in conference games.
LADY YOTES STICK AT NO. 22: Despite the home loss on Saturday night, The C of I remained at No. 22 in the third regular-season NAIA Division II Top-25 Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Poll of 2012-13, released Tuesday by the NAIA sports information office. The Lady Yotes earned 94 voter points from the 12 conference and unaffiliated grouping raters and were one of seven teams to remain in the spot position in the poll. Concordia (Neb.) is the unanimous No. 1 team, followed by Indiana Wesleyan, Morningside (Iowa), College of the Ozarks (Mo.), and Davenport (Mich.), with Eastern Oregon ranked No. 9, and both Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech receiving votes. Two other C of I opponents’ were ranked in the NAIA Division I poll – No. 5 Westminster and No. 26 Carroll. In the CCC weekly Top-6 poll, EOU held the top spot, followed by the Yotes, Southern Oregon, Oregon Tech, Concordia, and Northwest Christian. The next conference poll is set for Jan. 7, with the next NAIA Top-25 released Jan. 8.
LONG ROAD TRIP SUCCESS: The over 1,000-mile round trip from Caldwell-to-Klamath Falls-to-Ashland and back is a grueling trip for the Lady Yotes, but has been a fruitful one as of late. The C of I has swept the road trip at Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon each of the past four seasons, while winning at least one game on the swing every year since 2006-07.
ABOUT OREGON TECH: The Lady Yotes open the road swing at
Oregon Tech, who are a perfect 4-0 at home this season. The Owls (9-3, 2-0 CCC) average 70 points a game, get to the foul line 25 times a night, and have a 10 rebound edge on their opponents. OIT did not play as a demanding schedule as the Yotes – as the Owls nine wins have come against teams a combined 23-88 this season, but leading scorers Karissa Dixon (15.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and Kassi Conditt (11.8 ppg, 10.3 rpg) are a dangerous duo. It is the 26th meeting between the teams, with the Yotes holding a 16-9 edge – including 12-straight wins.
ABOUT SOUTHERN OREGON: Saturday, the Yotes head to
Southern Oregon for a track meet with a very good Raiders (12-1, 2-0) team. SOU has blitzed their competition this season – scoring 79 or more points in every game, eclipsing the 90-point barrier nine times, averaging 93 points a night – while making .509 percent of their field goal tries and averaging 15 more rebounds a game. Division I transfers Melissa Sweat (19.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and Allison Gida (13.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg), along with returners Alexi Smith (14.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and Angelica Cahee (11.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg) have all scored 20-or-more points in a game this season. It is the 42nd meeting between the teams, with the Yotes holding a 23-18 series edge, including wins in nine-straight games.
CONFERENCE STATISTICS: As a team, the Lady Yotes rank second in the CCC in three-point percentage (.345), blocked shots per game (4.6), and turnover margin (+4.3), ranking No. 3 in scoring defense (58.5), steals per game (10.9), and three-pointers made per game (5.9). The squad is No. 4 in scoring margin (+5.9), No. 5 in free throw percentage (.701), No. 6 in field goal percentage (.382) and rebound margin (+1.9), and No. 7 in scoring average (64.4), rebounds per game (38.7), and assists per game (13.2). Individually, five players rank among the CCC Top-10 statistically, with Katelin Shannon leading the league in steals per game (3.0), ranking No. 4 in both free throw percentage (.839) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.8), and No. 8 in assists per game (3.4). Laura Geis ranks No. 3 in both rebounds per game and blocked shots per game, while
Chakala Carthen (Sparks, Nev. / Coll. of Southern Idaho) is No. 5 in steals per game (2.5), No. 8 in field goal percentage (.488), and No. 10 in free throw percentage (.755).
Felicity Jones (Tremonton, Utah / Coll. of Southern Idaho) ranks No. 4 in three-point percentage, No. 6 in assists per game (3.8), and No. 8 in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4), with
Dayna Drager (Hayden, Idaho / Coeur d’Alene HS) No. 5 in three-point percentage (.429) and No. 6 in three-pointers made per game (1.5).
LEAGUE LEADERS: Scoring Average – Melissa Sweat (SOU) 19.7, Malori Dixon (CU) 18.9, Chelsey Christensen (WPC) 17.7, Lindsey Shearer (NCU) 17.0, Karissa Dixon (OIT) 15.1; Rebound Average – Kassi Conditt (OIT) 10.3, Danielle Swain (ESC) 10.0, Laura Geis (C of I) 9.7, Tara Vanweerdhuizen (CRB) 9.2, Shearer 8.8; Assist Average - Nichole Jackson (WP) 9.2, Sammi Clark (ESC) 5.3, Shearer 4.1, Emily Tsugawa (CRB) 3.9, Kelly Huey (CU) 3.9.
RECORD BOOK: Three Lady Yotes currently rank among the Top-10 in C of I career stats. Katelin Shannon ranks third all-time in steals (228), No. 6 in free throws made (282), No. 8 in free throw attempts (367), and No. 10 in assists (215), while Laura Geis is No. 5 in blocked shots (96). Dayna Drager rounds out the list, ranking No. 7 in three-pointers made (76) and No. 10 in three-point attempts (214).
GAME RECAP – CARROLL 69, C OF I 52: Megan Patterson scored a game-high 28 points, including eight three-pointers, helping Carroll College defeat The C of I, 69-52, Saturday inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center. The Saints hit 13-of-25 three-point attempts in the victory, with Patterson finished one made three-pointer away from breaking a 18-year Carroll record. Patterson and Becky Snelling each hit three-pointers in a game-opening 12-0 run by the Saints, holding the Lady Yotes scoreless for the first four minutes. The C of I cut the margin to 15-7 on a
Sienna Edmunson (New Plymouth, Idaho / Walla Walla CC) free throw, but CC scored 20 of the next 25 points, including a pair of three's from both Patterson and Snelling, along with a trio of Torrie Cahill buckets, to extend the lead to 35-12. Cahill had 16 points and Snelling scored 15 in the win for Carroll, with the Saints winning despite trailing in the rebound category, 38-33. The Lady Yotes made just 5-of-28 shots from the field in the opening half and fell to 3-3 this season against Frontier Conference teams. Chakala Carthen had 13 points, Katelin Shannon scored 12, and Aleah Lowber added nine. Laura Geis led all players with 12 rebounds.
ABOUT THE COACH: Reagan Rossi is in her 12th season as head coach of The C of I women's basketball program and her first season as an Associate Athletic Director for the College. During her first 11 seasons at The C of I, the native of Mukwonago, Wis., has compiled a 212-136 overall record, 11 consecutive appearances in the CCC Tournament, two CCC regular-season titles, four-consecutive NAIA Division II National Tournament appearances, and the 2010 and 2012 CCC Tournament titles. In 2008-09, she led the Coyotes to a school record 29-5 season, sharing their first CCC title since 2001 - earning a berth to the NAIA Division II National Tournament. The team set a new school record with 21 consecutive wins, highest scoring average, and defeated Weber State for their first-ever NCAA Division I victory. In 2009-10, her squad went 21-8, winning the CCC title outright, along with claiming their first-ever CCC Tournament championship, while last season, went on the road and defeated Corban, 80-68, in the CCC title game and earned a trip to the NAIA Tournament. The all-time record holder for women’s basketball wins at The C of I, she has coached a second-team All-American and two third-team All-Americans, while 16 of her recruits have earned NAIA All-America Scholar-Athlete honors. Rossi was no stranger to The C of I when she was hired in 2000, as she was a member of Todd Corman's inaugural coaching staff for two seasons, and was on the bench when the Lady Yotes took to the floor for the first time on Nov. 4, 1995 against Carroll College, ending an 18-year hiatus of women's basketball at the school. Rossi has an extensive background in coaching - having been an assistant coach at Georgetown (Ky.), a fellow NAIA institution, along with Morehead State (Ky.), an NCAA Division I program. Before coming to The C of I in 1995, Rossi was an assistant coach with the Skagway High School boys' varsity team in Skagway, Alaska. A 1994 graduate of Saint Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, Rossi played four years of basketball for the Queen Bees. Two of her teams qualified for the NAIA National Tournament, including the 1993-94 squad which advanced into the "Sweet Sixteen." She was the starting point-guard for two seasons, averaging ten points and six assists per game during her senior season. In 2006, she was inducted into the Mukwonago High School Hall of Fame. Rossi and her husband, Rudy, live in Caldwell with their twin daughters, Maggie and Darby.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on Coyote women’s basketball program, head to the official homepage of the Lady Yotes -
http://www.yoteathletics.com/index.aspx?path=wbball&tab=0.
