COMING UP: vs. Evergreen, Friday, 5:30 p.m.; vs. Northwest, Saturday, 5:30 p.m.
LAST WEEK: at Northwest Christian (W 81-68), at Corban (W 76-62)
LIVE STATS/LIVE VIDEO: All home Lady Yote games will feature Live Stats and Live Video – Live Stats at
http://www.sidearmstats.com/cofidaho/wbball / and the Live Video broadcast at
http://www.yoteathletics.com/sports/2012/8/14/live_video.aspx?&tab=2 with Mike Safford calling the action.
CARTHEN REPEATS AS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: For the second-straight week, forward
Chakala Carthen (Sparks, Nev. / Coll. of Southern Idaho) was honored as Red Lion-Cascade Conference Player of the Week. The senior led the Lady Yotes to back-to-back road wins at Northwest Christian and Corban, averaging 19 points and 13 rebounds per game, while converting 14-of-26 field goals. Over her past six games, Carthen is averaging nearly 19 points and 13 rebounds per game – and currently leads the NAIA Division II in offensive rebounds per game.
DOUBLE-DOUBLES: Chakala Carthen now has 16 double-doubles on the season and continues to remain on pace to become the fourth women's player and 13th player overall in the R.C. Owens Double-Double Club – an honor bestowed to a C of I basketball player who finishes the season averaging at least 10 points and 10 rebounds a game during a season. Carthen ranks No. 4 on the Lady Yotes single-season double-double list, as Alyson Pincock had 23 in 2001, Kasey Hooter had 20 in 2005, and Kristen Bailey had 19 in 2003. Carthen has 19 career double-doubles – behind the 34 by Pincock, the 29 by Bailey, and the 24 by Hooter – who are the three other women's members of the Double-Double Club.
CRAZY PLAYOFF PICTURE HEADING INTO FINAL WEEKEND: With just one weekend remaining in the CCC season, chaos continues among the Top-6 spots in the league standings – with the Lady Yotes in position to win a league title, or not even host a quarterfinal playoff game. Eastern Oregon currently holds a game lead on both C of I and Oregon Tech, a two-game lead on Southern Oregon and Northwest, and a three-game edge on Evergreen. Tiebreak scenarios are off the charts – but the Yotes hold a head-to-head tiebreak with Oregon Tech (by virtue of a season sweep), with C of I also 5-3 against teams .500 or better in league play (which is the second tiebreaker). With two wins this weekend, the Lady Yotes cannot finish worse than second in the final standings, though with two wins and an Eastern Oregon loss – C of I would share the league title.
IF C OF I HOSTS: If the Lady Yotes finish in the Top-4 of the CCC standings, the squad will host a conference tournament quarterfinal on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Reserved tickets are $12.00, general admission tickets are $7.00, with kids 5-and-under $2.00. Tickets will go on sale Monday at 10 a.m. (by calling 459-5917) – with all seating first-come, first-serve (season ticket holders will have until Noon on Tuesday to guarantee their normal regular-season seats).
PLAYOFF HISTORY: With their victory over Eastern Oregon on Feb. 7, the Lady Yotes clinched one of the eight berths into the CCC Postseason Tournament, the 15th-straight season C of I has qualified for the playoffs – and their 17th playoff appearance in 18 years. The Yotes have reached the CCC Tournament final each of the last six seasons, winning the 2010 and 2012 titles, while advancing to eight NAIA Division II national tournaments, including each of the past five seasons.
MAKING THE THREE: The Lady Yotes have established a new school record with 207 made three-pointers this season; leading the CCC in three-pointers made per game and three-point percentage. C of I is No. 3 in the NAIA Division II in three-point percentage and No. 7 in three-pointers made per game.
LOWBER HAS BIG WEEKEND: It was another outstanding weekend for guard
Aleah Lowber (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS), who averaged 16 points and five rebounds a night in the two road wins. The junior connected on 8-of-13 three point attempts, upping her season average to 38-percent. Lowber is averaging 12 points a game in CCC play and making 40-percent of her three-point tries in league contests.
HENSEY LEADING THE LEAGUE IN DISHES: Point-guard
Elisha Hensey (Las Vegas, Nev. / Gillette CC) currently leads the CCC in assists-per-game averaging over five assists per night. The junior has recorded at least five assists in four-straight games and has 11 games this season with five-or-more assists. Hensey also recorded her sixth 20-point scoring night of the year last Friday at Northwest Christian.
SENIOR NIGHT: Saturday night marks the final home regular-season game for four C of I senior student-athletes, who have played a combined nine seasons in the Lady Yote program. Fourth-year player,
Dayna Drager (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho / Coeur d'Alene HS); two-year players Chakala Carthen and
Sienna Edmunson (New Plymouth, Idaho / Walla Walla CC); and senior transfer,
Erica Martinez (Salt Lake City, Utah / Boise State U.), will be honored in a post-game ceremony following the contest with Northwest.
ABOUT EVERGREEN: The final regular-season weekend of 2014 begins with one of the most talented Evergreen team in program history, as the Geoducks (13-10, 9-7 CCC) still have an outside chance to host their first-ever home playoff game. ESC plays solid defense, allowing just 66 points a game and averaging nearly four rebounds more than their foes. Four players average in double figures – Sammi Clark (15.1 ppg, 4.8 apg), Brittany Gray (14.0 ppg, 8.8 rpg), Jessica Denmon (11.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg), and Sadee Jones (10.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg). C of I holds a 30-4 all-time series edge, including a 62-59 win in December.
ABOUT NORTHWEST: The regular-season closes on Saturday against Northwest, a team that toppled C of I in December, 91-82. The Eagles (18-10, 10-6) have won two in a row – paced by the play of post Sanda Milovic (12.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and guards Domi Mendezona (12.2 ppg, 3.9 apg) and Jordan Asher (9.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, .469 3FG%). It is the 39th all-time meeting between the teams, with the Yotes holding a 29-9 series edge.
CONFERENCE STATS: As a team, the Lady Yotes lead the CCC in three-point percentage (.378) and three-pointers made per game (8.6), ranking No. 2 in field goal percentage (.432), and No. 3 in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1). The team is No. 4 in scoring average (74.7), scoring defense (69.9), scoring margin (+4.8), assists per game (15.8), steals per game (8.8), and turnover margin (3.0; No. 5 free throw percentage (.701); No. 8 in defensive field goal percentage (.419) and blocked shots per game (2.0); and No. 9 in defensive three-point percentage (.330), rebounds per game (36.7) and rebound margin (-4.0). Individually, Chakala Carthen leads the CCC in rebounds per game (10.6), ranking third in field goal percentage (.538) and in steals per game (2.1), and No. 5 in scoring average (14.9). Erica Martinez is No. 2 in the CCC in scoring average (16.4), No. 3 in three-pointers made per game (2.6) and in three-point percentage (.406), and No. 8 in field goal percentage (.491); Elisha Hensey leads the CCC in assists per game (5.2), ranking No. 2 in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.9), No. 6 in three-point percentage (.387), and No. 10 in scoring average (13.5) and in free throw percentage (.791); Dayna Drager is No. 6 in three-pointers made per game (1.6); with Aleah Lowber No. 9 in three-point percentage (.377).
CCC LEADERS: Scoring Average – Brittney Newcomb (EOU) 23.1, Erica Martinez (C of I) 16.4, Kristen Schoenerr (SOU) 15.4; Sammi Clark (ESC) 15.1; Chakala Carthen (C of I) 14.9; Rebound Average – Carthen 10.6, Tara VanWeerdhuizen (CRB) 10.5, Caitlyn McCutcheon (CU) 9.8, Brittany Gray (ESC) 8.8, Cassi Conditt (OIT) 8.8; Field Goal Percentage – Carly Meister (SOU) .556, Schoenherr .542, Carthen .538, Kassy Larson (EOU) .536, McCutcheon .531; Assists Average – Elisha Hensey (C of I) 5.2, Ashley Claussen (SOU) 5.1, Janae Klarich (CU) 5.0, Clark 4.6, Kelly Huey (CU) 4.2.
RECORD BOOK: Four Lady Yotes have cracked the Top-10 record book, as Dayna Drager ranks No. 5 in career three-pointers made (141) and attempted (411), No. 6 in career games played (118), No. 8 in field goal attempts (904), and No. 9 in field goals made (355), while closing on the Top-10 in points scored (967). Also in the Top-10 is Chakala Carthen, who ranks No. 8 in season free throw attempts (158) and rebounds (255), ranking No. 9 in career free throw attempts (327); Erica Martinez, is No. 7 in three-pointers made in a season (63); and Elisha Hensey is No. 6 in season assists (124).
CCC/NAIA POLLS: The Lady Yotes remained at No. 3 in the ninth CCC Top-6 poll of the season – as Eastern Oregon and Oregon Tech took the top spots, followed by the C of I, Southern Oregon, Northwest, and Evergreen. In the NAIA Division II Top-25 poll, St. Francis (Ind.) is atop the ranking, followed by Davenport (Mich.), Jamestown (N.D.), Hastings (Neb.), and St. Xavier (Ill.), with EOU at No. 22 and OIT at No. 23, and the Yotes receiving 11 voter points. The CCC poll will be released each Monday and the NAIA poll each Tuesday.
GAME RECAP – C OF I 81, NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN 68: Chakala Carthen recorded her 15th double-double, with Aleah Lowber scoring 14 of her 17 points in the second half, as C of I outlasted Northwest Christian on Friday night, 81-68, inside the Morse Events Center. The Lady Yotes won for the third-straight time - making 7-of-12 shots from outside the arc in the second half to earn the key road win. Three straight early baskets from Carthen helped C of I jump out to a 15-6 lead, but the Beacons closed the half on a 6-0 run to cut the margin to 35-34. After three ties early in the second half, a Carthen lay-up and a Lowber three-pointer helped C of I run off nine-straight points to take a 60-48 lead midway through the period. NCU got within 69-63 on a Tami Brown basket with three minutes left, but could not get closer. Carthen scored 24 points and added 15 rebounds, making 10-of-14 field goals, with Elisha Hensey adding 22 points and five assists. Lowber had six assists, draining 5-of-9 shots from outside the arc. Hannah Frederick led the Beacons with 15 points, with Brown scoring 12 - however, the Yotes forced NCU into 24 turnovers.
GAME RECAP – C OF I 76, CORBAN 62: Erica Martinez scored 11 of her game-high 22 points in a 32-9 run midway through the first half, as C of I rolled to a 76-62 victory Saturday night over Corban University, inside the C.E. Jeffers Center. The host Warriors used a 9-0 run to take an 11-5 lead seven minutes into the contest, but the visitors caught fire. Back-to-back Martinez buckets helped the Coyotes get even, with the senior canning back-to-back three-pointers – two of six treys made during the run, as C of I took a 37-22 lead to the break. A 14-2 run early in the second half, including three's from Aleah Lowber and Martinez, extended the margin to 51-26, as the Yotes eased into their fourth-straight victory and first weekend road sweep of the season. Lowber had 15 points in the victory, with Chakala Carthen scoring 14 points, adding 11 rebounds and six steals. C of I made 12-of-24 three-point attempts and forced 17 Corban turnovers.
ABOUT THE COACH: Reagan Rossi is in her 13th season the Lady Yotes head coach and her second year as an Associate Athletic Director at the College. The native of Mukwonago, Wis., has compiled a 242-151 overall record, with 12 consecutive appearances in the CCC Tournament, two CCC regular-season titles, five-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. In 2011-12, her squad went on the road and defeated Corban, 80-68, in the CCC title game and earned a trip to the NAIA Tournament. Last season, the Lady Yotes won their first game at the NAIA Tournament since the 2000-01 season, defeating Oklahoma Wesleyan, 66-65. The all-time record holder for women's basketball wins at The C of I, she has coached two second-team All-Americans and two third-team All-Americans, while 18 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 the Coyote women's basketball program, head to the official homepage of the Yotes -
http://www.yoteathletics.com/index.aspx?path=wbball&tab=0.
