2021-22 Women's Basketball Notebook (Week 9)

COMING UP: vs. Multnomah, Friday, 5:30 p.m.; vs. Warner Pacific, 3 p.m.

COMPLETE WEEKLY MEDIA NOTEBOOK
 
TICKET / FAN PROTOCOLS: Masks are required over the mouth and nose at all times for games this weekend vs. Multnomah and Warner Pacific – per the updated Cascade Conference Return to Play Protocols.  Single-Game tickets to Coyote Basketball games are available online through the C of I Ticket Portal. Gates to the Activities Center will open 90 minutes prior to tip-off on game days.

LIVE LINKS: Both the Multnomah and Warner Pacific games will be carried live on the Yotes Digital Network ($10 per game, $50 season pass), with Mike Safford calling the action – as Safford begins his 21st year as the Voice of the Yotes. In addition, Live Stats will be available through C of I's SIDEARM Sports Portal.
 
NOTE START TIMES: For the remainder of the 2021-22 season, all Friday home games will be played at 5:30 p.m., while all Saturday games are set for 3 p.m. tip-offs.
 
AT THE MIDWAY POINT: C of I has played 15 games this season, with 15 more remaining on the docket, with the Yotes heading into the weekend with a 9-6 overall record. It marks the Coyotes best 15-game mark in nine years, when C of I began the year 10-5 – finishing the season with a 22-9 overall mark, advancing to the second round of the NAIA National Championships.
 
A RARE FORFEIT WIN: The Coyotes did not play Saturday afternoon, as their game at Corban was cancelled due to the Warriors not having enough players due to COVID-19 protocols. Per Cascade Conference protocols, Corban had to forfeit the game to C of I (along with their game last Friday vs. Eastern Oregon). It marked the third forfeit of the season in the CCC, as Oregon Tech forfeited a game to Bushnell due to COVID. It was the second all-time forfeit win for the Yotes – joining a game at Westminster during the 2004-05 season in which C of I lost 62-58 on the court, but earned the win due to WC using an ineligible player.
 
DEFENDING THE 3: Locking down the opponent beyond the 3-point stripe has been key to the Yotes success, ranking second in the league in defensive 3-point percentage (.268). C of I has held their past five opponents under 29-percent shooting from long range, while 11 of the Coyotes 14 opponents have converted less than 30-percent of their 3-point tries, including Bushnell, who made just 4-of-18 3-point tries.
 
ANOTHER DOUBLE-DIGIT REBOUND WIN: Despite the road loss, the Yotes continued their stellar play on the glass, recording 14 more rebounds than Bushnell. C of I has won the battle on the glass in 12-of-14 games and recorded their seventh game of the season posting 10-or-more rebounds than their foes. The Yotes have logged an average of 15 offensive rebounds in their last seven games, with their 10.3 rebound margin on the season ranking No. 2 in the CCC.
 
RIGGLE ADDS TO REBOUND MARK: Post Sienna Riggle continued her breakout season, posting her third-straight double-digit rebound night at Bushnell, finishing the evening with eight points and 10 rebounds. It marked her team-high eighth game with 10-or-more rebounds – more double-digit rebound games than the entire team during both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons – and the most by a C of I player since Alyssa Case had nine 10-or-more rebound games in 2018-19. She currently ranks No. 4 in the CCC and is one of 57 players nationally averaging at least nine rebounds per game.
 
DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE: Sienna Riggle currently leads the Cascade Conference with seven double-doubles on the season and is climbing the all-time single-season C of I double-double list. Alyson Pincock set the school mark with 23 double-doubles during her 2000-01 All-America season, while Chakala Carthan (2013-14), Kasey Hooter (2004-05) and Kristen Bailey (2002-03) all posted 19 double-doubles. Bailey added 13 double-doubles in 2001-02; Pincock had 11 double-doubles in 1999-00; Christon Vander Esch had 10 double-doubles in 2008-09; with Laura Geis (2012-13) and Kim Strunk (2005-06) each recording nine.
 
CANNON FROM THREE: C of I has received a big boost from Allie Cannon this season, converting a team-best 36-percent from 3-point range. The junior has made 17 3-pointers – just two off her career-high – and ranks No. 9 in the CCC in 3-point percentage. Cannon led the Yotes with 12 points, including a pair of triples, in Friday's road loss at Bushnell.
 
ANDERSON HAS BREAKOUT GAME: Friday was a big night for sophomore forward Emma Anderson, who tied a career-high by playing 24 minutes off the bench at Bushnell. Anderson scored four points and added 10 rebounds – a new career-high, becoming the fifth C of I player this season to record a double-digit rebound game.
 
STEAL STREAKS: Both Jada Reed and Lexi Mitchell extended their streak of games with at least one steal at Bushnell – Reed recording he sixth-straight games with a swipe and Mitchell posting her fifth straight game with a steal. The duo currently are No. 1 and No. 2 on the team in takeaways – Reed leading the squad with 21 steals, with Mitchell at 16.
 
PORTLAND SCHOOLS HEAD TO CALDWELL: Last weekend, the Yotes had to trudge through poor road conditions through Central Oregon to reach Eugene, this weekend, it will be the two Portland schools having to navigate the Columbia River Gorge and the Blue Mountains to head to Caldwell. The trip to the Treasure Valley has not been pleasant for the Rose City schools, as C of I has swept Multnomah and Warner Pacific in the Activities Center each season since MU joined the league in 2015, while WPU has dropped their last 14 meetings in Caldwell, dating back to a 74-70 overtime win over the Yotes in 2006.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – MULTNOMAH: The weekend begins against Multnomah, as the Lions (3-11, 3-4 CCC) have already surpassed their win total from last season and their conference win total from the 2019-20 campaign. MU has posted a 1-7 record away from Portland, ranking No. 11 in the CCC in field goal percentage (.348) and No. 12 in 3-point percentage (.244), but are No. 2 in the league, committing just 14 turnovers a night. Returning wing Alaygza Portis (13.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg) leads a 19-player roster that features just two players taller than 5-foot-10. Forwards Dalila Rincan (10.1 ppg. 4.3 rpg) and post Clare Faber (4.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg) are key to the Lions success – as MU searches for their first-ever win in the Activities Center.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – WARNER PACIFIC: A grueling week for Warner Pacific comes to a close on Saturday, as a much-improved Knights (7-5, 5-2) team will be playing their fourth game in six days due to travel issues late last week. WPU heads into the weekend having won 6-of-9 games, including a dominating home victory over Bushnell, with the team averaging 69 points a game offensive, while forcing 19 turnovers a night. The tandem of Courtney Jackson (18.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg) and Lydnen Harry (11.9 ppg, 2.8 apg) have combined to make 51 3-pointers on the season. Guard Hannah Myers (13.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg) also averages in double-figures, while Anna Farner (7.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and Kylie Guelsdorf (6.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg) are the top rebounders.
 
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: All 12 teams in the league have now lost at least one game, as Southern Oregon was upset last weekend on the road at Evergreen, while Walla Walla and Corban are still searching for their first league win. Key match-ups this weekend include Lewis-Clark State making their first-ever road trip to Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon, with Warner Pacific meeting Eastern Oregon on Friday with third-place in the standings on the line. Along with C of I and EOU hosting Multnomah and WP, Walla Walla and LCSC trek to OIT and SOU, while Bushnell and Corban close out their homestand by welcoming Northwest and Evergreen.
 
RECORD BOOK: Five Coyotes have cracked the Top-50 career record book – including Kaylee Krusemark, who ranks No. 13 in 3-pointers made (85), No. 14 in 3-point attempts (278), No. 28 in free throws made (119), No. 31 in points scored (568), No. 33 in free throw attempts (157), No. 34 in games played (81), No. 35 in field goal attempts (514) and No. 44 in field goals made (182). Lexi Mitchell ranks No. 20 in rebounds (376), No. 30 in blocked shots (20), No. 31 in free throws made (114) and in field goal attempts (536), No. 35 in free throw attempts (155), No. 41 in 3-pointers made (31) and attempted (107), No. 44 in points scored (471), No. 47 in field goals made (173) and No. 48 in steals (50); Kenadee French is No. 28 in 3-pointers made (54) and No. 30 in 3-point attempts (168); Allie Cannon is No. 34 in 3-point attempts (145) and No. 36 in 3-pointers made (38); with Sienna Riggle No. 23 in blocked shots (24) – while ranking No. 25 in single-season blocked shots (20).
 
LOOKING AHEAD: C of I closes out the first half of the Cascade Conference season in the Seattle area, traveling to Evergreen (Jan. 14) and Northwest (Jan. 15), before returning home to play four of their next five games in the Activities Center.