December 27, 2007

Basketball teams wrap up nonconference play

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The Warrior men look to finish nonconference play on a strong note as they entertain Thompson Rivers University of Kamloops, British Columbia, for a pair of games.

The Warriors are 7-5 overall and looking for some momentum to kick off Frontier Conference play, which is on Jan. 5 against Westminster in Salt Lake City.

Both LCSC and Thompson Rivers are well rested. LCSC hasn’t played since Dec. 19 when it hammered Walla Walla University 81-49 at the Activity Center.

Thompson Rivers enters the two contests on a big slide. The team, which hasn’t played since Dec. 1, began its season during the first week of October, but has lost 14 of its last 15 games. Thompson Rivers is 3-14 overall and 1-11 in CanadaWest play.

LCSC, which is 5-1 at home this season, is averaging 84 points per game and is shooting 49.7 percent from the field. Despite a 36 percent shooting average from the 3-point line, the Warriors hit a season-high 12 3-pointers in the win over Walla Walla University.

Senior forward Mike Gordy continues to lead the Warriors in scoring at 21.3 points per game. Mikel Watson is at 11.4 points per game, while Kasey Riley, who has missed the last six games with an injury, is at 10.0 points.

Gordy and Jonathan Daly are tied for the team lead in rebounds. Both are averaging 5.5 per outing.

Brian Duckworth and J.R. Gordon are tied for the team lead in assists with 29, while Watson has 28. Gordon also leads the team in steals with 32 and is averaged of 3.2 steals per game ranks third in the NAIA.

Gordy ranks fourth in the NAIA in field goal percentage at 64.8 and his scoring average is 10th in the country.

As a team, the Warriors rank third in turnover margin, forcing nearly 10 more turnovers a game than they commit. LCSC also is fourth in steals per game at 13.6. 

Frontier Conference standings – Westminster 10-2, Carroll 10-3, Rocky Mountain 10-3; Montana State-Northern 9-3; Lewis-Clark State 7-5; Montana Western 6-7, Great Falls 3-6; Montana Tech 4-10.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The Warrior women also resume action after more than two weeks off with its game on Sunday against Whitman College, an NCAA Division III team from Walla Walla.

LCSC’s last outing came in a 74-58 exhibition loss to Idaho State University, which is favored to win the Big Sky Conference. The Warriors hung tough with ISU before the Bengals pulled away at the end.

LCSC is 10-3 overall and has only Sunday’s game before starting Frontier Conference play on Jan. 5 against Westminster at Salt Lake City.

Whitman, 6-2 overall, has one common opponent with LCSC this season as both thumped Walla Walla University. Whitman defeated Walla Walla U 80-25, while LCSC won 105-39. Whitman hasn’t played since Dec. 8.

LCSC senior post Mandy Troutt leads a balanced Warrior attack. She is averaging 14.8 points per game, while senior guard Jade Fulbright is at 11.2, and junior guard Breianna Gaines is at 11.0. Junior guard/forward Sadie Short is at 10.5 points.

Troutt also leads the team in rebounding at 8.3 per outing, while Short is at 6.5 per game.

Trout ranks ninth in the NAIA in offensive rebounds per game at 4.2, while Fulbright is 13th in steals at 2.9. Senior point guard Katie Hart is 17th in assists per game at 5.1, while junior guard Kim Preston is 17th in assist/turnover ration at 2.3.

LCSC ranks in the NAIA Top 10 in 11 team categories. The team is first in rebounding margin, outboarding opponents by an average of 14.8 rebounds per game. The team also is second in total rebounds at 46.3, and is third in assists per game (20.5), offensive rebounds per game (20.4) and scoring margin (28.9 points).

LCSC is fourth in turnover margin (9.7), and steals per game (15.6), and ranks fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.17), and points allowed per game (53.5). The team is sixth in defensive rebounds (31.5) and eighth in scoring (82.4 points per game). 

Frontier Conference standings – Carroll 11-1, Westminster 12-2, Montana Western 10-2, Lewis-Clark State 10-3, Montana State-Northern 10-4, Great Falls 7-6, Rocky Mountain 6-8, Montana Tech 5-7.