Mount Hood

Wolves pounce on Falcons in overtime

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

The Western Oregon men’s basketball team has fought hard against adversity all season long, and the 84-82 overtime victory over No. 19 Seattle Pacific University (SPU) on Saturday, Feb. 6 was a testament to the Wolves’ season-long success.

In the Wolves’ first meeting against the Falcons in early January, SPU chipped away at Western’s double digit lead in the final minutes to push the game into overtime but the Wolves eventually overpowered the Falcons for the win. This time, it was Western who came back from a 14 point deficit to take the game into extra time, and the Wolves again found themselves victorious.

Redshirt senior Andy Avgi (F), the second leading scorer in the GNAC, had a game-high of 29 points on 10-for-15 shooting from the floor. Avgi was lights out from beyond the arch, shooting 5-for-7 from distance.

The Wolves had three other players hit the double digit mark in scoring. Senior Jordan Wiley (G) had 17 points, redshirt sophomore Tanner Omlid (G/F) had 16 points, and senior Julian Nichols (G) filled out the stat sheet with 10 points, four rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and a steal.

On their home court, Western jumped out to an early 19-12 lead on consecutive three-pointers from redshirt sophomore Alex Roth (G) and Avgi. But after the Wolves missed a few shots and the Falcons went on a scoring run, the point advantage switched to SPU.

SPU increased their lead late in the first half by hitting the long ball, shooting 7-for-10 from beyond the three-point line to take a 49-35 lead into half time.

In the second half, Western came out determined to get within striking distance. WOU forward Omlid scored seven points in the opening minutes of the second half on a 9-4 opening rally which brought the score to 44-51.

The Wolves spent the rest of the half chipping away at SPU’s lead, which the Falcons maintained all the way up until the end.

With less than one minute left to play, and the Falcons up 76-73, Avgi drained a clutch three-pointer to tie the score at 76-76 and sent the game to overtime.

In the five minute overtime period, Western put pressure on SPU by creating turnovers and never allowing the Falcons to take easy shots. Avgi, Wiley, Nichols, and Alexander all hit baskets in the overtime period to give the Wolves the 84-82 advantage.

The come-back victory improves the Wolves’ overall record to 20-2 and 13-1 in GNAC conference play. The overtime victory also brings the Wolves winning streak to a season-high 11 games.

On Wednesday, Feb. 9, it was announced that the Wolves moved into the No. 1 spot in Division II basketball. It is the first time in school history that Western has earned the top spot.

Up next, WOU hosts Simon Frasier University on Saturday, Feb. 13 in the armed forces and first responder appreciation night. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. in the New P.E. Building.

To tank or not to tank?

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

Before the start of the 2015-16 NBA season, most sports analysts thought that the Portland Trailblazers had no chance of making the playoffs. The Blazers dismantled last year’s team who had the talent to compete for a NBA Championship and decided to rebuild.

The heart and soul of last year’s team, LaMarcus Aldridge, decided to part ways with the organization in the offseason and sign with the San Antonio Spurs in his home state of Texas. As soon as it became clear that Aldridge was gone, Blazer’s general manager, Neil Olshey, cleared the deck with the team’s high paid veterans Nicolas Batum, Westley Mathews, and Robin Lopez.

After the massive turnover in free agency, the Blazers were left with their starting point guard, two-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard, and a bunch of young unproven players with high potential.

So, almost everyone, including myself, expected the Blazers to be in the hunt for a coveted ping-pong ball: a lottery pick in the upcoming draft.

But now, the Trailblazers find themselves in a very precarious situation: with a record of 24-26, the Blazers are currently the eighth seed in the Western Conference and would make the playoffs if the season ended today.

I believe that making the playoffs would be disastrous for the organization, and I think it would be best to tank the rest of the season. Yes, I am suggesting that dirty t-word.

Of course, coaches and players do not want to tank, but rather the decision is made by the front office. Loosing for players threatens millions of dollars if players are set to sign new contracts, and for coaches, a losing season can be a quick ticket to the unemployment line.

Tanking in today’s NBA landscape is common. Smaller market teams, like Portland, have a real problem getting high profile free agents to sign contracts in the offseason. That means the only way for smaller market teams to get talented players is through trades or through the draft.

If Portland does end up making the playoffs in the eighth seed, they would most likely be playing the Golden State Warriors (44-4) in the first round of a seven-game playoff series. So, could the Blazers somehow pull off the biggest upset in NBA history? No. There’s a better chance of hell freezing over.

Looking at the rest of the Western Conference I find it highly improbable that the Blazers could come out victorious against any of the teams ahead of them in the standings, with the exception of Houston (No. 7) or Dallas (No. 6).

As a longtime Blazers fanatic I am sick and tired of my team making the playoffs only to be eliminated in the first round. Sacrificing the rest of the season would give the Blazer’s the best chance in improving their talent for the future by building through the draft. That’s how Portland got Aldridge, Lillard, Greg “Glass Bones” Oden, and Brandon Roy.

With more than half the season in the books, the Blazers have surpassed most sports analyzers’ expectations and my own. The players and coaches should be proud, but the Blazers front office should make the decision to pull the plug on the season.

In an offseason press conference, Olshey said that he and Paul Allen, the Trailblazers owner, were not worried about the next five minutes, but rather the next five years. If that’s truly the case then tanking is their best option.

Revenge is a dish best served cold

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By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

As the men’s basketball team entered their home game on Saturday, Jan. 30 against Central Washington University (CWU), the New Year’s Eve loss to the Wildcats stuck in the back of their minds.

The Wildcats would later find out that revenge is a dish best served cold as the Wolves went on to defeat CWU 85-68.

Redshirt senior Andy Avgi (F), who last week earned his third GNAC Player of the Week honor of the 2015-16 season, had a game-high of 27 points. Avgi filled up the stat sheet with seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals.

Four other Wolves hit the double-digit mark in scoring: senior Devon Alexander (G) had 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor, while Senior Julian Nichols (G), senior Jordan Wiley (G) and redshirt-sophomore Alex Roth (G) each had 10 points.

CWU came out firing on all cylinders after the opening tip, and had an 8-2 advantage early in the first half.
Western weathered the storm and closed in on the Wildcats lead by shooting high percentage shots in the paint. Alexander evened the score at 22-22 with a layup and would hit a free throw to give the Wolves a one-point advantage.

Western would finish the half up 38-29, their largest lead of the first half.

The momentum from the first half carried over into final period and the Wolves continued to build on their lead with hot shooting from Avgi and great team ball. With 9:12 remaining in the game, the Wolves increased their lead to 71-46 on an Alexander three-pointer.

The lead proved to be too large for the Wildcats to come back from and the Wolves cruised to victory. In the second half, the Wolves shot a blistering 0.643 percent from the floor including going 4-of-8 from beyond the arch.

Western held CWU to a field goal percentage of 0.356 from the floor and 0.308 from distance. The Wolves shot 0.579 (33-of-57) from the floor, finishing the game with their best shooting percentage of the year.

Equally impressive was the fact that the Wolves only coughed up five turnovers in the game, with four coming in the first half and only one in the final 20 minutes of the game.

The redemption victory improves Western’s overall record to 18-2 and 11-1 in GNAC conference play. With eight games remaining on their schedule, the Wolves find themselves in a very good position to make the College Basketball Division II playoffs.

Up next the Wolves hit the road to face Seattle Pacific University on Saturday, Feb. 6. The next home game is on Thursday, Feb. 11 against the Western Washington Vikings in the New P.E. Building.

Wolves fall short in crunch time

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

The women’s basketball team stormed north of the border to Burnaby, B.C., to face Simon Frasier University (SFU), on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016. After a highly contested battle, the Wolves fell short in the fourth quarter and were defeated 66-59.

Redshirt junior Kelsey Henry (F) led the Wolves in scoring coming off the bench with 8 points. Senior Emily Howey (C), freshman Kaylie Boschma (G) and freshman Ali Nelke (G/F) each tallied 7 points.

SFU jumped out to an early lead but a Howey layup gave the Wolves their first lead of the game at 6-5. The first quarter went back-and-forth with four lead changes and the Wolves found themselves up 18-17 at the end of the first quarter.

At the 7:24 mark of the second quarter, the Wolves got their largest lead of the night on a layup by sophomore guard Sydney Azorr; however, the Clan went on an 11 point unanswered run to take a 30-26 lead with just over four minutes remaining in the half.

The Wolves buckled down on defense and Nelke was unstoppable, hitting three consecutive buckets to give the Western a 32-30 lead going into half time.

The Clan pulled away from the Wolves late in the third quarter by shooting the deep ball, getting to the free throw line, and converting their free throws. Western came within three points of the lead halfway through the fourth quarter but that was the closest they would get.

WOU finished the game shooting 0.391 percent from the floor (18-of-46) and went 2-of-14 from long range. The Wolves out rebounded the Clan 37-25.

The loss brings the Wolves’ overall record to 3-17 and 2-10 in GNAC conference play.

Next up, Western will host the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. in the New P.E. Building. After the matchup with the Seawolves, the Wolves hit the road for their next four matchups before returning home for the final two games on their schedule.

Wolves welcome 28 student-athletes to the Pack

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

On Wednesday, Feb. 3, Western Oregon Universities’ head football coach Arne Ferguson announced 28 high school football players signed their letters of intent to join the team in the fall.

Out of the 28 new recruits, 16 are from Oregon and 5 are from Washington. The 2016 recruiting class also has highly touted high school players from Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Idaho.

“We are very happy with the kids that have committed to Western Oregon,” said Ferguson. “Our coaches put in the time and did a really good job recruiting players that will give us an opportunity to compete against the best teams in Division-II.”

At the Wolves’ National Signing Day event on Wednesday at Crush Wine Bar and Tasting Room, Ferguson talked about what traits and characteristics the coaching staff looks for in recruits.

“First of all, we look for a good student that’s motivated and driven,” said Ferguson. “Western Oregon does a good job recruiting student athletes who will work hard, learn, and get an education.”

“The second thing is that we are obligated to make sure that they will be successful in Division II football, and that’s not easy,” added Ferguson. “We want [the recruits] to be successful and we want them to be on the football field because we know that they all work very hard for the opportunity.”

“The last thing we look for is their leadership, being in a winning program and knowing the little things that matter in order to contribute to the team,” said Ferguson.

With the recent success of the program, Western Oregon has created a winning culture. “We have had ten winning seasons in a row and we have been second in about eight of those, so we are looking for those extra couple inches to push us over the edge,” said Ferguson.

The following is a list of the student-athletes who have committed to the program:

 

Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School/Previous School
Malik Abdul-Haqq DB/WR 6-5 166 Seattle, Wash. / Cleveland
Curtis Anderson DB 6-2 180 Klamath Falls, Ore. / Mazama
Nick Bartel OL 6-5 295 Ferndale, Wash. / Ferndale
Taylor Bratton RB 6-2 205 Eugene, Ore. / Sheldon
Tyree Carson DB 5-11 175 Lynnwood, Wash. / Meadowdale
Cody Coppedge WR 6-3 175 West Linn, Ore. / West Linn
Nick Duckworth QB 6-6 230 Scottsdale, Ariz. / Notre Dame Prep / Ventura / Phoenix College
Tate Edmundson DL 6-2 320 Eugene, Ore. / Sheldon
Cody Ekwall TE 6-5 270 Grants Pass, Ore. / Grants Pass
Caden Finkley LB 6-1 245 Boise, Idaho / Bishop Kelly
Hunter Hickok LB/FB 6-2 250 Juneau, Alaska / Juneau-Douglas
Tamir Hill DB 5-10 175 Meridian, Idaho / Rocky Mountain
Wyatt Hutchinson QB 6-0 175 Clackamas, Ore. / Clackamas
Markus John DL 6-4 320 Salem, Ore. / West Salem
Hudson Kennedy OL 6-3 290 West Linn, Ore. / West Linn / College of the Siskiyous
Nathan Mahaffie LB 6-3 215 Eugene, Ore. / Sheldon
Blaise Manabe WR 5-9 175 Honolulu, Hawaii / Radford
Twister McComas DL 6-3 240 Banks, Ore / Banks
Chandler Obermire DL 6-2 228 Eugene, Ore. / Sheldon
Anthony Orlando OL 6-4 270 San Francisco, Calif. / Archbishop Riordan
Tayvis Passos OL 6-1 295 Honolulu, Hawaii / Radford
Jakob Pruitt OL 6-3 265 Beaverton, Ore. / Valley Catholic
Michael Pruitt DB 6-1 200 Ashland, Ore. / Ashland
Matthew Shouldis LB 6-3 200 Dayton, Ore. / Dayton
Bobi Sims WR 6-0 175 Kent, Wash. / Federal Way
Blake Walker QB 6-3 170 Hillsboro, Ore. / Liberty
Harrison White WR 6-1 167 Lynnwood, Wash. / Meadowdale
Evander Willingham TE/LB 6-4 225 Redmond, Ore. / Redmond

Crusaders topple Wolves in a hard-fought battle

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

The Western Oregon women’s basketball team fell at home to Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) 63-51 on Saturday, Jan. 23.

Freshman Natalie DeLonge (C) led the Wolves in scoring with 10 points, shooting 4-of-8 from the floor in just 19 minutes of play. Junior Jordan Mottershaw (G) and Michelle Bromagem (G) each tallied 8 points.

After NNU scored the first four points of the game, the Wolves pounced on the Crusaders by hitting two consecutive 3-pointers, one from Mottershaw and the other from Bromagem.

Building off the momentum from the deep ball, the Wolves held the lead throughout most of the first quarter by taking high percentage shots in the paint, but costly fouls and turnovers caused the score to be even at 14-14 by the end of the quarter.

In the remainder of the half, the Crusaders started hitting shots and creating turnovers, which proved to be one of the Wolves biggest problems of the night. By the half time whistle, Western had only added eight points and NNU’s lead ballooned to 36-22.

Although the Wolves found their shooting touch again in the second half, NNU kept hitting their shots. Every time the Wolves came close to bringing the score within single digits, the Crusaders would answer by creating turnovers or going on scoring runs.

With just under two minutes remaining in the game, Western brought the score to 51-60 off two made free throws from senior Emily Howey (C), but ultimately were unable to stop NNU in crunch time.

Western shot 15 of 50 from the floor including 5 of 15 from beyond the 3-point arch. The Wolves committed 24 turnovers that led to 28 Crusader points, and only created four points on NNU’s 15 turnovers. NNU also won the battle of the boards, out-rebounding WOU 38-34.

The Wolves hit 20 of 23 from the charity stripe and set a season-high free throw percentage of 0.870 percent, up from their season average of 0.679 percent.

The loss brings Western’s overall record to 3-15 and 2-8 in GNAC play.

Up next, the Wolves travel to British Columbia, Canada to take on Simon Frasier University on Saturday, Jan. 31.

The next home game is on Thursday, Feb. 4 against the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Tip-off is at 7 p.m., and the game is a pink-out, meaning fans are asked to wear pink in support of their team. Two days later, on Saturday, Feb. 6, the Wolves host the University of Alaska Anchorage also at 7 p.m. in the New P.E. Building.

Wolves jump to No. 1 in GNAC

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports editor

The No. 4 Wolves jumped to the top of the GNAC with two consecutive home victories. One over the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) on Thursday, Jan. 21 and the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) on Saturday, Jan. 23.

The first match-up, against the UAA Seawolves, ended 76-66 in Western’s favor.

Redshirt-senior Andy Avgi (F) led all scorers with 31 points on 13-21 shooting from the floor, he also had 3 assists, 4 blocked shots and 2 steals. Senior Jordan Wiley (G) was the only other Western player to reach double digits, scoring 17 points. Wiley was a perfect 8-8 from the free throw stripe.

UAA came into the game ranked first in the GNAC with a conference record of 7-0; however, they had not yet played the red-hot Wolves. From the opening tip, the Wolves pressured UAA with stifling defense and held the Seawolves to 0.286 percent shooting in the first half.

The GNAC’s leading scorer, UAA guard Sekou Wiggs, was held to only 4 first half points, all of which came from the free throw line. The Wolves intensity and defensive prowess gave them a 33-23 advantage at the break.

In the second half, Wiggs and the rest of the Seawolves showed why they were undefeated in the conference. With seven minutes remaining for the game, UAA fought their way back and then took the lead when Wiggs hit a lay-up to give UAA a 60-57 advantage. Wiggs exploded with 22 second half points.

Although momentum had swung in UAA’s direction, the Wolves refused to give up. Senior Devon Alexander (G) hit a 3-pointer to even the game and then Avgi’s shot from beyond the arch gave Western the lead once again.

With 1:53 remaining in the game and the Wolves up 70-66, Western’s defense came up big again by holding UAA scoreless in the final two minutes.

On Saturday, the Wolves again found a way to come out victorious, defeating the UAF Nanooks 64-59.

Avgi again earned the game’s top scoring honors with 24 points; Wiley had 17 points and Alexander tallied 13 points.

Western struggled shooting the ball early in the first half, but with the Nanooks up by 5 points at the 9:37 mark, the Wolves began to light it up from a distance. Avgi hit two, Nichols hit one, and Wiley drained four 3-pointers to give the Wolves a 38-27 advantage going into half time.

The Wolves’ momentum carried over into the second half and they increased their lead to 47-31 with 15 minutes remaining for the game. UAF, who currently sits in third place in the GNAC, refused to back down and came within three points of the lead with 1:22 remaining.

An Avgi 3-pointer and a couple drained free throws from Nichols iced the game and proved to be too much for the Nanooks to come back from.

The two home victories improve the Wolves’ overall record to 16-2 and 9-1 in GNAC play.

Avgi’s phenomenal two games culminated his third GNAC Player of the Week award this season. Avgi, who was named to the Bevo Francis watch list last week, is currently ranked second in the GNAC in scoring (21.8 ppg), fourth in field goal percentage (58.2 percent), fourth in 3-point percentage (45.8 percent), and ninth in blocked shots (1.0).

Next, Western will look for revenge on Saturday, Jan. 30 when they host Central Washington University (CWU). The 77-81 loss to CWU on Dec. 31, 2015 is the Wolves only conference blemish.

Making sacrifices and working hard

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports editor

It is 8:00 a.m. at the start of the week on a cold and brisk 39 degree morning. As the sun begins to expose itself onto the horizon through the ominous grey clouds, the football team is arriving for morning workouts in the weight room below the stadium at McArthur Field.

As the players walk through the heavy steel doors, they are greeted by their strength and conditioning coach, Cori Metzgar.

Although the football season wrapped up over three months ago, the Wolves are already working hard in preparation for the upcoming season.

The life of a student athlete is a difficult one with year-round training, including making sacrifices that regular students don’t have to make.

“[The football team] has workouts four days a week and conditioning two days in the mornings,” said tight ends coach Jason Slowey. “They are up at 6:30 in the morning.”

Sacrificing their time and sleep is nothing compared to the hard work that each player puts in.

“The offseason for us is a pretty intense time,” said coach Metzgar. “We have eight hours a week to train the guys. We train on mobility, flexibility, prehab work, conditioning, agilities, biometrics, strength, and power work in the weight room.”

“The goal coming from eight weeks off from the season is to get them ready for spring ball, but also, to put on mass and add strength and power, especially for the younger kids,” added Metzgar. “For the older kids, it’s about developing their speed and power.”

“We spend three hours a week out on the turf doing speed and conditioning work, and we spend about five hours a week in the weight room consisting of an hour of stretching, mobility and prehab work, and four hours of lifting,” continued Metzgar.

The heavy offseason routine provides every player an opportunity to improve the things that they need to work on in order to gain a bigger role before next season begins. Some players want to gain muscle mass while others want to increase their agility.

Sophomore defensive lineman Casey Gates sees the offseason as an opportunity to achieve his personal goals.

“More than anything with me being a football player, I want to gain mass, muscle and power, but especially with coach Metzgar’s contribution, I’m really looking to increase my athletic abilities as well as my overall skill work,” said Gates.

“Playing at this level requires more than just physical strength because everyone has that at our level, so you really have to work on all skills to be the best football player that you can be,” said Gates.

Last season was filled with highs and lows. After dropping three of their first five games at the start of the season, the Wolves caught fire and won their next six games, including a 24-22 victory over the No. 6 ranked team in Division-II ball, Northern Alabama.

The upset victory propelled the Wolves into playoff contention, and a victory in their last game against the GNAC’s top team, Humboldt State University, would have made Western the GNAC Champions and given them an automatic Division-II playoff berth.

Unfortunately, the Humboldt State Jacks defeated the Wolves 29-13 and the season ended on a sour note.

That loss has stuck in the back of the mind of every player and has provided motivation for improvement.

“Our mindset now is to stay dedicated and hungry because last season we had achievements, but we weren’t able to accomplish all of our goals,” added Gates. “Because we were able to achieve some of our goals but not all of them, we are really working hard.”

Vince Lombardi once said, “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.”

The Wolves hope that with hard work and dedication, next year will be the year Western can win the GNAC.

Super Bowl 50 preview

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports editor

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Mark your calendars, clear your schedule and take Sunday, Feb. 9 off of work for Super Bowl 50. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.

Whether you tune in just for the commercials or host a block party, Super Bowl mania has officially arrived. Five months and 266 NFL regular season and playoffs games are in the books and two teams remain: the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos.

It has been said that defense is what wins championships, and that will certainly be true when the winner of Super Bowl 50 is crowned. According to ESPN’s defensive efficiency metric, the Denver Broncos are the NFL’s No. 1 rated defense and the Carolina Panthers are the No. 2 defense.

The main storyline for the game will most likely be about the two teams’ prolific quarterbacks, Denver’s Payton Manning and Carolina’s Cam Newton. Manning, now at the ripe, old age of 39, is at the tail end of his Hall of Fame-worthy career, and some sports analysts believe that this game will be his last.

But Payton proved his naysayers wrong in the AFC Conference Championships with a 20-18 victory against the New England Patriots.

“There’s no question, this is a sweet day. This was a sweet victory,” Manning said after winning the AFC Conference Championship. “To me, this victory sort of is a great example of what this entire season has been like. It hasn’t been easy.”

Newton, in his fifth year in the NFL, has had a break-out season, leading the Panthers to a league-best 15-1 regular season record and also winning the 2015 NFL Most Valuable Player award and Offensive Player of the Year award by the Professional Football Writers of America.

The Panthers’ regular season success doesn’t make a difference in playoffs, and yet, even in the biggest moment of his young career, Newton embraced the pressure and lead his team to a 49-15 beat down of the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC championship game.

“Yeah, we are going to the Super Bowl. We are not going just to take pictures,” said Cam Newton after the NFC Championship game. “We are trying to finish this thing off.”

It is that belief in himself and his teammates, a cockiness similar to that of Floyd “Money” Mayweather, which has given Newton and the Panthers an edge all season long.

So, who has the edge? An experienced Broncos team or the new kids on the block? According to Las Vegas sports books, which sets the betting lines for sports competitions, Carolina is favored to win the game by 3.5 points. Also, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index, which takes into account each team’s strengths and weaknesses, the Panthers have a 55.6 percent chance of winning the Vince Lombardi trophy.

Last year’s Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks had all the drama and excitement expected of the biggest game in the world. This year looks to be the same as the two best football teams go head to head in the bright lights on the biggest stage in the world.

Men’s basketball get blowout win

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

The Western Oregon men’s basketball team achieved a much needed road victory against the Western Washington University (WWU) Vikings 78-58 on Saturday, Jan. 16.

Redshirt senior Andy Avgi (F), who was just named to the Bevo Francis Award Watch List, had a game-high 19 points on 7-14 shooting from the floor. Redshirt sophomore Alex Roth (G) had 18 points on a very productive 7-10 shooting night, 11 of his 18 points coming in the first half. Senior Julian Nichols (G) had 15 points, 7 assists and 2 steals.

The Wolves opened the game in dominating fashion, going on a 10-1 run with the help of 3-pointers from Avgi and Roth. The Vikings, however, would get right back into the game and even the score at 18-18 with just 10 minutes remaining until half time.

For the remainder of the first half, neither team could build and sustain a lead. With WWU up 33-32 and just a minute remaining in the first half, Avgi went to the free throw line and hit both shots to give Western a one point lead going into the break.

In the first half, the Wolves shot 0.406 from the floor on 13-32 shooting and 0.364 from beyond the arch on 4-11 shooting.
After halftime, Western came out with a greater sense of urgency and found consistency on both sides of the ball. The Wolves scored the first 8 points of the second half on an Avgi layup and consecutive 3-pointers by Nichols and senior Jordan Wiley (G).

Better second half shooting at stifling defense proved to be too much for the Vikings to handle. Western’s 20 point advantage to finish the game was their largest lead of the night.

Western held almost every statistical advantage over the Vikings. The Wolves out-rebounded WWU 36-29 overall and held a 9-7 advantage on the offensive glass. Although the Wolves coughed up 11 turnovers, they created 13 turnovers from their opponents.

WOU’s red-hot shooting in the second half brought the Wolves’ field goal percentage to 0.483 from the floor and 0.455 from distance. Equally impressive is the defense Western played on WWU top two leading scorers who were held to just 11 combined points despite averaging 35.9 points per game for this season.

Wolves stung by Montana State Yellow Jackets

By: Amanda Clarke 
Staff Writer

The Western Oregon women’s basketball team fell at home to the Montana State University of Billings (MSUB) Yellow Jackets 37-60 on Saturday, Jan. 16.

“The improvement in our post play has opened things up a bit for us on the outside and given us more opportunities to score,” said head coach Holly Howard-Carpenter. “Overall we need to be more consistent with the improvements we’ve made in order to build and be successful.”

Sophomore Sydney Azorr (G) led the Wolves in scoring with 7 points and also posted 3 assists and 5 rebounds. Freshman Ali Nelke (G/F), junior Jazmin Bembry (G), and junior Launia Davis (G) each tallied 4 points.

Western had trouble shooting the ball in the first quarter and MSUB took advantage by scoring 12 unanswered points to take a 23-10 lead into the second quarter.

In the second quarter the Wolves had their toughest shooting quarter of the season, adding only 5 points in a 10 minute span. The first half ended with the Yellow Jackets up 37-15.

MSUB’s lead proved to be too much for the Wolves to come back from. However, the Wolves refused to give up. Bembry hit a 3-pointer with just one second remaining in the game to bring the final score to 37-60.

“I’ve seen several improvements over the course of the season,” added Howard-Carpenter. “We’ve learned to play better as a team and are understanding that it takes all of us, every day, to be competitive.”

After a tough shooting night where nothing seemed to go in the Wolves’ favor, Western finished the game shooting 30 percent from the floor on 15-50 shooting.

The loss brings the Wolves’ overall record to 3-13 and 2-6 in GNAC conference play.

“Regardless of our opponent or whether we are on the road or at home, we need the same focused effort every night. There is plenty of season left and I expect us to continue improving and working hard,” said Howard-Carpenter.

Up next, Western will host Northwest Nazarene University on Saturday, Jan. 23, at 5:15 p.m. in the New P.E. Building.

NFL Playoff Madness

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

And now there are four: four teams remain in the hunt for the Vince Lombardi Trophy, the most prestigious prize in the National Football League (NFL). The NFL Divisional rounds concluded on Sunday, Jan. 17 with no surprises or upsets.

In the AFC and the NFC, both top seeds, who earned a first-round bye, outclassed the lower seeds to advance to the NFL Conference Championships.

The AFC Conference Championship game will pit the No. 1 Denver Broncos against the No. 2 New England Patriots. Kickoff is set for 12:05 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 24.

Last week, in the AFC Divisional round, New England knocked off the Kansas City Chiefs 27-20, and Denver defeated the Pittsburg Steelers 23-16.

The most intriguing storyline for the AFC Conference Championship is the heated rivalry of New England quarterback Tom Brady and Denver’s quarterback Paton Manning, whom many consider to be two of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the NFL.

These two future Hall of Famers have battled each other 16 times in their illustrious careers. Of their 16 meetings, Brady has won 11 compared to Manning’s five. Brady also holds almost every statistical advantage over Manning, including four Super Bowl rings compared to Manning’s one.

While both quarterbacks are nearing the end of their carriers, Manning is having by far his worst year statistically of his career. Old age, injury troubles, and an inability to throw the deep ball, have many sports analysts thinking this could be Manning’s final year.

Another key storyline going into the AFC Conference Championship is Denver’s No. 1 ranked defense going up against New England’s prolific offense. Denver’s defense, which has come up big throughout the regular season and into the playoffs, created a huge turnover in the fourth quarter against the Steelers, which all but sealed Denver’s victory.

New England’s offense is loaded with weapons that provide Brady multiple viable options. Tight end Rob Gronkowski leads all of New England’s receivers with 1,176 yards for the season, despite having missed multiple games due to injury.

The NFC Conference Championship game will see the No. 1 Carolina Panthers host the No. 2 Arizona Cardinals. Kickoff is at 3:40 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 24.

In the NFC Divisional round, Arizona knocked off the Green Bay Packers 26-20 in overtime and Carolina squeezed by the Seattle Seahawks 31-24.

This Carolina-Arizona NFC matchup has many interesting ties. Both teams’ quarterbacks – Panther’s Cam Newton and Arizona’s Carson Palmer – are former Heisman Trophy winners.

Also, according to ESPN, the matchup is the first time in the current Super Bowl era that two teams will face each other that each have averaged 30+ points a game in the regular season. Carolina had the No. 1 ranked offense in the NFL and Arizona the No. 2 ranked offense.

Newton, who led the Panther’s to a league-best 15-1 regular season record, was just awarded the 2015 NFL Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year by the Professional Football Writers of America.

Now in his fifth season in the NFL, the Conference Championship is easily the biggest moment of Newton’s promising career.
“I don’t get nervous,” said Newton, Wednesday in an interview with ESPN. “I’ve been playing football for too long for me to get nervous. I used to dream of being in this type of position.”

Carolina’s defense will see its biggest test of the year, matching up against Palmer and Arizona’s powerhouse offense. The Panthers face a difficult test in containing Arizona’s receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, John Brown, and others.

The AFC and NFC Conference Championships pit the best two teams of the regular season and the playoff against one another. When the dust settles after the game plays itself out the two remaining teams with have their shot at Super Bowl immortality.

Rams return home, others may follow

By: Conner Williams 
Editor in Chief

After more than two decades without a professional football team in the country’s second-largest market, Los Angeles is about to get NFL crazy.

Recently, NFL owners approved the Rams’ request – which cost owner Stan Kroenke a small fee of $500 million – to move back home to L.A. in a vote of 30-2. The organization will build a $3 billion stadium in Inglewood, California.

Several other teams have shown interest in moving to the Southern California metropolitan area, including the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers. The two teams submitted a bid to build a stadium in Carson, California that they would both use as their home stadium.

However, the Chargers have been given a one-year option to decide if they want to relocate and join the Rams in Inglewood. The Chargers have until the end of the owners meetings that take place between March 20-23 to decide if they will remain in San Diego or move to L.A. for the 2016 season.

Perhaps the biggest factor affecting that decision is a vote to request public funding to replace Qualcomm Stadium – a request that would cost the taxpayers $350 million.

As of Jan. 13, the Raiders decided to withdraw their application to move, and instead wish to work with the league to find a new stadium. If the Chargers don’t move to L.A. with the Rams, then the Raiders can take the same deal the Chargers were offered.

Last week, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that the league would provide $100 million to both the Chargers and Raiders if they remain in their home markets.

So what does this all mean?

It means that the NFL really could not care less about its fans. Once again, the owners hold the taxpayers hostage and demand public money for new facilities, and if that request isn’t fulfilled, they pack up and move.

The massive empty market in L.A. doesn’t hurt either, but the league doesn’t actually need to sell tickets in order to make money. According to a Jan. 19 article from the Washington Post, the NFL’s television deals bring in nearly $5 billion in revenue annually, far outpacing all other professional sports.

But the upheavals to L.A. mean tons of new marketing techniques like TV spots, merchandise, and local advertisements – and that’s big money. The Washington Post also reports that Forbes expects the value of the Rams’ organization to double to nearly $3 billion, joining some of professional sports’ most valuable franchises, including the Dallas Cowboys (worth $4 billion), Real Madrid (worth $3.26 billion), and the New England Patriots and New York Yankees (both worth $3.2 billion).

This shows a blatant lack of loyalty from a team to its hometown; if the money isn’t there, they just up and move somewhere else. I get that the NFL is a business and operates for profit, but maybe show some class and work to become a more successful franchise rather than leave for somewhere else.

NFL Playoff Madness

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

Now there are eight. Eight teams remain in the NFL playoff picture and will face off this weekend to determine who will advance to the conference championship games.

The Wild Card play-in games lived up to the hype. For the first time in the history of the NFL playoffs, all four road teams advanced and will play the top-two teams from the AFC and NFC, who earned a first week bye and got an extra week of preparation.

The first game of the weekend pits last year’s champions, the New England Patriots, against the red-hot Kansas City Chiefs. The game will kick off on Saturday, Jan. 16 at 1:35 p.m.

The Chiefs are the hottest team in the NFL. After going 1-5 at the start of the season, Kansas City won their last 10 games and is coming off a 30-0 beat down of the Houston Texans in the Wild Card play-in game.

New England on the other hand, won their first 11 games, but since then has gone 2-4 in their last six, dropping their last two games of the regular season. Although Kansas City appears to have the advantage, New England has three things that the Chief’s lack: Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and four NFL Championships in the last 15 years.

The Saturday evening game, which has a start time of 5:15 p.m., is an NFC rematch between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers. In that week 16 matchup, Arizona destroyed the Packers 38-8, sacking Packer’s quarterback Aaron Rodgers eight times; two of which resulted in fumbles returned for Arizona touchdowns.

Green Bay defeated the Washington Redskins 35-18 last week in the Wild Card round, while Arizona had a first round playoff bye.

On Sunday, Jan. 17 at 10:05 a.m., the Seattle Seahawks travel to Carolina to face off against Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers. Seattle was victorious in their Wild Card play-in game, barley squeezing by the Minnesota Vikings in sub-zero temperatures because of a last-second field goal miss from 27-yards out by Viking’s kicker Blair Walsh.

The Panthers dominated the regular season, only losing one game the entire season and earning a first round playoff bye. Don’t count Seattle out though; they won the championship two years ago and would have been victorious last year if not for a controversial play call in the final minute of last year’s Super Bowl.

The Divisional Playoff Rounds close out on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 1:40 p.m. when the Denver Broncos host the Pittsburg Steelers. Pittsburg is coming off an 18-16 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in last week’s Wild Card match.

Payton Manning is slated as Denver’s starting quarterback after replacing backup Brock Osweiler late in Denver’s final regular season match up. The big question coming into the game is whether Manning has one last playoff run.

All questions will be answered by Sunday. Eight teams will turn to four, and the weak will be separated from the strong.

Alabama comes out on top … again

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By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

The Alabama Crimson Tide are at the top of the mountain in college football once again after beating out ACC powerhouse, the Clemson Tigers, 45-40 on Monday, Jan. 11.

Alabama becomes only the second team in college football history to win four national titles in a seven-year span. Equally impressive are the five National Championship rings held by the Crimson Tide’s head coach Nick Saban, who has won four with Alabama and one with LSU.

Saban’s five undisputed national titles, places him second in championship hardware among past and present coaches, only one title away from the record set by another Alabama coach, Paul “Bear” Bryant.

To get this victory, Saban had to use all of his players’ talent. But that wasn’t enough, Saban also needed to pull a rabbit out of his hat; an onside kick, one of the most memorable and gutsy trick plays in a national championship game.

With 10:34 left in the final quarter and the score tied at 24-24 after an Alabama touchdown had just evened the score, Saban called for an onside kick. Crimson Tide kicker Adam Griffith surprised the Tigers’ defense with a perfectly executed onside kick that was caught over the shoulder by Alabama defensive back Marlon Humphrey to give Alabama the ball back.

“When the other team squeezes the formation like that, we call the ‘pop kick,’” said Saban after the game. “I made the decision to do it because the score was [tied] and we were getting tired on defense, and if we didn’t do something to take a chance and change the momentum of the game, we wouldn’t have a chance to win.”

Saban’s gamble paid off just a few minutes later when Alabama quarterback Jake Coker connected with his wide receiver, O.J. Howard for a 51-yard touchdown strike.

But even after the game’s momentum swung in Alabama’s favor, the Clemson Tigers would not back down and showed why they went undefeated in the regular season. Clemson’s quarterback, dynamic play-maker Deshaun Watson, calmly led his team downfield which led to a field goal and cut Alabama’s advantage 31-27.

Then both teams went on a scoring spree. First, on Clemson’s kickoff, Alabama’s return man, Kenyan Drake, exploded down the sideline for a 95-yard kickoff-return touchdown. Then on Clemson’s next possession, Watson threw his third touchdown pass of the game to bring the score to 38-33 with 4:40 remaining for the game.

“We stand toe-to-toe with everybody in the country,” said Clemson’s head coach Dabo Swinney. “This program doesn’t take a backseat to anybody.”

Alabama answered the Tiger’s scoring drive a minute later when the Crimson Tide’s running back, and 2015-16 Heisman Trophy winner, Derrick Henry, bullied his way into the end zone for his third touchdown of the game to bring the score to 45-33.

With the time ticking away, Clemson’s quarterback Watson threw his fourth touchdown pass but it was too little too late, and Alabama reigned victorious. Watson tallied 478 total yards, setting the record for the most total yards ever in the national championship game.

“All the stats don’t really matter to me,” said Watson at the press conference after the game. “I just wanted to get the win and do something that we haven’t done in 34 years.”

The national championship was close, hard fought, and satisfying, especially for Alabama.

Wolves go cold from the floor against Alaska Fairbanks

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports editor

The Western Oregon women’s basketball team traveled to Alaska and inevitably fell to the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) 55-75 on Saturday, Jan. 7.

The Wolves had two players score in double figures. Senior Michelle Bromagem (G) led the Wolves in scoring with 15 points on 5-10 shooting from the floor and went 3-6 from distance.

Sophomore Jasmine Miller (G/F) tallied 10 points on a perfect shooting night, shooting 5-5 from the floor.

Western got on the scoreboard first off with a Bromagem 3-pointer on the Wolves first possession of the game, but the Wolves went through a four minute scoring drought. The Nanooks took advantage of the Wolves’ cold stretch and scored 9 unanswered points.

UAF’s lead would balloon to a 16 point advantage with less than a minute remaining in the first quarter. The Wolves showed their never-say-die mentality and clawed their way back into the game, cutting Alaska’s lead to single digits at 30-38 going into half time.

In the third quarter, Western would again go cold from the floor. To make matters worse, UAF dropped 20 points in the quarter, and the Nanooks took a 58-41 lead into the final quarter.
UAF’s lead proved to be too much for the Wolves to come back from, and the fourth quarter played out like the rest of the game had.

The Wolves had a tough shooting night and finished the game shooting 0.396 from the floor and 0.222 from beyond the arch. Although Western outrebounded UAF 30-25, the Wolves committed 25 turnovers witch led to 27 UAF points.

The loss brings the Wolves overall record to 2-12 and 1-5 in GNAC conference play.

Next up, the Wolves host Montana State University of Billings at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 16. The Yellow Jackets currently sit in second place in the GNAC with an overall record of 9-5 and 5-1 in GNAC conference play.

You can purchase tickets online or at the box office on game day.

Avgi leads Wolves in victory over Saints

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By:Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

1,100 fans packed the New P.E. Building on Saturday, Jan. 9 to watch the No. 13 Wolves defeat Saint Martin’s University (SMU) 74-61.

The Wolves had three players in double figures. Redshirt-senior Andy Avgi (F) led Western in scoring with 24 points. Senior Jordan Wiley (G) filled up the stat sheet with 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists, and redshirt-sophomore Alex Roth (G) tallied 10 points on 4-6 shooting from the floor.

“Andy Avgi is a tremendous offensive force, and I thought Jordan Wiley really played like a senior with 7 rebounds and 2 assists with no turnovers,” said Head Coach Jim Shaw after the game. “I thought he did a good job and I thought some guys made progress off the bench. Kadeem Strickland did some good things and it was good to get Nick [Nestell] back.”

After the Saints scored the first basket of the game on the opening possession, Western answered by hitting their first two shots to take the lead; a lead the Wolves would hold the rest of the game.

Western hit seven shots from beyond the arch in the first half and took a 35-30 lead into half time.

In the second half, the Wolves buckled down defensively and Avgi, the 2014-15 GNAC Player of the Year, caught fire. Avgi had 16 second-half points and played tough defense against the Saint’s big man, seven foot center Fred Jorg.

“Usually I guard people that are taller than me, but he had more weight on me. I think that he is around three-hundred pounds to my two-seventy, and that was a real load on defense,” said Avgi after the game. “It really got me tired at times, but I just kept on going at him and I think he only shot one for three. If I can do that against bigger guys I think we will do great.”

Western’s lead ballooned to 20 points with 6:46 remaining for the game, but SMU chipped away at the lead, and looked to bring Western’s advantage to single digits. Avgi’s 3-pointer with just over two minutes remaining all but sealed the Wolves’ victory.

The Wolves shot 0.431 from the floor and 0.387 from long range and out-rebounded the Saints 36-34. Ball security and limiting turnovers were also a key factor.

“I thought that we didn’t have the level of energy in the first half that I thought we needed and I thought that we picked that up in the second half,” said Coach Shaw. “The best thing that we did today was not turning the ball over. We only had five turnovers for the entire game, which is hard to do.”

“We defended the interior better tonight than we have. I think that we need to improve our three point defense. They were 8 from 23, which I would have liked to see that about 6 for 23,” added Coach Shaw. “Overall I think we played solid, just not great.”

The victory improves the Wolves’ overall record to 12-2 and 5-1 in GNAC conference play.
After dropping two out of the last three games prior to the start of the week, the Wolves got back on track with a 96-90 overtime victory on Thursday, Jan. 7 against Seattle Pacific University and have now won three in a row.

Avgi’s 34 point performance on Thursday’s game combined with his 24 point performance against the Saint’s, earned Western’s big man the GNAC Player of the Week honor.

Up next, Avgi and the Wolves travel north to play Western Washington University on Saturday, Jan. 16. The next home game is on Thursday, Jan. 21 against the University of Alaska Anchorage at 7 p.m. in the New P.E. Building.

Wolves nearly pull out victory over Western Washington

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

The Western Oregon women’s basketball team nearly gave Western Washington University (WWU) their first GNAC conference loss, but inevitably fell short 59-61 on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016.

For the second consecutive game, senior Emily Howey (C) led the Wolves in scoring and finished with 12 points on 5-7 shooting from the floor. Sophomore Sydney Azorr (G) was the only other Western player to reach double figures in scoring with 10 points.

Fresh from Thursday’s 58-57 victory over Simon Fraser University, the Wolves started off the game in dominating fashion. In the first quarter, the Wolves shot a blistering .571 from the floor to take a 12 point advantage into the second quarter.

Western continued to press the Vikings in the second quarter and reached their highest lead of the game with a 14 point advantage and just 2:30 remaining until half time. WWU would score two unanswered baskets to close the lead to 32-22 going into the half.

WWU closed the scoring gap midway through the fourth quarter. The Vikings would chip away at the Wolves’ lead, scoring 12 unanswered points to put WWU up 51-50 with 4:44 remaining in the game.

With Western clinging on to a 1 point lead with less than a minute to go, WWU hit a dagger 3-pointer to crush the Wolves’ hope for a victory.

The loss brings the Wolves’ overall record to 2-10 and 1-3 in GNAC conference play.

Next up the Wolves head to Alaska to face the University of Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016.

The next home game is on Tuesday, Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. in the New P.E. Building. Fans are asked to wear black to support their team. Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office on game day.

Wolves best Simon Fraser 58-57

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

The women’s basketball team edged out Simon Fraser University (SFU) 58-57 at home on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015.

Senior Emily Howey (C) led the Wolves in scoring with 14 points on 6-9 shooting from the floor. Junior Launia Davis (G) tallied 9 points while freshman’s Ali Nelke (G/F) and Natalie DeLonge (C) both added 8 points.

The first quarter went back and forth with five lead changes. The quarter would end with the score even at 20-20.

At the start of the second quarter, Howey scored three unanswered baskets, with all of her points coming in the paint. Western fed off of Howey’s energy and played smart basketball by taking high percentage shots. The Wolves held a 36-29 advantage going into half time.

In the first half, Western played arguably their best half of the season shooting .54 from the floor and going 2-4 from beyond the 3-point line. The Wolves also created 13 points off of turnovers and had 10 offensive rebounds.

Three minutes into the third quarter the Wolves got their largest lead of the game at 11 points. The Clan, however, would fight their way back into the game after Western went cold from the floor to take a 41-40 lead with three minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Both teams struggled with shooting the ball in the final quarter and the score remained within a single basket for nearly the rest of the game.

With 1:41 remaining for the game, Wolves’ head coach Holli Howard-Carpenter subbed in sophomore Jasmine Miller (G/F). Miller scored the final four points to seal the much needed victory.

Western finished the game shooting .438 from the floor and .375 from beyond the arch. Western out-rebounded SFU 38-33 and tallied 7 steals.

The Snow Gods have blessed Oregon

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports editor

Winter term is officially here, and to the delight of skiers and snowboarders, so is the snow. On Monday, Jan. 4, 2016, snow pounded the valley and Western Oregon University closed its doors.

Although many students might have been upset, skiers and snowboarders rejoiced. Last year, snowfall in the mountains hit record lows. Mt. Hood Ski Bowl had so little snow last year that the resort’s lifts stayed closed the entire season.

This year, however, Ski Bowl already has a base of 68” and all of the resort’s lifts are operational.
Because Ski Bowl’s elevation is significantly lower than Mt. Hood’s other two resorts, Mt. Hood Meadows and Timberline, Ski Bowl’s snow levels provide a good indication on how much the Snow Gods have blessed Oregon.

Monmouth is smack dab in the middle of four ski resorts which provides ski and snowboard enthusiasts multiple viable options for entertainment. Mt. Hood’s three resorts are north east and Mt. Bachelor is to the south.

Mt. Bachelor is a three hour drive from Monmouth, and the mountain has been blasted with powder. With a snow depth of 115” and 243” of total snowfall since Oct. 1, 2015, the mountain has already seen more snow in a few months than all of last year.

Mt. Hood’s three resorts are a little closer in distance to Monmouth than Mt. Bachelor. According to Google Maps, the drive takes a little over two and a half hours, depending on the desired resort.

Mt. Hood Meadows has a base of 79” and Timberline has a base of 89.”

Already, in just a few months, snow levels are higher on all four resorts than they were at any point last season, which has diluted skiers and snowboarder’s tears from last year.

Snow has pounded Oregon ski resorts and it is up to you to take advantage.

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Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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