Dec. 12, 2006

PLU Men Look to Rebound after Two Non-conference Losses

THIS WEEK: The Lutes return home to Olson Auditorium on Sat., Dec. 16 to host the Evergreen State College Geoducks. The game will begin at 8 p.m.

LAST WEEK: Pacific Lutheran (4-2, 2-0 NWC) faced two tough challengers last week in non-conference contests. On Thursday the Lutes traveled south, to Oregon to play the NCAA Division I Portland State University Vikings. The Vikings proved to be a challenge as they defeated the Lutes 107-57, snapping the Lutes four-game winning streak. PSU dominated from the outset, building a 49-29 halftime lead and then outscoring the Lutes by 30 in the final half. The Vikings enjoyed a 54-35 rebounding advantage and shot 51 percent from the field to just 30 percent for Pacific Lutheran. Senior wing Josh Vanlandingham (Snohomish, Wash., Everett CC) was the only PLU player to score in double figures, finishing with 11 points. He also led the visitors with four rebounds. Junior point guard Landon Heidenreich (Vancouver, Wash., Skyview HS) had six assists for the Lutes. In all, 15 PLU players saw action in the game and 12 of them contributed to the 57-point scoring total. Guard Dupree Lucas tallied 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists to lead the Vikings and center Scott Morrison added 17 points and six rebounds for PSU.

The following night, the PLU Men headed northbound to play the Northwest University Eagles, members of the NAIA. The Lutes struggled against the Eagles as well, losing 85-56. Poor shooting plagued the Lutes as they shot only 35 percent from the field. PLU also struggled from behind the arc, hitting only 1-14. Their only three-point field goal of the night, by junior wing Jared Brandeberry (Cashmere, Wash., Wenatchee CC), gave the Lutes a 9-6 lead at the 17:10 mark of the first half. PLU never led by more than that, and when Northwest’s Nate Yokers hit a layup to give the Eagles an 18-17 lead with 9:17 left in the half, Northwest never again trailed. Northwest shot 50 percent from the field and owned a 42-36 advantage in rebounds. For the second straight game, Vanlandingham led the Lutes in both scoring with 16 points and in rebounding with seven. Heidenreich added 14 points in a losing cause for PLU.

OPPONENT: Evergreen State (4-6) travels to Pacific Lutheran on Saturday but hit the hardwood on Friday against Puget Sound Christian. The Geoducks are 2-4 on the road and bring a team loaded with juniors. Evergreen as eight juniors compared to just three seniors, three freshmen, and one sophomore. The Geoducks are led this season by Adam Moore who is averaging 20.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 30 minutes a game. The junior transfer from Seattle University stands six-feet-seven-inches and is shooting 94 percent from the free throw line. Senior guard Devon Connor-Green is also playing well this season dropping 10.5 points and grabbing 5.7 rebounds a game for State. The Geoducks are a high scoring team, averaging 75.2 points a game and also hit 9.2 three pointers a game as well. The Lutes hope to use their pressuring defense to frustrate the athletic Geoducks.

THE SERIES: Pacific Lutheran and Evergreen have a young series with the first match up coming in 1998. Evergreen leads the all-time series against PLU 2-5. The two teams did not meet last season but in the 2004-05 campaign, the Geoducks defeated the Lutes 70-60 in Olson Auditorium. The Lutes last win against ESC came in the 2003-04 season where the Lutes won 80-73.

DRESSLER SIDELINED: Sophomore guard Josh Dressler (Vancouver, Wash., Portland Lutheran HS) missed the last two games for the Lutes with a separated left shoulder. He is questionable for Saturday’s game and will continue to rehab his non-shooting shoulder. Dressler leads the Lutes in scoring this season, averaging 18 points and 2.8 steals a game. The Lutes missed him last week in their first losses of the season.

COACH DICKERSON ON EVERGREEN: “They (Evergreen) are a big and athletic team and full of junior college and Division II transfers. It will be a good test for us.”

- PLU -