Women's Basketball
Cougar Hoops Teams Sweep Springs Squads
February 5, 2010 – It was a rough night for the Mountain Lions of CU-Colorado Springs Friday in Lakewood. Both teams put up tough fights – at one point blood was shed – but neither had what it took to knock off tough Colorado Christian squads. The Cougar men and women defended their home court well, and at the end of the night the road teams were sent back to Colorado Springs defeated.
The CCU women set the tone for the night right off the bat, jumping out to a 12-0 lead. They kept a firm 
grip on the throttle for the rest of the night; with 10 minutes left in the first-half they led 35-10, were up 54-34 at half-time, and had an 88-58 lead with only 3 minutes left in the game.
“Tonight was an outstanding overall team effort,” noted Coach Tim Hays after eight of his players finished with 8 or more points. “The girls continue to improve every night and are going to peak at the right time of year.”
Juanise Cornell turned up the aggression against the Mountain Lions, posting 19 points and 12 rebounds. Jodi Krall’s 13 points, 6 boards, and 6 assists marked her second strong performance in as many games: the senior guard finished the week with 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
The women continue their march for the playoffs next week in their final home stance of the regular season. Still up 2 games in the RMAC East, the Cougars hope to continue their 6-game win (93-69 Friday, boxscore) streak in order to seal a first round home game.
The 8:00 game featured 2 men’s teams with identical records battling tooth and nail for a critical late-season win that would give them an advantage in the RMAC standings.
Obviously serious about stealing a win on the road, UCCS played a tough game and led by as many as 10 points in the first-half. Their pressure on defense made the going hard for CCU’s big men in the paint, but a hard-nosed Cougar team would not be pushed around. Though it wasn’t easy, senior Justin Neuhaus put up a game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds – and visited the line 9 times.
Despite being down 7 at the half, Colorado Christian stayed patient, moving the ball and attacking from all over the fl
oor. Their chilly 28% first-half shooting got warmer in the second (48%), and CCU outscored the Mountain Lions 46-27. It was a welcome sight for Cougar fans, who hadn’t seen the Christian squad put together a second-half strong enough to put them on top for the last few games.
Timely threes from Daniel Lemburg seemed to ignite the Cougars, who hit 4 shots from deep in the final 10. His 16 points marked a career high for the freshman guard.
CCU trailed for most of the game, and didn’t take their final lead until there was 10 minutes left to play. They maintained that lead the rest of the way, staving off any UCCS attempts at a comeback. The Cougars won 70-58 (boxscore), snapping a 3 game losing streak.
Find both Cougar teams back in action Friday at the Event Center. Games are schedule for 6:00 and 8:00 pm.
Ladies Still Perfect In East
February 2, 2010 – Colorado Christian has been hard to stop recently. The seasoned squad is on a 5 game win streak, and has yet to be beaten by an RMAC East Division opponent. Super seniors Juanise Cornell and Abby Rosenthal have had a lot to do with Cougar success, owning the paint on offense and defense against most of their competition. Tuesday night at the Event Center, though, CCU’s guards got in on the action.
From the very first Cougar bucket of the game, it was the Jodi Krall show. Normally, the 5-6 senior point 
guard is content to play the supporting role – moving the ball around the court to put her teammates in perfect scoring position. Against a visiting Colorado School of Mines team, however, she was the star. (Boxscore)
Not that Cornell (12 points) or Rosenthal (14 rebounds) didn’t show. But when the Mines defense made it tough for her forwards to get hot, Krall made it happen on her own, scoring a career high 17 points – 15 of them from downtown.
In fact, almost all of CCU’s guards came up big on Tuesday, helping the Lady Cougars take a 2 game lead in the East over the Orediggers. Accounting for 43 of Christian’s 68 points, 6 of CCU’s back court players contributed to the Cougar lead, one that they owned for almost 39 minutes.
That lead was a big one for most of the game, hovering around 10 and extending to 18 at the beginning of the second-half. Mines tried to steal the advantage later in the period, after muscling together a 20-4 run that started with 14:14 left in the game. But CCU’s shooters – especially Krall – wouldn’t go away. The Solon, IA native nailed 2 shots from deep to stop the run and return her team’s lead to 10 with just under 7 minutes to go. Critical Oredigger misses and big Cornell boards assured opportunities just when CCU needed them, and the Cougars took advantage of them. Cruising off of 3 pointers and free throws for the remainder of the game, CCU walked off the court victorious after the final buzzer, thrilled to take home the 68-59 win.
Colorado Christian sits all alone atop the division with 7 games left before the RMAC Shootout. The Cougars welcome the Mountain Lions of UCCS to the Event Center Friday at 6:00 pm.
Lady Cougars Keep the Momentum Rolling
January 30, 2010 - With the RMAC women's race tightening up, Saturday night’s contest at Metro State had implications beyond just a win and a loss. Needing a victory to maintain the division lead they had earned the night before, the Colorado Christian women recognized the importance of a strong performance against Metro State College.
Early threes from Cougar guards Jodi Krall and Holly Valdez had CCU up early, but eager whistles slowed their momentum. A strong inside move from sophomore Kelsie Hert jumpstarted a10-3 CCU 
run, and advanced the score to 20-13.
Metro chipped away at the lead, but for the second night in a row, Long's lethal outside threat squashed the opposition's momentum. She found her stroke quick, and together with Bre McBeth and Valdez accounted for 18 points from deep in the first. Hert played big again, exerting her strength on the Roadrunner defenders inside.
CCU took a 45-37 lead into halftime, and maintained that lead through the early part of the second. Metro tied the contest with under 9 to go in the game, however, and then took the lead with 6:20 remaining. It was a back & forth battle from there, all the way until the final minute of the game when Abby Rosenthal connected on a tough shot under the basket to put CCU up by 3.
Metro attempts to recover came up short, literally, as three desperate tries from deep hit only air. The Cougars escaped an aggressive Roadrunner team 71-68.
Long ended the game leading all scorers with 15 points, while McBeth added 13 of her own. Abby Rosenthal’s 9 rebounds led all Cougars.
CCU’s next game, against Colorado School of Mines, is a big match-up for the Cougars, who hope to extend their lead over the Orediggers for first place in the RMAC East. Be there for the battle Tuesday at 6:00 pm.
Cougars Dominate; Move Into First
January 29, 2010 – Everyone in the RMAC knows Juanise Cornell is good. Last Monday the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference confirmed that with a Player of the Week nod. Friday night at the Regis University Fieldhouse, Cornell put on a clinic.
Turns out, it was a scoring clinic. In her strongest offensive outing of the season, the 5-10 senior forward went a nearly flawless 14-15 on her way to 28 points. Hers wasn’t the only solid Cougar performance on the night, however. Sophomore Kelsie Hert showed her muscle – and some nifty post moves – in the paint, scoring 12 points in a season-high outing of her own. And in a satisfying showing on what was once her home court, Regis Ranger-turned-Cougar Brittany Long poured in 12 points on 4 of 7 shooting from behind the arc. By the end of the night, CCU had shown they are the team to beat in the RMAC East Division.
From the very first shot of the night – a three in the corner from Long – Colorado Christian controlled the game. Cornell scored the next 8 points of the game, and the Cougars were on their way to a 20-8 opening run. The remainder of the contest took on the same look, though a couple of scoring runs in the second half certainly made things interesting for the CCU friendly crowd.
Regis trimmed a large lead to 10 twice in the second, but on both occasions Long and Cornell stepped in, almost scoring at will to crush RU hopes at a comeback. With 3:25 remaining, a timely three from Long jumpstarted a 10 point Cougar run that would eventually seal an 84-65 win for CCU. (Boxscore)
Previously tied for first in the RMAC East Division, Colorado Christian’s win moves them into sole possession of the lead with just 9 games remaining. Metro State marks the final stop on their road weekend – tip off is set for 5:00 pm.
Big Weekend Earns Cornell Player of the Week Nod
January 25, 2010 - Colorado Christian celebrated a pair of big wins over Nebraska-Kearney and Chadron State last weekend. On Monday the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference recognized the success. 
Senior forward Juanice Cornell earned her first RMAC Player of the Week honor Monday, after averaging 21.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steals in the Cougar wins. As has become usual for her, the transfer from Colorado State came up big in every part of the game - neither of the visiting Kearney or Chadron teams could contain her dominance. Cornell unleashed on both teams, shooting a solid .625 from the field and exerting her strength defensively. Her play helped the Cougars advance to 6-3 in RMAC play.
Rosenthal Unleashes in Cougar Win
January 23, 2010 – The first 10 minutes of Saturday night’s game between Colorado Christian and Chadron State College looked more like a one on one battle than a team competition. By the time the first 6 minutes had passed, Cougar post Abby Rosenthal had accounted for 14 of CCU’s 19 points, and by the 9 minute mark, Chadron’s Kaitlin Petri had controlled all of the scoring for her Eagle team. Both 
players continued their dominance throughout the game, though Christian’s Rosenthal would eventually receive a lot more help from her teammates than her high-scoring opponent.
En route to a strong defeat of the visiting Eagles, CCU put on a show on both ends of the court. The fast moving Cougars forced 22 Chadron State giveaways, controlled the glass (41 total rebounds), and put up a season-high 87 points in the 19 point win. (boxscore, pictures)
Unfortunately for the Eagle women, the in-division match-up was never really a contest. CCU pounced early, continuing their aggression from Friday night’s win over Nebraska-Kearney. A 12-point lead with 15:44 left in the first quickly became 17…then 20. Chadron’s Petri did all she could to keep her squad alive but could not match CCU’s offensive potency on her own. By the time the first-half ended, Rosenthal had 18 of CCU’s 52 points, and was only 1 board shy of an early double-double. Petri’s 21 points, while impressive, accounted for all but 10 of Chadron’s 31 points.
Though the scoring evened out a bit for both teams, the second-half told a similar tale. Player after player stepped up big for CCU, leaving the Eagles without an answer. Just when CSC showed signs of resilience, a Cougar three would squash their excitement. Ten Colorado Christian players made it into the book, including Juanise Cornell (19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks) and Talmai Aguirre, whose 9 points marked an exciting return from an 11-game injury-induced break from action.
In the end, however, it was Rosenthal who made the biggest statement. In her strongest showing so far this year, the senior captain needed only 27 minutes to record a season-high 23 points, 16 rebounds, 1 block and 3 steals.
The 87-68 win moves the Cougars to 8-8 overall and 6-3 in RMAC action. CCU returns to action at 6:00 pm Friday at Regis University. Follow all the action live on B-2.
Cougars Smoke Cold-Shooting Lopers
January 22, 2010 – Juanise Cornell scored 24 points and the CCU Women’s Basketball team shot 
50% from the field Friday, as the Cougars rolled past a visiting University of Nebraska – Kearney in a 72-57 RMAC victory. The win puts CCU in a tie for first place in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference East Division. (Boxscore, pictures)
A dismal 19% second-half field goal percentage (0% from 3) seemed like an impossibility for the first-half Lopers. Kearney connected on 4-6 shots from deep before the break, led by the hot shooting of Debi Johnson and Lea Ann Jameson. It would not be the same story in the second.
CCU’s offensive and defensive execution exploded in the final 20. An aggressive attack rattled the Lopers, forcing 23 turnovers and stunning the normally potent offense. Bre McBeth’s make from three with 19:12 on the clock jumpstarted an 8-2 Cougar run and led to a lead that would not be relinquished. UNK connected on only 5 shots from the field in the second period.
Cornell’s strength in the paint could not be matched by UNK. The senior forward put on a show, unleashing for 4 blocks, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Her 24 (12-19) points led all scorers.
The win advances CCU to 7-8 on the season, 5-3 in conference play. With the race for the playoffs just heating up, look to the Cougars to continue their aggression Saturday against Chadron State College. Tip off is set for 5:00 pm.
Rosenthal Earns CCU’s First RMAC Academic Player of the Year Award; Five Additional Cougars Honored
January 20, 2010 – The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference announced its 2009-10 All-Academic Basketball Teams Wednesday. Six Cougars made the list, including CCU senior Abby Rosenthal, who was recognized as this year’s Academic Player of the Year. The honor marks the first for any Colorado Christian student-athlete in any sport. 
Strong basketball statistics in addition to a solid 3.63 grade point average garnered Rosenthal her third RMAC All-Academic nod in as many years. The Communications major from Cedar Rapids, IA appeared on the Honorable Mention list as a sophomore and was named 1st Team All-Academic in 2009.
“Abby has been a leader in every way in our program and on the CCU campus,” commented Head Coach Tim Hays. “This is well-deserved recognition for a job very well done in every aspect of her career as a student athlete at Colorado Christian University.”
Senior Talmai Aguirre also received an Academic All-Conference nod. Aguirre, a Biology major with a 3.393 GPA, was named to the Second team for the third time in her career.
Sophomore Jobi Wall represents the Cougar men on the RMAC list, which was released Wednesday. A Business Administration major with a minor in Finance, Wall’s 3.647 GPA landed him a spot on the conference’s All-Academic Second Team. This was the first season he was eligible for the award.
Senior Holly Valdez (3.67, Secondary Education) and sophomores Kelsie Hert (3.50, Business) and Stephenie Allen (3.97, Pre-Med) round out the list of Cougars honored by the RMAC for their performances in the classroom.
“The student-athletes at CCU continue to represent our university with integrity, character, and excellence,” noted Athletic Director Darren Richie. “We are extremely proud of all of our students, and especially Abby, Talmai, Jobi, Holly, Kelsie, and Stephenie. They are leaders on our teams and in our community, and we join with the RMAC in congratulating them on a job well done in the classroom.”
To qualify for Academic All-RMAC, student-athletes must have a GPA of 3.30 or better, be a starter or reserve, and completed two consecutive semesters or three quarters at their current institution. Their GPA is what they had earned prior to basketball season beginning. RMAC Sports Information Directors at schools that sponsor the sport of women’s basketball selected First and Second Team Academic All-RMAC.
Bustos’ Jumper Lifts Grizzles with Time Running Down
January 17, 2010 – Vera Jo Bustos notched the game winner for Adams State Saturday night, knocking down a tough jumper from just inside the free throw line to lift the Grizzles to a hard fought 49-47 victory over the CCU women’s basketball in Alamosa, Colorado.
The Cougars led for the majority of the opening half, and held a 22-18 advantage heading into the final 20 minutes.
Adams clawed back to carve out a five point lead on a Bustos jumper with 4:57 to go, but the Cougars soon rattled off six straight, capped by a Holly Valdez deep ball to give the guests a one point (45-44) lead with 2:25 remaining.
ASC went one-of-two at the freebie stitch on the next possession, earned a stop on the other end and eventually pulled ahead by two when Kelly Kruger drained a ‘J’ with only 1:13 showing.
CCU’s Abby Rosenthal was able to knot things up at 47 each thanks to a pair of free throw connections with 18 ticks showing, but the night would belong to Bustos, who broke loose to can the game winner for the Grizzlies with only six seconds to go.
Rosenthal led the Cougars with 11 rebounds, but struggled with her shooting touch in a 2-15 showing for seven points.
Jodie Krall added nine points, nine rebounds and four assists for the Cougars, falling only one point, one rebound and six assists short of her first career triple-double.
Bustos led all players with 15 points, to go with four rebounds and three steals in the ASC victory.
The Cougars (6-8, 4-3 RMAC) hit the floor once again the Friday when they take on the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers at 6:00 p.m. right here in the Cougar Event Center.
Turnover Trouble Haunts Cougars in 65-48 Setback
January 15, 2010 – The CCU women’s basketball team could not shake the turnover blues Friday night, as the ladies stumbled their way to 29 total miscues en-route to a 65-48 setback at the hands of the Fort Lewis Skyhawks in Durango, Colorado.
The Cougars held their own in a tightly contested first half, pulling ahead by one point (19-18) on a saucy Jodie Krall long ball with 3:40 showing on the clock.
Not to be outdone, Fort Lewis managed a 9-1 run to close the half and go into intermission with a 27-20 cushion.
The host Skyhawks kept the pressure on in the second stanza, eventually pulling ahead by 28 (57-30) midway through, thanks in large part to nine CCU turnovers in the first nine minutes.
Abby Rosenthal led the ladies with nine points and eight rebounds, while Stephenie Allen logged eight points and two boards.
The loss drops the Cougars to 6-7 overall and 4-2 in conference action.
CCU will be back in action Saturday evening as they face the Adams State Grizzlies at 6:00 p.m.
Rosenthal and Neuhaus Sweep Player of the Week Honors
January 11, 2010 – It was a remarkable weekend of basketball in the CCU Event Center last weekend, one in which two Cougar senior standouts showcased their leadership, skill, and composure under pressure. On Monday, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference honored Abby Rosenthal and Justin Neuhaus for their performances against New Mexico Highlands University and Colorado State University – Pueblo.
In a Friday night win over the visiting NMHU Cowgirls, Rosenthal recorded 14 points, 11 rebounds, 5 blocks, 2 assists and a steal – all in less than 20 minutes of action. The Cedar Rapids, IA native followed that up with a record showing against Pueblo’s Thunderwolves. Despite a 2 point Cougar loss – their first in RMAC play this year – Rosenthal dominated the paint. In addition to leading all scorers with 17 points, she set the bar for rebounds in the conference this year, shattering the 2009-10 single game record with an astounding 22. 3 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals capped off what was just one of many strong weekends the All-RMAC player has turned in in her career.
Strong and dependable as usual, Neuhaus led his CCU squad to 2 wins over their tough East Division opponents. Averaging 17.5 points and 8.5 boards, it wasn’t until the final 3 seconds of Saturday’s game against CSUP that the 6-11 post really proved his weekend dominance.
At the end of a tightly contested battle, a Neuhaus block, rebound, and time-out call in the waning seconds of the game gave the Cougars a sliver of hope to keep the contest from advancing to overtime. With 1.8 seconds remaining, CCU’s lone senior caught an 80 foot inbound pass from Jobi Wall, turned, and won the game with a soft finger roll in the face of a Pueblo defender.
Both players look to continue their dominating play this weekend as they travel to Ft. Lewis College and Adams State for the final weekend of East Division play.
Women Fall in Tight RMAC Battle
January 9, 2010 – Fans at the CCU Event Center Saturday night saw a hard working CCU team fall in the final seconds to RMAC opponent Colorado State Pueblo. To an extent their hard work paid off, as the Cougar women found themselves neck deep in opportunities for most of the second-half. Unfortunately, the 6-6 squad proved unable to capitalize. Despite out-rebounding the Thunderwolves 53-31 in the contest, a glaring 20 turnovers – including 3 in the final 2 minutes of the game – by the host team told the tale in a game that came down to possessions in the end (box score, pictures).
Shining in her 5th and strongest double-double performance of the season, senior Abby Rosenthal did all she could to lift her Cougar team to a win. Besides leading all scorers with 17, the 6-1 forward dominated the glass, snatching a career high 22 rebounds – 16 of them on the defensive end. Her additional 3 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals looked to be enough late in the game, as CCU held off all Pueblo attempts to close the narrow 2 point margin for over 3 minutes. With only :47 left in the game, 2 made free throws by CSUP guard Kendall Babler (15 points) tied the game at 68.
The Thunderwolves jumped on a CCU turnover with :31 left, assuring offensive control for the remainder of the game. Pueblo guard Rachel Espinoza nailed two shots from the free throw line after a foul with 2 seconds to go by Cougar junior Jodie Krall. The makes put the visitors up by 2 and sealed the fate for CCU.
Previously unbeaten in RMAC action, the loss moves the Cougars to 4-1 in conference play.
Follow both men and women on B-2 this week as they travel south for their final East Division games of the season. The Cougars face Ft. Lewis College on Friday, and square up against the Grizzlies of Adams State on Saturday. Both games are scheduled for 6:00 pm.
Strong First Half Propels CCU Women in 2010 Opener
January 8, 2010 – A hard-working CCU women’s team showed no signs of rust Friday night at the CCU Event Center. In their first game back after nearly a month away from competition, the Cougars defeated RMAC foe New Mexico Highlands University in impressive fashion, winning 71-48 (box score, pictures).
Eager to return to their pre-holiday winning ways, CCU jumped out to a 12-0 lead before 4 minutes had disappeared from the clock. Led by senior stand-outs Juanise Cornell and Abby Rosenthal, the Cougars dominated the first half, allowing their visitors a meager 13 points. And although their 27-point half time lead would not increase in the second period, a strong Cougar defense kept the visiting Cowgirls from ever threatening.
Though each played for less than 20 minutes on the night, Cornell (12 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists) and Rosenthal (14 points, 11 rebounds, 5 blocks) led a Cougar squad that saw action from 13 players and scoring from 8. Freshman Bre McBeth and sophomore Stephenie Allen posted their strongest games of the still young season, scoring 12 and 10 points respectively.
The win keeps CCU perfect in RMAC play (4-0) and advances the squad to 6-5 on the year. Action resumes Saturday, as the Cougars face the Thunderwolves of CSU-Pueblo. Tip-off is set for 5:00 pm.
Cougars Oust Western New Mexico 65-62
December 12, 2009 – The CCU women’s basketball team survived 24 turnovers and a 50% effort from the free throw line to pull out a 65-62 victory over Western New Mexico Saturday evening in Silver City, New Mexico.
The usual suspects paved the way once again for CCU, as Juanise Cornell poured in 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Abby Rosenthal added 19 points and 12 boards.
Trailing 30-34 at the break, CCU managed a 7-1 run to open the half, and eventually outscored the host Mustangs 35-28 in the final 20 minutes.
The Cougars had a chance to put the contest on ice heading down the stretch, but missed eight attempts from the free throw line in the final 1:30 to keep things interesting.
The Cougar misfires allowed Western to sneak back to within two points on an Ashley Vigil jumper with only five seconds to go.
Following a Mustang foul, CCU was only able to cash in on 1-2 attempts from the charity stripe, giving Western one last chance to tie.
This time, however, Vigil’s buzzer-beating three point attempt fell short, dropping innocently to the floor, as the Cougars let out a sigh of relief and moved to an unblemished 3-0 in RMAC play.
The ladies will be back in action on January 8, as they return home to face the New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls at 6:00 p.m. right here in the Cougar Event Center.
Double-Double Duo Lifts Cougars in Thriller
December 5, 2009 – Double-doubles and dominating performances are becoming common place for the potent post pair of Abby Rosenthal and Juanise Cornell, as the two once again maintained law and order in the paint, combining for 32 points and 25 rebounds to lead the Cougars to a 71-66 victory (box score, pictures) over Western State College Saturday evening in Lakewood, Colorado.
Rosenthal was a one woman wrecking crew with 17 points, 15 rebounds and a pair of assists, while Cornell came unglued for 15 points, 10 boards and two assists of her own.
The Cougars trailed by one point (31-30) at intermission, before Rosenthal unleashed for three of CCU’s first five buckets of the half to give the hosts a four point (44-40) lead at the 13 minute mark.
Battling to avoid a five game losing skid, Western hung tough, clawing back to force three ties and eventually pull ahead by seven points with 6:42 showing.
Right on cue and with the game in the balance, Rosenthal and Cornell put the team on their backs, combining for five rebounds, 11 points and one steal during an 11-2 run that resulted in a two point Cougar lead.
Following a series of missed shots on both ends, Brittany Long brought the CCU faithful to their feet with a nothin’ but net trey from the right wing, giving the Cougars a narrow four point lead with just over a minute to go.
Hurrying back on the other end, Western’s Amber Murray matched Long’s heroics with a three of her own, silencing the boisterous arena and slashing the CCU lead to only one with 53 ticks remaining.
Raven Darnell managed to sink one of two free throws to give the Cougars an uneasy two point cushion on the next possession, and the suffocating CCU ‘D’ was able to close the deal with a championship caliber stop, forcing Western into desperation fouls with time running down.
Long added 14 points on 5-10 shooting for CCU, while Jodie Krall dished out a season-best eight assists and connected on 5-6 of her free throw attempts.
With the victory, the Cougars move to 4-5 on the season and an unblemished 2-0 in RMAC play. The ladies are back in action next Saturday, as they travel to Silver City, New Mexico to battle the Western New Mexico Mustangs at 6:00 p.m.
Cornell’s Double-Double Sparks Cougars over Mesa
December 4, 2009 – Juanise Cornell caught fire to the tune of 13 points and 15 rebounds, dished out four assists and blocked two shots to lead the CCU women’s basketball team to a 46-40 victory (box score) over the Mesa State Mavericks Friday evening in Lakewood, Colorado.
Trailing by six at intermission, the second half turned into Cornell time, as the 5-11 senior unleashed for four points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal over a short four minute time span that saw the Cougars rattle of a 14-3 run and capture a lead they would not relinquish.
Abby Rosenthal fell one point short of a double-double of her own with nine points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Brittany Long fired her way into double digits with 12 points thanks to a 4-12 effort from the land of plenty.
Neither team was exactly setting the night on fire from the field, as the Cougars shot a less-than-impressive 32% from floor, while Mesa connected on a paltry 20% of their attempts.
With the victory, the Cougars move to 3-5 on the season and an unblemished 1-0 in RMAC action. The ladies hit the floor once again Saturday evening as they host the Western State Mountaineers at 5:00 p.m.
Northern Colorado Outlasts CCU 79-77 in OT
December 2, 2009 – The Division I Northern Colorado Bears pulled off an improbable 10-2 run over the final 1:30 to force overtime and eventually escape with a 79-77 (box score) overtime win over the CCU women’s basketball team Wednesday evening in Greeley, Colorado.
Trailing 25-30 at the half, the Cougars pulled ahead early in the second stanza on a Juanise Cornell jumper with 17:28 on the ticker.
The Bears battled back to force four ties and a pair of lead changes, before the Cougars extended the cushion to eight points (59-51) on a Kelsie Hert layup at the six minute mark.
Northern answered with a pair of buckets to cut the margin back to three, but a flurry of Cornell points over the next two minutes bumped the Cougar lead back up to eight with only 1:31 to go.
With the game all but on ice, the Bears were somehow able to muster a bit of magic, downing a three ball and connecting on some clutch free throws to sneak back to within two points.
Following a CCU turnover, UNC capped the 10-2 run with a Lauren Oosdyke jumper at the 45 second mark to knot the contest up at 69 each and force the extended session.
Still reeling from the barrage of Bear points to end regulation, the Cougars soon found themselves on the wrong end of a six point deficit midway through the overtime period.
Just when the door looked to be closing on a valiant CCU effort, Abby Rosenthal broke loose for six consecutive points, including an and-one bucket and a tough ‘J’ with only 25 seconds to go to force the eighth tie of the game.
Despite the surplus of evening highlights, the deciding points eventually took place at the freebee stitch, as UNC went 1-2 to pull ahead by one point with four seconds remaining, and finally added one more when the Cougars were forced to foul following a turnover.
Cornell was her usual dominant self, finishing the contest with 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals while shooting 9-15 from the floor.
Not to be outdone, Rosenthal tacked on 16 points, nine boards, two steals and an incredible five blocks in the loss.
Jodie Krall had her best game of the season with 12 points and four assists while connecting on three of her six attempts from downtown.
With the grueling non-conference slate in the books, the Cougars now open up the RMAC season this Friday as they host the Mesa State Mavericks at 6:00 p.m.
Cornell Named to the NNU All-Tournament Team
November 30, 2009 – Following a weekend of dominant performances, the CCU Athletics Department is pleased to announce that Juanise Cornell has been named to the Northwest Nazarene All-Tournament Team.
Posting her best weekend yet for CCU, Cornell unleashed for 20 points and eight rebounds, while finding the time to chip in four assists and two steals in an eleven point win over Central Washington this past Friday night.
Continuing her stat sheet stuffing the following evening, the Division I transfer almost single handedly willed the Cougars to victory with 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists in a loss to host Northwest Nazarene.
The do-everything post from Azusa, California leads the Cougars with 12 points and seven rebounds per outing, and has dished out a team-best 19 assists on the young season.
Cornell and the rest of the Cougars are back in action this Wednesday, as they travel to Greeley, Colorado to face the Northern State Bears at 7:00 p.m.
Northwest Nazarene Cools Cougars 81-63
November 28, 2009 – The Northwest Nazarene Crusaders forced 23 CCU turnovers, connected on 62% of their second half three point attempts and ultimately put the skids on a two game Cougar winning streak with an 81-63 victory (box score) over the CCU women’s basketball team Saturday evening in Nampa, Idaho.
Juanise Cornell and Abby Rosenthal were the only Cougars to reach double digits in the scoring column, as the two combined for 25 points and 13 rebounds in the loss.
CCU fell behind by as many as 15 points late in the first half, before a pair of treys by Brittany Long and Holly Valdez brought the Cougars to within nine points at the break.
A Cornell jumper to open the second half brought CCU to within seven points early on, but a string of four turnovers during a two minute stretch, coupled with some red-hot NNU shooting from deep helped the Crusaders run the margin up to 18 points and all but seal the game.
Long finished the contest with nine points and three assists for the Cougars, while Valdez added eight points and two steals.
Dropping to 2-4 on the season, the Cougars now gear up for a tough test against Division I Northern Colorado this Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
Sharp Shooting Cougars Escape 81-70 over Central Washington
November 27, 2009 – A hot-shooting CCU women’s basketball team canned 50% of their attempts from deep and finished the contest with four players in double figures, as the Cougars pulled out an 81-70 decision (box score) over Central Washington Friday afternoon at the Northwest Nazarene Thanksgiving Classic in Nampa, Idaho.
Abby Rosenthal notched her first double-double of the year with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Juanise Cornell exploded for 20 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks, while shooting a perfect 4-4 from the charity stripe in the Cougar win.
CCU trailed by as many as 13 points early in the contest, but closed the half with a 13-4 run to bring the margin down to only one point heading into the break.
A hard-fought second stanza featured two ties and eight combined lead changes, before a Rosenthal three-ball with 3:32 on the clock gave the Cougars a lead they would not relinquish.
Heading down the stretch, CCU managed to build a six point cushion with just over a minute to play, and connected on seven of their eight free throw attempts to seal the victory.
CCU’s fabulous freshman, Bre McBeth, added another chapter to her already legendary freshman campaign with 16 points and seven boards, while draining 3-5 from long distance.
Holly Valdez rounded out the quartet of high scoring Cougars, pouring in 10 points and dishing out four assists.
In addition to the hot-hand from deep, the Cougars dominated the action in the paint with a 45-26 advantage on the boards.
With the win, the ladies improve to 2-3 on the season and take the floor once again Saturday evening when they face host Northwest Nazarene at 5:15 local time.
Cornell Leads Cougars over Central Washington 70-58
November 21, 2009 – Juanise Cornell posted her first break through game as a Cougar, erupting for 19 points and 10 rebounds, as the Cougars waltzed to a 70-58 victory (box score)over Central Washington in game two of the Sodexo Classic in Seattle, Washington.
Taking three games of frustration out on the Wildcats, CCU held a seven point (37-30) cushion at halftime, before breaking things wide open in the final 20 minutes. Rattling off an 11-1 run, the Cougars built a 17 point advantage by the 15 minute mark and never looked back.
CCU out-muscled Central Washington 48-40 on the glass and finally found that long lost shooting touch, connecting on a season best 42% from beyond the arc.
Brittany Long chipped in some standout numbers of her own, pouring in 19 points and four rebounds, while splashing 5-10 from the land of plenty.
Not to be outdone, newcomer Bre McBeth impressed in her second start as a Cougar, logging 11 points, gobbling up four rebounds and dishing out four assists in the victory.
Standing at 1-3 on the young season, the Cougars now gear up for a rematch against Central Washington in game one of the Northwest Nazarene Classic this Friday, November 27. Game time is slated for 1:00 p.m.
Seattle Pacific Thumps Cougars 90-53
November 20, 2009 – The Seattle Pacific University Falcons hit 50% from downtown, forced 27 CCU turnovers and out-rebounded the Cougars 51-28 en-route to a 90-53 victory (box score) Friday evening in Seattle, Washington.
Jodie Krall led the way for the Cougars with 12 points and six rebounds.
CCU’s shooting woes continued, as the ladies were only able to connect on 37% of their field goal attempts, including 29% from downtown and 66% from the charity stripe.
Dominated from stem to stern, the Cougars trailed 24-41 at intermission and fell behind by as many as 42 late in the contest.
CCU’s Juanise Cornell chipped in 10 points and five boards in the losing effort.
Daesha Henderson sparked Seattle Pacific with 25 points on 9-13 shooting to go with seven assists and a pair of steals.
The Cougars are back in action tomorrow afternoon, as they battle Central Washington at 1:00 p.m. local time.
Turnover Prone Cougars Tumble against Wayne State
November 16, 2009 – The CCU women’s basketball team committed 22 turnovers and shot a forgettable 35% from the floor in a 46-71 loss to the Wayne State Wildcats Monday evening at the Super 8 Tip-Off Classic in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Struggling to overcome a stingy Wildcat defense and an ice-cold shooting performance, the Cougars also found themselves on the wrong end of the whistle, falling behind 18-9 in the foul count and shooting only one free throw to Wayne State’s 17.
Trailing 38-15 at the break, the Cougars continued to sputter through the second half, as the Wildcats increased the margin to as many as 32, while shooting 48% from the floor and an efficient 40% from the land of plenty.
Abby Rosenthal once again led the Cougars in scoring with 12 points, while chipping in five rebounds and two blocked shots.
Juanise Cornell added nine points and eight rebounds to go with two steals and three assists in the setback.
Dropping to 0-2 on the young season, the Cougars are back in action on November 20, as they travel to Seattle, Washington to battle the Seattle Pacific University Falcons at 5:00 p.m. local time.
Northern State Stuffs Cougars in Season Opener
November 15, 2009 – The Northern State Wolves spoiled the season opener for the CCU women’s basketball team, pulling out a 73-58 victory (box score) over the Cougars in game one of the Super 8 Tip-Off in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Abby Rosenthal led the way for the Cougars with 15 points and nine rebounds to go with a pair of assists and a blocked shot.
The Cougars trailed 41-28 at the break, but managed an impressive 9-2 run to begin the second stanza, eventually pulling to within six points when Jodi Krall tipped in a Brittany Long three point miss with 16:48 showing.
From that point on it was all Northern, as the host Wolves ran the margin back up to 16 over the next four minutes and eventually increased the lead to as many as 20 points heading down the stretch.
Northern’s 6’6” Jodi Reinschmidt kept order in the paint Sunday evening, finishing the contest with six points, eight rebounds and an incredible nine blocked shots.
Kelsie Hert added 10 points and five boards for the Cougars, while Juanise Cornell stuffed the stat sheet with nine rebounds, five points, four assists and a block.
The Cougars are right back in action tomorrow evening when they square off against the Wayne State Wildcats at 4:00 p.m.
Preseason Honors Kind to Cougars
October 29, 2009 – If the preseason awards are any indication of regular season success, the CCU women’s basketball team is headed for one memorable year. The ladies were picked second-overall in the hotly-contested RMAC East Division, while senior standouts Abby Rosenthal and Talmai Aguirre each earned a spot on the 2009-10 RMAC Preseason Team.
The Cougars return every starter from a 2008-09 squad that started the season on a tear. The ladies began the season by downing some tough regional opponents, came one bucket short of an upset over top-five foe, Alaska-Anchorage, and eventually advanced into the Central Region rankings before a rash of late season injuries derailed an otherwise record-setting year.
Leading the charge for the ladies will be the inside-out attack of 6-1 Rosenthal, and the high-scoring Aguirre.
Rosenthal nabbed a CCU women’s basketball-best five RMAC Player of the Week awards last year, while averaging a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Before being sidelined by a season-ending knee injury, Aguirre led the ladies with 15.7 points per game, while connecting on a team-best 60 buckets from long range, and gobbling up 4.4 boards per outing from her guard spot.
The regular season opener is just around the corner as the Cougars gear up to take on the Northern State Wolves on November 15 in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Tip-off is slated for 8:00 p.m. local time.
Cougars Bolster Roster with Addition of Juanise Cornell
August 3, 2009—The CCU women’s basketball team put the finishing touches on an already potent roster this past week by officially announcing the addition of Juanise Cornell, a senior Division I transfer from Colorado State University.
Hailing from Azusa, California, the 5’11” forward started 26 of 30 games last season for the Rams, while averaging seven points and a team-second five rebounds per contest. Juanise finished the 2008-09 season ranked first in made field goals, second in total rebounds and fourth in assists and steals, including a 19 point 12 rebound effort at Air Force.
During her three-year stint with the Rams, Juanise started 85 games, moved into 18th all-time at CSU in single season rebounds, while finishing top-10 in CSU history in free throws made, steals, offensive rebounds, rebounds per game and total rebounds for a freshman.
A two-sport (basketball and volleyball) prep star at Bishop Amat High School, Cornell led the Lancers to a 2006 state championship, which included a perfect 35-0 season record. Serving as team captain as a junior and senior, Juanise also compiled honors as all-league, all-state and CIF Co-Player of the Year in both 2005 and 2006, while being named a McDonald’s All-American nominee in 2006. In her four year stay with Bishop Amat, she guided the team to a school-best record of 119-7.
"Juanise is a phenomenal player and person and will be a wonderful addition to our family,” stated coach Hays. “She could be one of the best individual athletes to ever attend CCU and has an incredible work ethic and knowledge of the game. She has proven already that she can be a great leader and player at the college level, and will have an immediate impact on our program. Maybe even more impressive than her playing accolades is her unselfish attitude and ability to make others around her better. She's a complete package, and we are very excited to have her here"
The women’s basketball season tips off on November 15, as the Cougars face the Northern State Wolves in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Caldwell Joins Coaching Staff for 2009-10
July 28, 2009—The CCU women’s basketball team is pleased to announce the addition of Jessika Caldwell, a former Division I and professional athlete, who will step in as lead assistant for the Cougars as they gear up for the 2009-10 athletic year.
A two-year team captain and four year letter winner at Baylor University, Caldwell earned a spot on the 2004 NCAA Mid West Regional All-Tournament Team and was named the 2003-04 Big 12 Sportswoman of the Year.
During her stay with the Bears, Jessika moved into first place all time in the Baylor record books in both single-season free-throw and 3-point percentage, while claiming the top spot in career free-throw percentage.
Following graduation, Caldwell spent a season with the Sparta Praha Basketball Club in the Czech Republic, where she continued her on-court dominance by averaging over 17 points per game, while being named Most Valuable Female Athlete.
Returning stateside to pursue a career in coaching, Jessika took the reins of fellow RMAC member UC-Colorado Springs in 2005. As head coach of the Mountain Lions, Caldwell recruited seven high school All-State players, two State Players of the Year and led UCCS to the RMAC conference tournament for only the fourth time in school history.
"We are extremely excited to welcome Jessika to CCU,” stated coach Hays. “She is an immensely talented coach and has the passion and character to serve in a Christian environment. Her experience as a player and leader at one of the top college programs in the nation (Baylor) and as a head coach in the RMAC makes her a valuable member of a program looking to take the next step towards being nationally recognized. She is one of the highest quality individuals I have ever spent time with and will have a major impact on our program."
Caldwell is replacing former assistant Nikki Long, who recently accepted an opening as head coach of the CCU women’s golf team.
Cougars Earn Spot in WBCA Academic Top-25
July 10, 2009—Demonstrating success in the classroom as well as on the court, the CCU women’s basketball team earned a ranking of 22nd in the 2008-09 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Academic Top-25 Honor Roll, holding an impressive team GPA of 3.394.
The WBCA Honor Roll, given in NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA and Junior College/Community College, awards teams throughout the nation that carry the highest grade point averages for the entire season, based on the nomination submitted by WBCA-member head coaches.
“The girls have worked very hard this year to get the job done in the classroom,” stated coach Hays. “Our aim is to achieve excellence in every area of our lives and this recognition goes to show that the girls are doing exactly what we’ve set out to do.”
Abby Rosenthal
Women's Basketball
Why CCU?
I chose CCU because God opened this door for me while at the same time closing other doors. He continues to reassure me that this is where He would have me.
