On Nov. 15 and 16, Lewis & Clark’s basketball teams played their first home games of the season — and first games with the new mascot. The men’s team played on Nov. 15 against Simpson University’s Red Hawks. The women’s basketball team played against Schreiner University’s Mountaineers and Northwest University’s Eagles on Nov. 15 and 16, respectively. At both games, crowds showed up to support the River Otters and were thrilled when they had won two out of the three games played that weekend.
The men’s game against Simpson University featured a strong back and forth in the first half of the game, with LC managing to end it with a seven-point lead of 39-32. In the second half, the Red Hawks quickly tied the game and took the lead, maintaining it until nearly the end of the game. Despite there being little time left on the clock, three-pointers from Kody Uyesugi ’26 and Jake Rodriguez ’28, along with layups from Jammial Hicks Jr. ’27 and Rodriguez put the River Otters back in the lead. It was a narrow win for LC, ending at 77-76. The win was historic for the team, as it marked their first win as the River Otters.
In an interview with The Mossy Log before the game, Head Men’s Basketball Coach Shanan Rosenberg expressed that in spite of recent injuries —when the interview was conducted, seven people were on injury reserve — he remained optimistic about the team.
“We’ve kind of been dealt lemons with the injuries, but we’re making lemonade,” Rosenberg said. “We’re on a really good track to be highly competitive by the time we hit conference play.”.
This season brought many changes for the men’s team. Earlier this year, Rosenberg returned to coaching at LC. He had previously served as associate head coach from 1999 – 2002, and went on to coach other university basketball teams. Alongside the change in leadership, several new transfer students joined the team. However, the head coach expressed that it has been a highlight to get to know the team. Players such as Yigit Arcan ’27, who plays as a guard for the River Otters, expressed similar feelings.
“The whole team has been locked in the whole time, trying to learn how to play together under a new coach. And it’s not an easy thing to do, but with the group of guys we have, we’ve been locked in, Arcan said. “Today’s win was an example of how good we can be as a team.”
As for the women’s team, the first game on Nov. 15 against Schreiner University ended in a decisive victory. The River Otters took an early lead and maintained it throughout the entire game. The Mountaineers were never able to tie or take the lead from LC, and the game ended with a 71-55 win. As with the men’s team, this marks the team’s first win as the River Otters. The game on Nov. 16 against Northwest University’s Eagles was far closer. Although the Eagles had an early lead in the first quarter, by the end of the second quarter, the River Otters were able to tie the game. Following that, there was a constant back and forth, with the Eagles ultimately coming out on top, winning 77-72.
Lauryn Frederickson ’27, the guard/forward who led the game against the Mountaineers with 17 points, discussed how happy she was with the team in an interview after the Nov. 15 game. Frederickson explained that part of that was the new players that had been added to the team.
“I think they really bring a spark. I think that they bring great energy to our team, and it’s what we really needed coming off of last season, some fresh looks and some people ready to compete.” Frederickson said.
New players on the team, such as first-years Hailey Perez, Lilly Jordan and Ky Roussin have made a big impact on the court. Perez scored 16 points against the Eagles, and Jordan and Roussin made a combined 13 points in the last quarter against Schreiner, helping the River Otters maintain their decisive lead. Like the men’s team, the women’s program has undergone a lot of rebuilding, and all of the new players are a part of that. Frederickson expressed that although this leads to a lot of big changes, she still expressed being quite happy with the program.
“The way that we show up every day to get better for tomorrow is really exciting, and I hope that people want to come to support women’s basketball at LC.”
The basketball games that occurred on the weekend of Nov. 15-16 showcased the talents of the LC students who participate in the program, as well as their ability to support each other. In the face of change, the men’s team has found themselves enjoying getting to know each other and working as a team. The women’s team, thanks to some new members, is incredibly optimistic about the future.
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