SALEM, Ore. -- The Corban College men's basketball team registered its second straight upset win over a top 15 nationally ranked team. The Warriors defeated No. 13 Eastern Oregon Friday, 75-73.
The Mountaineers (18-7) (11-4) fall from tied atop the Cascade Collegiate Conference to second place. EOU met an inspired Corban squad who shot a phenomenal 59 percent from the field, including 68 percent in the second half.
Jordan Gregg posted a career-high 28 points and added 11 rebounds for the Mountaineers. The senior's efforts included 13 for 19 from the field, a steal, and only one turnover.
Cody Thurmond finished with 17 points. The freshman was 3 for 6 from behind the perimeter.
Dan Stafford chipped in 13 points.
Corban led 28-26 at halftime, and stretched the lead to 13 points with 9:05 remaining in regulation. Eastern's largest lead was three points with 3:53 left in the first half. The game was tied once and the lead changed 14 times.
The Warriors jumped on EOU early getting out to a 15-4 lead after a Ben Potloff three-pointer six minutes into the game. Eastern responded with a 14-2 run to take its first lead. The game went back-and-forth until the 13-minute mark in the second half. With the score tied at 40, Corban used a 17-4 run to separate itself from the Mountaineers.
Eastern chipped away at the lead over the final nine minutes. The Mountaineers cut the lead to two points four times in the final 36 seconds of play, but could get no closer. Corban was clutch at the free-throw line in the final minutes to hold off Eastern Oregon. The Warriors finished 14 for 19 from the line.
The victory was the first for the Warriors over EOU since it changed it's name from Western Baptist College to Corban College. The last victory Corban had over Eastern Oregon was on Feb. 18, 2005 in Salem. It ended a nine-game win streak for the Mountaineers over the Warriors. EOU falls to 6-6 on the road this season, and 1-4 when trailing at the half.
Corban finished with five players in double figures, led by Potloff's 20 points. Ian Logan added 15 points, while Nash Keene and Deonte Johnson each had 12 points. Erik Cronrath finished with 10 points.
The Mountaineers travel to Eugene to face the conference's hottest team Saturday at Northwest Christian University. The Beacons reeled off its conference-leading sixth straight victory Friday over The College of Idaho, 84-72. EOU defeated NCU on Jan. 15 in La Grande, 77-57.
