LA GRANDE, Ore. – The No. 20 Warner Pacific College men's basketball team upset No. 13 Eastern Oregon on the road in the Cascade Collegiate Conference semifinals Saturday, 64-61.
The third-seeded Knights (22-8) now advance to Tuesday's conference championship game at top-seeded Oregon Tech. Eastern will await its at-large position when the NAIA Div. 2 National Tournament bracket is released Wednesday.
Eastern Oregon fell for the third-straight year in the CCC tournament semifinals. It was also the Mountaineers' first loss when holding an opponent under 70 points this season. EOU previously was 12-0 in that stat category. It was only the fifth time EOU has lost at home in the last 57 games in Quinn Coliseum. Three of those losses are to Warner Pacific.
The Knights held second-seeded Eastern Oregon (22-8) to 29 percent shooting from the field in the second half. WPC led for 32 minutes, including all 20 in the second half. EOU came close on many occasions near the end of regulation, but could not tie the game or take the lead. A Kaylone Riley jumper gave the Knights their largest lead, 48-38, four minutes into the second half. The Mountaineers led 14-9 with 13:52 left in the first half.
Dan Stafford's three-pointer gave EOU its last lead with 12:14 left in the opening period.
Biniam Tadele had a career-high 17 points to lead Warner Pacific. The sophomore was 6 for 9 from the field, including a career-best 4 for 7 from behind the perimeter. Jake Glisson added 13 points, Reggie Guyton had 11, and Webster Moreland chipped in 10 points. The Knights finished 44 percent from the field, and 33 percent from behind the arc.
Jordan Gregg led Eastern with 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Jacques Wilson added 12 points, going 4 for 6 for three-pointers.
There will be a selection show watch party Wednesday at 1 p.m. in Quinn Coliseum. Come join the men's and women's teams as they watch the NAIA Div. 2 National Tournament brackets released live. Fans will have the chance to win prizes and play with some Mountaineer players.
