CALDWELL, Idaho -- The 2010 Cascade Collegiate Conference tournament Championship game lived up to its billing Monday night, as top-seeded College of Idaho held off fourth-seeded Eastern Oregon, 70-67.
In a game that featured seven lead change, four ties, and the lead never larger than single digits, the 20th ranked Lady Yotes captured the CCC tournament title for the first time in Regan Rossi's nine-year helm as head coach.
The Mountaineers (20-11) clinched the conference's second automatic bid to next week's NAIA Div. 2 National Tournament, but wanted their first tournament title in five years. C of I used its stellar defensive pressure to force 26 EOU turnovers. College of Idaho turned those turnovers into 30 points, compared to Eastern's 14 points off of the Yotes' 23 turnovers.
The College of Idaho's Whitney Owen scored a game-high 21 points. The senior was 6 for 9 from the field, and 9 for 9 from the free-throw line. Meghan Hughes added 11 points, and Nicole Bruce chipped in 10 points.
C of I led 8-6 three minutes into the game when Eastern made an 8-0 run to take its largest lead of the game, 14-8 with 12:48 remaining in the first half. EOU held the lead for the next three minutes until Bruce hit a jumper to give the Lady Yotes a 22-21 lead. The home team held the lead into halftime, stretching the margin six points at one point. College of Idaho took a 38-33 lead into the locker room after an acrobatic shot on the baseline by Nicole Gall.
Trailing 43-37 just into the second half, Eastern Oregon made another run to take the lead back, 44-43 with 15:27 remaining in regulation. It wouldn't last long as C of I responded with a 10-0 run to take its largest lead of the game, 55-46, with 8:22 left. The Lady Yotes held EOU without a field goal for a six-minute stretch in the second half.
The Mountaineers roared back and capped a 10-0 run of their own with an
Alyssa Garro three-pointer. Eastern had its last lead, 56-55, with 5:28 left in the game. Owen ended a College of Idaho 10-2 run with a pair of free throws at the 1:54 mark of the second half. The Lady Yotes led by seven, and Eastern Oregon came as close as three points twice in the final minute, including the final score.
Four Mountaineers finished in double figures led by Stickney's 16 points. The All-Conference performer had 10 points in the first half, but fouled out with 4:39 left in the game.
Kelsea Hurliman had 11 points and shot 3 for 5 from behind the perimeter.
Kyle Miller and
Ashlee Michelson each chipped in 10 points. Michelson recorded a double-double with a game-high 10 rebounds.
Eastern shot 15 for 18 from the free throw line, 44 percent from the field, and 8 for 24 from behind the perimeter. The Mountaineers held College of Idaho to 1 of 13 shooting from three-point range. The Lady Yotes did shoot 49 percent from the field. C of I outrebounded Eastern Oregon 34 to 28.
Both teams now await their fate in Wednesday's National Tournament bracket releasing. A live selection show is available for free for fans to watch. The broadcast will be shown on the EOU campus live in Zabel Hall, room 142. Fans can join the Mountaineer women's and men's basketball teams during the showing. The event is free and will include pizza and prizes. Doors open at 1 p.m. with the show beginning at 1:30 p.m.
