BOX SCORE
EUGENE, Ore. – The Northwest Christian University women's basketball team knocked off Eastern Oregon University, 66-61.
The Beacons (6-12) (2-6) beat EOU for the first time. The Mountaineers had won the previous six meetings between the two programs. Eastern fell for the fourth consecutive time, and the four losses have been by a combined 17 points.
Hope Williams scored a game-high 16 points for the Beacons. She was 7 of 12 from the field, and added eight rebounds. Lori Renner and Sheena Alexander each scored 11 points. Aly Bruns threw five assists.
Northwest Christian shot 45 percent from the field and hit 3 of its 4 shots from behind the arc. The Beacons were 7 of 14 from the free throw line. The Mountaineers were 46 percent from the field, 7 of 17 from three-point range, and 66 percent from the free throw line.
Rosebud Guthrie scored a team-high 15 points for Eastern.
Kyle Miller and
Kelsea Hurliman each had 12 points. Hurliman also tossed a game-high four assists.
Alyssa Garro finished with 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
It was the Mountaineers (11-6) (3-5) who established an early presence, leading by as many as six points early in the first half. The Beacons rallied to tie the game, 21-21 with 8:32 to go in the half on a layup from Martha Taylor and took their first lead of the night on their next possession as Jackie Cunningham took one to the hole. The senior post scored the next four points for NCU as well as the Beacons mounted a 31-25 lead. Northwest Christian would remain ahead at the intermission, 39-33.
The Beacons showed their resilience in the second half, as their lead swung from as many as eight, down to as many as two. Eastern Oregon came all the way back to tie the contest, 52-52 with 8:30 left in the game, but Northwest Christian never surrendered their lead, and were able to claim their first home CCC victory since February 6, 2009. NCU had lost 15 straight conference games at home prior to the win.
The Mountaineers play at Corban University in Salem, Ore. Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern Oregon has won seven straight games over the Warriors. Corban (10-8) (5-3) beat The College of Idaho Friday, 71-60.
NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN – EASTERN OREGON POSTGAME NOTES
- The last time EOU lost four straight games was in the 2002-03 season.
- Eastern Oregon is 2-5 this season in games decided by five points or less.
- Five of the Mountaineers' six losses came on a Friday.
- Five of EOU's six losses came by a combined 22 points.
- After winning six straight Eastern has lost five its last six games.
- The Mountaineers have allowed 68, 69, 69, 68, 67, and 66 points in six of their eight conference games.
- EOU is 0-5 when trailing at halftime this season.
- Eastern lost for the first time when it shot better than its opponent from the field.
- Guthrie scored a career-high 15 points in the loss.
- Hurliman threw a career-high eight assists.
