Box Score
SALEM, Ore. – The Corban University men's basketball team beat Eastern Oregon University Friday, 79-73.
The Warriors (14-11, 6-7 Cascade Collegiate Conference) were led by Jacob Kopra's career-high 28 points on 10-for-16 shooting from the field tonight that included a 5-for-8 showing from beyond the three-point line in the Warriors' 79-73 victory over EOU. In two games this season against nationally-ranked Eastern Oregon, Kopra has combined to score 52 points and set single-game career-highs each night.
Jordan Carter added 21 points that included a 9-for-13 performance at the free throw line. Despite Carter being the only other Warrior in double figures, senior Erik Cronrath added eight points to go along with a seven-rebound, six-assist showing by Carter.
Corban began the game hitting seven-of-nine shots from the field that included a 6-of-7 showing from beyond the three-point line, as the host Warriors built an early 13-point lead (19-6) on five straight field goals with the final one coming via a three-pointer by Kopra with 15:04 remaining.
Despite leading by double digits in the opening five minutes, Corban could not keep Eastern Oregon at bay as the visiting Mountaineers used a 31-20 run over a span of 14 minutes to pull within two points (39-37) thanks to a free throw by Salem-native
Trent Roos with 74 seconds on the clock. A closing 6-0 run by the host Warriors that included a jumper in the lane by Carter just before the buzzer sounded would hand Corban a 43-37 lead heading into halftime.
The second half would see Corban build an eight-point lead (49-41) on back-to-back free throws by Kopra with 16:45 left, as Eastern Oregon then used a 5-0 run to pull within three points (49-46) on a
John Buhler three-pointer with just under 15 minutes remaining.
Fortunately for the host Warriors, Eastern Oregon would not get any closer as Corban built a 12-point advantage (60-48) thanks to an 11-2 run over a span of five minutes capped by a Kopra jumper with 9:47 on the clock. Both teams would battle back and forth over the next seven minutes until Corban held another 12-point lead (69-57) thanks to a Kopra three-pointer with two-and-a-half minutes left.
Wanting to make the host Warriors win the game at the free throw line, Eastern Oregon began trading single points for two- and three-point buckets in an attempt to fight its way back into the game. Over the next minute-plus, Corban would go 5-for-8 at the charity stripe and extended its lead to a game-high 14 points (74-60).
In the final minute, Eastern Oregon would get back-to-back three-pointer by Roos to bring the difference below double-digits only to have Corban knock down 5-of-10 at the free throw line en route to securing the six-point win (79-73).
Eastern Oregon (14-9, 7-7) was led offensively by
Anthony Brown with 14 points, while
JaMier Morris was the only other Mountaineer in double figures with 10 points off the bench. Kylian Wood pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds for EOU; while
Cody Thurmond and Wood dished out a team-best three assists each.
As a team, Corban combined to shoot 24-for-55 (43.6 percent) from the field that included an 8-for-20 (40.0 percent) showing from beyond the three-point line and a season-high 23-for-36 (63.9 percent) performance at the free throw line. On the other hand, Eastern Oregon was 27-for-65 (41.5 percent) from the field, 7-for-22 (31.8 percent) from long distance, and 12-for-19 (63.2 percent) at the charity stripe.
The Mountaineers face Northwest Christian (10-15, 3-10) Saturday in Eugene, Ore. EOU won the first meeting this season against the Beacons in La Grande, 82-60. Saturday's tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Live video and stats will be on EOUSports.com, with live radio on KUBQ 98.7 FM.
