LA GRANDE, Ore. – Eastern Oregon Men's Basketball saw its Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament run come to an end Wednesday night, falling 78-70 to Corban University in a quarterfinal matchup inside Quinn Coliseum.
As the No. 2 seed, Eastern hosted No. 7 seed Corban in what shaped up to be a high-intensity tiebreaker after the teams split their regular-season series.
Corban struck first, converting after two early misses, but the Mounties answered quickly.
Keilan Torkornoo knocked down a three-pointer off a pass from
Trent Rogers to give Eastern its first lead. The Warriors responded with a triple of their own to regain the advantage before Torkornoo attacked the rim to tie the game at 5-5.
The first half featured steady back-and-forth action, with both teams trading baskets, rebounds, and defensive stops. Neither side led by more than four points through the opening 18 minutes. Eastern's defense applied pressure with key blocks from Torkornoo and
Porter Abrams, but Corban continued to counter and keep the score tight.
With under two minutes remaining in the half, Eastern created some separation. Two free throws and a three-pointer from Rogers pushed the Mounties ahead by seven. Corban answered with free throws and a layup, trimming the deficit to 38-35 at halftime.
The intensity escalated in the second half, but turnovers proved costly for Eastern. Corban capitalized on steals and transition opportunities, while Mountaineer fouls sent the Warriors to the free-throw line frequently. Corban converted 18-of-35 attempts at the stripe, including several during a pivotal stretch midway through the half.
Just before the halfway mark of the second period, the Warriors used a 7-0 run to build a nine-point lead.
Eamon Monahan snapped the run with a strong inside finish, but Corban followed with another 6-0 surge to extend its advantage to 13. Eastern battled back to cut the deficit to five, but continued fouls and missed opportunities prevented a full comeback.
Despite generating quality looks, the Mounties struggled to convert from both the perimeter and inside, while Corban shot an efficient 51% from the field in each half. The Warriors also made the most of Eastern's miscues, turning defensive pressure into points.
Joe Gould led Corban with 22 points on 66.7% shooting, adding two blocks and three steals. TJ Zimmerman contributed 16 points and eight rebounds, while Oreon Courtney and Clyde Harris also finished in double figures.
James Bodily paced Eastern with 20 points on 60% shooting. Torkornoo added 12 points, and Rogers chipped in 10.
With the win, Corban advances to the CCC semifinals in Eugene, Oregon, where they will face Bushnell University on Saturday, February 28.
Despite the loss, Eastern Oregon remains in contention for a national tournament berth. If Lewis-Clark State wins the CCC Tournament, the Mounties would receive the conference's second automatic bid. Eastern also remains under consideration for an at-large selection.
