EASTERN OREGON: CCC
CHAMPIONS... Again
13th win in a row, on Friday the 13th = very lucky
February 13, 2004
Box
Score
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – For the second
time in three years, the Eastern Oregon University Mountaineer women's
basketball team has clinched the regular-season Cascade Collegiate
Conference title. No ifs, no ands, no buts.
The possibility exists the Warner
Pacific could catch the Mountaineers and tie for EOU for co-champions,
but in head-to-head competition, the Mountaineers have defeated the
Lady Knights twice this season for the tie-breaker.
This means two things: First and
foremost, the Mountaineers have wrapped up one of the CCC's two
automatic berths to NAIA Women's Division II National Championship,
March 10-16, in Sioux City, Iowa. This is the first time a
women's basketball team has qualified for an NAIA basketball
championship; and two, the women have now clinched home-court
advantage throughout the CCC playoffs.
The historic night started to come to
fruition after the Mountaineers broke open a 28-28 halftime tie.
Cory Nelson scored her first
double-double of the season scoring a team-high 13 points and 10
rebounds. Jamie Jo Cant also had 13 points to equal
Nelson's team-high in scoring.
Michelle Kinley tied Nelson for
team-high rebounding with 10 boards along with her 8 points.
Christie Weaver, once again
bested her La Grande High School teammate, Lindsey Carmichael, by scoring 11 points,
including a team-high 3 three-point field goals in 20 minutes.
Carmichael had just 2 points and 2 rebounds in 22 minutes.
Eastern Oregon did, however, have to
overcome 27 turnovers on the night, versus just 18 for the Owls.
EOU all-time leading assist person,
Tricia Haddock, tacked on another six assists to her career-leading
total. She also tacked on 9 points.
The Mountaineer shot 48% from the
field, while holding the Owls to just 36.7%. That should help
the Mountaineer's in their conference-leading shooting defense.
Only one Owls scored in double-digits
for Oregon Tech. Nikki McElligott had a very nice 19 points and
10 rebounds in the losing effort.
The Mountaineers will now refocus their
efforts and get rest for some starters with the next three games, as
Eastern Oregon will now face Southern Oregon (tomorrow), then Western
Baptist and Concordia next weekend to finish out the regular season.
In preparation for the Cascade
Collegiate Conference tournament, the women will face the No. 8 seed
on Tuesday, February 24 at 7 p.m. at Quinn Coliseum.
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