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First Stop Caldwell ... Then on to Sioux City

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LA GRANDE, Ore. -- The Eastern Oregon University women's basketball team used a big second half to defeat Corban College, 78-64, in Friday's Cascade Conference semifinals.

With the victory the Mountaineers (20-10) clinched a berth in Monday's conference championship game and the CCC's second automatic berth in the NAIA Div. 2 National Tournament.

Kyle Miller's game-high 18 points paced EOU. The sophomore was 2 for 7 from the field, but 14 for 16 from the free throw line. Tana Stickney added 12 points, and Salena Leavitt and Shaylee Nielsen each had 10 respectively. Leavitt added five assists, and Stickney had a same-high eight rebounds.

Both teams got off to a slow start, Corban shot 30 percent in the first half and Eastern shot 28 percent. But, the semifinalists got things going in the second half. The Warriors finished shooting 43 percent, while EOU was 40 percent from the field in the game.

The first half was close as Corban never let Eastern Oregon get too far ahead. The Warriors had their last lead with 6:21 remaining in the first half, 17-16. The Mountaineers closed the half on a 12-4 run and led at halftime, 28-21.

A 15-6 run to open the second half gave EOU a commanding 43-27 lead with 15:46 remaining in regulation. Corban came within eight points of Eastern with 6:46 left in the game, 53-45, but would come no closer.

Emily Tsugawa finished with a team-high 17 points for Corban. Katie Steigleman chipped in 13, and Becky Buhler added 11. The Warriors committed 21 turnovers to Eastern's 13.

The victory gave Eastern head coach Anji Weissenfluh her seventh 20-win season in her 10-year career.

The Mountaineers will not face The College of Idaho, the top seed in the conference tournament, in Caldwell, Idaho, Monday at 7:30 p.m. The No. 20 Lady Yotes (20-7) swept EOU during the regular season, with the last victory coming at C of I on Feb. 5. Monday's game will be available with live video on EOUSports.com, and also have live stats.

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