EUGENE, Ore. – The Northwest Christian University women’s basketball team force 17 turnovers and had three players score at least 16 points, holding on for a 70-66 victory over Northwest University in Cascade Collegiate Conference action on Saturday night. With the win, NCU matches their victory total from the 2011-2012 season.
The Beacons jumped out to a 7-0 lead to open the game, holding the Eagles to just one field goal over the first five minutes of the game. A back-and-fourth battle ensued as the Eagles utilized furious three-point shooting including back-to-back trey from Alyssa Dario to take the lead, 13-11 with 14 minutes to play. From there the teams traded leads four times and were tied on five occasions before NCU scored the final four points of the half to take a 32-28 lead into the intermission.
It was more of the same in the second half with Evergreen scoring the first five points of the second half, taking a 33-32 lead. The teams traded the lead three more times and were tied 44-44 with 13:24. Then, NCU caught fire, using an 18-4 run as they went ahead by 14 points, 62-48 with 6:38 to play. The Eagles would climb to within two points in the late goings, but NCU held on for the win.
NCU (12-10, 5-6 CCC) were led by junior Tami Brown with 19 points, shooting 7-for-12 from the field. Katie Collins hit three from beyond the arc and scored 17 points and Lindsey Shearer (pictured) threw in a double-double with 16 points and a game-high eleven rebounds. Shearer also had a team-leading six assists and two steals.
Northwest (2-16, 1-10) had four players in double-figures, led by 15 points from Domi Mendezona. Corinne Burke contributed 12 points and a game-high seven assists while Alyssa Dario and Jenna Lewis scored ten points each. NU had 16 points off the bench while holding the Beacons to just eight points from the reserves.
The Beacons, who sit in a tie with Southern Oregon University for fifth place in the CCC, will be back in action on Friday night, traveling to Salem to take on Corban University at 5:30 pm. NCU defeated the Warriors at home back in December, 69-66.