LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University women’s basketball clinched the Cascade Collegiate Conference Regular Season Title on Saturday night at Quinn Coliseum with a 63-60 victory over The Evergreen State College Geoducks.
With the win EOU has clinched one of two automatic berths into the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship.
Brittney Newcomb scored a game high 21 points and Nicole Redd followed with 16 points. Brittney Gray scored 19 points to lead Evergreen.
The Mountaineers and Geoducks were locked in a tight battle in the first half of the contest. During the first six minutes of the contest, Evergreen and EOU had two ties and five lead changes. EOU and Evergreen were tied at 14-14 after six.
Eastern Oregon looked like it was going to start to pull away as they went on a 7-0 run to take a 21-17 lead over the Geoducks. However, Evergreen answered right back and battled to tie the game at 23-23 and then take the lead at 25-23.
EOU answered back and scored another seven straight points, to lead by five points, 30-25. The Geoducks answered right back and went on an 11-2 run to close out the half and take a four point lead at halftime, 36-32.
Eastern Oregon continued to chip away to start the second half, however after the first four minutes of the half the Mountaineers still found themselves down ten points, 42-32. Eastern Oregon continued to battle and after five straight points by Newcomb, the Mountaineers were back within three points, 42-39.
The Mountaineers offense continued to struggle in the first half and did not heat up until seven minutes left to go. To start the half, EOU was shooting 3-14 from the field and with 8:43 left in the game EOU found themselves down nine points, 50-41.
Down by nine, Redd and Newcomb started to heat up from behind the arc. Redd hit back to back threes and Newcomb hit another to bring the Mountaineers within four points, 54-50. Newcomb tied the game at 56-56 after hitting another three pointer with 3:19 to go in the contest.
Maloree Moss put EOU on top as she hit a three pointer, 59-56, with 2:39 left in the game. The Geoducks answered back on a LaNiec Weatherspooner jumper to bring Evergreen back within one point, 59-58.
The Mountaineers picked up the defense and held the Geoducks to two more points for the rest of the game and EOU came back to claim a 63-60 victory and win the CCC Regular season title.
The Mountaineers return to action on Tuesday night in the CCC Quarterfinals when they host Northwest Christian at 7 p.m. at Quinn Coliseum. The Evergreen State College returns to action on Tuesday when they play at Southern Oregon at 7 p.m.