LA GRANDE, Ore. – If the 2014 Cascade Conference Women’s Basketball Championships presented by U.S. Bank is anything like the regular season, basketball fans across the Pacific Northwest are in for a great week of basketball.
No. 8 Northwest Christian (9-18, 5-13 CCC) at No. 1 Eastern Oregon (22-8, 14-4 CCC)
7 p.m. PST – La Grande, Ore.
After picking up wins in their final two games of the regular season, the Beacons of Northwest Christian secured a spot in the postseason and will travel to La Grande, Ore. to take on top seed and regular season champion Eastern Oregon on Tuesday. The Mountaineers went 22-8 in the regular season, including 14-4 in conference play. EOU defeated NCU twice this season by an average of 13.5 points, including a 71-56 win on Jan. 17 in La Grande.
EOU is led by 22.7 ppg from Brittney Newcomb. Nicole Redd is adding 13.0 ppg while Taylor Riley is putting up 10.0 ppg. The Mountaineers have outscored their opponents by an average of 14.1 ppg this season, also holding a +5.3 rebounding margin.
NCU will be led by the trio of Hannah Frederick, Tami Brown and Andrea Gloss, who are all averaging double-digit scoring. Brown is also adding a team-best 7.1 rebounds per game though the Beacons are being outrebounded by an average of 2.0 rpg.
No. 7 Corban (13-17, 8-10 CCC) at No. 2 Oregon Tech (25-5, 13-5 CCC)
7 p.m. PST – Klamath Falls, Ore.
After putting together one of the toughest defenses in the nation, Oregon Tech plays host to Corban in the first round of the conference tournament. The Lady Owls went 25-5 this season, including 13-5 in CCC play, and more importantly for this game, are 13-2 on Danny Miles Court. On the other side of the court, Corban posted a regular-season mark of 13-17 overall and 8-10 in CCC play to make it to the tournament.
Oregon Tech is led by the trio of Kassi Conditt (11.8 ppg), Karissa Dixon (11.4 ppg) and Karly Leveque (10.8 ppg). Conditt is also averaging 8.7 rebounds per game and has swatted 96 shots so far this season. As a team, OIT is averaging 76.5 ppg on offense and allowing just 57.5 ppg on defense for a +19.0 scoring margin.
Corban is led into Klamath Falls by center Tara Vanweerdhuizen, who is averaging a double-double at 14.4 ppg and 10.5 rpg with 113 blocks on the season. Jade Lowery is averaging 12.5 ppg for the Warriors while Julia Young is chipping in 10.2 ppg.
No. 6 Northwest (18-12, 10-8 CCC) at No. 3 College of Idaho (15-11, 12-6 CCC)
7 p.m. MST – Caldwell, Idaho
For the second time in four days, the Lady Yotes of College of Idaho welcome the Northwest Eagles to the J.A. Albertson Center and C of I will be looking for a similar result as they posted an 18-point win on Saturday night. Northwest know what it takes to beat the Yotes as the Eagles opened up CCC play on Dec. 6 with a 91-82 win in Kirkland, Wash.
College of Idaho has started the same five players all 26 games this season and all five are averaging double digit scoring. Erica Martinez leads the team with 16.5 ppg while Chakala Carthen holds an average of 14.5 ppg and 10.3 rpg. Elish Hensey is third on the scoring list with 13.4 ppg while Dayna Drager and Aleah Lowber are each chipping in 11.1 ppg this season. While the Yotes hold a +5.0 scoring margin on the year, they are being outrebounded by an average of 3.9 rebounds per game.
Northwest returns to the postseason this season after posting a strong year under first-year coach Ken Crawford. Sanda Milovic leads the team in scoring with 12.7 ppg but Domi Mendezona isn’t far behind, averaging 12.0 ppg. The Eagles have played their opponents tight this season, holding a +0.7 scoring margin and +0.9 rebounding margin.
No. 5 Evergreen (14-11, 10-8 CCC) at No. 4 Southern Oregon (23-7, 12-6 CCC)
7 p.m. PST – Ashland, Ore.
The final first round game matches the Evergreen Geoducks traveling to the Southern Oregon Raiders. Evergreen has been strong on the road, going 8-3 away from Olympia this season, but one of those losses came in Ashland on Feb. 8 in a game that SOU won, 73-62.
Southern Oregon is led by 15.1 ppg from Kristen Schoenherr and 14.5 ppg from Carly Meister. Allison Gida is also putting up the points, averaging 13.7 ppg on the season. The Raiders boast a +10.0 scoring margin and +9.9 rebounds margin as one of the top offensive programs in the country.
Evergreen is in the postseason for the third straight season but the Geoducks are still looking for their first playoff win in school history. This season, Evergreen is led by 14.7 ppg from senior guard Sammi Clark. Brittany Gray is averaging 13.8 ppg and 8.8 rpg in her first season for the Geoducks while Jessica Denmon is putting up 11.2 ppg at the point.
Tuesday’s winners advance to the conference tournament semifinals on Friday night at the campus sites of the top two remaining seeds. The advancing teams from those games will meet on Monday night for the CCC Championships presented by U.S. Bank title.