Payton Wilcox scored 16 points in the win. (Photo Credit: Doug Pfeiler)
SALEM, Ore. – The Corban University women's basketball team put together its most complete team performance of the year on Saturday evening, pulling off the upset over (RV) Warner Pacific College, 69-58. For Corban, it is the team's third-consecutive win and fifth victory out of the last six contests overall.
"We changed a few things in our morning practice, and the ladies found the bottom of the net and played really good defense," said Corban head coach Dave Bale. "Our goal was to limit certain players' looks, and we did that. We were going to rebound the ball as a group, and we out-rebounded them by 15. It was a very good effort all around, and I am very proud of how we came out and battled a very good Warner team."
The Knights started the game strong, outscoring Corban 16-12 in the first quarter, but the Warriors finished stronger in the second quarter, racking up 24 points to just nine for Warner Pacific, resulting in a 36-25 halftime lead for the Navy and Gold.
In the second half, Corban played a smart game, getting the ball inside when the game demanded it, while converting on jump shots when the opportunity was right as well. The Warriors extended their lead heading into he fourth quarter to 14 points, and the Knights never came close to making things too interesting, resulting in Corban's 11-point Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) victory over the Knights.
As a team, Corban shot 48.0% from the floor while holding Warner Pacific to just a 33.3% mark from the field. The Warriors also dominated the rebounding battle, 46-31.
Junior forward Sadie Pilgeram (Helena, Mont.) recorded her seventh double-double of the year for the Warriors with 12 points and a team-best 12 boards, while junior forward Payton Wilcox (Salem, Ore.) scored a game-high 16 points on a very efficient 6-for-8 shooting effort from the field. In addition, senior guard Jade Lowery (Oregon City, Ore.) totaled 13 points and nine assists for Corban, while senior guard Julia Young (Snohomish, Wash.) chipped in 10 points in the triumph.
Corban (10-9, 5-5 CCC) finishes the first half of CCC play at 5-5, looking to build on the strong string of recent success while closing out the campaign with a bang. The Warriors return to action next weekend on the road at College of Idaho and Eastern Oregon University.