LA GRANDE, Ore. – Senior forward Madeline Laan posted a career-high 27 points on a blistering 11-for-12 effort from the floor, and the (RV) Eastern Oregon University women’s basketball team raced to an 87-47 triumph over Warner Pacific on Senior Night at Quinn Coliseum.
KEY PERFORMANCES
In addition to Laan’s effort, senior forward Nikki Osborne added 15 points and six rebounds, while sophomore guard Payton Parrish recorded 12 points thanks to a 4-for-9 effort from downtown.
Taylor Howlett paced the Knights (13-9, 8-8 CCC) with 13 points.
THE STORYLINE
A pair of seniors in Maloree Moss and Osborne helped EOU (18-8, 14-3 CCC) to an early 6-0 lead in the opening stanza. Laan and Osborne tossed in back-to-back jumpers to make it a 10-2 game, but Warner Pacific hit a pair of three’s and closed the first quarter with a 12-5 run to cut EOU’s advantage to one (15-14) going into the second frame.
After the Knights took a brief one-point (16-15) lead, EOU exploded for 15 unanswered points capped by a three from Parrish. In the winding moments of the second quarter, Parrish and junior guard Donniesha Webber put in baskets to grant EOU a 37-20 halftime lead.
A couple of three’s early in the third quarter helped Warner Pacific pull to within 13 (41-28) at the 6:47 mark, but Laan accounted for 10 points amidst an 18-3 EOU run to break the game open.
In the fourth stanza, EOU tallied 15 of the first 18 points to take a commanding 74-36 lead with 5:09 left after a three-point play by Laan, and the Mountaineers easily clinched their fifth-straight victory.
STATS OF THE GAME
50 – EOU registered 50 points in the paint, as both Laan and Osborne muscled their way inside for a combined 42 points.
25 – The Mountaineers logged 25 points off 25 Knight turnovers.
UP NEXT
EOU travels to Ashland, Ore., to square off against Southern Oregon. Tipoff on Feb. 13 is set for 5:30 p.m.