Jones Gets Double-Double in Evergreen Win
Cayla Jones scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as The Evergreen State College defeated the visiting Pacific University Boxers, 65-53, in a non-conference women's basketball game played Tuesday night inside Costantino Recreation Center.
Jones was 7-for-9 from the field and 8-for-9 from the free throw line in leading the Geoducks (1-2) to their first victory of the season. Deidra Miller came off of the bench to add 10 points and eight rebounds in the victory. Liana Tanaka scored 18 points to pace the Boxers (0-5).
Evergreen's Jahpera McEachin drained a three-pointer at the 6:43 mark of the first quarter to put the Geoducks ahead, 5-2, and they would stay on top the rest of the way. They led by as many as 12 points in the opening quarter and eventually took a 39-28 advantage into the half.
Pacific closed its deficit to five points at 45-40 on a layin by Tanaka with 4:37 left in the third quarter, but Jones started a 7-0 run with a three-point play as the Geoducks regained a 12-point lead. Pacific got no closer than eight points the rest of the way.
The Geoducks shot 42 percent (25-for-60) from the field and an impressive 93 percent (13-for-14) from the free throw line. They picked up 15 assists on their 25 baskets, led by Jones with four, and also enjoyed a 48-35 rebounding margin.
Tanaka was 4-for-7 from three-point range in scoring her 18 points, and she was joined in double figures by Jenee Brown with 10 points. Pacific shot just 30 percent (20-for-66) from the field.
Ahead for Evergreen is the Cascade Collegiate Conference opening weekend as the team heads to Portland, Ore., for games against Warner Pacific on Friday and Multnomah on Saturday.