Geoducks Never Trail in Toppling Loggers
Cayla Jones hit a three-pointer from the right wing just 14 seconds into the game to put The Evergreen State College on the board and the Geoducks never trailed in taking a convincing 73-61 non-conference women's basketball win over the visiting Puget Sound Loggers on Wednesday night inside Costantino Recreation Center.
The Geoducks (4-2 overall) led by 16 points at the half and by as many as 21 late in the third period before settling for the 12-point victory over the NCAA Division III Loggers (4-3).
Freshman point guard Jahpera McEachin led four Geoducks in double figures with 23 points, including 9-for-10 at the foul line, and she added six assists and just three turnovers while playing all 40 minutes. Jones poured in 13 points while Alexcis Higginbotham and Cherish Moss both chipped in 12 points. Higginbotham led Evergreen with nine rebounds, though the visitors won that statistical battle, 50-43.
Puget Sound got a huge game from Jamie Lange, who worked inside for 23 points and 22 rebounds in 27 minutes of action. Lange was 10-for-16 from the field, a number of those field goals coming on her 10 offensive rebounds. Claire Fitzgerald also recorded a double-double for Puget Sound with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Trailing 57-38 entering the final quarter, Puget Sound substituted in shifts and tried to get back into the game by sending the Geoducks to the foul line. The visitors were able to get their deficit to single digits at 62-53 following Mara Henderson's three-pointer with 4:06 to play - the only time that Evergreen did not lead by double digits in the final 20 minutes - but the hosts iced the game by shooting 14-for-20 at the free throw line in the final quarter. For the game, the Geoducks were 33-for-43 at the charity stripe.
The Geoducks built their early lead by with slashing drives to the basket that led to Puget Sound fouls and 14-for-17 free throw shooting through the opening 20 minutes. Defense also played a big part in the 16-point halftime bulge as Evergreen limited the Loggers to 10-for-34 shooting from the field.
Evergreen shot 35 percent for the game (17-for-49), including 6-for-19 from three-point range, and it committed 15 turnovers compared to 17 for the visitors. Puget Sound ended the game at just 32 percent from the field (23-for-71), including a miserable 2-for-21 from beyond the three-point line.
The Geoducks return to conference action at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15, when the Oregon Tech Owls visit Olympia.