LA GRANDE, Ore. – It was a nail biter with 90 seconds left in the fourth period but clutch free throws from seniors Darian Gasseling and Ashley Knight sealed the victory on senior night at Quinn Coliseum, Saturday evening.
Gasseling led a quartet of Mounties in double-digit scoring with 16 points, shooting a perfect 3-of-3 from behind the arc. Junior forward Stormee Van Bell tallied 12 points along with seven boards, while junior guard Maya Ah You (Dias) and Knight scored 13 apiece with 15 combined rebounds.
The Owls were led by Morgan Roberts-Ili who recorded a double-double with game-high 21 points and 11 rebounds. Nohea Waiwaiole chipped in 11 points.
After a back-and-forth first period, EOU (23-4, 16-2 CCC) led by just one (13-12) heading into the second period. The Mounties were quickly put on their heels as a bucket from Waiwaiole spearheaded an 8-0 run to start the second. A couple of free throws from Ah You (Dias) and a trey from senior guard Donniesha Webber cut the deficit to five (23-18).
With just under three minutes to play in the period, Roberts-Ili scored the final five of seven points for OIT (21-7, 14-4 CCC) to head into the intermission leading by 11 (36-25).
The third period was a much more different story for the Blue and Gold as they came out on fire, going on a 15-5 run that was capped off by junior guard Recce Bauer hitting a bucket to tie the game at 40 apiece. Over the next four minutes, both teams exchanged baskets but it was Gasseling’s triple with 21 seconds left that tied the game at 49, to end the period.
Gasseling finished the quarter with 11 points, including three treys. The Mountaineers held the Owls to 30.8 percent shooting (4-of-13) from the floor in the third period.
After building back up a six-point lead (57-51) at the 6:55 mark, a jumper from Ah You (Dias ignited a 10-2 run for the Mounties but the Owls weren’t going away yet. A bucket from Waiwaiole regained the lead (61-60). After an EOU timeout, a free throw from Van Belle tied the game for the eighth time at 61. Over the next 90 seconds in regulation, Knight and Gasseling would go 7-of-8 from the charity stripe to seal the victory for the Blue and Gold.
BY THE NUMBERS
11 – Amount of points Gasseling scored in the third period.
8 – Total number of times the game was tied, three in the fourth period.
UP NEXT
EOU travels to C of I on Thursday to take on the Yotes. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
.