PREVIEW: CCC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT QUARTERFINALS, PRESENTED BY U.S. BANK
CORVALLIS, Ore. – The 2019-20 Cascade Collegiate Conference Women’s Basketball Championship, presented by U.S. Bank, is set to begin Tuesday at four different host sites.
The top-four seeds (based upon finish in the regular-season standings) host the quarterfinal round matchups at 7 p.m. local time, with the highest remaining seeds hosting the lowest remaining seeds in each of the subsequent rounds.
Northwest Christian University – the regular-season winner – received one of the Cascade Conference's two automatic qualifying bids to the NAIA Women's Division II National Championship, March 6-12, in Sioux City, Iowa. The CCC tournament champion will receive the other automatic bid. If the regular-season and tournament champion are the same, then the tournament runner-up will receive the second bid.
A preview of each dual can be seen below. All games will be streamed on the CCC Portal and will have live stats, which can be found on the
Tournament Central page.
#8 Northwest University (9-20) at #1 Northwest Christian University (23-5)
After last year just missing out on the conference tournament, the Beacons grabbed the first seed and won the regular-season title. NCU averages a conference-best 78.57 points per game with a .443 field goal percentage, with Morgan McKinney helping lead the charge, averaging 18.79 points per game – which ranks third in the CCC. NCU took the regular-season series with a 97-64 victory in Eugene, Ore., and a close 84-80 win in Kirkland, Wash.
Northwest University ended the season with a win over Walla Walla University to head into the postseason with momentum. Sophomore Sam Van Loo leads the Eagles with 12.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. She’s one of the most effective shooters in the conference, boasting a .519 field goal percentage, which ranks 22nd in NAIA Division II.
#7 College of Idaho (12-17) at #2 Eastern Oregon University (21-9)
Eastern Oregon University grabbed the second seed after ending the CCC season with a 15-5 mark. The Mountaineers came up just short of defending their 2018-19 title, dropping a 74-66 loss to Northwest Christian University to end the regular season. EOU boasts the third-best scoring output in the conference, averaging 70.7 points per game as a team. The Mountaineers also defend well, holding their opponents to 60.53 points per game – second-best in the CCC. The Mountaineers have won 13-straight games over C of I dating back to a 67-64 win in Caldwell on Feb. 7, 2014.
College of Idaho picked up the No. 7 seed after finishing the CCC season with a 10-10 record. The Coyotes have now advanced to the postseason for 21 consecutive years and are 7-19 all-time on the road in the postseason. Defensively, C of I boasts the fourth-best scoring defense in the CCC, holding opponents to 66.07 points per game. Senior guard Mackenzie Royce-Radford leads the Yotes in scoring, averaging 11.4 points per game. She also ranks 33rd in the NAIA DII in total assists with 108 so far.
#6 Warner Pacific University (13-15) at #3 Southern Oregon (18-9)
Southern Oregon University earned the third seed and hosting duties with a 14-6 CCC mark. The Raiders are efficient on both ends of the court, averaging 69.67 points per game offensive (fifth in the CCC), while holding opponents to 66.37 points per game defensively (fifth in the CCC). Redshirt sophomore guard Dominique Harding sits fifth in the CCC stat categories with a 46.8 field goal percentage, while junior forward Syd’Nee Fryer averages 2.24 steals per game (fourth in the CCC).
Warner Pacific grabbed the No. 6 seed with a 10-10 mark during CCC action. The Knights come off a big win, beating SOU on its home court 79-73 to end a seven-year losing streak to the Raiders. WPU will look to do it again as it heads to the higher-seeded Raiders’ home court once more with more at stake. Junior guards Gabriella Bruno (15.5 ppg) and Courtney Jackson (14.4 ppg), along with senior guard Darbi Pink (11.5 ppg), lead the Knights in averaging double-digit points heading into the postseason.
#5 Corban University (17-11) at #4 Oregon Tech (19-11)
Corban University and Oregon Tech hold an identical 13-7 record in regular season conference play and both of their matchups this season were decided in the final minute of the game, but the Lady Owls took both contests to earn the higher seed. OIT boasts the fourth-best offense in the CCC, averaging 70.2 points per game. Defensively, the Owls are solid too, holding opponents to 62.7 points per game –which sits third in the conference. Sophomore guard Kristin Farrell and junior forward Amanda Constant lead the Owls, each with 10.6 points per game averages.
The Warriors boast the best defense in the conference, holding teams to just 60.46 points per game. Senior guard Jordan Woodvine leads the Warriors and ranks second in the CCC with a 19.04 points per game, shooting at a 47.4-percentage from the floor – which ranks third in the conference. As a team, Corban ranks fifth in the NAIA in defensive rebounds (32.3/game).