LA GRANDE, Ore. – The No. 2-seeded Eastern Oregon women's basketball team used a convincing fourth quarter to defeat No. 7-seed College of Idaho on Tuesday night in the Cascade Collegiate Conference Quarterfinals, presented by U.S. Bank.
The Mountaineers (22-9) outscored the Yotes (12-17) by a 19-10 score in the fourth quarter to extend a five-point lead out to double digits. EOU scored the first seven points of the final quarter and never looked back.
The Blue and Gold reach the semifinals and will host No. 3-seed Southern Oregon on Friday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. back at Quinn Coliseum.
Junior Taylor Stricklin led all players with 15 points, adding seven rebounds. Senior Jane Nelson had 14 points for the Mountaineers. Senior Kylie Smith added seven points with seven boards and senior Emma Logan led the way with six assists.
For the Yotes, Emily Harwood scored 13 and Mackenzie Royce-Radford added 12 in the seniors' final games of their careers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams got off to slow starts as the first quarter ended in favor of the Mountaineers 13-12. The Yotes shot 6-for-11 in the quarter, but turnovers slowed them down as they did all night. EOU at most by one point in the quarter and did not gain their first multi-point lead until 3:13 left in the second quarter when they jumped ahead by four after a Stricklin three-pointer. Nelson hit another three before the end of the half to put EOU up by five 26-21 at halftime.
The third quarter was even as both teams tallied 17 points. EOU went on a 7-0 run to start the fourth to jump ahead 50-38 with 6:53 to go. The Yotes cut the Mountaineer lead down to six points, but got no closer as EOU pushed their lead back to double-digits.
The EOU offense started the game slowly, shooting under 40 percent in the first two quarters. However, the Mounties found their stride in the third and fourth where they shot 44 and 42 percent, respectively. The Mountaineers were also excellent from the free throw line making 14-of-17 attempts with the first miss not until 38 seconds left when the game was already well in hand.
BY THE NUMBERS
17 – Both team's turned the ball over 17 times each in the game.
0 – EOU held the Yotes to 0 made three-pointers, as they went 0-for-12 from behind the arc.
14 – The Mountaineers were active on the offensive glass, finishing with 14 offensive rebounds.
NEXT UP
The Mountaineers next host rival Southern Oregon, the tournament's No. 3 seed, in the CCC Semifinals presented by U.S. Bank on Friday at 7 p.m. at Quinn Coliseum.
For more information on Eastern Oregon women's basketball, follow @EOUAthletics or visit eousports.com.
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Contact: Iain Dexter; 541-962-3946; idexter@eou.edu