No. 9 Eastern Oregon Gets by Northwest in OT
KIRKLAND, Wash. – It took an extra period for No. 9 Eastern Oregon to defeat Northwest University, 74-70, tonight in Cascade Conference play.
Northwest and Eastern battled it out for the first ten minutes of the half after NU took an early 12-8 lead. The half would see 7 ties and numerous lead changes as neither team could gain the upper hand in the early portion of the period. With the game tied at 24-24 and 9:04 on the clock, a 10-2 Eastern Oregon run ending with a Kourie Bourn jumper in the paint, would give the Mountaineers an 8 point, 34-26 lead. EOU would maintain that distance the remainder of the half as they would take a 40-32 lead into the locker room.
Eastern Oregon would open the second half outscoring the Eagles 14-8, to take a 54-50 lead with 13:40 left in the game. The Mounties would hold maintain that distance until the 9:39 when a Carol Howard driving layup would spark a 7-0 run as Northwest would make it a 4 point ball game, 57-54, with 5:35 remaining. Jessalyn Jackson would hit a short jumper and then make one of two free throws to pull NU to within 2 points, 60-58 with 3:45 on the clock. A missed 3-pointer by EOU’s Kyle Miller followed by a layup by Domi Mendezona would knot the score at 60-all at the 3:16 mark. Ebany Herd would give NU a brief 62-60 lead, but Chayla Jones would drive for a layup to tie the game and Kelsea Hurliman would give Eastern Oregon back the lead, 65-62 with her trey. Emily Drivstuen would hit a big 3-pointer for Northwest with 54 seconds to go to tie it once again at 65-65 as Chayla Jones’ jumper at the buzzer would miss its mark sending the game into overtime.
In the OT period, it would be all Eastern Oregon as four straight free throws and a 3 pointer by Kyle Miller would give EOU a 72-65 lead with 3 minutes left in extra time. NU wouldn’t go away easily as 3 out of 4 free throws by Jackson would make it 72-70 with 54 seconds to go. The Eagles had a chance to tie the game, but Ebany Herd’s shot would miss its mark and Brooke Randall would seal the Mounties victory hitting two free throws with 10 seconds to go in the game as EOU would earn it 12th win of the season.
Northwest U. (6-7, 2-3 CCC) was led by Jessalyn Jackson’s double-double of 24 points and 11 rebounds. She also added 8 blocks to her league-leading totals. Emily Drivstuen scored 15 points and Carol Howard added 13 for the Eagles. Northwest shot 45% for the game.
Eastern Oregon (12-3, 5-1 CCC) got 24 points from Brooke Randall and 14 points from Kyle Miller who hit 50% of her 3 point attempts (4-8). Chayla Jones led the Mounties with 9 rebounds as they out rebounded Northwest 42-33. EOU shot 93% from the free throw line making 13 or 14 attempts.