Felicity Jones scored 13 in Lady Yotes win
CALDWELL, Idaho - Felicity Jones scored 13 points and Tina Fakahafua grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds, as The College of Idaho kept their Cascade Conference title hopes alive with a 54-46 victory over Concordia University, inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The No. 23 ranked Lady Yotes (18-8, 13-4 CCC) improved to 8-0 at home in CCC play this season and won their 35th-straight game in holding an opponent under 50 points. The C of I can finish no worse than third in the CCC final standings, while a win tomorrow night vs. Warner Pacific and a loss by Corban against Oregon Tech, would give the squad their third CCC crown in four years and the league's automatic berth to the NAIA National Tournament.
It wasn't easy early, as the Cavaliers (8-20, 4-13) got two baskets each from Kayla Bustos and Lexi Amundsen, part of a 9-2 run, to take a 15-10 lead with 8:05 to play in the first half. The Yotes would clamp down defensively, holding CU to 1-of-10 shooting and five turnovers the rest of the frame, getting a pair of Jones buckets and a Fakahafua three-point play to cap a 13-0 run, as the hosts led 23-17 at the break.
A Jones three to open the second half began an 11-4 run that gave the Yotes their largest lead of the night at 34-21, before the Cavs began to whittle away - getting back-to-back treys from Gabi Beyer and Rachel Scarpelli to cut the margin to 36-31, getting within 42-38 on a pair of Scarpelli free throws with 7:13 left. The Yotes rallied, as Jones, Fakahafua, and Laura Geis each scored on consecutive possessions to push the lead back to 10 and The C of I hit free throws down the stretch to secure the season sweep of the Cavs.
Despite hitting just 32-percent of their shots, the Coyotes used a commanding 49-31 edge on the glass in the win, as Geis recorded 10 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks. Fakahafua scored nine points to go along with her big rebound night, with Katelin Shannon scoring eight points, with six rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Courtney May had 11 points to lead CU, but the Cavaliers committed 27 turnovers in the loss.
The C of I will honor a pair of seniors tomorrow prior to the men's game with Warner Pacific - as Meghan Hughes and Marquina Gilliam-Hicks will play their final regular-season home game.