EUGENE, Ore. – Junior forward Lindsey Shearer hit a game-tying three-pointer at the end of regulation and scored every field goal for the Beacons in overtime as the Northwest Christian University women’s basketball team topped Eastern Oregon on Saturday night, 73-63. It was the first win in school history for the Beacons over a team ranked in the NAIA Top-10.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our girls than I am tonight,” said head coach Liz Turner-Bolton. “We prepare and practice for these situations and tonight it was a matter of believing that we could get it done. It is all about keeping yourself in a game and giving you a chance to win and we did that. It is unbelievable the way they fought and battled back in the second half.”
Eastern Oregon shot out to the early lead as they went ahead 15-3, holding the Beacons to just one field goal over the first ten minutes of the game. The Beacons got as close as eight, but EOU took a 29-17 lead into the second half. NCU’s Katie Collins led all scorers with seven first-half points.
After a layup and free-throw by Korrie Randall gave the Mounties a 15-point lead to start the second half, the Beacons began to slowly chip away. EOU was leading 36-21 when NCU mounted a12-2 run, climbing to within five points on a three-pointer by Aly Bruns with 13:51 to play.
Back-to-back buckets for the Mountaineers gave them third final double-digit lead at 43-33 with 12:59 to go. NCU then used an 18-4 run as they battled back to tie the game at 47-47 with 6:31 to play and then take a 51-47 lead.
Eastern fought back once again and took back the lead at 59-58 with 1:23 to play as Nicole Redd posted a trey. After a handful of unyielding possessions for both teams NCU was forced to foul and with ten seconds remaining, Brooke Randall hit a pair of free throws to give EOU the 61-58 lead.
But the Beacons were not to be denied as Shearer hit a fade away three-pointer as time expired to force overtime. NCU went on to outscore the Mounties 13-3 in the extra period to claim their biggest win of the season.
NCU (10-16, 2-12 CCC) was led by Shearer who finished with a game-high 22 points along with nine rebounds. The Beacons got at least 36 minutes from all of their starters with all five players scoring in double-digits. Martha Taylor scored 16 points and ten rebounds for the double-double, adding three assists and three steals. Bruns and Collins scored twelve points each and Jess Anderson added eleven points and seven rebounds.
After shooting just 21.7% in the first half, the Beacons scored 50% over the second half and overtime. NCU also out-rebounded the Mounties 42-31 and forced 20 EOU turnovers.
Eastern Oregon (19-6, 11-4) had four players in double-figures, led by 15 from Korrie Bourn who added a team-high seven rebounds. Chayla Jones scored 14 points and Brooke Randall added 11 points and a game-high seven assists. Kelsea Hurliman added twelve points off the bench as the EOU reserves outscored the NCU bench, 17-1.
Northwest Christian heads into the final four games of the regular season with a 2-12 mark in the Cascade Collegiate Conference and sit just one game out of eighth place for the final playoff spot. Turner-Bolton said, “We need to continue to work. We laid a foundation tonight and right now I like our chances, but it will take a lot of hard work from the girls.”
The Beacons will be back in action on Friday when they travel to Portland to take on Warner Pacific. Eastern Oregon will host The College of Idaho on Friday in a battle for second-place in the CCC. Both games are slated for a 5:30 pm tip.