OLYMPIA, Wash. – Heading into the final seconds with the chance to win, the Evergreen Geoducks couldn’t get luck to go their way as the College of Idaho Coyotes escaped with a 62-58 win in a Cascade Collegiate Conference women’s basketball game on Friday night at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.
In the first half, the Geoducks (5-19, 3-14 CCC) took the lead right away as senior Latrina Woods (Skyway, Wash./La Sierra Univ.) put the first biscuit in the basket just four seconds in to put the Coyotes (15-12, 10-7 CCC) behind early. College of Idaho took their first lead of the game with 12:39 left to go in the opening period and managed to build a nine-point lead with 7:52 remaining. The Geoducks chipped the differential away to pull within one with 45 seconds left as a late ‘Yote basket put the visitors up at half, 35-32.
In the second half, the Coyotes looked to take control early but the Geoducks got back in it, retaking the lead with 11:08 left to play. The game went back and forth for the next 10 minutes as neither team was able to build an advantage bigger than four. Down one with 17 seconds left to play, Evergreen had the chance to win the game with a three pointer but the ‘Yotes’ Nicole Gall picked off a pass. Gall then hit a pair of free throws as College of Idaho earned the 62-58 win.
Evergreen was led by 15 points from Vanessa Caskey (Tacoma, Wash./Pierce CC). Woods added 14 while freshman Danielle Swain (Rainier, Wash./Black Hills HS) added 13 points to go with for the game and forced 18 C of I turnovers on the night.
College of Idaho was led by 14 points from Meghan Hughes. Rachel Rasmussen added 11 points off the bench. Gall, who came in averaging 18.9 ppg, was held to nine points but got the win as the ‘Yotes picked up their tenth conference win of the year.
Evergreen will close out the 2010-11 season on Saturday night when they play host to Eastern Oregon. Prior to the game, the Geoducks will honor three young women who will be playing their final collegiate contest.
OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Evergreen Geoducks erased a 14 point deficit in the second half but Matt Ballenger hit a game-winning three with two seconds left to lead the College of Idaho Coyotes to a 76-74 win in a Cascade Collegiate Conference men’s basketball game on Friday night at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.
The Geoducks (8-19, 5-12 CCC) got off to a solid start, building a five point lead over the Coyotes (13-15, 10-7 CCC) early in the contest. College of Idaho kept things close and grabbed the lead back with 5:56 left in the opening frame but Evergreen kept it close as the ‘Yotes needed a jumper by Kelly McCarty with 25 seconds left to take the 34-33 lead into the halftime break.
In the second half, it looked like the ‘Yotes were going to run away with it as they pushed the lead into double-digits with 13:48 left to go. The lead was 14 for the Coyotes at the 11:24 mark and C of I was still up by 11 with five minutes left to play but the Geoducks weren’t ready to give in. An 11-3 run got Evergreen back within three with just over a minute left to play.
After a pair of free throws by the ‘Yotes Miguel Rodriguez, the Geoducks scored six points in 29 seconds to take a one-point lead with just 19 seconds left to play, leaving the ‘Yotes with a chance to win it. College of Idaho worked the ball down the court and into the hands of Ballenger, who fired from outside the arc and found nothing but net with just two seconds left to give the ‘Yotes the hard-fought victory, 76-74.
Evergreen was led by a season-high 30 points from junior Marice Tolliver (Tacoma, Wash./Lower Columbia CC), who also added six rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block in the loss. Senior Josh Troyer (Vancouver, Wash./Lower Columbia CC) added 18 points as the Geoducks shot 45.2% from the field but just 60% from the charity stripe.
College of Idaho was led by 20 points for Ballenger, who also added eight rebounds. McCarty added 19 for the ‘Yotes while Krispin Banks collected the double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Steve Peres chipped in 11 points to round out the College of Idaho double-digit scorers. C of I turned the ball over 21 times on the night but outrebounded Evergreen, 44-33.
The Geoducks will head into Saturday’s regular season finale with #13 Eastern Oregon with a chance to make the postseason but they will need some help. In order to earn a berth in next week’s CCC Tournament, Evergreen will have to pick up a win over EOU and hope for a loss by Concordia against Southern Oregon.