PORTLAND, Ore. – Junior Brittany Gray (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Bainbridge HS/Skagit Valley CC) put up her fifth double-double of the season with 27 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Evergreen Geoducks past the Concordia Cavaliers, 79-71, in a Cascade Conference women’s basketball game on Friday night at Cavalier Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.

The teams established early that it would be a tight one throughout as the first-half featured 10 lead changes before the Geoducks took a two-point lead into the break at 43-41.  It was the Concordia bench keeping the Cavaliers competitive in the first half, posting 15 points off the pine compared with just four for the Geoduck substitutes.

The Cavaliers went on a 10-2 run to open the second half that gave CU a six-point lead less than three minutes into the period but the Geoducks roared back with a 9-0 run of their own to retake the lead with 14:19 left to play.  Evergreen continued to push the pace and a three-pointer by Jessica Denmon (Oak Harbor, Wash./Oak Harbor HS/Skagit Valley CC) put the green and white up by double-digits with 4:15 left to play.  CU tried to put together a comeback but the Geoducks held tough, pulling out the 79-71 conference win.

Evergreen was led by the 27 points and 11 rebounds from Gray, who also added three assists and just one turnover in 34 minutes played.  Sammi Clark (Monroe, Wash./Monroe HS/Edmonds CC) added 14 points and five assists while Sadee Jones (Belfair, Wash./North Mason HS) added 11 points in the win.  Denmon finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds to earn the double-double.

Concordia was led by 18 points from Lexi Campbell and 16 points from Kelly Huey.  Briannah Smith came off the bench to add 14 points in the loss.  The Cavaliers were outworked on the boards, 46-34.

The Geoducks will look to make it two in a row on Saturday night as they remain in the Rose City to take on Warner Pacific.  Tip with the Knights is set for 5:30 p.m. at C.C. Perry Gymnasium in Portland.

Box Score