Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. – Warner Pacific used a 14-0 run early in the second half to build a 10-point lead and held off a frantic final minute rally by the Lady Yotes, as the Knights defeated College of Idaho, 65-62, at Bart Valentine Court.
The victory was the first for the Knights (5-10, 1-3 CCC) in Cascade Conference play, while ending a three-game league win streak for C of I (6-7, 3-2).
Despite making just 1-of-12 three-point tries in the first half, the Lady Yotes held a slim 30-29 lead at the break and opened the final 20 minutes with a made three-pointer from Elisha Hensey. WP answered, holding C of I to 0-of-8 shooting a four turnovers in the next five minutes, taking the lead on a Megan Tullis lay-up, with a Courtney Walchli three-point play and an Ali Campbell bucket pushing the margin to 43-33.
The Knights would lead 64-55 with just 46 seconds left – but the Yotes did not quit. Two Hensey free throws were followed by a steal from Erica Martinez and a basket by Chakala Carthen. Dayna Drager would steal the in-bounds pass, with Martinez canning a trey to pull C of I within 64-62 with 13 seconds left. After WP split two free throws with seven seconds remaining, the Coyotes had a final try, but Martinez missed a three point attempt at the buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime.
Campbell led the Knights with 15 points and 11 rebounds, as WP held a commanding 48-34 edge on the glass. Jordan Wilcox had 13 points in the win.
Carthen had a career-high 27 points, logging her ninth double-double of the year by adding 12 rebounds. Hensey had 12 points, with Martinez scoring 10 – but going just 2-of-13 from outside the arc, as C of I connected on just 34-percent of their field goal tries in the loss.
The Coyotes return to action tomorrow night, meeting Concordia at 5:30 p.m. (PT)
