CALDWELL, Idaho – Making 9-of-12 shots in the fourth quarter, the College of Idaho woke up in the nick of time, rallying from a 12-point deficit to defeat Northwest University, 58-57, in a key Cascade Conference women's basketball match-up in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The win ended a four-game losing streak for the Lady Yotes (7-12, 7-6 CCC), completing a season sweep of the Eagles for the first time since the 2012-13 season.
The Yotes struggled mightily through three quarters – making just 27-percent of their field goal attempts, as the Eagles (10-14, 5-9) used a 12-0 third quarter run, including 3's from Mariah Stacona and Katie Rozumny, to take a 35-23 lead. Despite nine-straight points from freshman
Stevie Hill to pull C of I back into the game, Stacona answered the call with a 3-pointer and a Miranda Langenhorst lay-up to give NU a 40-32 lead at the end of the period.
The margin would be 44-34 a minute into the fourth quarter before C of I made their run.
Kiara Skinner hit a mid-range jumper and two 3-pointers in a 9-2 surge to pull the hosts within 46-43 with 5:42 left. An
Alyssa Case triple got the Yotes even at 48-48, with Case giving C of I the lead for good with a put-back of a miss with two minutes left and
Petra Lumpert making it 56-52 with a fast-break lay-up – with the Yotes holding on for the win.
Skinner led the Yotes with 13 points and a season-high nine rebounds, with Case recording her first career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Hill had a career-high nine points, with
Maddie Skaggs scoring seven points and adding a career-high 12 boards. C of I held a 49-42 edge on the glass and won despite making just 6-of-19 free throws.
Langenhorst had 16 points and 12 rebounds in the loss for NU, with Charmaine Bradford scoring nine. The Eagles made a woeful 2-of-13 free throw attempts, including missing all four second half tries.
C of I returns to action tomorrow night, hosting Evergreen at 5:30 p.m.
