(Lewiston, ID) Ellie Sander notched a double-double and filled up the stat sheet to help lead No. 24 LC State Women’s Basketball past College of Idaho on Friday. The Warriors avenged their loss from earlier in the season with a 57-54 victory.
The Warrior defense held the Yotes to just 32.1% shooting from the field and 22.2% from 3-point range.
“A good job of defending the 3-point line today for our team,” coach Caelyn Orlandi said. “We set goals in practice this week that our team did a good job of executing today. Our third quarter defense was the game changer, and I was proud of the defensive efforts.”
The win has the LC State record at 19-4 overall and 13-4 in Cascade Conference play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Darian Herring scored the first basket of the contest in a close first quarter. Payton Hymas and Sander both scored before foul shots by Sander had the score knotted 8-8 at 5:55. Lindsey Wilson fought her way to a basket to keep the Warriors within one 11-10, to close out the frame.
The Warriors took the lead a minute into the second quarter. Wilson put back an offensive board before Sitara Byrd hit a 3-pointer to make it 15-11. Mataya Green scored before Sander and Byrd took back-to-back steals back to the basket for a 21-13 advantage by 7:03.
Sander kept the offense rolling with a jumper after grabbing a rebound and Wilson kept the advantage at five, 25-20, at 3:42. The Yotes surged to take a 27-25 lead in the back-and-forth. Tatum Brager tied things up 27-27 before a 3 by Hymas gave the Warriors a slim 30-29 edge in the final minute. Sander blocked a shot to end the half and keep LC State in front at the break.
Herring tallied the first bucket of the third frame and added another a minute later for a 34-31 edge. Green nailed a jumper at 7:06 and Sander pushed the lead to 39-33 with a triple at 6:35. Sander stayed hot with a layup, and a steal by Green turned into a layup by Hymas for a 10-point advantage at 5:29.
After free throws by the Yotes cut the margin to 44-37 at 2:38, foul shots by Green had the difference at 46-37 shortly after. A layup by Sander gave the Warriors a 48-40 lead with 10 minutes to play.
C of I started the final frame with five straight points before a bucket by Wilson put LC on the board. The Yotes maintained the momentum and cut the Warrior lead to one, 51-50, midway through the quarter.
Herring added a layup but C of I kept the pressure on. A free throw by Sander and another basket by Herring maintained the lead with under a minute to play, but a basket by the Yotes made it a two-point game. Green netted a pair of free throws to secure the victory.
STAT RECAP
Sander led the contest with 16 points on a 6-for-10 day from the field. She completed her double-double with 10 rebounds to go with four assists, two steals and two blocks. Herring scored 10 points on a 5-for-6 performance and Byrd grabbed seven boards.
“Offensively, it wasn’t one of our best performances as a team, but we had players step up and find ways to score,” Orlandi said. “I thought Ellie was great all around, Darian played composed in the post and Payton attacked the basket confidently. I thought Camden (Barger) came in and made some excellent passes as well.”
UP NEXT
The Warriors wrap up the weekend at Eastern Oregon on Saturday with a 3 p.m. tip off.
