(La Grande, OR), Senior Ellie Sander joined the prestigious 1,000-point, 500-rebound club on Saturday with her three rebounds while Darian Herring did it all to help No. 24 LC State Women’s Basketball defeat Eastern Oregon 68-59 on Saturday.
Sander joined the 1,000-point club earlier this season and is the second Warrior to grab their 500th board this year joining Sitara Byrd. Herring finished the night with 14 points, seven rebounds and six blocks. She had three blocks in the first quarter.
“Another hard-fought win today and I am so proud of our efforts,” coach Caelyn Orlandi said. “Back-to-back games are extremely tough and being on the road makes it even more difficult. I am proud of our team and the direction we are going. Big home games next weekend and I look forward to what’s to come.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a block by Herring kept EOU off the board, a jumper by Mataya Green put up the first two points of the game. The senior added another basket 30 seconds later to keep the slim lead with LC State. Another block by Herring led to a basket by Sander, but back-to-back 3-pointers by the Mounties had LC State down 8-6 at 5:49.
Payton Hymas tied things up with a layup on the next possession, and a third block by Herring and steal by Tatum Brager took LC down the court where Brager drained a 3 for a 12-11 edge at 3:54. Herring joined in on the offensive side with a basket and a tally by Sander had the score at 16-13 with two minutes to play in the opening quarter. Herring scored once more in the frame for an 18-15 lead after 10 minutes.
Sander got the scoring started in the second quarter and Grace Beardin put back an offensive board to make it 22-17 at 7:51. Five points from Brager extended the lead to 27-19 by 5:12, and a run of seven points with four from Herring and an and-1 from Brager had the advantage at 34-21 at 3:06. Sander and Green added to the total in the final minute to send the Warrior women to halftime with a 37-23 lead.
Sander was the first Warrior to score in the second half and Hymas added two foul shots, but two 3-pointers gave EOU momentum midway through the frame. Lindsey Wilson kept the lead in double-digits and a basket by Sander made it 47-34 at 2:20.
A pair of triples by the Mounties cut the difference to 49-42 before an and-1 by Sander had the Warriors in front 52-42 with 10 minutes to play.
The 3-pointers continued to fall for EOU to start the fourth quarter, but points from Herring and Green combined for a run of five to push the advantage back to 57-45 at 7:57. Free throws by the Mounties brought the score within seven points and another 3 had the LC lead down to 61-55 at 2:54.
Brager scored with 90 seconds to play and Sander converted free throws at the one-minute mark. Tessa Karlberg drained two free throws in the final seconds to secure the win.
STAT RECAP
Sander led the Warriors with 17 points on a 6-for-8 night from the field. She grabbed three rebounds to give her 500 in her career along with five steals. Herring added 14 points and completed her night with seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and six blocks.
Brager tallied 13 points while Green scored 10 points and led the defense with eight rebounds. Hymas dished out six assists.
“Darian and Mataya were getting fouled the whole game and still found ways to score the ball,” Orlandi said. “Ellie is such a tough match up offensively and the absolute confidence Tatum played with today was so impressive. Payton added six assists today and when she draws two she finds the open player.”
The Warriors shot 53.1% from the field and held EOU to 37%. The LC State defense forced 24 turnovers and capitalized with 20 points on those turnovers
