LCSC stays perfect with win over Eastern Oregon

 11-18-06

LEWISTON, Idaho – Janeen Nelson continued her torrid shooting to help the Lewis-Clark State College women’s basketball team defeat Eastern Oregon University 75-52 and claim the unofficial title in the Staples Classic Shootout at the LCSC Activity Center on Saturday. 

Nelson, who hit 10-of-13 shots in a win over Evergreen State College on Friday, hit 5-of-7 3-pointers against the Mounties and finished with 15 points to earn MVP honors of the Classic. The 5-foot-9 senior guard from Roosevelt, Utah, finished the tournament by hitting 15 of 23 shots, including 8-of-13 from the 3-point line, for 38 points.  She also had six steals.

The Warriors, 5-0 on the season, used a strong defensive effort to take control early in the second half. Eastern Oregon finished with 28 turnovers and attempted 21 less shots from the field. 

Ashley Baker had a big second half for LCSC and finished with a game-high 23 points. Mandy Troutt also was in double figures for the Warriors with 10 points. 

Junior point guard Katie Hart, the smallest player on the court at 5-4, finished with a career-high 12 rebounds, along with four assists, and joined Nelson on the all-tournament team. Also named to the squad were Janae Hirschi and Shannon Evans of Westminster College, Christie Weaver of Eastern Oregon, and Joy White of Evergreen State. 

In Saturday’s contest, the Warriors hit 27 of 70 shots from the field for 38.6 percent, including 8-of 20 at the 3-point line, for 40 percent. LCSC also had a 46-32 rebounding edge and collected 22 offensive rebounds, including five by Hart. 

Eastern Oregon finished 20 of 49 from the field for 40.8 percent, including 7 of 17 from the 3-point line, 41.2 percent. Breana Olson led the Mounties with 13 points, while Weaver, who had 37 points against Westminster on Friday, was held to five points, all in the second half. Eastern Oregon is now 2-1 overall after finishing 1-1 in the tournament. 

In Saturday’s earlier game, Westminster held Evergreen State to without a field goal for nearly the first 13 minutes of the game to claim a 58-43 win. Westminster led 19-1 before Evergreen State connected on a 3-point with 7:04 left in the first half. Elisa Leader had 20 points to pace Westminster, while Janae Hirschi had 18. Jenny Olson paced Evergreen State with 14 points. 

Westminster finished 1-1 in the tournament and is 4-3 overall, while Evergreen State went 0-2 to fall to 0-3 overall. 

The Warriors return to action in Oakland, Calif., for next week’s Holy Names University Thanksgiving Classic. LCSC will play the host school on Friday at 6 p.m., and then square off against Dominican University of San Rafael, Calif., on Saturday at 4 p.m. 

LCSC’s next home game won’t be until Dec. 8 when it plays host to the four-team Wells Fargo Invitational. LCSC will take on Simon Fraser University at 6 p.m., while George Fox and Montana State-Northern meet in the first game at 4 p.m.

(Jim Grant, Manager of Staples, shown here with the Warriors after the 2006 Staples Classic)