1-26-08

LEWISTON, Idaho --Senior guard Jade Fulbright scored 21 points to lead four Lewis-Clark State College players in double figures as the No. 13-ranked Warriors defeated the No. 11 Carroll College Saints 90-87 in a key Frontier Conference women's basketball showdown at the LCSC Activity Center on Saturday night. 

The win gives LCSC control of the conference standings at the halfway point. With their ninth straight win, the Warriors improved to 18-3 overall and 7-0 in conference play, two games ahead of Carroll, which is now 17-3 and 5-2. The remaining six FC teams have at least three losses in conference play. This means LCSC would have to lose at least three of its final seven games in order for anyone else to win the regular season title outright. 

After trailing by one at halftime, the Warriors led by as much as 14 in the second half, 77-63 with eight minutes left. Carroll, which had a four-game win streak snapped, battled back and a 3-pointer by Elly Bruursema cut the margin 83-81 with 1:34 left. 

After the two teams exchanged a pair of free throws, LCSC guard Kim Preston was able to get her own rebound on a missed 3-pointer and hit a short jumper with 34 seconds left to put the Warriors ahead by four. However, Danielle Maloney scored for Carroll to make it a two-point game with 20 seconds left. 

The Saints were then forced to foul and Fulbright nailed two free throws with 17.6 seconds left, but Bruursema countered with a pair of free throws to cut LCSC's lead to 89-87 with 11.6 seconds left. 

After a timeout, LCSC was unable to get the ball inbounds and Carroll took possession on the five-second turnover.  Saints' senior guard Jolene Fuzesy, however, was called for traveling before the Saints could get a shot off. LCSC then inbounded the ball and the Saints had to foul. Preston then hit one of two free throws with seven seconds left. Carroll attempted a long 3-pointer that missed at the buzzer to keep the Warriors undefeated in regular-season league play since 2006. 

Fulbright, who played only six minutes in the first half after picking up two fouls, had a solid game by going 6-of-7 from the field, including 4-of-4 from the 3-point line. She also had twp assists and two steals.  

Breianna Gaines added 16 points, while Sadie Short had 15. Vanessa West added 10 points, five rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals. 

Caitlin Courchaine had a huge night for Carroll with 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting from the field. Bruursema added 19 points while Fuzesy had 15 points, but just on 3-of-9 shooting.