LA GRANDE, Ore. – Eastern Oregon women’s basketball survives to fight another day after securing an impressive 83-62 victory over the Bushnell and advancing to the CCC Semifinals.
Just three days ago, the Mounties found themselves in a tough battle against the Beacon team in the final game of the regular season, but tonight’s contest was a different story. The Mounties seized control from the start, unleashing a 25-point onslaught in the opening quarter. Their momentum continued with a 29-point burst in the second quarter, allowing them to enter halftime with a 54-25 lead. Bushnell mounted a comeback in the third, but ultimately could not close the gap.
Guided by senior standout Beverly Slater, who delivered an impressive double-double with 22 points and 19 rebounds, the Mounties asserted their dominance on the boards with a 50-33 rebounding advantage. Slater’s presence in the paint proved instrumental in dictating the tempo of the game, allowing the Mounties to stifle the Beacon’s comeback attempt.
Bayley Brennan also made significant contributions to Eastern Oregon’s offensive effort, finishing the night with 18 points and 4 threes. Brie Holecek added a double-double of her own with 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Mountaineers.
Aspen Slifka, the conference’s leading scorer, lead the way for her team with 22 points in the loss.
With this victory, Eastern Oregon secures a spot in the CCC tournament’s semifinals to face the No. 1 seeded Southern Oregon. The highly anticipated matchup is scheduled to tip-off on Friday, March 1st at 5:30 p.m. inside the Lithia Motors Pavilion located in Ashland, Oregon.
