NIC women fall in championship

North Idaho College picked an inopportune time to play its worst half of the season.

The 12th-ranked Cardinals slipped into a 25-point deficit late in the first half and Salt Lake turned away a spirited NIC rally to earn a 75-59 victory Saturday and the Region 18 women’s basketball tournament championship.

“I can’t remember a half like that, especially on our home floor,” Cardinals coach Chris Carlson said. “I can’t put my finger on it right now, I really can’t.”

The loss capped a tough weekend for NIC, which played host to the tournament for the first time since 1997. NIC’s men lost to Dixie State in the semifinals Friday and the top-seeded Cardinal women fell short in their bid to return to nationals for the first time in nine years.

Instead, third-seeded Salt Lake earned its first trip to nationals after falling short in the Region 18 title game the last three years.

“I’ve been in the championship game five times and this is the fourth straight year we’ve been in it,” said 10th-year Salt Lake coach Betsy Specketer. “The law of averages catches up to you, I guess.”

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